# Having trouble training 20 month old female.



## poodlemom66 (Oct 1, 2015)

I am having trouble training our 20 month female poodle to do ANYTHING. House training to barking to running away when called etc etc. We have taken her to dog training class. I've bought books and watched videos. You name it and we've done it. We have many dogs over the years and she is the only one we haven't been able to train. Any ideas would be appreciated.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

How old was she when you got her? And what was her background? Are you using reward based training, or punishing her when she gets things wrong? How many people are involved in training her, and do they all use the same method?


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## poodlemom66 (Oct 1, 2015)

We got her when she was only 9 weeks old. She was very stubborn and a lot of biting from the get go. I thought she would get better as she got older, but she has gotten worse. We have done reward training and time outs etc. Nothing seems to work. We love her to pieces, but she is hard to deal with.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think if you have been struggling for 18 months it is time to get professional help. Are you in the USA? I am sure some of our members will be able to steer you towards suitable trainers if you give an idea of where you live.


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## poodlemom66 (Oct 1, 2015)

Yes, we live in the US. California central coast.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Hi there, I agree with fjm that it is time to get an outside professional to help you. I would suggest starting with a private trainer to fix some of the basic essentials like nipping, house soiling and the like. You can use this link https://apdt.com/trainer-search/ to find private trainers who are members of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers in your area. If possible choose someone with a CPDT-KA certification. Once you have the basics under control you can use this link https://www.apps.akc.org//apps/clubs/search/index.cfm?action=obed&display=on to find classes at an AKC affiliated obedience club to move beyond the basics.

I wish you success. Your dog is still young enough to be successful with all your goals, but remember you have to extinguish poor behaviors and replace them with good behaviors. It will require patience, persistence and consistency.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I agree a personal trainer is the best idea for you. In the meantime, I would limit your dog's chances to go potty in the house by confining her to either a crate or an x-pen or a dog proof room with pee pads. Then take her outside every hour or two if you are home. Housetraining really should be a doable thing, even if it feels you are being mean to the dog.

Are there multiple people in the household trying to train her in different ways? Is that part of the problem?

Have you ruled out any medical issues?

Just throwing out ideas for consideration.


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## Critterluvr (Jul 28, 2014)

Also, would be helpful to know more about your living situation/exercise regime regarding your dog....... providing regular (necessary) energy outlets can make a HUGE difference in behaviour.


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