Would anyone like a Patterdale, before I strangulate the little git!!!

Wasrandyra

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My delightful and wonderful dog has to be the stupidest most bloody minded animal on the planet.

I have been working very hard to get the little darling to walk nicely on the lead - with lots and lots of good advice from the wonderful people in dogs.

If you remember I posted about him being very very strong to the point of choking himself, launching himself at anything, dog, horse, sheep, people etc etc.

Basically he has NO respect for me or the lead. He is now in a slip lead (more money) and has proceeded to try and choke himself in this also. I keep it right behind his ears and him to my heel. He is ok but not brilliant, however if he see's something more interesting he launches at it (crisp packet today). He did a back flip trying to get the crisp packet after I had continued to walk forwards and 'checked' him and said firmly 'LEAVE'. Cue lots of scrabbling, whining and spinning. Its even worse with a dog.

I have tried taking treats when we are out but he wont eat them, too excited.
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He is also deaf by selection and his bee-lines caused me to fall on my ar*se this morning and use some very un-lady like language.
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He just waggs his tail at me and looks at me like 'Whats your problem??'

He is only 1, he gets walked everyday for 2-5 miles at least and he still has his furry plums.

I have told my OH who actually OWNS this little t*rd that if he does not get him booked in next week for nuts of I will be doing them both with a pair of house bricks
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And no, OH does sod all with him, I do it all
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Ehem, any advice please, it's too early for a G&T.
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Ta
 

devilinajar

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I will probaly be shot down in flames for this but i would be trying an electric collar. A friend of mine has used them with great sucesse!! I do not think they should be used all the time for little things but if he really wont listen it will just get his attention back on you!!
 

CorvusCorax

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He is at a difficult age, as I said to another person on here last week, my boy was a nightmare around the 12 months mark, again, no respect for me at all.
Maybe furry plum removal would help?
Does he get much exercise at your home? Could you maybe take the edge off him before walks by throwing a ball, having a mad run around or some sort of game, so that he is not so hyper when you finally do go out?

Did you try the focus training (he gets rewarded for attention on you, ignored or checked if not)? Or is he just too wired to contemplate it? I have another few tricks (I might have mentioned them already) but if he is not focussing at all then they won't help.

Could your OH come out with you at all? He might be that bit stronger in terms of checking him. When my boy was being an arse my trainer had to step in to show me how strong I had to be.
I was holding the lead with the dog on my left, but trainer had the rest of the lead, he was on my right, so it appeared that I was checking him, and of course rewarding him when he looked up at me.
After five minutes, B had this 'oh right, I am NOT messing with you again!' look on his face.
OK, it wasn't pretty, but he got the message that HE wasn't in charge.
 

CorvusCorax

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Sorry, I don't agree with pinch or leccy collars for small dogs!
IMO these collars should only be used for 'aggression' towards other animals or people (which I wouldn't actually tolerate at all...) and chronic livestock or vehicle chasing.
This sounds like a dog who likes meeting people and seeing/investigating things, and using a leccy collar may end up giving him negative associations.

And yes I have used a pinch collar, but I have a dog the size of a small pony, it did work but it was for dog aggression and I was under strict guidance.
 

Wasrandyra

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Yes he is at a difficult age, from what I gather they are like it until they are about 4. Still though, I do expect more respect than he is giving me.

They play in the garden for an hour or so before we walk and them most if the afternoon.He has to be tied on a lunge line though as he jumps the fence and runs off.

He doesnt have toys as he wont play with them, just walk off with them, get jealous over them and then rip them to bits. He cant have tennis balls as he eats them
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so no toys for him!!

I have been very firm, to the point where I have pulled him over, I didnt mean to do it that hard but he was not listning. Did'nt make a blind bit of difference. *he was not hurt in any way*

Problem with my OH is he has no patience with him so nothing is ever achieved. He is also very inconsistant with him which doesnt help
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I shall stick some stamps on his arse HH and send him your way!!
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He is a lovely natured dog and is not agressive or anything, but just no sense and no feelings. I cant let him off the lead either as he just sods off
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Lets see if the plum removal helps then ....
 

CorvusCorax

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Well it sounds like you are trying hard, it would be worse if you didn't give a toot.
My mother is also very inconsistent, to the point where I have asked her not to give the dogs any commands at all because it is just a pain trying to undo bad habits she allowed them away with
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Would he be able to even come on a walk just to give you the physical edge over the dog until you get it sorted?

From the sounds of it I think neutering (the dog
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) will calm him down. My boy was done quite late (a few months ago).

And there is nothing wrong with being firm. IMO one quick, sharp pull on the neck every so often is better than years of the dog straining against a wide, broad collar.
 

Wasrandyra

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The thing is I am scared he will lose his rag and break his neck tugging him. I pulled him over quite sharply and I do give short sharps tugs when I feel him leaning/pulling. If you drop the lead he falls on his face.

I dont want to do the headcollar thing as its not solving the problem.

Sometimes I keep walking and walking up to 3 hours the other day to try and 'break' him a bit, he gets tired and calms down, however once he see's a 'trigger' he's at it again.

I am getting really fit !! lol.

Would you recommend running with him to wear him out and then do the walk to heel work?? (phew
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)
 

kirstyhen

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Instead of checking him, try getting something that worries him and shaking them when he pulls, so he learns out there is not good and near you is safe.
Keys sometimes work, my Dog (very randomly!!) reacts to my Big Red Trug Tub with something rattley in
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Not that I take it out walking with me
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but he comes down the field to feed the horse and I just have to rattle it and he heels straight away!
My Dog really really struggled to focus on me at all, his pulling was made even worse by the fact he had to be kept on a long line for months so never associated leads with walking at heel, now he walks beautifully at heel, off the lead whilst other dogs run past him, it's just finding what works and patience!
 

CorvusCorax

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In a word, 'yes', knacker him! I have started jogging with my two and taking them out in three hour or half-hour bursts, lots of play and training interspersed.
You have to exercise their minds as well as their bodies.

Is the lead slackening at all or is he just constantly straining on it? The idea is that the line is slack when he walks at heel, once he pulls, tighten it, once he stops, loosen it etc.
Could you try taking him out on the lunge line, attach it to the end of the slip so that he gets to feel what a loose line feels like? He may just be so used to a taught line, all he wants to do is fight against it because he thinks it is normal.

It may also be a temporary solution to not letting him off the lead, I had to exercise mine on a lunge for months until I got his recall cracked, it gave him the impression he was off the lead, even though he wasn't, but I was able to stop him if he tanked off.
Eventually I let it trail along the ground, and now I don't need it at all.
 

CorvusCorax

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And Hen makes a good point, something which makes a loud or sharp noise work, considering his iron neck
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I think a plastic bottle full of stones or coins is what some people use?
 

Wasrandyra

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It goes slack after I have checked him and then he speeds up until he is leaning again, then I check again .... have some impressive arm muscles developing.

Maybe the lunge line is not helping. Thing is I cant afford to do anything to the fence at the moment. He only jumps it when he hears people or dogs walking down the lane, he is over it very quickly and very silently.

The worry is the traffic and the field of sheep down the lane.

I suppose he could live in a run/pen but he is still learning not to eat his poo so another reason he is monitered so much.

If I run with him and wear him out, wont he just get fitter??

I am going to be b*lloxed!!!!
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kirstyhen

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[ QUOTE ]

I think a plastic bottle full of stones or coins is what some people use?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was trying to remember what normal people used (instead of a huge red trug tub with a headcollar in
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) and thats it! My OH's Parents use a jar with some tiny pebbles in, works on their terrier anyway
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CorvusCorax

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Could you try agility with him? Even in the garden? Set him up a few jumps? Is he interested in balls/toys, as in chasing them?
I do a good 30-40 mins in the morning of throwing a ball for him and putting him over a few small jumps. Minimal effort from me
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Wasrandyra

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I was thinking this the other day.

My friend uses a lunge whip and his dog chases the flicky bit at the end and jumps stuff trying to chase the flick.

I might do that later.
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CorvusCorax

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The idea with the bottle is to use it as a discouragement when he pulls (or does anything else naughty
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) and team it with a word like 'no'.
When he looks up/stops the behaviour/does what you want him to, he gets rewarded.
He will associate bad behaviour with a horrible noise.

Re the agility, you probably don't want to encourage him to jump if you don't want him to jump the garden fence.
 

CorvusCorax

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That was my next suggestion
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Listen, try anything that gets him going! I am sure a small jump wouldn't hurt, just nothing near the height or appearance of your fence.
Are there any classes near you, you could try?
 

Tinkerbee

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Send him down a rabbit hole and let him get stuck.
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We did that with SatanTerrier and it worked well for 48 hours (even managed to get back to England without him) till some git dug him out.
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Cliqmo

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Have you tried using yummier treats like mini chunk of chicken or cheese? I know it seems like you are rewarding bad behaviour :0 but if he isn't bothered by toys, being shouted at or his normal treats perhaps something yummier to catch his attention is worth a go? My Mothers JRT is an obnoxious little person and cannot be asked, bullied or cajouled into anything- however we have found bribery to be rather effective
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Keltic

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Oh dear i feel your pain ireally do!!! I have a patterdale cross who is now 3yrs she is a nutter still, im still waiting for her to calm down!! She used to be a night mare on a lead, she would choke herself or walk on her back legs or scrabble along the florr legs going 100mph and coughing and spluttering, i tried everything different collars etc etc puppy training classes were a nightmare she scrabbled everywhere, when the course ended they said i should do it again but tbh i gave up!!
Then one day i got her a harness and OMG it was like a miracle before i got down the garden path i knew it was the answer to my prayers it was amazing she actually walked! she still pulled a tiny bit but 99% less than before!! Since that day we have never looked back and have done agility classes and works well and we are going to start training classes again.
Anyway this is the one i have it about £6
http://www.farmway.co.uk/pet-1/dog-3/dog-collar-leads-9/ancol-dog-harness-1225.htm
 
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