# smart distractable stubborn dog



## Wendo (Dec 29, 2014)

Hi everyone,
I am looking for training advice. 
I have Jimmy 4.5 month old Boston terrier beagle cross. Smart easily distracted stubborn. I have been using clicker training for first learning the behavior most of the time. I do realize he is not going to be reliable all the time being as young as he is. I am looking for help with Drop it mainly right now. if I have a treat he will on command which leaves me to believe he knows the command. he knows sit and lay (down) and will do them in a mild distracted environment. once he is fairly reliable in this environment I stopped giving him treats for it( don't want treat dependent listening)
I will admit that we do play tug of war which I stopped doing while first teaching Drop It. but now that we have been playing it again it is selective listening. I would like him to drop it mid tug of war game if I give the command. right now if I give the command and he doesn't drop it I just let go and walk away and don't go back to playing for at least 15 min. I know I am doing something wrong thus asking for help.
Another thing I am not sure how to best deal with is when we go out side ( I live in a complex) and there is a person walking by he will bark. I don't want him to do this but am not sure how to stop it so I just give a little tug on the leash and encourage him to come with me (come on lets go). any advice on this stuff would be great. I have the time to work with him he is smart so I know he will get it. I do my best to be patient and when learning a new thing always in home with no distractions. I do let people pet him when ever there is interest and he goes to the dog park regularly to meet new people and dogs.
Thanks Jimmy and Wendo


----------



## Wendo (Dec 29, 2014)

He also has a "why should I do that" attitude which I find quite frustrating. I want him to want to please me. Maybe I'm missing something.


----------



## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

At 4.5 months, he's still a "child". In a month or so, he'll be in the teen-age phase, which is also challenging. Patience and consistency are the keys.


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 14, 2013)

With "drop" are you rewarding with highly valued treats? Like hot dogs? I wouldn't worry too much about him only obeying to get the treat. Just work on really enforcing the command for a treat right now since he is still young. It will come with time. Just practice in a few short sessions every day and give a treat each time, then 90 percent of the time, then maybe 75 percent of the time. For tug, I think you just need to find something that is more rewarding to him than playing tug. That's why I suggested hot dogs, but you know your dog best.

On walks, I would also carry treats and hold them right in front of his nose when someone passes and reward him for being quiet/looking at you/sitting - anything you'd like him to do instead of bark. Again, it has to be a highly valued treat. Do you know if he's barking out of fear or is he barking out of excitement? If it's excitement/happiness to see people, you could use the person as a reward. He gets to go great them only if he is quiet.

Just some thoughts! They may or may not help, just trying to think of what I would do.


----------



## Wendo (Dec 29, 2014)

Thank you I am using drop when playing tug and treating randomly. We both really love tug. What I have started doing is tug for a min "drop" if he doesn't drop right away I say firmly "no" and hold the toy still till he lets go for a second. I don't put it behind my back but hold him back and give a other negative comand which means I don't like how he is acting. When he sits I say take it and we play again or I just drop the toy walk away ending the game. I have treats near by and randomly use them. I found when he saw me reaching for a treat before I gave the command he just dropped the toy. No command. It is a little slow going but as we play tug a lot he gets a lot of sessions in. 
Barking at people sometimes excitement sometimes fear if it in the evening and it dark. I am not always able to let him approch the person he is barking at. I usually just keep moving along. Passing people on the street is no longer a problem. It may be territorial to. So hopefully after he is fixed this will lessen. Thanks for your suggestions


----------

