Wow. First let me commend you for your patience. You've got quite the row to hoe here.
I don't have much to suggest in the way of training, but I do have two tools to suggest. If you haven't tried a prong collar, you might want to get one of those instead of the no pull halter. Be sure it is fit on your dog by someone who knows what they're doing. Second, if you want to try a crate again, you might want to spring for a Midwest crate. They're very sturdy and the doors are fairly dog proof. I know my dogs could get out of the crate I keep in the house, but the Midwests I have in my car are much sturdier.
Have you tried pure clicker training with him?
Also, you might consider a crate for your other dog, so she has a way of getting a break from him.
Good thinking on the crate for Zora (my other dog). Part of the reason I find this so frustrating is that he's making her miserable. She's constantly trying to correct him and can never seem to get a break :-( .
It's amazing the amount of control you can gain with one of these and they don't hurt like it looks like they do.
My thought is this, if you can get him in a prong (or some other helpful control device that keeps you both safe), you can leash him to you. He goes where you go and does exactly what you want him to do. Just like Miss Teacher said below, you can take NILIF many steps further when you've got him and his attention.
It can be very frustrating to feel like you are not making as much progress as you like. Dogs are pretty darned smart and can easily see the holes in our training.
I feel like I can do a lot of the things a trainer would do by myselfWhile this may be the case with your previous dogs this situation clearly needs someone to help you in person. I would avoid the trainers who want to take the dog and train him and then give him back. That will not help *you* control him. See if any trainers from this organization's trainer search are in your area: http://www.apdt.com... )
5. He needs an outlet. Walking is too difficult for you, plus it doesn't tire a dog out much. He sounds like he's just a ball of energy waiting to be released...on you! Group obedience classes can tire his mind out, and get him ready for something like flyball or agility, which will give him a job and a really good outlet.
6. Work him up be to being left in the room slowly. Karen Overall's Protocol for Relaxation would work perfectly in this case. Let me see if I can find links to the whole program for you.
7. I would first use management in this situation. Find a way to tether him. Maybe place an eyebolt in your wall in a stud for it's very strong and secure. And if you have people over and he's getting pushy, he gets tethered. While you are talking you will toss him treats if he's being good.
I've tried nothing in life is free. The result has been that he sits and stays before going outside but then proceeds to act like a maniac after getting outsideBut then continue the program. He wants to keep going forward and go
( ... )
As far as finding a trainer, have you checked into training organizations such as Bark Busters? (http://www.barkbusters.com/) The premise of BB is that for a flat fee, in my area I think it's around $400, they will meet you at your home and work with you to resolve whatever behavioral issues your pup is having, and the flat fee covers as many training sessions as necessary.
I have not used Bark Busters, so I don't have any personal experience with them, or any of their trainers, but maybe something like that could be of some help to you. (Even if you don't like Bark Busters, if you check for other trainers here http://www.apdt.com/po/ts/default.aspx you might find a similar sort of service.)
I would not choose Bark Busters. They've been discussed in this comm before I think, as a franchise they may not have trainers who are any more skilled than the OP, and they use a lot of correction.
Issue 1: I really like Jean Donaldson's book "Fight!" which you may not have considered because it doesn't look like he's fighting. Based on what you've written tho' he is probably bullying, and definitely has poor social skills. She has some really good ways of looking at poor dog on dog behaviour plus some useful techniques to deal with it
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I don't have much to suggest in the way of training, but I do have two tools to suggest. If you haven't tried a prong collar, you might want to get one of those instead of the no pull halter. Be sure it is fit on your dog by someone who knows what they're doing. Second, if you want to try a crate again, you might want to spring for a Midwest crate. They're very sturdy and the doors are fairly dog proof. I know my dogs could get out of the crate I keep in the house, but the Midwests I have in my car are much sturdier.
Have you tried pure clicker training with him?
Also, you might consider a crate for your other dog, so she has a way of getting a break from him.
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http://www.leerburg.com/fit-prong.htm
It's amazing the amount of control you can gain with one of these and they don't hurt like it looks like they do.
My thought is this, if you can get him in a prong (or some other helpful control device that keeps you both safe), you can leash him to you. He goes where you go and does exactly what you want him to do. Just like Miss Teacher said below, you can take NILIF many steps further when you've got him and his attention.
How old is he again?
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I feel like I can do a lot of the things a trainer would do by myselfWhile this may be the case with your previous dogs this situation clearly needs someone to help you in person. I would avoid the trainers who want to take the dog and train him and then give him back. That will not help *you* control him. See if any trainers from this organization's trainer search are in your area: http://www.apdt.com... )
Reply
6. Work him up be to being left in the room slowly. Karen Overall's Protocol for Relaxation would work perfectly in this case. Let me see if I can find links to the whole program for you.
7. I would first use management in this situation. Find a way to tether him. Maybe place an eyebolt in your wall in a stud for it's very strong and secure. And if you have people over and he's getting pushy, he gets tethered. While you are talking you will toss him treats if he's being good.
I've tried nothing in life is free. The result has been that he sits and stays before going outside but then proceeds to act like a maniac after getting outsideBut then continue the program. He wants to keep going forward and go ( ... )
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I have not used Bark Busters, so I don't have any personal experience with them, or any of their trainers, but maybe something like that could be of some help to you. (Even if you don't like Bark Busters, if you check for other trainers here http://www.apdt.com/po/ts/default.aspx you might find a similar sort of service.)
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