First time corgi owner.. help!
Boomer is almost 8 months old and although she has been to obedient school and is working with an in home trainer.. she is still such a handful! She was doing great in housebreaking and within the last few weeks has taken a huge step backwards. Also, we can hardley ever just sit and relax because we cannot take our eye off her for 1 minute. The trainor has suggested we keep her on a long leash in the house so we can keep her near us and control her and also because when it is time to put her in the crate or take her outside, she will not come and we cannot catch her. We also have cats that she is obsessed with and will not leave alone. We have been doing the corrections that the trainor has showed us and they work at first, but eventually she seems to almost be immune to them and does not listen at all. Am I crazy? Do corgis grow out of this? Any advice at all would be helpful. Thanks in advance
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Becky on
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That is what happened to us. We stopped dog training/ obidence classes after 2 years and everything was fine but then suki forgot everything so now i have started to teach her training again. I do it for about 30mins everyday and i practise anything she is weak on also in the classes suki was allways the last dog to master a trick.
I know this doesnt really help but YOUR NOT ALONE AHHH!!
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Permalink Reply by Cindi on
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Boomer is a teenager. And a dog who feels any weakness in their pack is going to exert their own form of leadership. They key is not aggressive training. It is not aggressive use of training tools, i.e. pinch collars and choke chains. In all my time training, I've used a choke ONCE and the owner was trained by me on how to use the tool. As for the pinch collar, I've put 8 of those on dogs, most of whom were over 100 lbs and had 100 lb owners. I personally fit the collar and insisted they spend time with me learning how to use it properly. I also requested that the take their dogs through obedience class. Many times people use these tools as band-aids on broken legs. They try to control instead of train and eventually, it backfires on them. They end up with a fearful, aggressive dog instead of one who submits and is obedient.
Corgis are strong-willed dogs and are not for everyone (just like every other breed out there). They are working dogs, so they do need a "job." For ours, using a backpack when walking is a great way to encourage that part of them. You can also get them involved in flyball or agility, and even obedience! Herders are notoriously smart, thinking in steps unlike other breeds. They notice everything. They become obsessed with the cats because they like to herd them. Corgis herd cats, owners, little kids...it's what they do. It's what they were bred to do. And they take to it naturally. It's imperative that you teach a very strong "leave it" command. And as Boomer learns the command, increase the difficulty.
I would also suggest you look at the videos on this site. There's one with Cesar Millan speaking about pack leadership that's a must-see for every corgi owner. Dogs survive by understanding energy, non-verbal cues. A leader isn't about dominating, it's about respect. As you learn leadership skills and training techniques, you will find Boomer becomes much more manageable.
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Permalink Reply by Julie on
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Can I ask what kind of collar you recommend? I was using a collar that Barkbusters gave me and it's like a choke except instead of actually choking it has two rings that connect and make a sound in order to correct her. However, last Saturday she slipped out of it on our walk and ran around the neighborhood for at least 25 minutes. It was horrible! If a nice passerby didn't stop and help and actually stop cars going by, she would have probably gotten hit. I was so upset I went and got her a harness so she couldn't slip out of it. I know this may not be ideal for training, but I am so worried about her getting loose again I make her wear it.
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Permalink Reply by Lucy Hicks on
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I too am interested in what type of collar Cindi is recommending. Also, I use a harass collar when we walk. and when she goes about in public. Should I use another type?
Lilly's mom
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