Training an older dog (caged) with obedience..

[chasing_ej]

I have a WGSD who is a year and a half old, spent most of the past few months being caged. Will I still be able to teach him obedience? If so, where do i start? He's very cautious when there are strangers in the house, hard for me because people come and go in our house as we have lots visitors daily.

Thanks in advance.

 

[tx_cowgirl]

Hard to say. You could teach some of the basics, but the hurdle you're going to have to jump before actually starting competitive obedience training will of course be socialization. Why has he been caged for so long?

 

[cppugs]

I have a WGSD who is a year and a half old, spent most of the past few months being caged. Will I still be able to teach him obedience? If so, where do i start? He's very cautious when there are strangers in the house, hard for me because people come and go in our house as we have lots visitors daily.

Thanks in advance.

Absolutely! Many people that show in conformation, follow-up by training and showing in obedience. There is never an age that a dog can't learn at. A year and a half for a large breed is still puppyhood (IMO). You really need to get him socialized and use to people. Get him out and around as many people as possible. Hand out treats for people to give him, have them lavish him with praise. Go to parks or anywhere there are a lot of people and let him just let him soak it in, that people are nice and he gets love and attention from them. Then at home, do the same, have people offer him treats etc.

Happy training! Good luck! :msngrin:
Charleen

 

[szecsuani]

It's never too late to start training!

Mabe you could try making him more comfortable in the company of strangers with asking your visitors to give him some food, and be gentle to him, pet him or anything he enjoys, so he will see that strangers are good, nothing to be afraid of about them!

Try to show him that learning is fun. Before teaching him the "real" obedience "tricks", do some shaping, let him think a little, praise him a lot. Show him that it's fun to be with you, get him used to the clicker, and so on...

 

[chasing_ej]

Thank you for your suggestions guys. He has been caged for so long because i always go out of town and just be at home on the weekends. I just have someone that feeds him but has no time for either a walk or an exercise..though Ill try harder this time. I also find it hard because he is not close with people he'd rather be with the other dogs. He really has a low self esteem and Im scared he might bite out of fear.

 

[iluvizzy]

and 1 other thing...

teach him to pay attention to YOU!

good luck!

 

[jeepdog]

Our dog Grady was two year old Auzzie mix when we adopted him. What we know about his history is his previous owners caged him for many hours a day. It was to the point his fur was worn off on his stomach, areas of his legs and around his neck where his collar was. He only understood sit at this point and was very shy.

We began by taking him to beginning obedience to get him started on basic training and socialize him with other dogs. During this time we took him to all the socialization events we could to get him use to people and other dogs. Also got him use to riding in a vehicle, how to behave in restaurant environments. Luckly my wife works from home so Grady spends very little time in a kennel now.

Grady has been with us now for seven months and he has becoming a great addition to our family. We have him in beginning agility now and he is learning at a fast rate.

It takes patients and persistance, but the results have been excellent.