Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Share your experience and tell us how using positive reinforcement training methods has changed yours and your dogs' lives.

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Halo
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:04 pm

Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Post by Halo »

I've had two other wolfdogs, also trained this way but, Halo is my newest one. He is a high content (estimated at 80% or more wolf) and, most professional trainers will not accept them. Some say they are stubborn or untrainable, and everyone agrees they can't be trained like dogs. WRONG!

They can be trained like dogs, as log as you don't get into the Alpha mentality with them and work 100% positively. Literally entirely ignoring bad and rewarding good behavior without fail, be that good on command or good by the wolfdog's choice. if you want him to do it more, reward it PERIOD. The closest to discipline you can use is redirecting and distracting.

The one difference is socialization, with a dog you can push it a bit, but not a wolfdog. They are naturally cautious and forcing them to greet anyone or anything only frightens them. You have to wait for them to chose to greet new people, animals and things and, that may take days of constantly allowing them to observe from a safe distance.

Now Halo is 12 weeks old, alerts to go outside reliably, knows sit, come, wait (sit/stay) for 5 minutes, leave it, kennel (get in crate), lose leash walks with only rare puppy "sniff this" tugs on the leash.

I call that a huge success and would encourage Victoria and all positive trainers to consider wolfdogs as equally trainable with any other breed.
jacksdad
Posts: 4887
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Post by jacksdad »

Yes it does, doesn't it.

sounds like you have some experience with hybrids, but if you ever need additional resources one of Victoria's expert blogger has written a couple books on wolf/dog mixes

http://positively.com/positive-reinforc ... ole-wilde/

http://www.phantompub.com/
http://www.phantompub.com/LivingWithWolfdogs.htm
http://www.phantompub.com/WolfdogsAtoZ.htm
emmabeth
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Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: West Midlands
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Re: Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Post by emmabeth »

I don't doubt that they are equally trainable...... I think the 'problem' with wolfdogs [and actually it ISNT their problem, its as ever, a human problem] is that they are FAR less tolerant of errors than dogs are.

Most wolfdogs can be trained and to a pretty good standard as well - the massive MASSIVE problem is, that most PEOPLE who want a wolfdog, are not capable of achieving this. They don't have the patience, they don't have the understanding and they often go in heavy handed and 'alpha'.

Your wolfdogs are lucky that this isnt you, but I thnk sadly for the majority of both real wolfdogs and the 'looky-likeys', most people are not.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Halo
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:04 pm

Re: Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Post by Halo »

You are right, most who get these amazing companions do not have the patience and consistency needed to train them, nor the willingness to continue training new things throughout the wolfdog's life. They easily get bored and, therefore unruly and destructive. With 1500 psi or so jaw strength, that can mean a very quickly destroyed sofa, basket of laundry, wall, door, table, cabinet, etc.. They are very intelligent, very high energy animals that need tons of both physical and mental activity.

With them, sharp or harsh words just get you barked at and swatting them engages their fight or flight response. Being confined either on leash, in a fenced area or, in your house, flight is not an option so, swatting a wolfdog becomes a good way to get bitten.

Some get them, expecting a guard dog due to their highly territorial nature, then surrender them when they fail at guard dog training. They are cautious, yes territorial but, cautious by nature and are not good guard animals. As I like to explain it, a wolfdog will hide behind the sofa and tell a thief where the TV and jewelry is but, try to take their owner as well and all bets are off - they will defend their family and maybe even items and food they consider theirs but, not their owner's things.

As for motivation, it's simple, if it does not make them more acceptable to you or keep them alive, they don't care. But find what motivates them, be positive, calm and consistent and, you have one amazing companion that will literally jump through hoops for you if that means you provide for and accept them.
jemima
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 4:56 am

Re: Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Post by jemima »

Our dog sitters look after one, and bought it a few months ago to meet our puppies. He was gorgeous, but absolutely ENORMOUS!!!! mega friendly and just the sort of coat you want to bury your head in! He was so good with my two, but they are quite warey so it was a good situation alround as no one was too bouncy! after a while the 3 of them were happily romping around. I think its a good idea that they aren't too popular as like you said it would just mean more ending up in the wrong hands, like rotties and all th other big tough breeds that many of the wrong sort of people just have for status! I would love to see your pup have you put any photos up??? going to have a look now :) :D
jacksdad
Posts: 4887
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Possitive Works on even "Difficult" Breeds

Post by jacksdad »

the other sort of fortunate thing about wolf dogs is that apparently most people don't actually have wolf dogs. The down side to that is that their sudo wolf dog being just a wolf looking normal dog was "so easy" to deal with they might go out and get another and this time actually end up with the real thing, and despite all their "experience" be completely unprepared for the real thing.

apparently the odds of a really 50% wolf and 50% dog are pretty good first generation. but if you breed from that first generation you run the risk of some dogs being 90% dog 10% wolf or 90% and 10% dog or any variation there of. from what little I have read once you breed the results of the first generation simply to try and create a wolf dog, the results get more and more unpredictable and there is really no way to know what the make up is.
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