Talking Back When Given A Command

M

Missliss

Forums Novice
Hi all! So happy to have found this forum! I have a 6 month old named Riley and had forgotten how much work puppies can be. It's like having a child!! But he makes me happy!!!! My mother actually adopted his brother and sister and Riley was the litter runt...weighing only 4lbs when I brought him home......brother and sister were between 7&8. He has grown into quite a large Sheltie and doesn't seem to be stopping. Getting to the point......he "talks back" when given a command. He knows commands verbally and non verbally, no matter which I give him....he barks at me ans sometimes will refuse the command and will just sit and look at me. I never look away and he will usually eventually comply.....but grumbles.....like a child would mumble under their breath!!! Is this normal or have I done something wrong???? Any advice would be great!! Thanks so much:biggrin2:
 
It actually sounds like he doesn't know what you are asking. Barking, 'acting up' are generally deflecting signals because they don't understand what you want.

Many dogs don't understand verbal commands - when I teach classes I always ask people to turn their backs and ask their dogs to sit without moving their body. Almost all dogs don't sit. We assume they understand the verbal commands but actually they are relying on signals or physical cues and even the environment to comply. So for this reason you are better off using clear and consistent signals with your commands.

Always make sure you set him up for success. He is still just a child and will get distracted and want to play. Training is always best done when they are receptive (and you can help this by making learning fun with toys and treats and play). If he looks like he doesn't want to train then walk away, let him settle and then go back and make it fun to listen to you.
 
Ha HA I have to laugh, Diva is exactly the same way.:smile2: That's why her name is DIva.

She grumbles and talks for everything. It is just her way and sometimes she is extremely happy about it and sometimes you can tell she is telling me off like when I mess up in agility. "what the heck do you want or what are you doing?" I always know I gave clear instructions while running agility if Diva doesn't bark at me.

Don't worry about it. It will fade once he knows what you want.
 
I have to smile too. Her Royal Highness, Lil' Lady, I am her work in progress.

I am waiting for the Highness to become more dignified and reserved the older she gets. Well she was born in December of 2005, so she is getting older. I am waiting! :lol: A couple of weeks ago you would have thought she had PMS for two days. Yes she had a spay done. Nothing made her happy she just barked. Then I got in her face, and told her ENOUGH, she stopped. She knows my tone of voice when I have had ENOUGH.

On the whole she is a "good girl", oh she loves that statement.
 
Oz doesnt like it when I put him outside and don't join him. He stares at the door, saying "row row row row-errrrrrrrrrrrr.". I am convinced these are very bad words in Sheltie.
 
Justicemom said:
Ha HA I have to laugh, Diva is exactly the same way.:smile2: That's why her name is DIva.

She grumbles and talks for everything. It is just her way and sometimes she is extremely happy about it and sometimes you can tell she is telling me off like when I mess up in agility. "what the heck do you want or what are you doing?" I always know I gave clear instructions while running agility if Diva doesn't bark at me.

Don't worry about it. It will fade once he knows what you want.
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Lexi is the same way. Sometimes she still does it--even if she knows what I want. When I get home from work sometimes I put her in a sit because she's being too rowdy. She gives me the evil eye, barks, and sits all while glaring at me :rolleyes2:
 
My first thought was like Caro, that perhaps he is unsure of what you want. Merlin barks at me if he doesn't quite get what I have asked him to do and is getting frustrated because he wants a treat.

Perfect example; Entered a fun dog show, Best Trick class. Had Merlin perform beg, first time it was perfect gave him a treat. Judge was still standing next to us so I asked him to do it again. This time his balance was wrong and he didn't hold it, so I asked again, this time it was even worse, so I asked a third time and Merlin barked furiously at me.

"Looks like someone thinks he has already earned that treat." Remarked the judge.

I made him do a proper beg before he got his treat anyway, but he does make me smirk when he gets cross:lol:
 
Gavin talks back when he's happy.
like when i get home and when he is waiting for me to open the door after his first potty to get his dinner :D

it is totally his happy play bark with a waggy playful tail, but non dog people wouldn't know that.
 
Beau doesn't "Talk Back," but, he will give directions, like today because its' raining outside, I took him back down to the park where we usually go for our first walk, well it was our second walk and I took him in the same direction, he pulled me back, like he's telling me,'Momma, we go the other way, not this way,"
 
I think Caro gave some good advice about sometimes they aren't sure, or we're not giving good signals, but I also have a dog that talks back.

If I screw up in agility he talks back. If he doesn't want to do something, like sit, because he wants food, or wants something else, he talks back at me. I just wait him out.

Also, for anyone, at 6 months, isn't that when they start rebelling the first time? And likes to "forget" what they were taught? Or is that later?
 
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