This is the second in a weekly series about the brown dawgs as young pups. All three of our dogs are great dogs, but each presented different challenges on their way to becoming great dogs. This series will be about some of those challenges. You can read about Young Thunder here.
Storm was an interesting puppy and completely different from Thunder. As Storm’s first trainer put it: “Storm is wired for sound”.
Storm is always aware of everything going on around her and if she sees or hears something out of place then she barks at it. News paper in a driveway…bark, bark, bark. Kid’s bike left out of the lawn…bark, bark, bark. Doorbell on tv…bark, bark, bark. You get the idea.
The barking is one thing, but there were times when Young Storm would get overwhelmed with loud or busy places and just bolt. She really did not give a warning sign, she just up and ran. Of course she was always on a leash (with a training collar put on correctly), so she could not get very far but it was definitely not a safe thing for her to do. We needed to get a handle on it.
Storm also had a bit of separation anxiety, especially when it came to hubby. If we were walking Thunder and Storm together, she wanted to be with hubby or at least walking right next to him, which was not always practical.
We tried to start Storm out right with plenty of socialization, but the puppy class we signed her up for turned out to not be very good. Thunder had taken the same class and it was great. Unfortunately just before Storm’s class started the instructor moved locations and there was only one other puppy in Storm’s class. The instructor had also picked up an assistant. The assistant was not really warm and fuzzy toward the puppies and Storm decided on day one that she did not care for this instructor. Storm was getting some obedience work, but no real socialization which is what she needed. We skipped the last couple classes.
Then winter set in and it was difficult to find people around for Storm to meet. We did have some neighbors at the time with young girls and they would come over and play with Storm and Thunder when they saw them out in the yard. Thanks to those girls both Storm and Thunder are very well socialized to children. To this day Storm barks at adults she does not know, but rarely at kids.
As Storm got older, she became a handful on a leash. Large crowds made her nervous and she absolutely hated going to dog shows if they were in any sort of building where it was loud or the sound echoed. You can see just how uncomfortable Storm is in this picture.
We needed to work with her to get her more comfortable in the show environment and we needed to work on her bolting so we signed her up for a basic obedience class at a local AKC obedience club.
Storm hated it so we quit rather than make her uncomfortable going to class but we went every week. Storm had a hard time listening and paying attention in that environment. The good thing about going to an AKC club for obedience class is that most of the instructors have had a lot of experience training or helping to train with dogs with different quirks. They have many tips and tricks to help the dog learn.
One tip they gave me for working with Storm was to use super smelly treats that would hopefully get and keep her attention. They suggested I get some Pupperonis and wave them whole in front of her to get her attention. I am sure it was pretty funny to watch me waving the Pupperoni around like a saber in front of Storm’s face, but it worked.
By the end of the 6 week class Storm was doing better, but not where we wanted her. She still hated it so we did not go back rather than make her miserable. We signed her up for the next class and because we wanted to be able to walk Thunder and Storm together without them competing with one another on the walk, we signed Thunder up too and hubby worked with him. Taking the class together worked out great and at the end both dogs got their Canine Good Citizen titles and we could walk both dogs together without them yanking our arms out of their sockets to get to the other or in front of the other.
Making Storm work on her obedience in a place she really did not care to be was one of the best things we did for her. She hated being there, but she learned to deal with it by falling back on her obedience training . By the end of that second class she gave up the whole bolting thing. She still notices every little out of place thing, but she doesn’t loose her mind over them.
The other thing that we did for Storm that made all of the difference was sending her away to a professional trainer to train for hunt tests. I think she was there most of the Spring and Summer one year. We saw her nearly every weekend, but during that time she lived at the trainer’s.
Storm trained 6 days a week and the trainer held her to a standard. Oh you don’t feel like swimming 200 yards to retrieve a bumper Storm? OK maybe tomorrow. Well guess what? You are doing it because you are capable of doing it. Storm came back to us a much more confident dog. That is what disciplined training and pushing a dog to sometimes do things outside of its comfort zone will do for a dog. Any separation anxiety Storm had was long gone by the end of that summer.
Storm has always had a single mindedness to her. I think that is part of the reason she was such a challenge as a young dog. Once she decides she likes, or does not like something, it is difficult to change her mind and she always seems to remember her likes and dislikes.
However that single mindedness is also what makes her an awesome hunting dog. She has always been happiest working in a field or in the marsh. She is a dog that would literally work until she dropped. She will go through the thickest cover looking for birds and she rarely leaves a bird in the field or the marsh. Despite the challenges she presented as a young dog, she has grown into a great adult dog.
Next week Young Freighter.
It is so interesting to hear about the Brown Dawgs when they were young! One would never think that Storm had any kind of “issue” reading about how she is such a well-trained hunter now. It is reasssuring to know that with proper discipline and hard work, any dog can be so well-trained and well-behaved. Thanks for sharing!
Oz
Thanks Oz. I think it was consistent training that made a big difference for her.
This was so great to read. Very interesting to see the differences and I enjoyed how you handled Storm. You were really able to bring the best out of her with consistency and patience. Thanks for sharing her story.
Thank you Rebecca.
Awwww how cute was Storm and now what a amazing hunting dog she is and a it shows that all that hard work and training has paid off. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly
Thanks Molly.
Strong-mindedness is definitely both a pro and a con in animals and people. I have a friend who’s exceptionally strong-minded and strong-willed, and while it has, in some cases, gone too far as to become stubbornness, it has also worked to her benefit by helping her overcome severe handicaps and lead a more fulfilling life. So I think as long as it’s correctly directed, strong-mindedness is a good thing, and it sounds like that’s what you brought out in Storm when you sent her off to “summer camp”. I love how dogs show they remember things and people! 🙂
You are right that trait can cut both ways. I think on the whole it is a good trait, but definitely a bit more time consuming to train.
As you know, she reminds me so much of Delilah in so many ways. Delilah is always alert too. And she barks at so many things. We still work on it, but it’s rare to see Delilah really relaxed.I often wonder what Delilah would be like if we’d had her from a puppy.
I know it is in Storm’s DNA. I don’t mind the barking to alert. It was the freak out that went along with the barking that caused the issue. Another thing that calmed Storm down was motherhood well and I suppose old age/maturity….lol. I bet it is probably in Delilah’s DNA too.
I love this series! It’s so much fun to look back on our dogs’ puppyhoods! Callie and Shadow are both well behaved; but I have been lax with their socialization. Maybe now that Spring is coming we can get to the park more often. Ducky needs to go back to daycare soon — I’ve kept her home while trying to get her IBD under control and to a point where it’s manageable.
Thanks. We have been lucky to get the dogs to group training once or twice a month this winter. Although it isn’t socializing, it gives them a chance to work on obedience in a high excitement environment and around other dogs.
It’s true, each of us is different, just like human kids are all different. Even though Bailie and I are the same breed, we have lots of differences as well as similarities. I’m the only one that somehow became a bit unsocialized, but we are working on it.
I cannot believe you are not well socialized Emma. 🙂
My 3 huskies are all SO dofferent from each other. It’s so fascinating
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Our dogs are different from one another too. 🙂
I have that habit too when I hear a door bell in tv… I immediately jump to the door, sorry for those who are in my way…:o) I will try the trick with the super smelly treats, maybe it helps to master situations were not even common treats will help… Easy said that’a a darned good idea, stinky treats are the best :o)
I think if super stinky treats were involved the brown dawgs would hear door bells even when there were none. 😆
Storm is a beautiful girl and it was interesting reading about the issues she had as a pup. Mom’s late Chesapeake Cross, Abby, so probably the most stubborn dog she has ever had. The trainer’s said it was the Chesapeake in her that made her so stubborn. She was an awesome dog though. Your Chesapeake’s aren’t stubborn are they?
I would say determined more than stubborn. They want to do things for us, but in their own way. They are also very loyal. 🙂
I love that the thing that is most difficult about her is what makes her an outstanding hunting dog. Sometimes what seems like a weakness can actually be an asset. And good for you for addressing the problems with obedience and anxiety head-on. Your dogs are lucky they have you!
Thanks we are also lucky that our dogs’ breeders are in touch and make suggestions from time to time. They are such great resources.
And it’s one reason I tell people looking for a purebred “ALWAYS buy from a breeder.”
Ohhhh, you’re making me broody. Those good looks haven’t changed, have they Storm?
Woofs from Earl, Ethel and I at Earl’s World!
Haha no. 🙂
Love this! We had to send Sherman away for a weekend with the handler because they weren’t bonding at all. It was the longest weekend of my life!
When our trainer initially takes a dog in for training, he usually does not want owners out for around two weeks (depends on the dog). He wants the dog’s attention and the dog to understand that it must work for him. After that, usually you can come out as much as you want and even run the dog. It is one thing I really like about our trainer.
Awww! This is such a great article:) It’s so nice to see Storm as a pup and to see how she’s grown! This just goes to show that dogs are trainable animals, as long as you put in the time and effort! My dog, Mila, has been a quick learner, but she’s definitely at the stage where she’s testing her limits! Nonetheless, she’s such a great dog 🙂
LOL with Chessies they can be at the testing limits stage for a long time!
How interesting to learn of some of the issues Storm had when she was younger, and how you overcame them. That really encourages me to keep working with Luke to get him over his fears.
Luke is still very young. Once he grows up, you may find that some of the fears vanish or you can manage them easier.
This is the best; I love these stories about the dawgs growing up. Laika is a real barker as well, I’ve never had such a vocal dog. I can’t believe that photo of Storm at that show, it’s hard to imagine her being so uncomfortable given her confidence now. Quite a difference. I wish I would have gotten Laika either pre socialized or at a younger age so we could have had more success with it. It’s still ongoing for sure but I signed her up for class the same week I got her home and it was obvious she wasn’t going to be easy in the calm/cool/collected around other dogs category. She’s just so damn excitable and overpowering to other dogs. But as I say it’s a work in progress. Glad to know Storm got over her separation anxiety, that can be one of the toughest behaviors to get a good handle on. Storm’s story is fascinating, and such a great tale for those of us with dogs striving to become better adjusted/well behaved. She’s proof that training and consistency make a world of difference.
I probably should have added that Storm is a bit of a drama queen so some of the separation anxiety could have been for effect…lol. I am sure the more you work with Laika the better she will be, but just do not be afraid to push her outside of her comfort zone. I think this is where people make a big mistake. They never progress because they never make it hard for the dog.
You know it’s funny, I love your “line through” parts so much. When we lived with my inlaw’s my MIL thought I should just leave Phoenix at home and not take her anywhere because she’s a little skittish with people. That I was mean and it was embarrassing for her (my MIL) because I would say no you can’t pet to every person who asked. I had to have a conversation with her about it because “this is not a petting zoo” and Phoenix does need to get out and be exposed to things because if I leave her home she will never realize that the things we are doing are fun and there’s nothing to fear. I never pushed her or made her allow people to pet her but I did expose her to lots of situations, people and places while also stuffing her face with food. A year later and we were at home depot and she let two, not one but two workers pet her!
I think with enough time and patience the dogs can learn to get over stuff that bothers them. 😀
Great post!
I am with you on not requiring a dog to be petted if the dog does not want it. That is a recipe for disaster and who needs that? We say no to petting all of the time. Depends on who is out and where we are. You have done such a good job with Phoenix!
So glad Storm over came her separation axexity that is not fun to have. Enjoyed reading about her, great picture of little storm and Thunder!
Of course some of that could have been pure drama….lol. Storm is such an interesting dog. Alert to all intruders/strange noises and yet sleeps through thunderstorms and fireworks as if they are not happening.
Hi Y’all!
Storm you were a beautiful baby! Now you’re even more beautiful.
Y’all come on by,
Hawk aka BrownDog