Every week we have a trainers open day where anyone can bring their dogs in if they have a problem, most problems are easy to sort out [pulling is number 1 problem] but some others do take longer to sort out & can take few weeks, however we do tell owners that they must work on the techniques we show them at home [Barking at TV being the number 1 of taking longer to sort out], I have been working with a 8 month old Basset Hound & his owners now for 6 weeks, [the dog won't let his owners in bed/sofa if they get up] each time they come in I say have you practice what I shown you at home, they always say no & say Roscoe will bite us if we try what you did, words fail me as this is their dog but is obviously they are very scared of him. Today I at to tell them not to come back next week unless they are going to continue practicing what I show them at home, the gentleman turned round & said we have told you Roscoe will bite us if we do what you say, I went off to speak to the head trainer told him what was going on, he took Roscoe off them & let him lie on the training room sofa, he then turned to Roscoe's owners & told them they must practice what they are shown at home, or their dog will end up dictating to them & will become harder to control, then after he spoke to his owners about 15 mins or so he moved Roscoe off the sofa, without being bitten. We can only sort out any problems if the owners are prepared to practice what we tell/show them, we are not miracle workers we are trainers & can only give advice, but owners do need to know that their dogs need to have continue training every day of their lives, whether its paw before treat, walking to heel, recall, not begging, stay/wait, fetch, sit before putting dinner down so on. not just training they receive free once a week from us trainers at The Rescue Home.
What a good service you are doing for inexperienced dog owners. It's a shame this dog has been allowed to take control and his owners are afraid of him. What are they going to do when this boy is full grown? Maybe they should muzzle him when working with him or not allow him on the sofa at all. But then I'm sure you already told them that.
The worrying thing is Roscoe is only 8 months old (7 months when first came 6 weeks ago) & he as already worked out that when he growls his owners give in, he growled at me the very first time I removed him from sofa, but I took no notice & removed him off sofa & it kind of shocked him as he's so use to getting his own way, that Roscoe suddenly became lovable playful puppy. Have talked to owners about neutering but they want to put him up as a stud dog ! Head trainer has said if they show up next week then he take Roscoe on & make owner more aware of what will happened if they still allow Roscoe to be dominant over them.
Roscoe may be a perfect representation of his breed but he does not seem to have good personality traits for breeding. I don't know anything about basset hounds or what traits you would look for in this breed but having bred several different breeds over the years I can't imagine that stubbornness would be one of them. Of course the owners are a large part of Roscoe's problems. If they don't listen to what they are being told by the trainers they are going to raise an uncontrollable and aggressive dog that no one in their right mind would want to breed with.
I don’t think it’s a case of them not trying, sounds like they are trying but have lost confidence and are just scared of him and he knows it, Lots of dogs react differently to strangers handling them,and a sofa in a made up room dosent compensate for the real thing in his own home. The most sensible thing would have been to advise them to keep the dog out of the bedroom and not to let him on the bed/sofa. Then progress with a training plan of allowing him up only when invited to do so And getting him off in non confrontational ways - no standing there and ordering 'OFF! Or dragging him off, which will only make the issue worse. if one method isn't working after a certain time the trainers should try another technique, sounds like they obviously need more experienced help than the rescue centre can offer. Neutering is not always the answer and does not always affect dogs temperament and in some cases can make it worse.
Vee as soon as Roscoe growled they just left him stay on sofa/bed, I have shown them several different ways to keep him off the sofa/bed & to get him off the sofa/bed, I have told them put stair gate up to stop him from going upstairs, but they not even done that they rather come to the open days & say he's still not letting us back on the sofa/bed. There is only so much we can do at the open days, I have told them they need to find a good behaviourist/trainer that will come to their home, but again they don't want to do that, Roscoe is still a puppy & its now that he needs firm but gentle handling & being given rules, so he knows what he can & can't do.
People like this are a pain, and just will not help themselves. I'm a big fan of baby gates in puppy training, and still use one for the stairs. Did you also suggest having him wear a houseline so they don't need to get their hands so near to his mouth? If he came from a show line, there is a good chance that the breeder could give ongoing help. This pup is taking the proverbial Mickey, and making quite a good job of training them. As for stud work - words fail me - would they be able to handle a stud? Also, however good a specimen, would anyone want to risk their bitch by using an untrained, and aggressive dog? I don't suppose he'll be health tested either. Next open day, they will be saying, 'How do we stop him peeing up the curtains', or worse, they will give up on him, and hand him in to you.
The Rescue Home owners have contacted the Basset Hound breed Rescue home, for more detail on this breed he has informed them of Roscoe's reluctant to obey his owners & as asked if someone from their kennels can come down for next week open trainers day, see for themselves & offer more guidement on helping his owners to control Roscoe better.
We had a lovely chap in that breed & shows poodles, he had sight issue with one of his poodles (was snapping everytime owner goes to clip lead onto collar) I went through every type of harnesses we have to find one that would fit this poodle (was fluffy on chest shaven on back ball on end tail) issue with poodle stopped once harness was on & owner was over the moon, as he was able to put lead on without being snapped at, small things like using harness Instead of collar helped the poodle to enjoy walkies again x
I do hope the breed club are helpful, as they do have specialist knowledge. I forgot to add to my earlier post, my favourite three words - Reward, Reward, Reward. (Yes, Tony Blair does spring to mind). My limited experience with scenthounds suggests that they will do absolutely ANYTHING for food. So, as long as he's well covered, let them halve his (tasty & good quality) kibble ration, and put the rest in their greasy left hand pockets. Don't ask for perfection at first, but try to lure and treat any move to be a 'Good Boy!'. If he's anything like a Beagle, he'll start looking for ways to earn approval and more treats.
