Need HELP again..battle of wills.......

Every night around 9 I put my dogs out in the pen. It's summer so no reason to have them in and they get to play without the confines of the house. (house rules: NO WILD PLAY lol ) Everything has been fine until the past few nights...Hammie has decided he 'doesn't want to!!' No, he isn't afraid of anything...more like a child that is just saying NO..he wants to play more around the yard, etc. You should see us.......I'm glad I don't have neighbors! He is fine, sweet, adorable....then we get to the gate....he stops and either refuses to budge or turns and pulls in the opposite direction. Last night I had his lease wrapped around a small tree by the gate while he was pulling the other way. To make this story short (cause it went on for some time) I finally was able to force him into the pen. He's fine as soon as he is in there...he and Addie start playing. Meanwhile...I'm practically falling over from the effort. I'm not that big...but I refuse to have him win. I could easily have my hubby do it.......but I refuse to have Hammie only listen to him. (that's the case with Addie now...she runs off from me, but listens to hubby all the time..very frustrating!) It is like a rebellious teen.....he is pushing me, but I'm having a hard time, with all my muscles working...he almost pulled me across the yard. I can't have him controlling me like that. This is new...no problems with control during the day. Any suggestions??? In the meantime, I'm developing arms like that of a body builder.....ok...eeewwwwwwww. lol
Addie can't wait to get back outside and she loves the pen. This isn't a new routine, we've been doing the exact same thing since the end of April.

You're on the right track. Hammie's a rebellious teenager. Whatever you want him to do is exactly what he DOESN'T want to do. You're right about not giving in, too. Once you do it's all over - he'll move on to the next contest.

Try have some nose to snoot conversations with him. Being a teenager, they won't have quite mas uch effect as they will when he's older and has his brains back in his head, but it should make some impression.

I hate to admit this, but at one point when Shiva was going through her teenager phase I had to resort to cutting a switch after having to literally go get Shiva because she refused to come. Even I can't force a 100 pound dog to move by brute force, and I was a bodybuilder for years. All it took was one little sting on the back of the legs and Shiva was a believer. After that, all I had to do was say, "Shiva, don't make me cut a switch!"

I'm not telling you this to recommend it; it was purely an action of desperation and there is always the possibility that a dog will take affront and retaliate, I'm sharing it with you so you'll know you're not alone in your frustration.

Is there someplace - like a garage - that you can just tell Hammie, "all right, Mister, if you won't go into the pen where you can play, you can just be shut up all by yourself." It's got to be someplace that he's not going to like after he's been in there for awhile all alone; someplace that will make him happy to go into the pen next time.

Another tactic to use in conjunction with this would be to give Addie a treat after she's gone into the pen, making sure Hammie sees that she's getting it because she's doing what she's supposed to do. Then you take him off to 'jail.' And he doesn't get a treat.

Make no mistake, they understand cause and effect very well!

Renee...this is funny....last night before putting the pups in the pen, Dave had a nose to nose conversation with Addie about her night barking (per what I told him you have said) Well....all I know is...we had a peaceful night!!! Yes, may have been sheer luck......OR, you may just be totally right here!! lol I told him this morning to be sure and talk to her again tonight!


I've seen a black lab and irish setter running loose...and they are really FABULOUS looking dogs (are the owners crazy or what???) Guessing again that our night traumas have been over wandering dogs. Some people just have no regard for their pets..or where they may wander off to.

I suspect Hammie is starting to sense that I am not that 'strong'....well...got news for him...I WILL WIN! LOL

That's the spirit! Now tell Hammie!

Another evening of the battle of wills......I won, but it was sooo difficult. My hubby asked if I needed help, and I said 'no, I WILL do this' I tell you, he is being such a brat. I swear.......I almost can hear Hammie chuckle. lol

Renee...another quiet night with Addie, after hubby had a chat again.

Hammie's having a great time. Tonight may be the night to make him look you square in the eye and explain to him that he's not going to win; he's going to do what you want him to do, and there's no point in arguing; you love him and he's going to be your GOOD DOG!

I had that little chat with Shiva once when she was being a rebellious teenager. She's turned out to be a truly sweet, gentle dog with a great heart and is completely docile and compliant when I ask her to do something. And she was WILD when she was a pup!

I was having problems with Bula when I would take her outside on her leash. She would pull me so hard, I would almost fall to the ground. This went on for quite a while. I finally went to Petco and got this collar. It's like a choke chain, but it has these little prongs on the inside of it. I put it on Bula, and it has made a world of difference. It doesn't hurt her or anything, but she doesn't pull anymore when she is on the leash. We are almost able to go back to the regular collar.