CC/EM Cross is very stubborn...HELP!

[aviatrix]

We have a 4 1/2 month old Cane Corse / English Mastiff cross named Dakota. We're very consistant with her... She know's what she's supposed to be doing and what she's not. For example... She's just discovered that she's tall enough to reach the counter. If we stand there she won't dare jump up. But the second we're out of sight she's up there. If we catch her in the act she jumps down and runs away. Same thing with the coffee table. We correct her coooontstantly. She's just trying to learn ways to be sneakier. She's very smart, picking up commands instantly, but there are times where she won't obey, even with repeated correction. She's been through puppy class, and does exactly as she's supposed to outside of the house, but in the house is where the issue lies. And the dishwasher! We stand there holding her collar and giver her a tug whenever she tries to lick the contents, but she won't stop until she gets it. STUBBORN!! I have a feeling all of these problems are stemming from her not seeing us as the pack leaders... But we're very consitant and strict with her, never had these problems with puppies in the past... Please help!

 

[Marrowshard]

Sounds like she thinks it's a game instead of correction as in: "if i jump up here, mom and dad make noise!". What are you doing for corrections, just tugging on her collar? My parent's cat used to pull that same trick; jump on the counter then leap down and run away as soon as he was spotted. If we chased him or swatted his butt, it was even better 'cause then it was playtime.
How much wear-me-out playing does Dakota get in the average day? OB training? Sounds like she might just be bored and thinks your corrections are a kind of game. Yanking her collar repeatedly isn't having any effect ... do you use a standard flat collar? Martingale? A collar with a short lead attached?

~Marrow

 

[aviatrix]

We play fetch with her in the back yard until she tires. We go through her puppy class lessons on a daily basis as well. When she runs away she has her ears back and her tail between her legs.

Right now she just has a flat collar, but the trainer suggested a prong collar as she seems to ignore our tugs right now. To correct she gets a sharp collar tug and a firm "No"

 

[Marrowshard]

I'd hesitate to use a prong on a pup that young ... Oscar wears one but he's 4 and had severe dog-aggression issues thanks to a previous owner's inattention. Is there food on the coffee table/counter that she might be trying to get at (possibly indicating a need to feed her more)? It sounds like she's getting enough attention and you've said she's otherwise very trainable ...
You could try redirecting her when you're in the kitchen (loading dishwasher). Give her a chewie or a toy to play with while you're messing around in there and make sure she stays out of the kitchen. When hubby or I are cooking or doing anything else food related in the kitchen, Oscar's not allowed to be underfoot. We taught him "Go Lay Down" for that reason.
Does Dakota understand the word "No" in other contexts? Like if she's chewing something inappropriate?

~Marrow

 

[musicdeb]

Dakota is being a puppy and testing the limits. Unfortunately, it will get worse around 6-10 months (the teenage moments). Remain consistent. Reward her when she does what you want her to do. Does she remain on a leash while in the home? Keeping her on leash while in the house makes it easier to control her when she wants to jump on the counter or raid the dishwasher. For example, while on leash she jumps on the counter, walk away with the leash in hand (do not jerk her away), she will follow. These puppy acts requires TONS of patience and lots of consistency in training. Generally, dogs do not react to harsh punishment for not doing the right thing, especially mastiffs. BTW, mastiffs have the trademark on stubbornness.

Keep us posted on Dakota's progress.

 

[DennasMom]

Just some ideas...

For counter-surfing - make the correction come from the counter, not from you. This idea courtesy of "The amazing dog training man": Get a donut or bagel and tie a 3-4ft long string to it... on the other end of the string tie a bunch of empty aluminum cans. When she sees you're not looking and goes to grab the bagel - BANG, CRASH go the cans! Self-correcting... and then when she runs to you in the other room you can tell her to go to her "rug" or "place" and PRAISE her for being soooo goood at sitting on her "rug".

For the dishwasher... hmmm... I'd probably try and make opening the dishwasher a signal to "sit and wait" - and get a treat. We're doing clicker training now with Denna, which is working surprisingly well... although she is definitely getting "treat smart" (if she thinks I don't have a treat, she's not as apt to do as asked).

If you can find ways to praise/reward for what you DO want (i.e. sit and wait, or go to place) that's a lot easier than consequences for what you DON'T want. I think the dogs "get it" easier, too. Especially since licking dishwasher dishes is self-rewarding... unless... you can spritz the dishes with something she doesn't like before you put them in the dishwasher? (vinegar, hot pepper juice, black pepper)?? Then, licking the dishes becomes self-limiting... icky.

I'd be careful with too many corrections... she's young enough that you should be able to get her to work FOR praise instead of AGAINST corrections - especially since it sounds like she's a very smart pup. I was all for "motivational" corrections before learning about some of the sensitivities of the mastiff breeds on this forum. I went "all positive" for Denna (which in reality means 95%... old habits are hard to break), and it's working very, very well.

Or... do as a friend of mine did, and just go ahead and let your dogs take care of the pre-wash cycle...

 

[llong3316]

I totally agree. My boy thinks it's a game if I get animated during correction lol. Stay calm and if you can beat your pup to the punch that helps. My boy gives certain cues that he's about to get silly..a quick corrective hey and he's fine.

 

[chiefsnell]

I am training my puppy not to enter my kitchen or near our dinning table, if it's not to late to attempt this to avoid future issues. As stated early your dog is testing the boundaries to see if you will/have change, stay firm and reinforce previous. training. Good luck and let us know the outcome.

 

[aviatrix]

Well... She's just over the 8 month mark now and there's been lots of changes! We had her fixed which made a huuuuge difference in her temperment. She doesn't dare jump up on the counter, rarely has an accident, walks perfectly on a leash, has learned sit, stay, off, down, and paw. She has become very submissive though. Whenever I catch her doing something she knows she isn't supposed to she runs to my feet and pees. She does laydown next to the table when we eat, and we're working on keeping her off of the couch (only because shes ~90 lbs now and takes up a whole side of our sectional). She is super skiddish, which I assume stems from the submissiveness. She farts and startles herself (hilarious, but true). Also, she's afraid of the dark, which is annoying at before bed pee time. No seperation anxiety though, as we crate her. She's a whole jumble of interesting behavioural issues I've never had to deal with before, though she is my first mastiff. I've always had Boxers before.

She has made leaps and bounds since my original post, but we still have lots of work to do to get her where she needs to be. She is still a puppy afterall, but it's easy to forget when she's so big!!!

And I can't for the life of me keep her out of that gosh-darn dishwasher!!!! *sigh* mastiff problems... haha