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Dog Paw Print Icon for DogDoogle.com Dog Doogle Tails: Alpha, Beta... Who's in Charge? Training Barley

Alpha, Beta... Who's in Charge? Training Barley

by Lorine of The Dog Team

When I leave the room Barley follows, stepping on the back of my slippers. When my husband takes her off the leash to go with him to do farm chores, or have a run, she refuses to leave the back deck by my office door. The only way to make her go with him is to leash her and she spends the whole time frantically lunging back towards the house, or staring at the back deck.

So I began a regime of training her in small doses to be separated from me. I wanted her to stay in one room while I moved a few feet away to another (still within sight). She simply leapt over the gate and joined me. I put up a higher gate. She leapt it with ease.

Barley, Australian Shepherd
I tried a room with a door (she could still see me through the door window). She leapt at the door, throwing herself at it repeatedly - thump, whap, thump. Okay, this isn't working too well. I sought help from a dog behavior consultant. I was told to start with moving slightly away but in the same room as her. She follows. Wherever I go, she goes, as if invisible cords hold her stuck to me.

I decide to leash her. That is the only way she will stay in one spot while I move a few feet away. I'm not sure how successful this is, as she doesn't seem to extend the training to when she is off the leash.....

She will not go anywhere willingly if I'm not there. She won't listen to my husband although she has learned and obeys commands from me of "sit" "uh-uh" "lie down" and even "come". Barley has decided that I am alpha, she's beta and hubby is bottom of the pecking order.

Our friend told us that hubby is too hesitant when he gives his commands. They sound more like pleading - "Barley, siiiit?"

Hubby was to try saying in his head "Barley I would like you to" and then out loud "SIT". That would give the proper emphasis and command voice to the word "sit".

Ok I explained it to hubby.

He stood up. Barley looked at him expectantly.

Hubby then said (out loud) "Barley, I would like you to .... siiit?"

Who's training who?

..... enjoy the Tails of Barley The Psycho Dog & Webley (ongoing stories, please keep checking back to see what has been added)
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