[NAGDU] My dog's weird stubborn behavior, suggestions?

[Bianka]

Hello Julie,

My black lab vanja (RIP) behaved in a similar way. She was a great dog, but she worked in a very energy efficient way.

If he is food motivated, I would specifically use really high value food rewards for finding doors. As for his looking at people and manipulating, I found that as blind handlers we cannot really do a lot about it except making things interesting by using rewards.

What also helped me was working my dog in unfamiliar areas where she knew I really depended on her. If your dog is like mine was, he has a very strong character and he is not very easy to impress. Therefore, you have to show him it‘s in his own interest to work and to show initiative. Praise/reward him for showing you things on route for a while, I bet he will automatically stop the behavior when you discontinue the praise. While with the eager more will to please type dogs who have their own ideas you have to curb their initiative with the stuborn once you show them initiative is the thing that makes you happy. In my opinion, the strong-willed dog who tends to be stuborn can only be persuaded. If you try to force it he might just shut down. 

Hth.

Thanks and best regards,

Bianka