Dog Health Questions: Dog not quite getting the difference between "Sit" and "Lay Down"?

When I ask Newman to "Sit", he sits. Good, right? But then once I reward him (getting sprayed in the face with the hose- yes, he LOVES it more than treats or praise) he goes and lays down. When I ask him to lay down, "Down", he will go right to laying down. Also good.

My concern is when I ask him to "Sit". He will sit, but then lays down after being rewarded. I'm assuming this is undesired. Do I wait until he has a perfect grasp of "Sit" before weaning him off of laying down afterward? Should I nip the behavior in the bud now, and if yes, how should I go about this?

Dog training is not my forte...

Service Dog Training: Training Your Dog To Perform Human Tasks

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Most people that train would recommend that as soon as he starts to lay down that you should pull straight up on the leash until he is back in position, or use the leash to make him stay in position, treat and then release him,you could also command, treat and then pull him into a stand instead of giving him a chance to chill. The idea is to have him hold position until released.
Now in your situation use the hose to spray him from underneath to keep him from laying down, LOL hell it sounded good when I thought of it.BTW what is your water bill? LMAO at Newman and you.

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• When you were teaching him sit and down did you make him sit then reward him and then make him go into the down position? I did when i first got my pup eventually he started cutting the sit out all together. So I just popped his leash on and every time he went to go into the down position i just corrected him. Now his sit/downs are good but could probably due with being a bit quicker.


• If you are only training for yourself and not competition, then unless it is a problem, ignore it. Down has always been difficult for my dog, and since I trained him for safety and convieniece, a sit or a down is just as good to keep him danger.


• try hand signals and wait a while before rewarding him. if you reward to fast he will think that when you say "sit" you mean to sit for 3 seconds or so, if that happens you might as well not train him at all.


• When he starts laying down, take the hose away and say "no sit" or "sit up". Then, reward again and repeat as needed.


• depends on what you want
  i just don't reward if they down unless i ask for it.


• I would nip in the bud. I'm not sure what method of correction you're using, but I use a tug upward on the leash with an "EHeheh!!" noise until he's sitting again. I'm a big proponent of "sit means sit, down means down, here means here, etc" school of thought. Now you're teaching him that sitting, then laying, is what you want. You want a sit when you say "sit." Being a little strct with what you ask makes the lines clear- he knows what you want, you get what you ask for.
  
  I use a prong, and Remi started doing the same- I'd gotten him in the habit of sitting, then asking for a 'down,' so he started going to sit, then straight to down. I then corrected with a leash pop and re-affirmed "sit" command. For us, it really has helped keep his focus on me when he's sitting (what I want), and made clear what I want from commands.
  
  hope that helps! good luck!

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Dog Health Questions: Military Working Dog Handler?

from a military perspective (more specifically, a Marine perspective), what college degree or professional experience would be related to being selected to become a military working dog handler after application to the course? would someone with a dog training certification or previous experience as a professional dog trainer/handler be at an advantage for selection into this MOS?

I know that I can't enlist to become a handler and I have to become an MP first, then be selected to become a handler. what I wanted to ask was if having a degree or previous experience would help at all during the selection process and give me a greater chance of becoming a handler. thanks.

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Nope your previous expierence doesnt come in to affect for selection. Basically you sign into a career field which has 3 or more MOSs in it. Then what job you end up with is like a lottery.

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• not at all. no college of any sort is necessary nor will it help in any way save to get you promoted faster

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Dog Health Questions: What is a good dog training book?

My three dogs don't come, sit or stay. They are loving and have no horrible habits, but I want to teach them 'out' 'come' 'sit' 'inside' They are Bichin Frise's. I got all of them as adults.

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the site http://www.dogtrainingscene.com has a few good, detailed reviews about some of the most popular dog training courses. There are a lot of worthless dog training products out there so do your research.

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• There's an excellent book which comes with a DVD by Brenda Aloff, called "Get Connected With your Dog". Also, "Purely Positive Training" by Sheila Booth is a great choice. You could teach your bichons everything they need to know with either book.


• I like "The Koehler Method of Dog Training" By William Koehler. I am reading it right now & love it.


• Get a book on clicker training and a clicker. Dogs love it! It's fun and fast way for them to learn.


• 'Dog Tricks for Dummies'

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Dog Health Questions: How much do i have to pay a dog trainer to train my dog?

wat r the ranges from the cheapest to most expensive....wat pet stores in connecticut offer dog training?

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PETSMART.COM ITS $99 FOR ANY OF THE CLASSES AND IT'S 8 WEEKS LONG ONE NIGHT A WEEK AND IT'S AWSOME!

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• It really depends on if you want the traininer to teach you to train your dog... or if you want to give the traininer you dog and THEM train the dog and you get it back in a matter of months. It also depends on what you want them trainied in... Basic obediance, or more advanced.
  I took my dogs to puppy kindergarden once a week for 8 weeks and it was 70 bucks. It was a great class as well. I was very impressed.
  Petco and Petsmart offers group classes that you and your dog attend.


• WHAT??? You"pay" to LEARN HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF!!!!Are you going to keep it the closet between lessons??

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Dog Health Questions: My dog is being hyper-active during Agility training. What should I do to calm him down?

I have an 8 1\2 months old Australian Shepherd, he is very friendly to everybody & to other dogs, trained & well-behaved at home. He usually gets 2 long walks and a play with his friends everyday. He is currently attending agility classes 2x a week and a basic obedience course (that makes him 3x a week at Dog School). On trainings, as soon as we enter the training ground, he starts to get wild, he barks a lot (w\c is unusual for him 'coz he' s so quiet at home) he jumps on me and is not following the "sit, stay & come" commands (stuff he knows already). I always end up having a short training time with him on the field 'coz of his behavior. But as soon as we are out of the training ground, he is back to his "well-behaved" attitude. I don't know what to do or what's wrong with him. Anybody, pls advice.

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First, it's impossible for anyone to say for sure. That's because the appropriate tactics/approach depend upon WHY he's behaving this way. And there could be a couple of reasons why he's behaving this way:
--lack of focus
--fear/over-stimulation
--lots of drive
Depending upon which it is, the appropriate answer is different.

For lack of focus, check out the Deb Jones books and DVD's "In-focus." Do a lot of shadow handling and flatwork first. Expose him at a distance and work on focus/control. Don't do leadouts. Don't ask him to wait at the start line--walk on up and then GO!!!

For fear/over-stimulation, check out Leslie McDevitt's book "Control Unleashed." Do the Karen Overall relaxation protocol. Work on socializing with other dogs. I also wonder if the behavior is the same with the obedience class as it is with agility. Or if you train all 3 classes at the same location (and if not, if behavior is a bit different). The fear/over-stimulation issue, it could be a number of candidates that are pushing his button. And until you know which one, you don't know how to build up his tolerance for it so it no longer sets him off. I'd also video yourself--I found out that my nervous dog was losing it as a novice when my cues were late or confusing.

Lots of drive--don't use toys or tugging, rely on food (which tends to relax) during class. Don't try and run a full course--just run 2-3 obstacles, reward and end. Don't run him until he loses focus and control and zooms, run him and reward when he's still under control. Do use leadouts. Do cue early and clearly(a high drive dog can get frustrated and lose it when cues are late).

Second, I know you say some of the bad behavior happens as soon as you enter the school, before you even make a run. Well, he's associating whatever it is (the chance to do what he loves, exposure to what he fears, something that he loses focus on) with the school or on the grounds. Any chance of doing a private lesson on the grounds when no-one else is there? Take him there on lead and just practice heeling and focus?

Third, get the Susan Garrett DVD "Crate Games." Trying taking him to the grounds and just practice crating him, control and focus. Reward for good behavior in the crate, open it up but he has to stay, call him out and reward, send him back in, reward for good behavior.

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• Work on his obedience while you are waiting your turn on the obstacles.
  
  He needs to learn that the commands apply there as well.


• Agility dogs do better when they have the basic obedience commands down pat before moving into serious agility work. It sounds as if your dog is associating the agility ring as playtime instead of work time. I recommend working more on the focus cue which is part of basic obedience training. Good luck. It will all come together with time and consistency. If you anticipate him misbehaving he can sense that tense energy and will misbehave.


• He's very excited - in agility you want them to be this way, though you also want them to obey commands! I would take some time during the week to bring him to the course and training fields and work with him. Like Spooky Basset said, he needs to learn that the commands are supposed to be okay even when at the training ground when he is excited.
  
  I would also try walking him once before the training - that may calm him just enough to get him to obey. My dog used to go nuts when going to her class and walks (plus more frequent visits) got her to calm down almost instantly. Maybe you could go early and work on commands before the class even starts?


• That is not at all uncommon and is something you WANT as it is good that he enjoys the training but YOU need to learn from the instructor how to direct this wonderful excitement and use it to get him to be a top agility dog! You need to learn how to direct his energy, not inhibit it!
  
  Think about this... in a competition situation he will be EXTREMELY excited -- if you train him while he is in this high excitement state, then in competition he will be marvelous. In schutzhund we actually work hard at getting a dog more and more excited so that the training is done and perfected while the dog is VERY excited (as it will be automatically in a trial situation) so that they know the commands and will follow them regardless of how excited they are. Same holds true in agility - as the dog competes he will automatically be extremely excited in a trial -- you will be way excited and this will pass to the dog so it is important that the dog learn to follow your cues while he is way excited.


• Hi there, i also have an aussie who LOVES agility but occasionally gets 'the zoomies' from the sheer excitement of it all. His previous agility trainer suggested the book Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt. The book has a definite 'agility' slant to it, and yet the information is useful even for those who don't do agility and want better behavioral skills from their offleash dog. Dogwise.com carries it. Another thing we would do, since it was practice not competition, was arrive early, and let my dog run around, sniff, and get comfortable being there before class, and that worked well.

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Dog Health Questions: What steps need to be taken to open a dog day care/boarding facility?

I am almost done with my degree in dog training/behavior and I will also be taking some grooming courses, I really want to open up a dog day care with in the next 5 years...what steps need to be taken? only serious answers please...don't waste my time if you don't know what your talking about..and yes I have looked it up online but didn't have many direct answers. thanks :)

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First of all put a business plan together so that you can approach banks etc for investment. DO your homework, check out local facilities, prices etc. Make sure that you have covered everything profit, loss and do a SWOT analysis. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) Identify potential premises as well if possible.

It is excellent that you have done a degree in which you can use in later life. Good luck and happy training.

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• Business license, since it would be a business. Look into that area then go on into looking into health and safety regulations for animal facility care. Also when you open up you should require paper work (vaccinations, vet visits etc) to prevent sickness from spreading like kennel cough.
  
  But look into rules and regulations for businesses that would be a good start.


• It would depend on what your state laws are or requirements are for where you are at. What state are you in? You would need a business license for sure, which I'm sure you were already aware of that. Since you haven't had much luck looking online you may want to contact your local animal service for information, just a thought hope this helps.

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Dog Health Questions: What is BH and IPOI dog training?

Hi everyone, I am getting ready to get a new dog who's owner says he is bh and ipo1 trained. What does that mean? Help :)

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The most internationally well-known and popular dog sport for working and service breeds is Schutzhund, which was originally developed in Germany more than a hundred years ago. In the beginning, Schutzhund was designed as an examination to evaluate the German Shepherd Dog's temperament, trainability, and physical soundness for breeding purposes.

In German, the word "Schutz" means protect, and "Hund" means dog. Schutzhund is a very exciting and competitive sport.

The purpose of Schutzhund is to identify dogs that have or do not have the character traits such as:

Strong desire to work
Courage
Intelligence
Trainability
Strong bond to the handler
Perseverance
Protective Instinct

Schutzhund training tests these traits. It also tests physical traits such as strength, endurance, agility, and scenting ability.

Dogs must pass a temperament test called a B or BH (Begleithundprüfung, which translates as "traffic-sure companion dog test"). The B tests basic obedience and sureness around strange people, strange dogs, traffic, and loud noises. A dog that exhibits excessive fear, distractibility, or aggression cannot pass the B and so cannot go on to schutzhund.

In some countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands, Schutzhund is also called IPO or GHP, but they are basically the same program governed by different organizations.

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• I dont think you should be getting this dog - IPO is Schutzhund (protection sport) which is bitework, obedience and tracking. These dogs can be hard drive and need to work all the time especially if he has started already. Just to warn you this dog has been trained in bitework before and passed level 1 of 3.
  BH is the first step in IPO and is a temperament/obedience test.
  Also to let you know just because he has IPO1 does not mean he will make a good guard dog if that is what you want him for. Some IPO dogs can go one and become properly trained guard dogs but most cannot cope with the pressure.


• The BH is the first title in Schutzhund training, Begleithunde. It is loosely translated to traffic sure dog. An IPO is the same as a Sch title but given by a international working dog club, FCI. I have trained several dog in Personal Protection/Schutzhund and titled one to his BH. They were all very stable sound dogs of impeccable temperament but not all are. Instead of the footstep tracking Schutzhund requires I do more Search and Rescue type so did not compete for a Sch 1. It can be a great foundation on a sound dog with an intelliegent owner for more dog sports. Mine were also shown in AKC shows.


• It means the dog has sports training in him, that is it. In no way does this translate to real life protection or anything remotely close!
  Good luck!
  
  ADD: Whatever you do, don't listen to the guy below me, he has no idea what he is talking about. IPO is a sport, a game, I mentioned that in my post, not real life protection.
  If you have no idea what your dog will perceive as a threat, you have some real problems.


• LEASHEDFORLIFE.....BH is a BARK & HOLD???? What kinda crack are you smokin'????
  
  Loosely put into "layman's" terms, he's a companion dog that has demonstrated courage, obedience & tracking at a minimal level.
  
  IPO is basically schutzhund using international police rules.


• ffg


• BH is Bark + Hold -
  
  here's a vid-clip of IPO testing from Germany -
  http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-mwiMYTe…
  
  if U don't know what these rankings mean,
  Do NOT get this dog!
  
  a Schutzhund-trained dog in the care of a pet-owner who knows nothing about the training is a very, very bad idea.
  these dogs have been taught to do a full-force, full-mouth BITE -
  on cue, or on 'threat' - and what the DOG thinks is threatening, we cannot know.
  
  someone could be badly hurt - and Ur liability would be total.
  injuries, medical care, lost time + wages, emotional damage, etc.
  U could be sued, and be beankrupt by ONE bite.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog Training?

What are some resorces to do attack training, or guard dog training? If anyone knows, please post back!

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I did a quick internet search of K-9 trainers in your state. Check out the links below and give them a call.

Good Luck!!

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• why do you want to do that to a dog?
  If you are threatened and your dog are with you. he\she will protect you with no training. it is just their instinct. Off course some dogs have more of this instinct than others.


• where are u located? If u r in southern cali, i know of a place


• Schutzhund is a competition sport that channels a dog's aggression into controlled exercises. It is suitable for police officers and security guards or business owners needing a protection dog. However, if you have trained your personal dog to bite, you have an enormous liability on your hands. A bite from a trained dog inflicts much greater damage, since their inhibition against biting people has been removed. If he bites your neighbor's kid or the mailman, you can be held legally and financially responsible. You may lose your right to homeowner's insurance. You can even go to prison, like the couple in California whose dogs mauled and killed a woman in the hallway of their apartment building.

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