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Corso, training question, it's okay?

Ben Curtis

Well-Known Member
Last night my son came home late. He was walking up the driveway and my 17 week old Corso was outside when he came home. He was barking at the shadowy figure, and we let him inside. He continued to bark after being inside, and even after my son came in. I don't think he made the connection between my son and the shadowy figure.
Leo has barked at things outside many times before. A terrible branch will waive wrong and it will set him off. When he is like that I will go to where he is looking, let him see I am investigating it and tell him "it's okay." This will usually calm him down, and with a little distraction it is over.
This was different though. I know he wanted to tell me that something is wrong. (Timmy's in the well) That this was different, and he would not be distracted. He was trying to communicate and I had no way to communicate back. I knew why he was barking and I wanted to tell him that it was okay, but my usual technique would not work at all.
I love the way he was acting. I knew exactly what he wanted to tell me, and it was his first real guard dog experience. What I would like to know is how do communicate to him "job well done," I'll take it from here? I obviously don't want to train him not to bark or react the way he was. That would be like beating my head against steel wall and expecting it to break eventually. I know this is part of who he is, and why I chose this breed.
Should I have continued the way I have before but just taken it further? Gone out with him and investigated, so he could feel calmer? (below zero last night, and it was 2 am, I was not crazy about the idea of going outside and investigating).
Is there a way to teach him a command like "it's ok?"
I am new to guarding breeds. I have always been good at figuring out how to get my dogs to do what I want on command, but this has me a bit stumped, and would love any input you all have.

Thanks, Ben
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
I was hoping you'd have some responses by now... I'd love to hear how other people do this. I could use some help, too.

When Denna barks at something, I say "thank you" then "enough" and "quiet"... or "I've got it"... but I normally have to repeat myself, a LOT. I don't think she believes me when I say "it's just the neighbor". :) If Denna doesn't give it up, I will help her walk over to the offending location or object, and have her "check it out"... when SHE finds nothing there to worry about, THEN she'll believe me.

Putting on a dog trainer hat (basically trying to think of what the real trainers here would do)... when the dog does what you want - reward. So... on the first bark, "thank you" and treat. On the second bark, "enough" or "quiet" - and as soon as the dog looks at you, treat (reward the focus back to you). Then maybe redirect to a sit or down position for more opportunities to reward non-barking?

But, I'm just an amateur, not a real trainer... I was hoping Glasgowdogtrainer would chime in here!
 

Kentopp

Active Member
I too am interested in this question. I'm doing pretty much the same thing as you guys, saying "good boy", "I got it" and redirecting attention to me.
 

Ben Curtis

Well-Known Member
DennasMom, I am in exactly the same boat, and plan to approach it the same way you have, but I am an mature at best, and was also hoping for some insight from someone much more knowledgeable.

I see police officers tell there dog a command and they chill out. How do you teach that?
 

BlackShadowCaneCorso

Super Moderator
Staff member
We teach a speak command so then we can teach a quiet command or settle command. We allow 2 barks as a warning to know something is different, if it is middle of the night the same rules apply. If they continue then one of us will get up and check out the windows as they are usually right and something is off. One night there was someone idling in our driveway and that set them off other times it has been the neighbour's dog being here.
 

Rugers-Kris

Well-Known Member
I always say "Good boy, It's ok" and it took several times (Of making a really big deal about him obeying) but he will stop immediately and run back for a hug unless there is truly something odd in which case I (like Mary said) go check it out. He is 90% on this so I am feeling pretty good about it.
 

joshuagough

Well-Known Member
Great job @ Leo, you did exactly as you should. For most of the Mastiff lines if they truly feel there is a threat they will push the issue, that's why most of us choose them (as you said).

I use the command "it's ok" assuring him I understand the alert and then "settle down" if he pushes the issue, after a alert is made. If he were continue past the "settle down" that becomes a sense of order to him vs me, I would correct him and make him lay down quietly, Tucker will still not break sight with "whatever" it is he's alerted on but he will not bark.

For your specific question, the dog should follow your command weather you go out side or you don't, he will learn to trust your "it's ok" in time.

You said your pup is 17 weeks so I would lean on the reassurance side with him because he is alerting as he should. You never want to correct a dog without his full understanding of the command you've asked of him/her. In the same sense when they know it, there should be no slack given.

A police tact dog is trained in bite work and requires a different line of thought, most are taught to alert continuously until the suspect is in the car.. this is a intimidation factor, they will break the hold but will continue to bark.

Good luck!
 

m0rg4n

Well-Known Member
I've been having issues with this too, and it's really hard to teach Mira to let it go when my parent's adult dogs are bad examples in this respect. It is also seems nearly impossible to convince her that all the deer and moose wandering around outside are not a threat.
 

Ben Curtis

Well-Known Member
Joshuagough, Great information, and exactly what I was looking for. I just did not want to go down the wrong path with him, and it is very re-assuring that I was on the right path.

Ben
 

joshuagough

Well-Known Member
Free Raw feeding opportunities lol?

Some dogs are more mule headed than others, you just gotta keep after it.. they will break when they know your not giving up. The respect gained after they "get it" is worth it, great relationship building with the dog.

I've been having issues with this too, and it's really hard to teach Mira to let it go when my parent's adult dogs are bad examples in this respect. It is also seems nearly impossible to convince her that all the deer and moose wandering around outside are not a threat.
 

Dogue

Well-Known Member
About six months ago I started introducing German dog commands and I'm amazed at how fast dogs pick it up. It's like dogs just naturally speak german, lol. When I want Miel to check something out I'll say, "zook" to search which results in a perimeter check and i'll also say "pass alf" for alert. When I use the latter she starts barking and gives a pretty good show. And once the stranger is gone I'll then reward her. If its someone that my wife and I are expecting i'll call Miel to the gait and have her go into the sit position and then i'll tell her its okay and that seems to work very well. YouTube has some pretty good tutorials on how to get your dog to associate the verbal guard command with the target behavior.
 
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Joeottobre

Well-Known Member
I've found I need to actually look at what my boy is barking at - if I go look out the window or door he is barking at and tell him "okay, good boy" he settles right down. If I do it from my chair, he doesn't. I've considered trying to correct this, but I'm not sure it's such a bad thing.
 

joshuagough

Well-Known Member
It's not a "bad thing" per say but what it does do is teaches the dog he/she controls the situation in the case of the alert.

You have to do "x" for him/her to stop barking, thus you have no control over the dog in that situation, this builds into other situations if the dog has a strong drive. It's a personal choice but it's a lot harder to break once you decide "maybe this isn't a good idea".

#foodforthought

I've found I need to actually look at what my boy is barking at - if I go look out the window or door he is barking at and tell him "okay, good boy" he settles right down. If I do it from my chair, he doesn't. I've considered trying to correct this, but I'm not sure it's such a bad thing.
 

Joeottobre

Well-Known Member
It's not a "bad thing" per say but what it does do is teaches the dog he/she controls the situation in the case of the alert.

You have to do "x" for him/her to stop barking, thus you have no control over the dog in that situation, this builds into other situations if the dog has a strong drive. It's a personal choice but it's a lot harder to break once you decide "maybe this isn't a good idea".

#foodforthought

I never thought of it that way.

The difficult thing is that I live with two teen daughters who try to hush the dog without considering the possibility that he is actually alerting them to something... hence my reluctance to have him stop on command. In other words, it's easier to train him than them :)

You're right though, I'll think about an alternative strategy.