Buddy is not coming along as quickly as I had hoped with some of his service dog training....at times he's right on the mark and then the next day he's just big goofy dog...he seems to have the attention span of a gnat. I'm gueesing he's about a year and half...I'm wondering if part of the trouble is he was a stray for what the shelter thought was a good while...we've pretty much gotten over all of his not so good behaviors that he came with - except he is still quite the dumpster diver, and he has a terribly annoying habit of sticking his snout in your face and woofing to get your attention. We want to keep that woofing business to a point, that's how Dolly is trained to alert Critter (or anyone) if I need help or can't get up...
I think I may have to resort to a professional trainer with Buddy...anyone with any ideas or someone they could recommend?
I also wonder if Buddy's past - whatever it might have been precludes him from ever being a good service dog?
Yikes - my Rott was a piece of cake...so was Dolly - it was almost instinctive with those two.

thought I'd better add..I use positive reinforcement training..I can't stand that earpinching, pinch collar ...type of training...and Buddy eveidently had someone be really cruel at some point...absolutely none of that type of training with him...he has to know he is safe here.

Gretchen I think Scott H is a dog trainer on here........Look through the older post on the dogs forum.....Smokey or someone was trainning a dog....

Our dog used to get beat too but I can tell he was trainned at one point. Even if my hub picks up the fishing poles hes duckin and hiding.

Sometimes, dogs, just as with people who have had traumatic experiences, it takes longer to change the habits and lifestyle.
What type of dog is he?
I have seen some dogs that the light bulb didn't come on until they were 2 or older. May be a maturity thing going on.
I like the positive reinforcement. Reward the good - ignore the bad and it will usually diminish and become extinct.

We aren't sure exactly what Buddy is...he appears to have some lab in him...and his age is a bit of question too! It appears he's probably about a year and half...I still see some young dog / puppy behaviors at times...He's coming along he just isn't as quick as the other two were....but he finally seems to be getting the hang of having to be still in public...his attention span is just still so short though!

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e82/gretchensteele/Copy-of-Buddy-001-Page-2.jpg

Grtechen I p.m.'d you about your dog