Training a weimaraner

[c_and_b]

I have a weimaraner that will be 2 in June whom I have posted about before, and there are a few training issues I want to touch upon and get ideas and techniques for.
She barks at the door when people knock
She sometimes tries to nip friends when they come through the door, but once she has gotten used to them being in the house she doesnt care
She occasionally tries to go for other dogs, there is one place over the back of our estate where we let her off, and twice now she has gone for dogs, but it only ever seems to be small dogs, even then when she is let off at the big park and any dogs come near her she is fine. She went for a dog for the first time last year, so I have been socialising her at said park, and thought she had gotten over it as she was happy to play with all dogs, then today we went back to the place on the back of the estate and she went for a dog for the second time.
She also barks at people and dogs all the time when she is on the lead and i dont know how to stop this.

Please no crit because strictly speaking she isnt my dog, she is my dads and he has had weims before so took on the challenge, only I'm the one that has to walk her all the time, and I dont want to be walking or living with a dog that does all these things. So I have taken it upon myself to get training advice, because I really dont know what to do, I dont want my parents to get rid of her because I love her so much, and I dont think that would solve anything, I want to deal with the problem, not get rid of it. So if any of you have training ideas that would be great.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I have a weimaraner that will be 2 in June whom I have posted about before, and there are a few training issues I want to touch upon and get ideas and techniques for.
She barks at the door when people knock
She sometimes tries to nip friends when they come through the door, but once she has gotten used to them being in the house she doesnt care
She occasionally tries to go for other dogs, there is one place over the back of our estate where we let her off, and twice now she has gone for dogs, but it only ever seems to be small dogs, even then when she is let off at the big park and any dogs come near her she is fine. She went for a dog for the first time last year, so I have been socialising her at said park, and thought she had gotten over it as she was happy to play with all dogs, then today we went back to the place on the back of the estate and she went for a dog for the second time.
She also barks at people and dogs all the time when she is on the lead and i dont know how to stop this.

Please no crit because strictly speaking she isnt my dog, she is my dads and he has had weims before so took on the challenge, only I'm the one that has to walk her all the time, and I dont want to be walking or living with a dog that does all these things. So I have taken it upon myself to get training advice, because I really dont know what to do, I dont want my parents to get rid of her because I love her so much, and I dont think that would solve anything, I want to deal with the problem, not get rid of it. So if any of you have training ideas that would be great.

Well done for posting, no criticism from me. I can only advise how I would tackle these issues.

Re the barking at the door, okay, the noise is irritating but she is doing her job and alerting you to it. Not a big deal and one that doesn't bother me, but when I say quiet to mine they shut up.

Barking at people is concerning. Firstly snapping, whether she makes contact or not is unacceptable. If I had a dog like that, whenever I had visitors I would keep a very close eye on her, any sign of dominant behaviour and she would be sent out of the room. If you have a dog that can be sharp with relative strangers, keep an eye on the dog and advise the visitor to completely ignore the dog, no eye contact, sudden movements etc.

Barking at other dogs whilst on lead, well, I always find distraction works. Either by getting her attention by saying her name and fussing, or using a food treat/toy. Don't shorten the lead and tense up,get her focus on you.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I would see if you can get her to a good training class where someone can assess her and see what the triggers are - fear? Insecurity? You sending messages down the lead? Gobbinesss? Out and out aggression?

If she nips visitors, please put her away in a crate, kennel, other room etc until you get it cracked, letting her away with it will not teach her anything and you run the risk of someone getting hurt.

Agree with BS, teach a good 'watch me' command through food or a ball...that command can 'hide' a multiple of sins! Basically, she gets nothing, inside the house or out, until she is quiet and looking at you.

Get 'The Culture Clash' by Jane Donaldson, it is a good book about dog training/psychology.

Don't take this the wrong way but there are a few things we can't solve alone/over a messageboard and a fresh pair of eyes in front of you can point out all sorts of things we never realised we were doing in the first place and unintentionally influencing the dog.

 

[CAYLA]

I personally would never dissuade the barking at the door, as indeed as suggested it's not a bad thing in terms of safety.
Im not into the whole teach a dog to bark on command, I have a weim here now boarding and his owners have been through pretty much the same with him and they tried a behaviourist who suggested 2 things, 1, teach him to bark on command and it will stop all other barking (it never did) and B, stand infront of him to stop him from barking or attacking other dogs, so literally block his view (never worked)
They got him from from a not so nice place (2 kids) literally who has never socialised him and kept him in a tiny crate (he is a huge dog) he literally walked stoped when he came out into the word, they where selling him in a local paper with these issues, I was very suprised when tracing his breeding back to find out where he came from (well actually someone did it for me on here) and lets just say its a small world
Anyhows here goes, if the barking is really bad at the door then claim the space back and make her her move away on command, if it's not so bad then dont worry re the actual barking at the door knocking.
As blazingsaddles suggests use time out for any over the top barking when guests arrive. Start by placing her in the kitchen area when guests arrive and ask them to be seated before you let her in (ask them to ignore her) stay near to your guests and if you feel she may nip (it's up to you to protect them) so either block her advance or take her by the collar and place her out in the kitchen for 5 mins, allow her to re-enter in a calm manor, still no talk or attention from anybody including yourself. Give her a chance to settle (any unwanted behaviour) then back out she goes.

Give her somewhere to retreat when she does remain calm in the room (a bed) and have a pre filled kong ready for her. When she wants to remain in the room and remians calm and you have been able to allow her to remain in (give her the filled kong on her bed) this is a positive associator.
Give your guests a tube of primula and ask them to hold it out to her but not to talk or encourage her, but just to get her to use her scent and come over for a lick if she chooses (another positive associator).
Use the same routine every time a guest comes (no matter who) and use time out to encourage her to remain in the room and be calm, always have you guests seated before hse come in the main room and use your positives (treats).

On walks as suggested use commands to get her attention coupled with a positive (primula cheese) in the tube or a ball (weims generally love toys balls) does she not? could you not keep her attention if you where out with a ball thrower? (the dog I have here loves them and will look at a ball all day long over any other distraction
Teach her to watch and teach her to leave, so as much as you use positive association/distraction, if you need to couple it with a reprimand, get yourself a descent training lead and half check chain and check her sharply when she is paying no attention and them immediately a positive reward (lick of primula)
In situations where there could possibly be a dangerous issue (her nipping people/dogs) then to have her regard you is not a bad thing, so take a firm stance where needed.

Work on her recall with these positive too, you do need good recall if she goes after dogs whilst off and you need to keep her on until you have worked with your recall.
I also agree a good training class can only help or a local recommended bahviourist.

 

[Mypinkpony]

Very good advice from cayla (and everyone really), i would defo tackle that all on board and try outting it into practice!!!

I feel your fustration, i have a weim who was 3 in Jan and as much as i love her she has been such hard work...still is really! i researched for 6 months on which breed to get and still didn't listen to the 'only for experianced dog owners' 'not a first time dog' but she's taught me so much...i just have much hair left now from the stress she's caused lol

She always barks at the door tbh i never told her off when she was younger as i would like to think that if someone was thinking of breaking in she would soon discourage them! But i often can't get her to calm down till she has seen the person so instead i send her to her bed (about 5 mtrs from the door) and even if she barks grumbles from there she's not in that persons face doing it Might need 2 of you doing it to start with, one at the door and one by her bed so you can correct her everytime she tries to get off the bed, make her stay there uintil she has settled and watched the people coming in, settling down and then let he say hello when the situation os all calm!

I take mine to gundog training now and it really is doing her wonders, she has to be round at least 10 other dogs but not go up to them at all, she needs to focus on me (as said watch me command invaluable there!) and listen to all commands, it really mentally stimilates her...maybe yours would benefit from gun dog/obidience/aglity training? i used to take her aglity, she loved that too!

weims are very ignorant and highly strung and always looking to cause chaos on my experiance lol it's our own faults for subjecting ourselves to this by being weim owners he he!

Here's my Chloe (butter wouldn't melt) with some little jumps i made in my garden for her, keeps her entertained and happy and its cheap, i just used plumbing pipes and garden trelis from the pound store and sprayed them. You can practice lots of sit stays before calling her over the jumps etc, helps with making her stay in her bed when asked.

 

[weaselwords]

I have joined today as I saw this post, despite lurking for ages! I have a Weimaraner bitch and a Weimaraner x Viszla boy dog and can recognise some of the issues that we have had with our bitch. My two are 3 years old now, but we've only had them since last August and so went through quite a few teething problems when they first came, especially for me with the bitch. I would never judge anyone who was struggling with a Weimaraner, as they are not easy dogs by any stretch of the imagination.

We have found that ours need to work their brains as much as their legs and their legs need to work a LOT. My bitch will only listen to you if you are sufficiently interesting and are definitely in charge. This means a lot of games of retrieval and constantly training for recall, wait etc. with absolutely no room for disobedience and absolute consistency. She is a very dominant bitch and rules the dog with a rod of iron, although to be fair he is very Viszla-y and quite sensitive and often nervous and is generally a much less challenging and easier dog to train and be with.

She respects my husband far more than me and surprisingly is far more aggressive towards other dogs when with me, to the point that I won't let her off the lead where other dogs are around as she yells so much at some dogs, yet with him she is an exemplary citizen and plays really nicely and comes straight back if she looks like she is going to charge at another dog and he doesn't want her to. She mostly ignores me so I don't think it worth the risk, but I think a lot of it is that she knows exactly where she stands with him, doesn't have to lead or protect him in any way and is therefore more relaxed.

I also walk her in a head collar, as that means that I can stop the pulling, lunging and woofing at other dogs, whereas husband just walks her in a harness with no pulling or lunging at all. I've made myself sound a rubbish dog-owner by my description of the difference in my dog when she isn't out with me, but believe me, I am not that bad, she is just very challenging. She's also beautiful, funny, kind and affectionate and has the most enormous velvetty ears, so isn't all bad!

 

[CAYLA]

On the contrary you both sound like fab dog owners who only want the best for your dogs
WW makes a very good point, they do indeed need their brains exercising aswell as themselves, these dogs have immense stamina and are very intelligent, if you can get them scent working it can help work both brain and body, they have the most fantastic scent.
I have come to really take a shine to this breed considering how many I deal with and find them to be very loving dogs that need immense exercise but that they pick up training and are very responsive very very quick as they are clever dogs meaning they can also take the P given half a chance.

Ps, you girls looks like a beautiful weim

 

[Lou23]

Hi,


I also have a Weimaraner bitch, turning 3 end of July. I find my girl is very protective over me, she barks at people when I'm in the car but silent when I'm not and my OH says she is more barky when I'm home.
Needless to say she spends her day in bed if I'm out, just likes to know where OH is but not fussed on being with him.

My last dog was a weim and again very protective but also had a dog aggression if a dog came out of no where.
I have been very lucky to bring this weim up with a friends dog who is quietly the dominant female and she is submissive with other dogs but will defend herself if she has too,

I find with my weim's they are very food orientated and I always walk with food and this helps her focus on me.

Weim's are naturally protective and barky and I tried training my last weim to bark on command so that I could stop her when barking but failed miserably and not even tried with this one but she knows she can have a few barks and is then told to be quiet and she will quietly moan!

I actually prefer people to know I have a big weim in my house and let her bark to let them know she is here.

My bitch can be slightly aggressive at my work and doesn't like my staff coming up to my desk, I have tried everything to stop this, commands to focus on me, but she is so quick to run, so have now installed a gate so she can't reach anyone and bizarrely she is worse if I'm sat down so I have to stand to attention every time some enters my office. Maybe you could install a gate in your hall to stop the dog the other side but also so she can see people entering your house and you showing that you are in control and don't need her assistance.

We also do agility which she loves and tries her hardest and I believe this has helped give her a purpose to her working nature.
My girl has recently started catching rabbits and this really works her brain, senses on a walk and really tires her out!

I seem to have been blessed with weim's that need walks but happy to have a short one or long one as long as they are with me they are not bothered.

The above advice is excellent and I would recommend getting a trainer to help! Just to have some pointers in which direction to go is great. Weim's are extremely intelligent and love to please.

Good Luck with your girl! It's lovely to hear someone who cares about there dog and wants to help improve manners.

 

[Mypinkpony]

Welcome weaselwords....glad the weim post tempted you in I have a weim, a viz and a weimxviz!!! Would love to see a pic of the weimxviz if you could post one, ours is only 5 months old

Despite all the things us weim owners moan about (and there is a long list lol) you can not fault the loyalty and affection of a weim, It's unmeasurable!

Thanks cayla....

 

[weaselwords]

This is the Weimaraner x Viszla for Mypinkpony

And this is both of them together.

 

[weaselwords]

Here is my beautiful girlie.

 

[c_and_b]

Thank you all so much for your advice! I have been looking over a umber of things that have changed in her routine that may have influenced her behaviour. One of these was I changed from walking her in a check collar, to a halti headcollar as she used to pull horrendously, but I thought this might enhance her bad behaviour as she is more restricted? I dont know but I thought anything was worth a try. So from yesterday I took to walking her in the check collar again despite the pulling. Today we worked on recall using a flexi lead and she picked it up really quickly and after just half an hour now responds to come every time! I also take treats out every time I walk her now and reward her good behaviour and after 2 walks this is already having a great affect, thank you CAYLA for the positive stimulus ideas . We have also walked past 2 dogs (albeit on opposite sides of the road) but by using the "focus on me and you get the biscuit" approach she didnt bark at either of them, when before she would bark and go crazy even on the lead. There are also a couple of things for her to jump over on the grassy bit on the back of the estate, logs and branches etc. And she also picked that up really quickly. I'm so proud of her for being so intelligent, and responding this well so quickly. Thank you all so much as she really has improved and it makes me feel better about myself and her training, because I dont have to apologise to all these innocent dog owners that she barks at all the time!

Mypinkpony your girl is beautiful!

Thought iI would just jump on the bandwagon and post a couple of pics of Saffy


Bit of a photo overload

As a Puppy

Just Mooching

Posing

Jumping

With Ollie our Springer

And a couple of headshots

 

[Cop-Pop]

I had to stop walking my boss' weimaraner in the end because he gave it no training what so ever and I couldn't control her She was large for her breed and jumped up at everything - she had me over more than once, would pull like a train, didn't recall for anything, would jump the moon if she thought it would enable her to escape and would suddenly snap at other dogs. When she was a pup one week with me and she was fine but now she's a nightmare - I don't think I've known a more willfull dog!

 

[Mypinkpony]

Glad all is going well...keep at the good work, its worth it!

Slip leads/gun dog leads work a treat on mine, dead cheap too so worth a try on her to stop her pulling