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
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