The stubbornness is single-mindedness, hounds are just hardheaded. They're very food motivated, so reward treats are the way past it.
The climbing is a breed trait too. He's apparently never been a pet. It takes work to break it. I let mine put her front paws on my shoulders and scan the ceiling, for coons I guess, lol. We're safe from ceiling coons when Sue's on watch.
Name, eye contact, interaction, he's been one dog out of many and taught to obey basic commands useful for hunting. It'll take him some getting used to being addressed individually and to see your efforts as having meaning specifically for him. Once the lightbulb goes off in his head, that dog aha moment, is incredible to see, they're overwhelmed with emotion. Mine started crying and whining, and would run up to me for weeks afterward just to lay her head in my lap and look up into my eyes.
It takes patience, what you're wanting him to do is foreign to him. But, dogs want praise, they want to be “good.”. Work with him and stick with it. He'll come around.
That really choked me up, RC.
:)
“That really choked me up, RC.”
Me too, thank you for another wonderful post.
I have been wondering why he would clumsily come up and just pounce on my lap and then put his head on my shoulder. I haven’t been discouraging it, other than the usual feeling of shock, but your post helps me understand a bit of what he is thinking.
I am really surprised at how much I forgot about owning a dog over the last couple of years. In addition, I didn’t realize how much work I had put into a puppy to have bonded with her to a point where we were pretty much on the same page by this age.
I will keep Buford’s history and breed nature in mind and try to maintain that knowledge as I continue to work with him. I appreciate everyone’s encouragement. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to successfully transition Buford from an outdoor dog, to an indoor dog. However, with your advice, kind words and gentle reminder to re-evaluate my expectations, I am far less worried.
“It’ll take him some getting used to being addressed individually and to see your efforts as having meaning specifically for him. Once the lightbulb goes off in his head, that dog aha moment, is incredible to see, they’re overwhelmed with emotion. Mine started crying and whining, and would run up to me for weeks afterward just to lay her head in my lap and look up into my eyes.”
I am so glad that I started this thread when I first got Buford, because now as I am reviewing it I get to re-vist feedback like this! It is spot on and we are actually going through this exact situation right now!