Training Dog with a broken leg!

[badsworth]

(This is acopy of a message I have just sent to the maestro - NTTF - but I would be grateful for advice from anyone)

 

BROKEN LEG – HELP!

 

Five weeks ago I picked up my Black Lab pup – Digby (now just turned 13 weeks). He is a lovely natured lad from excellent working stock. His breeder had started work with him and he had already started to come to his name and liked to fetch things in his mouth. I started to use your 8 week programme and followed it closely. He was making good progress.

 

Then disaster struck – 1 week after I got him I broke my leg in an unrelated fall. The hospital failed to spot the break and I hobbled on for a week as normal until they spotted it and put my leg in a plaster cast. I have tried to carry on with Digby’s training, but it has been very hard. I have to keep my leg completely off the floor and even simple movement is hard work. In order to work with Digby at all I have had to use the help of my wife or 12 year old son. I know that ideally only one person should be the trainer, and it was always my intention that Digby should be ‘My’ dog. I try to be the ‘pack leader’ but I have had to really on help from others.

 

We take it in turns to call to Digby from alternate ends of the garden. Lead work is done by my wife or son up and down the garden. I do the throwing of a toy – but they have to help when Digby fails to fetch.

 

Despite all these problems Digby seemed to be making good progress with the basic commands although I was a little unhappy about the number of times I had to use the command ‘NO’. I know that this command has to be kept to a minimum and only used to prevent serious problems. The four situations in which I have had to use ‘NO’ frequently were when he;

 

1) Chased the cat. He is only being friendly (and the cat seems to know this) but he is already 6 times the size of the cat and a bit rough in his play so I feel I have to restrain him.

 

2) When he plays with my son – he is again a bit rough and ‘nips’ my sons clothes and hands. His nips have reduced my son to tears a few times.

 

3) When he chews stones (I have a large gravel drive) – I feel it is inevitable that we will be visiting the vet for him to be ‘emptied’ from time to time.

 

4) When he is seriously trashing the garden.

 

As I said – despite the challenges he seemed to be making good progress - - - until this week! He has started to be even more wilful and now only obeys commands when he has a mind to do so. Most often I have to ‘bribe’ him with small food treats as a reward for his efforts (these are ‘advances’ on his next meal and not an increase in his daily food intake).

 

I think that we have succeeded in confusing him about the order of things in our ‘pack’. I think that with me being so immobilised it is hard for me to seem like the ‘boss’. With me saying ‘No’ so often I think he has just switched off to me.

 

What can we (or I) do to regain his willingness to obey? Have we just got to put up with things until my plaster comes off – hopefully in four and a half weeks time – and then start all over again from square 1? Is there anything I can do in the meantime to maintain or improve our bond and perhaps teach him something useful.

 

As is so often the case with dog training I am convinced that any faults here are mine not the dog’s, and I would be gutted if this dog fails to achieve his potential because of my misfortune and failings.

 

Can you offer any advice?

 

 

Badsworth

 

:*)

[new to the flock]

Badsworth:

 

1) First off, the next time that Digby bites your son have your boy immediately bite him back on the muzzel. Have your boy place the side of his muzzel ....upper and lower lips....between his teeth and to bear down until the pups wines. This is the same way that pupies teach each other that they are being too rough.

 

2) "I think that we have succeeded in confusing him about the order of things in our ‘pack’. I think that with me being so immobilised it is hard for me to seem like the ‘boss’. With me saying ‘No’ so often I think he has just switched off to me. "

 

If you think that he is learning to switch the word NO off, and most puppys do, than it is time to change the word. Remember to use the word phewy for all minor incedenses, change your major transgrestion command from NO to AUT. Just try not to over use it .

 

3) "What can we (or I) do to regain his willingness to obey? Have we just got to put up with things until my plaster comes off – hopefully in four and a half weeks time – and then start all over again from square 1? Is there anything I can do in the meantime to maintain or improve our bond and perhaps teach him something useful"

 

You may want to run a small dominance exercise with him, just to let him know that the order is still working. Sit down on the flour with your legs out in front of you. Bring Digby over and place him between your legs on his back, placing your hand on his chest. Place your thumb to the outside of his left front leg and your little fingure to the outside of his right front leg. Chances are that he will struggle. Using pressure from your hand keep him in this position until he stops struggling for the slow count of ten, and then release him with alright, and good boy. Repeat this exercise 2 or 3 times a session for the next couple of weeks. It would also be a very good idea to have your wife and son perform this exercise as well.

 

This position is the most vulnerable that any dog can be in, and dominant pups absolutly hate it, but they will except it and learn their place doing so.

Edited September 10, 2005 by new to the flock

[new to the flock]

two

[new to the flock]

three

[new to the flock]

4) "As is so often the case with dog training I am convinced that any faults here are mine not the dog’s, and I would be gutted if this dog fails to achieve his potential because of my misfortune and failings."

 

Spend the time working on the simple excersises. Maybe work on cleaning up his retrieving some, or building up his retrieveing drive, by spending time play retrieveing. Dont try too hard and over tax yourself or the dog, he is in one of the formitable stages that pups go through. This is the time that he needs to be exposed to as many things as possible, and as many people as possible so take the time that you are in the cast and go slow, enjoy him and you will both come through this no worse for wear.

 

NTTF

[badsworth]

NTTF - thankyou for the good advice - it is already paying dividends.

 

Yes - I will calm down and be patient. He is too good to rush!

 

B

[pavman]

Bads,

 

sorry to here about the leg,

 

how you getting on with dry nights, did you try the vet pet bedding?

 

pavman