Stuborn dog

Question
Hi,

My dog is an 8 month old Rottweiler Doberman cross, who is very stubborn. While training her I tried rewarding her with play time, praise and petting, but she didn't really seem to care, so I have moved to puppy treats which really motivate her.

Unfortunately she seems to be able to figure out when i don't have treats and simply doesn't respond to me calling her name.

She also doesn't seem to care when I give her negative attention when she does something wrong.

Lately she has taken to stealing anything she can off the counter, usually just something to chew on; she recently stole a CD off the table, a drinking glass, and a pair of scissors. I am getting concerned as she is stealling dangerous items but also getting frustrated as this is costing me allot of money.

How do I stop her? And how can i motivate her during training?

Thanks for your help, great web site

Eric S.

Answer
Hi Eric, glad you like the site!

Depending on the offense, negative attention doesn't really work for some dogs. For a case like counter-surfing, you can put your dog on a prong collar (she sounds tough enough to handle it) and attach her to a long leash (12 feet should do it). Have her drag it around the house (careful it doesn't get caught) and set up a trap on the table. You need to be stealthy about this, but when she goes up for it, grab the leash, pop firmly backwards, and say "DON'T!". Then praise her for listening.

Some trainers think any type of physical correction is unnecessary. But dogs will get away with what one lets them get away with. So I believe a balance of praise and discipline is important.

I would also take her for controlled walks and practice heeling, sits and downs etc. Just basic obedience. This reinforces your role as pack leader. No problem using treats in a variable manner (i.e. sometimes you offer them, sometimes you don't. This keeps her guessing).

Hope this helps somewhat.

Josh Abrams
Founder, Dogasaur.com