I have had her a week, she is a teenager and terrified of people. I am starting with small things like sit, down, come etc.....and loving her and spoiling her.
I hear of SO many ppl who train their own dogs and do a GREAT job. Those home schooled pups can do all kinds of tricks! And some of those smarties have been rescued from shelters and pounds and were 6 yrs old before learning a thing! So i have a teen, im taking things one day at a time with her.
Is it possible for ME to teach her all those awesome tricks? Or do i have to take her to doggy school? Do i have to buy dog training books and dvds? Do some people have a magical touch with dogs and others just don't?
If i work with her everyday will i get results? Am i just dreaming that i can do it on my own and i will have a dog who knows 100 tricks.
Does it depend on the dog? i would imagine it is all about the trainer, not the dog. And i want to spend the time with her and teach her myself and not have to spend the extra cash on doggy school.
Using a Good Dog Training Tip
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I will always take all my dogs to training. In the beginning, it's great because it allows your dog to socialize and it allows you to learn the best way to train your dog. What I mean by this is the training method that your dog responds to best. It also gets them out of the house and learning things in a strange environment. This can make them more reliable and focus more.
Then, if more training is wanted or needed, then more classes are usually in order.
Tricks are great, but they should be taught along with basics like sit, stay, wait, off, down, leave it, come, drop it and 'no'. There's no use for a dog that can fetch you a soda but won't walk on a leash and tackles people the second they walk in the door. In your situation, once the dog is ready, I urge you to take a basic training/obedience class. From there, you can work on inventing tricks for her to master. GL and congrats on rescuing!
10 Dog Training Mistakes You Must Avoid
- While it is quite possible to train your dog at home, training classes are very useful for both you and the dog.
I have been training dogs for nearly 30 years, and I still take my dogs to classes. It helps the dog learn to work in a distracting environment around other dogs and people, and it's good for me to get feedback from the instructor. - If you are good at training, you can do it at home.
- Just be strict and persistent.
I got my dog when she was a year old from a shelter.. it just took some time for her to get used to things. - i trained my dog myself and i am only 14. you have to be very persistant and make a huge deal out of it when she does something right. find out what she likes as rewards. a walk? treats? a belly rub? to play with a toy? every dog responds differently. you have to be very pacient. never get angry with your dog if they dont know what to do. you have to be as clear as possible and use a firm, but not loud or mean, voice. dogs also respond well when you use a high voice when praising them. some training books and dvds would be very helpful. personaly, i think that you can do a wonderful job training a dog without fancy training schools. yes, it takes time, but if your persistant and do it every day, the dog will learn. but dont keep the training sessions too long or they will become bored and fusterated.
in a way it does depend on the dog because different breeds have different intellegence levels. dogs like border collies and poodles can learn something new within 5 reps, but others can take a few days to learn a new command. my dog is a cockapoo and she can learn an advanced trick in as few as 7 repititions. the key is to be persistant and give the dog praise whenever they do something right. just stick at it and pretty soon your dog will know a bunch of tricks! - I have a magic training wand =)
Here's what I have learned from experience,
EVERY dog can be trained.
It depends on how easily between dogs. Some are smarter than others. So if your dog isn't that bright, you can still train her a hundred tricks but it'll take more time and patience.
When it comes to you, you always need to be in a calm and focused state of mind when training. I've noticed that if at any time I am in a hurry or not quite sure of myself, our puppy doesn't learn anything. If I know what I'm doing and I'm confident and calm, she learns something in a matter of minutes. Skip on a training session if you don't want to do it or else you're not going to get anywhere.
It is VERY possible for you to teach her things by yourself. Although I would suggest a training book or two, and maybe a training DVD if you have trouble with reading and comprehending.
Some people do have "the magic touch". I actually do have a dog trainer because our puppy is becoming a therapy dog so it's required she goes through these classes. My trainer has asked me if I want to teach the class because I know a lot when it comes to training and can teach it with ease! Then I see other people who aren't sure how to act, what to do, and don't understand dogs in general that can't even teach a dog to sit. So as long as you're knowledgeable and prepared, you won't have a problem!
A 20 minute training session every day will be very helpful. Think about it, if you did 20 minutes a day and only missed about 5 days per month (bad mood, busy, dog not wanting to learn, etc.) then in a year you've just put in almost 100 hours per year! And if a trick takes, let's say, an hour or so to do, then you could easily hit 70-80 tricks by the end of the year. (The other hours are to refresh what he already knows or else she'll forget or become rusty.)
Then within a couple years you can have her learning everything you want. It just takes dedication, patience, and you knowing how to teach them.
Good luck!
EDIT:
Her training is $110 at PetSmart. The classes are 8 weeks long and really do help. But if you choose to do it, please, don't just pick a trainer at random. Meet them and find the best one that works with your dog and teaches well, or else you may be stuck in a bad situation without learning anything at all! Good luck! - if your willing to spend the time and do it correctly and not expect to have your dog learn the new trick overnight (can take up to 3 months) then i don't see an issue. books will help . classes would help too but they only go over the basic stuff. liek sit down come lay leave it no bite etc...
but there is a ton of info for free on the web.
some breeed learn better /faster then other dogs but all dogs are trainable.1
i do suggest you take one or two classes so you can learn the basis of it! you sound smart you won't need the hole 3 classes just pay the 100 bucks to pet smart and take the beginner class.
we went into that class skipped the puppy class (my first dog) boxer mastiff and and I personally learned more than the dog! lol
but he could sit and lay down prior to starting classes and he was just over 3 months - There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be able to train your dog yourself as long as you have the time and patience to do it and that you are consistent with your dog.
The best method I have ever used is one of positive reinforcement. If you are unsure of what you need to do then you should obtain some advice from a reputable source (book/DVD/eBook) whatever floats your boat. You just need to ensure that if you do choose to follow a particular regime that it is actually a real training scheme and not some money making scam.
If your dog has behavioral issues that you find you cannot resolve then you should seek advice from a registered/licensed/accredited dog trainer. - I have had five dogs of my own and over 40 foster dogs and I still take every one of my own dogs (and a few fosters) to training class. There are always new things to learn and new ways of dealing with issues. What I used to teach my first dog is now considered outdated compared to my current dog. Training teaches YOU to train your dog. And it helps with your dog learning to socialize with other dogs and strange people in a controlled setting.
Most of my foster dogs don't go to training class, since they're only with me for a short time. Instead I use what I've learned from class to train those dogs and then require my adopters to enroll the dog in a training class of their choice within 2 months of adoption. - It gets easier with experience, but you can train your dog at home.
The reason it doesn't always work out with some people is because they become discouraged when they don't get automatic results. They are yelling "paw?" "paw?!" in a dog's face & expect the dog to understand without showing him what you want.
I've noticed the hardest things for people to understand when training is
1) dogs don't speak english, they don't know what a command means without you showing it them
2) you need to praise them for doing something right, just as much as you must discourage unwanted behavior.
3) Do not repeat a command over & over. The command is "sit" Not "sit! sit! sit!.... SIT"
If you feel that getting help from a trainer would be better for you & your dog by all means go forward with it. Some people just do better with the help & guidance of others.
& yes, some dogs are more stubborn than others. What works for one may not work for another. You have to figure out what works & stick with it.
Good luck. It's a hard road, especially if you have a more stubborn will full dog. - Believe it or not...there ARE people that are naturally gifted. IT amounts to about .0001% of the ones that THINK they are gifted...but they're there. Years ago, when we offered group classes, I had a young girl come in with a Great Dane...maybe 10 months old. Group class is like watching "Jerry's kids"...even 5 or 6 weeks into it. This girl knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Her timing and ability to "read" the dog was perfect.On week 3, while everyone else was practicing "sit & stay"...I was working with her on off leash, long distance commands. This was her first dog. I begged her to go to work with us, but she was determined to go to college....*sigh* What a waste.
The majority of people that train themselves, manage to teach lots of tricks...no real obedience. If all they do is stay away from distractions and do "play dead", "spin right", "spin left", "roll over", "shake", "speak", "sit up", etc....you'd swear you were in the company of the worlds greatest trainer. However, most have little or no control in new environments with new distractions. That's when you separate trainers from "trick teachers". - Congratulations on getting a dog. They are awesome pets. I have four small dogs and I had four large dogs prior to now. I trained them on my own. But as a kid, I did take the family dog to obedience school and learned about training there. I think if you have plenty of time, devote some time to obedience training. The classes are usually once a week for about eight weeks. The more time you spend with your dog, the more tricks they pick up. I take my pets to the vet yearly. That really helps add to the longevity and happiness to their lives.
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