11 weeks and starting to ignore

[Hagakure]

I picked up my puppy about a month ago.

The perfect puppy. Took up the clicker and after the first week I had him sitting, fetching, laying down and shaking both hands with different commands.

Now at 11 weeks old, he's starting to ignore commands. First is when we are on the back yard he is eating all manners of stuff he's not supposed to. Pinecones and stuff that can be really dangerous. At first a firm "no" got him to drop whatever he had. Now the "no" gets him to run away from me so I will not be able to dig it out of his mouth in case he doesn't drop it.

I'm worried that since I have to go "fishing" for rocks, pinecones, cigarette butts and all sorts of icky stuff all the time when we're outside, he'll have a negative association with me and/or going outside.

He will ignore "come here" sometimes even in the house. He'll just stare at me. And yes, I have trained recall and I'm sure he knows what I want.

I don't hit or kick my dog. I don't even alpha roll him. Although sometimes when he bites my face _hard_ I'll correct him by pulling him away by the skin on the back of his neck. And about biting "forbidden" items like shoes, I've been quite strict.

It just feels that he's so much into mischief that me stopping his shenanigans and being too strict will destroy my bond with the critter.

What should I do to get his attention?

[mwiacek10]

He's a teenager! They go through these goofy stages. Try working on the "leave it" command when it comes to not eating things in the yard.

[Hagakure]

I thought the teenage goofy phase will be from 6 months to 1 year. Didn't expect it to start at 11 weeks.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Not a teenager yet, he's only 11 weeks old. You've only had him a month so I doubt he's ignoring you, he probably just hasn't fully learned and generalized all the commands to more distracting environments. That takes time. He also has a very short attention span at this age, so don't expect too much. Just because he's been doing something (even perfectly!) in the house, doing it outdoors with all the exciting things to see and smell and eat is completely different for him.

[GSDkid]

That's how they are when they're that young. Train them away from distractions and when you feel confident enough, take them outside for outdoor training but always keep a leash on.

Rather than correcting them from destroying things, I just prevent things from ever being destroyed. My shoes, I could leave them out but then that's a bad behaviour that my GSD would learn so I keep all the shoes in the closet. The trash can, I keep in the closet. The treats, I keep them really high because she got a whole bag of chicken jerky last time.

[mwiacek10]

I read to fast.... thought he was 11 months.

[kitmcd]

This could be my 11 week old also! She's pretty good in the house about "drop it" but outside it seems I'm always digging things out of her mouth. She has now started to find a treasure and then run away so that I can't get it away from her.

The only thing I have found so far that works most of the time is to tell her "I'm going in" and walk away towards the house. She usually then drops it and comes with me or at least carries the object to the door where I can retrieve it from her mouth.

I guess I should always carry treats out with me to entice her with those....surely they taste better than rocks and mulch!?

[Anthony8858]

I think you expectations are much too high. Be happy for whatever you can get out of him, and just continue to be consistent with your training. It sounds as if you're concentrating on tricks, but not preparing him for commands.

I'm NOT a trainer, but I have a 13 week pup that just started obedience training, and the first things they want her to learn, is to focus. They do this with high interest treats.

Our first lesson involved lots of sit, down, and "watch me". Right now, I spend 90% of my training time, just getting her to watch me, and learning to respond to her name when I need her attention. I feel that once I can get her to pay attention to me, that's half the battle.

[JakodaCD OA]

anthony you should post your 'leave it' video here

I agree, you have a 'baby', they have the attention span of gnats.

the word "NO" to me is nagging, and the more you say it, the more they tune you out. I use "leave it" and work that inside, in a quiet environment with something 'specific'..and reward for leaving it.

Anyhow, check out Anthony's video on 'leaving it', it can give you some insite on how they were working on it with Kira..

[jocoyn]

Oh goodness. I agree. I have a 12 week old. A mere baby using his mouth to learn about the world around him. Redirect redirect and fish stuff out of his mouth and give him better stuff to replace it. ......... It goes way to fast! Have fun with him and enjoy that spunk! Shape it into something constructive. Dont squash the spirit out of the little tyke.