[dobeowner123]

hey everyone, i'm posting this on the wrong thread because this is the only thread it will allow me to post on. Other's it says "i don't have permission" or something.

Anyways I have two questions

My wife and I have 2 dogs. 1 "mini" Australian shepherd, approx 1 year old, and 1 doberman, approx 6 months old.

First, my doberman likes to spend all his time in his kennel (it seems.) My wife or I will be laying, sleeping, watching tv on the couch and he'll sleep in his kennel instead of with us. Occasionally he will cuddle with my wife but rarely with me. I got a dobe partly bc i was attracted to the fact that they are "velcro" dogs, but mine seems not to be.

Leads into my seconds question. Our dogs seem to be more attached to my wife then I. When she gets home they act "excited" to see her, greet her, ect. When I get home they'll walk lazily to the door and watch me walk around. Also if they do cuddle they prefer to cuddle with her then with me.

This seems strange to me partly because I do more with them. I'm the one who walks them, trains them (mostly), plays with them. She mostly sits and watches and joins only when I make her (more or less).

Do they just like her because she's consistent (always sitting on couch) where I will reward and correct? Is it because they go to work with her (she works at kennel). Although the doberman just started going 2 days ago.

Any input would be appreciated it breaks my heart the the dobe I've wanted for so long seems to prefer his kennel to me.

 

[melbrod]

In my experience, the person who exercises, the one who trains and the one who FEEDS them gets the attention Who is the food master in your house? Do they get fed nibbles by the cook while meals are being fixed?

Proof--with my two, I was the one who did all the previous stuff and they hung all over me. Later on, because of a change in my lifestyle, my DH has taken over a lot of this stuff. And I'm the one who gets ignored *sniff*

You could try always having a chewy or toy in your pocket and holding it for them (slimey) while you sit.

Not all dobes are the smoochy sort. I'm throwing out this as a possiblity, not an accusation--is it possible you are being a bit strict with the training or heavy-handed with corrections? Food for thought.

 

[sam&macksmom]

I recommend reading up on calming signals

http://www.dobermantalk.com/doberma...dog-owners-should-have-watch.html#post1011707

 

[Darkevs]

Hello and Welcome to Doberman Talk!

take him walkies, just you and him.............



Hugz to you and yours!

 

[ZeldaRules]

Click this link and scroll down to "King Of The Castle Syndrome"

Social Isolation

 

[dobeowner123]

Click this link and scroll down to "King Of The Castle Syndrome"

Social Isolation

very interesting, never read that before. it's probably wife works with dogs all day so she's tired of them, i never see them so i want to be around them when i'm home

one theory is that we each have our own dog, ausie is "hers' dobe is "mine" even though i've done more with both of them at the house. I think she's the fun one b/c of them getting to play at work with her. They spend almost all day at a dog park basically.

Basically what I got from reading king of the castle is let your dog come to you, dont go to your dog, and he'll like you more.

Aside from that any ideas on the crate? I know it's their "den" and they go there to be safe and comfortable. But I've never heard of a dog wanting to be in there 24/7. We don't even have to tell him to go in he just wants to be in there. Just seems abnormal to me. I didn't even crate train him.

As for food I feed the Dobe, wife feeds the Ausie (usually). Sometimes I feed both. I have the "ritual" with the dobe. He sits while I prep it, and has to sit and have a "staring" contest with me before I put it down. For ausie he just sits and waits and she just puts it down after filling. Sometimes he won't even eat it, but will later go sit and she'll put it back down for him at later time. I make dobe eat when I put it down or he misses meal.

Only time I was ever "rough" with punishment is when he bit me, and i gave him a quick wack on the nose. I shouldn't of done it I know but wasn't thinking in the moment.

 

[voodoolizard]

why on earth would you have a staring contest with a 6 month old pup ??? imo hes scared of you..

at 6 months he needs some fun.. i read that you train him a lot and a well trained dobe is a wonderfull thing.. but do you ever have fun ??

do you play tug ?? do you throw ball ?? do you belly rub him ??

i think you need to lighten up a bit and lay on the floor with some balls and treats and roll the ball for him.. play catch with the treats.. let him come to you when you are laying on the floor tempt him with treats.. give him a big fuss.... does he ever get emotional fuss from you .. or just good boy and a treat at training .. or a no if hes wrong ??

leave the training for a bit.. become fun.. when you come in from work have a toy and a treat waiting.. chuck him the treat... throw him the ball.. lighten up and have some fun..

and for godness sake stop staring at your dog every meal time.. yes make him sit and wait and not touch the food till you tell him... but stop winding the poor thing up by staring at him for ages !!!!

 

[melbrod]

A lot of training can be done as you play--in the process of fetching, for example, when you ask the dog to wait before retrieving the ball, that's a stay. When you ask him to run to sit in front of you with the ball, that's a come. When you ask him to move around to your side to face the same way you are before you throw the ball, that is an obedience "finish" maneuver.

For a toy motivated dog, tossing him a ball, tugging a rag or grabbing another toy as a reward can be just as effective in building their speed and enthusiasm as giving a food treat.

I do a lot of informal training, pain-free (figuratively--you don't ever want to use pain while you train), as I play with my dog--both of us have fun and the dog participates willingly and joyfully.

 

[ggrogers]

Click this link and scroll down to "King Of The Castle Syndrome"

Social Isolation

Thanks for the info on this, I also read it all and it made a whole lot of sense to me.I also will try some of these things.

Good luck, Dobeowner 123 hope all works out for you and WELCOME !!!

 

[dobeowner123]

it's not a staring contest, i just have him look at me, or concentrate on me. I can look away, talk to someone, doesn't matter just want him to keep his eye on me.

yes we do play tug, throw balls, ect

but for all you useing "fetch" for game examples it won't work because he won't play fetch at all. he will chase a ball but he has no interest in bringing it back. he doesn't want to chase the ball he wants something that will make you want to chase him. so not a good game to work with.

i do lay on floor roll around ect ect. he's also not very interested. he will come check for a second then walk away and pick up a toy as if to say "come chase me" all he's interested in playing.

i've lightened up with training lately, just doesn't appeal to either of us at the moment it seems.

 

[MeadowCat]

I found that using clicker training really helped a deep bond develop between me and my dog. It's fun, and it teaches dogs that trying to figure out what you want is a good thing. I used to train more traditionally, but the difference in our relationship is amazing. Check out some of Kikopup's clicker training videos on her Youtube channel: kikopup's Channel - YouTube

If you watch the video linked in the thread sam&macksmom posted, you might identify things you are inadvertently doing that may intimidate your dog. For a dog, staring at you (attention) is a very difficult thing, because staring is a rude dog behavior. That doesn't mean you can't train attention, but it takes some work for dogs to overcome the natural instinct not to stare. There may be some other small things you are doing by accident that might be intimidating to your dog.

 

[akturbo]

Welcome to DT. I hope you find all the information you are looking for here. Best of luck.

 

[Rosamburg]

Aside from that any ideas on the crate? I know it's their "den" and they go there to be safe and comfortable. But I've never heard of a dog wanting to be in there 24/7. We don't even have to tell him to go in he just wants to be in there. Just seems abnormal to me. I didn't even crate train him.

Shut the door.

 

[HerMewMew]

Humm...
I wonder where the Doberman would lay if the crate was gone like not even inside the house gone and daddy was laying on the floor or on the couch with some blankys and cheese
I'd give it a try and keep stinky treats in your pocket at all times for when it's snuggle time...

Does the doberman sleep with you?
What sex are both dogs?
Plus wifee' smells very intresting everyday so of course they think she's intresting.
I know I heat up when I sleep and my dober girl loves to snuggle with me and my super hotness!
A friends Aussie wont snuggle with him because she's always hot (there house is always hot too) but last weekend I was puppysitting her and she slept at the botttom of my bed and with my daughter our house is set 70 at night.

Also how close are both dogs to each other? The reason I am asking is because if the Aussie is really attached to the wife and the doberman is really attached to the Ausie... maybe it's just a I will fallow thing...

Just a few little questions... Try moving the crate... I'm curious

 

[Gemma Mom]

Maybe the pup is just overly tired after being at doggy daycare all day?

 

[Jhagman]

I think you've been given some great tips here. I have a pup about the age of yours and she is already heavy into Velcro mode. But she kind of came that way, she had a great puppyhood, with excellent socialization.

I am just wondering if your pup got enough of the interaction needed at a young age?

I do think that you'll get some results from the tips already listed, plus just the way you are lightening up on the training. I also have my pup sit politely and wait for the OK before she is released to eat, and she looks intently at me under the "watch me" but I make that really short.

And if I sit down, it's not long before she tries to sit beside me or in my lap. I am not sure how I'll handle it when she is fully grown lol!

 

[Dave_L]

It doesn't sound right that he spends so much time in the kennel.

Perhaps limit the availability of the kennel and see what he does?

Personally, I give access to my pups cage for bed time or when no one can watch her. Any other times I want her to be social (her cage is in my bedroom, so she finds and chews on my socks also). She gets her comfort zone when she comes up to cuddle while I watch tv etc or during play time and walks.

Fun is definitely a key factor.

and patience.