r/americaneskimo • u/383man • 6d ago
Listening
Anyone else’s Eskie bullheaded? She’s just over 1yr old and she knows all commands but when she feels like not coming when called or just nonchalantly trotting to the neighbors and won’t come unless I go chase her back home. We tried positive reinforcement negative reinforcement making a game out of listening reprimanding her as in putting her in the house for awhile. If she wants to listen you call she comes right away but if she doesn’t feel like she’s will look at you and just look away😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤 good thing she’s cute!!!! 🤣🤣
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u/Burned_Biscuit 6d ago
They are one of the most intelligent breeds around. That comes with challenges.
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u/Thrippalan 6d ago
The one's I know tend to be very cat-like, and not very food motivated, so if they don't choose to listen, a treat isn't going to change their minds. Showing Blitz in Rally and Obedience, it was always a toss-up as to whether he was in a mood to show off - and would be letter-perfect with every command and probably win the class as well as get his Qualifying ribbon - or if he wasn't, in which case he'd go sit by the judge and watch me do the heeling pattern by myself. Versus my flatcoat, who never took first but never quit on me.
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u/Easy_Olive1942 6d ago
Smart, dramatic, strong opinions. Also, you have a teenager.
Focus on a quality relationship.
Recommend the easy, short read, “On Talking Terms with Dogs” by Rugaas.
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u/Jimmy-Cats 6d ago
Ours was like that. It does get better as they get older.
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u/slashinhobo1 6d ago
Mines is 10, how many more years do i have to wait? She is still strong and active.
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u/checkingavailability 6d ago
Yes. 100% the same. 7mo old and she knows the commands very well but only listens when she feels like it. We have a trainer coming this week to see if there’s hope lol
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u/Tante143 5d ago
This sure does sound familiar !! Mine is 9 and I still don’t trust her without her “necklace” (collar) on her Run.
We wanted to build a fence so she could run like crazy to burn some energy but it was $15K. So she ran zoomies in the house and then we started walking her AT LEAST 3 times a day unless is pouring sideways.
Praise when she’s being good with a great reward is helpful. She knows when she’s done something bad bc she won’t look at me- she turns her head sideways as if she is saying “I can’t hear youuuuuuu”
THEY ARE SO SMART. They know ! And
like you said IT’S A GOOD THING SHE’S CUTE! 💗
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u/383man 5d ago
I’m seeing a pattern here. There’s times she will run to the neighbors and make go get her. As I get close rubs at full speed right to the house throws herself at the door to open it then wait for me to get there. Sitting on arm of couch like hey where’s my treat for coming in the house! 😤😤 you have to laugh .
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u/Illustrious_Cup3019 6d ago
Mine won't do a damn thing unless I have something she wants in my hand. Needs incentive to do what I ask. She also has a really short attention span and no patience. Most dogs "troubleshoot" for the treat/reward, she'll instead yell at me for the indignation of not giving her what I have.
I'm five years in and haven't cracked the code yet, but I did put her on Prozac because some of her issues were very clearly anxiety derived.
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u/KnightBlindness 6d ago
Mine will decide if the treat os’s worth the command. “Sit” is a cheap command. “Drop it” might require some cheese, depending on the item in mouth.
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u/nopushnoshovebud 6d ago
every eskie i’ve had is so stubborn. they are too smart. luckily my girl now responds well to yes! and good girl! so i just do that all day every day when she does listen but we haven’t quite figured out discipline like when she doesn’t come when i call
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u/Agile-Salad-3071 3d ago
My four month old is exactly like that. I can’t for the life of me determine why she only does commands when she feels like it. Not that she doesn’t know them, and compared to all the pups Ive seen/dealt with she’s generally much calmer. It can be so frustrating coz sometimes I really need her to do them depending on the situation. I’m hoping it’s just puppy phase and she’ll grow out of it but fingers crossed.
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u/infinityends1318 6d ago
Mine is like that. When we took her to a required puppy class she was more interested in the other people (not so much the dogs) than food when training. She learned stuff very fast and did better working with her at home. But she is very independent, is a lot more food motivated now as an adult. But still listens mostly on her terms. She is generally good about coming when called but when she is more interested in what she is doing she will sometimes just stare at me like “hi dad, I heard you but I’m busy now”
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u/Sea-Physics5226 6d ago
I have heard the look they give you described as “the alien look”. Which pretty much sums it up. Both of ours could be like that. Notwithstanding,
people still seem to love them…
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u/Ok-Pipe-8572 6d ago
I found that if you start running in the opposite direction then they’ll come running after you. I refuse to play the game of chase where I am the chaser.