# DOES SMART = STUBBORN??



## SJB (Jul 2, 2003)

Does smart = stubborn??
My seven month old chocolate really is stubborn on some commands. ESPECIALLY when there are distractions. She wants to suddenly be a puppy and go play rather than focus on the command.
This dog is really smart. A very good champion blood line. Does that make a dog stubborn??
Sam


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I think it can sometimes, just keep consistant. Once the dog is a little older you can start really enfoceing defiance but I would keep it short and simple for the next 4-6 months


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## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

try to limit the distractions... work with your dog in as controlled of conditions as possible to start... after the commands are understood and learned then distractions become part of the learning... but it is harder to teach the focus needed to comply when distractions obstruct the lesson.

My 2 cents...


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## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

Distractions are one of the challenges we face when working with pups under one year of age. Bill Tarrant, gundog trainer and author of many bookds, was a firm believer in "Happy Timing". His theory was that the world is a brand new place for a pup and every sight, smell, and sound is new and exciting, and that you need to "Happy Time" your pup (take it for walks afield) until it is totally familiar with its surroundings before serious training is started. The idea here is that when a pup is totally familiar with the environment it will be working in, there will be fewer distractions and the pup will be easier to train.

Does smart = stubborn? Only if the dog is smarter than the trainer. :withstupid:


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

There are two kinds of smart dogs. Smart and stubborn, and smart and tractable. If she is smart and stubborn, you'll lay awake nights trying to figure out how to solve her problems.

A smart tractable dog is one of the Lord's true treasures. There is nothing like them.

I don't think that stubborness has a thing to do with intelligence. When you get a really stupid dog in to train, they take forever and seem stubborn. They're not. They just don't understand the lessons.


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## CHERRY CREEK CHUB (Apr 7, 2008)

YOUR SEVEN MONTH OLD LAB IS TO YOUNG TO DETERMINE IF HE IS ANYTHING BUT A PUP.
TYPICALLY YOU CAN TRAIN HIM SOME BASICS AND GET HIM TO RETRIEVE BUT KEEP YOUR SESSIONS SHORT . REPITITION IS IMPORTANT .


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

gonehuntin' said:


> I don't think that stubborness has a thing to do with intelligence. When you get a really stupid dog in to train, they take forever and seem stubborn. They're not. They just don't understand the lessons.





CHERRY CREEK CHUB said:


> YOUR SEVEN MONTH OLD LAB IS TO YOUNG TO DETERMINE IF HE IS ANYTHING BUT A PUP.
> TYPICALLY YOU CAN TRAIN HIM SOME BASICS AND GET HIM TO RETRIEVE BUT KEEP YOUR SESSIONS SHORT . REPITITION IS IMPORTANT .


I agree 100% with gonehuntin!. All dogs are different you just need to shape them to their appropriate session, so to speak. I once thought mine was that way in learning but once it's shaped to their attention time and excitement thats when a person excels in training. Just keep it short amounts of high excitement training so they don't loose interest and build from that. I wish you the best!! :beer:

And no disregaard cherry creek chub's comment.!!!! 7 mos. old is one of the best learning times if you take correct steps. This is when the absord anything like sponges, it's important!


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Many lab trainers are starting their pups at 4-5 months now. Evan Graham does. These aren't pointers, you can actually teach them something.


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## ARKY N AK (Feb 2, 2009)

As is stated earlier in the post every dog takes training differently but I suggest working distractions into their training. I did this with my chocolate as soon as she grasped a command. When I was teaching her marks I would have my wife or training partner(whoever was with me that day) throw some distraction bumpers when I released her for the mark. Like expected she broke for the distraction bird and I stopped her made her come back to me and sent her on another mark. It took a few times of this but she got the point that she doesnt get to go check out new marks or "distractions" unless I send her too it. It worked pretty good for me, maybe it will work for you. I didnt start this training with my dog until she had mastered the whistle sit. I think that is very important in this kind of training.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

IMO, if a dog doesn't listen it means they do not respect you. They know you aren't hard on them, or won't do anything when they act up.

If I told my dog to do a backflip he would try his best! :lol:


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Each dog is different. You can't make them mature any faster than they will at their own pace. sounds like your 7 month old pup is acting like a 7 month old pup...


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