... Just a little encouraging post. This is difficult to write without sounding boasty or condescending so please be assured that it isn't meant to be either.

My girl is 11 months and I got her originally to hopefully compete at Obedience with. She is very bright and I'm very happy with her training in the class situation but she has ALWAYS been VERY interested in other dogs. Much as she loves her ball and tuggy, if there was another dog on the horizon I didn't have a hope.

She's not long had her first season and although I know some people still take their bitches out, I didn't want to take the chance so I kept her in for the requisite 3 weeks. I did LOADS more with her around the house and garden though, more training, more playing and it's really paid off.

She is more focussed on me and although still enjoys playing with other dogs, the obsession has gone. She is just as interested in me as she is other dogs now. But it HAS been hard work. I always take loads of yummy treats out, and randomly treat her just for coming back to me, even if I haven't called her. I surprise her by producing her ball at times, and chucking it in random directions (I am very good at throwing in random directions - I throw like a girl and it never goes where I want it to anyway lol).

I just wanted to assure those who are a bit despondent and losing heart (I did, on and off!) that training techniques DO work. But they don't always work quickly, and you have to keep them up, and sometimes it seems you are going backwards, but then suddenly it's like a lightbulb goes on and overnight, your dog WILL make a huge leap forward in their training and it's all worthwhile.

I also think, from observing my dog, that although "he'll grow out of it" is NOT often true of many behaviours, sometimes they DO just need to grow up a bit - adolescence in a dog is every bit as trying as it is in a human and as long as you can ride the storm and still be consistent, even though they try your patience, it will pay dividends