Help with untrained 2yr GSP

[doubleba]

I recently bought “Skeet” from a breeder who used him for breeding only. His entire life was spent in a 6x10 kennel and only got out long enough to be moved to female’s kennel at breeding time. Now he has a 10x10 kennel but is turned loose into ½ acre yard every day. We have been working on “come” with pinch collar and checkcord and it is going pretty good. I am working slowly with several repetitions each day. He has caught on to come quickly. My problem is when putting him back in his kennel. He refuses to go – which is unacceptable! If I go in the kennel and say “come” he will go in but then I can’t get out without him trying to escape. I am an average sized woman (150lbs) but he is 75lbs, tall, and strong as a horse! I practically have to throw him in to get the door shut. I have an e-collar but have not put it on him yet. I understand that he needs to know what is expected first. If I start working on “kennel” to get him to go in – how do I do that? How do I get him to go in on his own, without me in there? Then how do I get him to stay so I can shut the door? Should we do the sling method to introduce “whoa” and use that command to get him to stay? I don’t have the $500 needed to send him to a trainer right now. I need this worked on immediately, because if it’s that hard to put him up then he won’t be allowed to get out! I probably sound like an idiot but I need step by step instructions or suggestions on how to do this! Please don’t criticize or bite my head off – I’m just trying to give this dog a better life than he had before. Thanks.

[snips]

If you have a collar this is not a problem. You have done your CC work, now Just add the E with it. When you want him to kennel have the end of the CC and stand at the kennel door and call him. When he does not respond give a little tug and stimulation (medium to start with). If he still refuses tug and go higher on the stim. When he gives in and starts your way use lots of praise. If he tries to leave again immediatly use stimulation again. He will find it unpleasant going away and praise coming to. Even stand in the kennel if you choose. You may need to do this several times, just don`t do it once and let him get by with not coming the next. Be consistant with it until he KNOWS it and does it everytime. Remove the CC after he gets the idea and just use he E for awhile. Loving him up when he complies will make him like coming and avoiding the pressure.

[TAK]

As Brenda said, and in time as you work this the dog will come to relize this is their home. You may have a worse case scenerio with this dog that has had no real fun time other than breeding. One other thing that I would do is teach the dog to heel and heel the dog with you and you enter the kennel. Stand there a minute and give a treat and walk right back out. I am not a fan of treats like that but I think this would help with this dog. I forgot to add, with the dog you need to give him more play time than kennel time. To him the kennel is his prison.

[Ryan]

Or more play time both in and outside of the kennel. Make the kennel a fun place to be for him.

[Greg Jennings]

In addition to the other ideas:

Toss a cheapo hot dog in and say "kennel" and bring him right back out. After a while, have him stay in a couple of minutes, then out. Gradually lengthen the time in the kennel.

When I show my dogs a treat, the bolt for their kennels and are standing in them waiting on the treat.

Best,

[littleking]

try feeding in the kennel, worked best for me without having to resort to ecollar

[rosiesdad]

I commend you for rescuing a dog in a difficult situation.
Good advice from the others, just be patient and he will come around. I would start conditioning him with the e collar. (wearing it or a dummy for a few weeks before starting to use it)
The previous owner would not qualify as a responsible breeder in my book. Studding a dog with no training or unknown hunting ability. Infact the term puppy mill comes to mind.

[Ruffshooter]

This is all good advice. Just a note on the end result of those ideas. Each day I put my dogs in the kennel before I go to work. they run to it to get their loving and more importantly their treat. I don't use treats for any thing else. The kennel is their place it needs to be a good place. The dog you have needs also to know it will get the chance to be part of the family and have a bunch of out time. The dogs associate every thing positive and negative.