Dog Health Questions: What tricks does your dog teach you?

I only ask because we have this new school of dog training out that says the alpha concept is now all wrong. Seems like some of us like to buy wholesale into whatever the newest and greatest thing is. At some point people who developed their own school school of dog training that they wanted to market to the masses made a name for themselves by associating the alpha/pack structure concepts with cruelty and physical pain. They say they found a newer and better way where a dog never has to be corrected for bad behavior. The proponents of 'love, peace, and flower-power' dog training say Ceasar Milan is barbaric and uses cruel methods that he hides from the cameras. Victoria Stillwell, who shows total disdain for the alpha concept, is cited over and over again. Despite the fact that her show, like every other dog training show out there, sets out to teach humans how to make dogs follow their rules and obey their commands. And oh, by the way, Ceasar is known to tackle true problem dogs with genuine aggression problems, the types of animals who will eat a handler for breakfast if he makes wrong move. Victoria Stillwell does an AWESOME job... at teaching people how to potty train their poodles. And to keep the frisky, lovable family Golden Retriever in a down/stay when visitors knock on the door so he doesn't knock grandma down. I wonder how she would handle a dog/aggressive, handler/aggressive 120 pound rotteiler. Somehow the pack structure/alpha concept has come to be made synonymous with animal cruelty. It is now politically incorrect to simply want to be your dog's boss and ask him to submit to you and follow some rules.

People have bought into it and now believe that as reasoning, analytical human beings we can be equal partners with animals that have brains the size of peanuts, who operate purely on instinct.

So I have to ask, if this is truly possible, if we can be equals with our dogs, then what tricks has your dog taught you? What do you do for your dog on command??? What rules does your dog set for you to follow in the house?

Dog Behavior: Finding the Right Motivations for Your Dog Training Program

Recommended Answer:
2 things

interrupt what i'm doing to take him to the bathroom
and
crack the window in the car

Top 10 Successful Dog Training Tips

• i don't know about equals....but my dog has me trained lol...she whines and i jump isn't that training me?? LOL no were not equals.....there has to be an alpha dog or your dog isn't going to be happy....i expect my kids to obey me when i talk why wouldn't i expect my dog to obey me when i talk??


• when my dog stretches up to me and puts her paws on my legs, I will scratch her head.


• He has trained me to come when he calls, to get me to get him treats and even to get his water bowl when he is too tired to get up himself.
  I do not think equals but much research has shown dogs to be far more intelligent than you state. Dogs are animals foremost and they do live on instinct but also have learned in many cases to get millions of humans to do what they want. Like at the BILLIONS of dollars spent on dogs alone. Look at how many people have left millions of dollars to their dogs or even the average people who include their dogs in their will. My friend owns an All Natural Pet Store and you should hear the stories of the things people do for their dogs. So in ways humans have become servants to dogs.


• My dogs do things to let me know if they need something. My lab used to bring me her food and water bowls if they were empty and she needed a refill.
  One of my mastiffs paws at his water bowl when he needs water. They know how to signal when they need out to go potty.
  Not so sure Ive been taught tricks, but I have definitely learned to live a happier life with the dogs around. They teach me to be carefree and to be happy. Run if I want to run, jump if i want to jump, eat if i want to eat. Sleep as long as i like and not feel guilty! Appreciate a simple ride in the car with the windows down!
  I dont believe in being the "alpha" i believe that we can all live in peace and harmony if we all get along and accept each other the way we are.


• just to name a few...
  feed and water him daily
  open the door to let him go pee pee or chase the wild critters outside
  close the door when he re-enters the home (he opens the door to enter himself)
  dry him off if he comes back in wet from the dew or rain
  scratch his belly when he rolls over
  play tug of war with his toys
  throw his toys so he can run after them, bring them back and play tug of war again
  move over so he has more room in the recliner
  love him unconditionally
  
  i have never heard of these people you speak of, but training a dog is done through love and repetition
  
  all anyone can create with abuse is fear... my dog and i prefer the gentle side... if i don't learn a trick he wants to play, he will teach me another
  
  and the most fun trick he has taught me...
  
  when i come home from working ... i try to sneak in the house and tiptoe up to where he is (hopefully) sleeping, stand there for a few seconds until he realizes i am there and then, and then, the ultimate stare off... he is so happy when i do that trick! he wags his little stubby tail and hips, rolls over, runs back and forth, then finds the toy he wants me to play with... and don't try to fool him with another toy cause he won't play!
  he is an 8 yr old jack russell, has a one track mind, stubborn and set in his ways


• ;)
  
  When she stands in front of a piece of furniture looks at me, looks at the floor at the base of the furniture, looks at me..... I grab the flashlight, get on my hands and knees to RETRIEVE the toy she wedged underneath. Outside, if she has "discovered" something she thinks I need to see, she will do the same thing.....
  
  When she goes to the door, walks back to me and stares, goes to the door again, I get up and open it for her. If she has to go potty she runs off and does her business. If she hasn't needed to potty, but wants to play, she stands there staring at me, inviting me to go outside with her.
  
  When she taps on the door with her paw, I open it.
  
  When she brings me a toy and releases it I toss it for her. If she brings me a toy and play growls I play tug with her.
  
  If I am ignoring her, sitting watching TV with a pile of toys she has brought me on my lap, she will jump up next to me, or on my lap and lay down. She will look at me with this sweet look and when I start petting her, and she has gained my attention, she jumps down and grabs a toy and entices me to play.Many other things too....
  
  She's got me pretty well trained, huh?
  
  But that's ok......for all the marvelous agility runs and herding work and constant companionship...the trade off in our companionship is a two way street.


• i have found that most of my K9,s have a separate attitude so there for need handling differently.
  take a westie i had from a rescue centre raise your voice she would pee herself with fear from the obvious betting she received from the scares she has, so a gentle soft approach was needed with lots of soft verbal commands.
  as for sheba my german shepperd she thinks she is the boss and often tries to take over the house.
  so what i am basically saying is some animals need different approaches just look at the animals body language ears back with staring eyes usual a sign of dominance (back off)
  as for what my k9,s teach me well scratching at the door is a good sign of the toilet is needed and so on