Adopted dog with some bad habits, can they be broken?

[Dooley87]

I adopted a dog last year, she is now 2 years old. I will start out by saying I adopted her from a couple who rescued her from an abusive owner, she Is afraid of all new things unfamiliar to her and you can tell she was beaten because she cowers when you hold a broom or ski pole etc.. She is a black lab, possible mix because she is only 54lbs. She has an amazing instinct for hunting, she is constantly working when on walks by running back and forth and flushing grouse, treeing squirrels etc... She has a few downsides for a hunting dog, she is afraid of guns and swimming. The guns I think I can fix, the first few times we have gone hunting she would hide under the truck when the gun would come out, now she goes nuts when she sees it because she knows she gets to go hunting, if you shoot she still becomes afraid and won't work the woods for a few minutes but eventually she gets her rythem back and she will start to work. When I first got her she wouldn't even go into the water, I worked with her a little bit this summer to the point where she isn't afraid of it any more and will run into the water to get a drink chase ducks etc... but she won't swim, she will run in the water until she can't touch then she will turn around and come back to shore, I've tried carrying her out and letting her paddle while I hold on to her then letting her go and she swims just fine she just won't do it on her own. Retrieving toys and sticks is an issue too she thinks its more of a game and will run around with a stick instead of retrieve it but her positive sides are she listens great, you say drop she does it, she gets out of range and you whistle she comes back to you, she is constantly busting brush searching for a grouse to flush, you say go lay down she will go lay down, she is a great dog and I'd like to turn her into a great hunting dog but most videos I've watched are all on training puppies and not fixing someone else's mistakes. Do I have any hope on fixing any of these issues myself?

[walleye18]

there is hope....

My daughter had found a stray in 08'. 2 weeks after we put our 14 yr old black lab down....and in the process of picking out a pup. He'sa chocolate lab that had lots of potential like your dog shows.

What I did was take him to a trainer to see what could be done...left him with the trainer for about 1.5 months - working him on birds, shooting over him, retrieving, etc, etc...

We dont know his exact age but he is an absolute monster when it comes to hunting. He has a heart of gold and unreal drive. He never gives up. Puts other dogs to shame. Count my lucky stars all the time when were out hunting.

I would suggest taking the pooch to a trainer you trust and invest the time and money to develop the potential in the dog...you can do this as you have been too. Just with a trainer, they can tell you if the dog is a wash out or not - and has the potential to be a good hunting dog.

The trainer can tell you the short comings of the dog and what you need to work on...guide you along your journey too.

Best of luck.

[LABS4ME]

Yep... You do.

Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots nd lots bof praise. Sounds like she wants to please you, but is afraid she will make a mistake and will be punished. I'd do some indepth training with very little discipline and lts of praise when she does what you were looking for... She 'll get there, just going to take a litte longer. But as your bond grows, she may turn into the most loyal dog you ever owned..

Good luck!

Ken

[Dooley87]

What would you expect a few months at a quality trainer to cost? I've thought about it but was afraid it would be out of my budget plus I've heard horror stories of how some trainers treat dogs, knowing she has been abused in the past I would want a trainer who would be able to understand that. Took her a few months to really trust me and see me as her pack leader. I feel like if she had a trainer she didn't trust and was afraid of, it might do more damage then good.

[Dooley87]

Thanks ken, everyone who has ever met her says she is the best dog they have ever met because she just listens so well, my buddy has a few pet ducks, the other day she started to chase them I yelled hey and she stopped mid run and came back. She is a sweetheart who just lives to chase animals.

Here are a few pictures

[walleye18]

Agree with Ken above.

You can take her to a trainer that your comfortable with....ensuring the trainer understands the issues at hand with your dog- and the expectations you have for the services he is going to provide you.

Full communication and understanding between you and the trainer are mandatory before you commit to their services.

Best of luck.

[Ufatz]

Have nothing against trainers but in this particular case you might be better off working with the dog yourself. She seems to TRUST you-she might not feel that way about a stranger. She wants to PLEASE you-might not care about a stranger, especially one that is firm and demanding, which a trainer might appear to be.

You clearly have the potential there for a dandy hunting dog and companion. Patience is the KEY. When excitement overcomes fear of water watch the dog plunge right in and forget about fear.

Do the gun thing veeeererrrryyyy slowly and gradually, getting partner to work with a .22 pistol way back behind you. Again, excitement will slowly overcome fear.

Take good care of this little critter because I think you have a good little doggie there.

Report back. The professional guys on here will help you.

[nofishfisherman]

I agree with Ufatz. A pro trainer can certainly work as long as you find one willing to work with the special requirements of the dog. It sounds like they'll need to have a soft hand and focus more on praise than corrections. The main issue will be the dog trusting the trainer who will be a stranger.

In this particular case I think you might be better off training the dog yourself as you've already earned its trust and it already wants to please you and work for you. Just take your time and work on things slowly. I think the dog will come around nicely and by doing the training yourself you'll strengthen the bond between you to and you'll likely end up with a dog that will walk through fire for you.