My Sheltie has become stubborn and will not listen.

M

maggie

Forums Novice
Hi Everyone

Lady l has become quite stubborn when i take her for walk now and ask her to sit lhe will do it but relucantly but if i ask her to l lie down refuses point blank . I use both hand signals and tell her at the same time to this but she turns her head away and will not look at me .

I have no problems getting her to do any coomands when we are home or when she goes to her obedience classes and really good . She even does a small routine of healwork to music with me at home and loves it .

I know Sheltie can be stubborn wen want to be .

She is spoiled and she knows it , so could it be i have spoiled her to much .

Any suggestion .
 
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How old is she? At about 10 months Sca hit the dreaded teenage time and acted like he forgot everything :yes: I had to reset most priveledges to zero.
 
Try the Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF) method, and make her work for everything - treats, food, affection, etc. She's testing authority. Good luck! It will get better if you are consistent...
 
Can I also suggest you get her checked by a vet. Its around this around this age that various types of dysplasia can start showing. Deska started refusing to walk or during a walk would just stop and refuse to budge - he would also avoid looking at me when he did this. I think a large part of them not looking at you is because they know you will be angry. He was refusing to drop at obedience classes and started playing up in class - which was him trying to avoid doing what hurts rather than being stubborn.

Anyway, it took a long, long time before he was finally diagnosed with degenerative joint disease. And had these early signs been followed up the injury may not have progressed to djd. The signs are subtle.
 
Caro has a good thought--it's always best to rule out physical issues.

If it's nothing physical, then I also recommend NILIF (nothing in life is free). Go back to basics. If you ask her to sit and she doesn't, don't ask 100 times. Place her into a sit and give her a neutral marker like "that's it" then release her and try again. Work with yummy treats for awhile until she realizes that listening to you is worthwhile.

Make her sit for dinner, before walks, anything she likes!
 
Ah yes, the dreaded 10-12 month period when their brains go AWOL! :lol: With Beckon, I simply waited him out. When he was 20 months, I started obedience and Rally. It's great, and neither of us became frustrated.
 
I was having similar issues with Bella and went back to NILF and its is working also she is back in crate when i am not home, not because she is bad when i am gone just seems to be putting her back in her place.
 
Thank all for your reply and i have taken on broad all that comments you have made . I also get her check out at the vets but i think she coming in that teenage stage.
 
Yep Sca got REAL good at the go pound sand look. Now he is back to pretty good except he still will play at not knowing sit (unless there is a hint of food then the butt goes down like it is under the gravity of Jupiter :lol:)
 
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