We have a 2 year old Malamute and a 6 year old Sheltie. The Malamute is a certified therapy dog, so he has all the traits that go along with that. The Sheltie is a great dog aside from several issues that make me want to crane kick him into orbit. We've run out of ideas on how to train him out of these things, so maybe you guys can give us some new ideas (I'm not a fan of the hippy positive-only/treat training) Here are the issues:
1) Genital licking. The first thing he does when he sees a dog is run up to it and start licking. You pull him away and tell him no, he waits until you are not looking and goes back at it. It's like he's a magnet to it, and will even find areas where dogs have peed in the grass and lick and lick and lick.
The vet has never seen anything like it before, and prescribed some really strong anti-depressent (I think) medication to even out his brain functions. This worked for a couple of months but it adds up to around $500 a year, so we had to stop.
2) Growling and barking at other dogs. A lot of dogs walk by our house and all you hear is constant growling and running around. Tried positive/negative reinforcement, telling him to lay down, go lay in a bed, nothing is working.
When we are outside he will growl and bark and run up to a dog, then proceeds with Issue #1. He's never bitten at a dog his entire life.
3) Getting on the couch and extra bed. He knows not to do this, and has never gone on the couch when we were awake and in the house. He knows when he can get away with it, and does it all the time. I'm so sick of cleaning up fur and watching our furniture turn into a bunch of scratch marks.
I even have stern "reminder sessions" before we leave or go to bed, yet he still does it. He gets stern treatment when I find his marks on the furniture. I bought him a bed and he lays in it all day.
One thing that did work is putting tape on the furniture like you do with a cat. It worked great at first but it's a huge pain in the ass. Also, he now checks for tape, so while it keeps him off the furniture it only works when we remember to put it on.
Aside from that he's the perfect dog. That is why I'm so frustrated with these things. Any ideas?
1) Genital licking. The first thing he does when he sees a dog is run up to it and start licking. You pull him away and tell him no, he waits until you are not looking and goes back at it. It's like he's a magnet to it, and will even find areas where dogs have peed in the grass and lick and lick and lick.
The vet has never seen anything like it before, and prescribed some really strong anti-depressent (I think) medication to even out his brain functions. This worked for a couple of months but it adds up to around $500 a year, so we had to stop.
2) Growling and barking at other dogs. A lot of dogs walk by our house and all you hear is constant growling and running around. Tried positive/negative reinforcement, telling him to lay down, go lay in a bed, nothing is working.
When we are outside he will growl and bark and run up to a dog, then proceeds with Issue #1. He's never bitten at a dog his entire life.
3) Getting on the couch and extra bed. He knows not to do this, and has never gone on the couch when we were awake and in the house. He knows when he can get away with it, and does it all the time. I'm so sick of cleaning up fur and watching our furniture turn into a bunch of scratch marks.
I even have stern "reminder sessions" before we leave or go to bed, yet he still does it. He gets stern treatment when I find his marks on the furniture. I bought him a bed and he lays in it all day.
One thing that did work is putting tape on the furniture like you do with a cat. It worked great at first but it's a huge pain in the ass. Also, he now checks for tape, so while it keeps him off the furniture it only works when we remember to put it on.
Aside from that he's the perfect dog. That is why I'm so frustrated with these things. Any ideas?