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Bull terrier training advice?
I have a female year old English Bull Terrier (just turned one 31st december) My problem is that she will only do commands with hand gestures, not with words. To sit if i raise my hand she will sit, but wont when i just say sit. To lie down, she has to sit first then i have to point at the ground and practically touch it. She will only give each paw when i move the leg on the side of each paw, she wont give the correct paw if i just say paw, or other paw. Basically with any voice command she just looks at me and breathes in noisily through her nose. I say the command and use the gesture at the same time but it just isnt clicking with her. I have been training her since she was 8 weeks old consistanly and she goes to puppy classes still. Her focus is on me (or the treats!) so its not asif she is distracted, just completely oblivious to what im asking. Any tips? Would prefer from bull terrier people as they arent like other breeds, i have a staffy who is to a word, i also trained him my self from being a puppy, he got it strait away with voice commands. (also she can watch my staffy doing it by voice but still doesnt copy him!) Its not a major problem or anything, just would be nice to not have to point everywhere! Thanks
MaryS Im sure her hearing is fine, she can hear the quietest packed being opened or slightest rustle she comes running (anything that could mean food, food rules this dog!) She could be in my bedroom asleep and if i open something in the kitchen shes there in a shot! I could get her to do all her tricks without saying a word, just gesturing, like as if she were deaf, and she would do them no problem. She is stubborn, very stubborn! But she is very interested in the treats i have so is willing to do what i say(well, gesture!) Although i must admit, she can be standing focused on something and i can call her as much as id like and she wont budge, if i scrunch the packet in my pocket she will spin round and sit infront of me. She is a very obedient dog, its just as if she cant hear my voice! I have also trained my staffy as if he is deaf for when we need to be quiet, maybe my sign language training is much better than my voice! At least he does verbal commands too!
Scarred decoy, I dont want to hurt my dog, i want my dog to trust and respect me. If you hurt a dog, it fears you, it doesnt respect you. I wish to positively train my dogs :)
4 Answers
- Scarred DecoyLv 67 years ago
A dog is a dog, its your training that makes the difference. Once a dog KNOWS what you are saying, understands the command but does not execute it, its telling you that it needs a hard correction.
Without getting into this too deep because most people think I speak Chinese when I speak about TOP training, correct the dog with the prong or the Electric collar AS YOU COMMAND it to do the behavior.
The dog will learn the seriousness that comes with a command, you wont have to engage in tactile language, which is what you are doing now and what the dog waits for.
Reward when it does as you commanded and correct hard when it does not.
- 4Her4LifeLv 77 years ago
Has the dog been BAER tested for hearing? Is she predominately white in color? This sounds like a dog that is simply deaf and can't hear spoken commands.
Check that first, then record yourself training - is it possible your inflection, tone, or pronunciation are not consistent? Si-it with rising inflection is a different word to a dog than sit with a flat or descending inflection. Work on consistency in words.
Finally, train from scratch using just the words as if she doesn't know the hand signals at all - remove the hand-signal option.
Good luck!
- 7 years ago
Hmm. Been there, done that lol. But seriously. I assume it just doesnt get what your trying to tell it. Its probbably thinking "Well I responded to the gesture now what?" Dont use the gesture to train them. Just wait for them to sit naturally. If you have a clicker click it and give them a treat. Keep doing that for a while then click when they sit. Say sit and give them the treat. Good luck!
- MaryLv 67 years ago
Lucky you using hand gestures…I assume you have had her hearing tested.. They are stubborn and respond well to treats. They do things to please themselves..Jane Killion has a good book, "When Pigs Fly"
She does wonders with the Breed. There is a BT Trainer on here maybe he will chime in.
Bull Terrier owner and lover of the Breed,17 yrs.
