How to train a stubborn 7-year-old Westie for obedience?

I would first have her evaluated by a veterinarian to make sure she does not have an underlying medical condition. In some cases, pain can cause animals to behave unpredictably. If pain is ruled out, a disease in the brain may be the cause of her aggression. You may also consider contacting a veterinary behaviorist for advice.

Consistency is key. I would also use treats and/or a clicker to elk with training. You could also get a training to come in just a couple of times to help pin point what is keeping him from listening. It sounds like he is young and probably has a lot of energy therefore, doesn’t want to listen and sit still. You can also try a calmin chew like composure or composure pro. Keep working on training everyday. I would try to take 10-20 minutes everyday to work on commands without any distractions. Use small chewy training treats so he doesn’t get distracted by the process it takes to chew up a large crunchy treat. I hope this helps.

It is never too late to take a dog to obedience school (I once had a thirteen-year-old in one of my classes!) I would recommend that you enroll Jake as soon as possible. Be sure to tell the instructor what particular problems you are having with him. Good luck!

Punishment is not recommended as a training method for dogs - because as you've seen, it's not very effective at changing behavior and only confuses and frightens your dog. There is never any reason to physically strike a dog during training, so please don't do this anymore. Instead, effective training is based on teaching your dog what you want him to do, then rewarding him when he gets it right. If you have no previous experience with dog training and are becoming frustrated with your dog, believe me when I say that it would be well worth the money to work with a good trainer in person for a few lessons to get you on the right track. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org In the meantime, I would highly recommend the book "How To Behave So Your Dog Behaves" by Dr. Sophia Yin. It's great for beginners, and explains a lot about how fog training works including practical suggestions for dealing with common issues like jumping up.

Ideally, a dog should work for your praise rather than a treat or toy. The fact that she walks away when you try a recall tells me that you are working her off-lead before she has become reliable on-lead. And when you go after her, it turns into a game of "catch me if you can" for her.If possible, enroll her in a basic obedience class. Do all of her training with her on the leash until she performs well every time. Keep practice sessions short--about ten minutes--but always end on a positive note. If you need more info, you can click on the prompt to initiate a consult. By the way . . . I have Suomenpystykorva, FInland's National Dog! Good luck with your training.

If he is seven years old and all of the sudden is now whining, I would be concerned that there is potential reason for this, such as pain or discomfort. Identifying the source of this is the key to determining if there is a problem. Unless you are certain this isn't the case, I think Steve should get a physical exam performed by your veterinarian to determine if they can find anything wrong. At 7 years, some vets will also begin recommended annual blood work to make sure there is nothing potentially laying in wait. If you are certain that Steve is fine and you feel this is a behavior problem, the best way to avoid this is to vehemently refuse to give in to Steve's whining, and only reward him when he stops. If you discover that the whining is purely behavioral, the use of a training clicker might be useful in making matters easier and more understandable for him. These can be obtained online and in some pet stores. Information on clicker training such as videos are widely available on YouTube. Hope this helps.

Training a disobedient large breed dog with bad habits can certainly be happy. However, in the end, the use of positive reinforcement will always reign supreme. Depending on what motivates Roscoe most will need to be what you choose to make Roscoe want to listen. I think this is a perfect case for clicker training. A clicker is a device that makes a clicking noise when you press down on it. Basically you want to first teach Roscoe that the click is associated with something good happening, which is called "charging" or "priming" the clicker. Once Roscoe understands that the clicking noise is associated with food or treats, you will be able to use this tool to your advantage. You should carry the clicker with you at all times and make sure to use it any time you are rewarding Roscoe. In terms of the jumping and mouthiness, you need to be very careful not to inadvertently reward inappropriate behavior. I realize that that gut reaction to something jumping or biting at you is to yell or push away. Unfortunately, this is not going to get the picture across to Roscoe. Instead, what you want to do is simply turn away or move your hand away. Continue to do this until Roscoe stops this behavior on his own and sits calmly. It is at this point that you want to click and reward. Dogs that are extremely disobedient sometimes need to have more strict boundaries than other dogs so that they be good pets. It is possible that you may eventually have to train Roscoe so that he knows not to enter your personal space until you have given him permission. With respect to biting, obviously this is an extremely bad behavior for a large breed dog. Rather than saying no, you will want to deflect his attention to something else. I would teach him the "touch" command. Since he tends to bite, you will want to train him to touch something like a stick or a rod of sorts. As soon as he starts to do the biting thing, you will want to get him to touch the object. If he does this, click and reward. With repetition and consistency, this should resolve the issue. In regards to walking, pulling can sometimes be resolved with a change in the type of collar. Some dogs do better with different types of harnesses or gentle leaders, while others do fine with conventional collars. Some even require choke collars, though I usually reserve these as a last resort. You should be teaching your dog the heel command, and be using the clicker in this case as well to reward the appropriate behavior. However, until you figure out what type of collar / harness works best for Roscoe it will be difficult to train him appropriately. Behavior issues are often complex and somewhat difficult. Don't be afraid to go out and get a trainer or go to some obedience classes. You can even speak to a vet that has some interest in behavior that is willing to work with you. If there is anything else that I can do, don't hesitate to reach out. I'd love to work with you.