Dog Health Questions: I try very hard to train my chow chow but he still fails to learn. What is the problem?

I am not able to train Cinnamon regardless of how much effort i put. I followed everything as the dog training book (which i bought from amazon.com) suggested but Cinnamon still fails to learn anything.

I don't think he has any intelligence or memory. He forgets the commands too fast. I spend 45 minutes daily from 1 pm to 1:45 pm trying to train him but my energy and efforts get wasted.

Reward Dog Training

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Chows are intelligent. Training takes time with them because they are intelligent (some say they are cat like) and will tend to do what they want to do. Keep at it, it will take some time, but eventually it will all fall into place. Remember consistency and patience.

Aggressive Dog Training - Expert Advice

• maybe the mutt is ashamed of it's name.
  It likes Ginger better.


• try clicker training.


• The chow chow is a very difficult breed to train, as they are "stubborn" (for lack of a better word) and independent-minded by nature (think "cat"). I learned this when chow chows were featured on our local news due to difficulties that a family were having with their chow chow.
  
  When you open a door, do you let your dog go in ahead of you?
  After a play "battle" with you, do you let him "win" by letting him have the toy in the end?
  Then congratulations, you have allowed Cinnamon to think he's the leader and you're the pack, so he doesn't understand why he should listen to you.


• Some dogs are just independent and don't like to be told what to do. It doesn't mean they are stupid.


• I found a website that may be of some help to you. I put the link below. When you get there, scroll down to where in RED it says, "My major concerns would be...", then scroll down to number three. There is a box after the first paragraph that says, "To teach your Chow to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory." It goes on to provide a link to their Chow Training page. Here's the link------>>>http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews…
  
  It just may be that you need a little more help training your Chow Chow. You could also check with your veterinarian clinic and see if they recommend trainers in your area that have classes to work with dogs and their owners.
  
  Good Luck to you and Cinnamon.


• My mothers friend had a similar problem. It was solved by sending the dog to doggy boot camp XD for $1000 bucks. She said her dog came back diffrent and listens to commands and dosent pee in the house and all the good stuff. You could also get training lessons at PetSmart or PetCo that should work. My dog is a keeshound/chow chow, never trained her due to the fact that I was 6 when we got her but she listens but not to commands you will most likely be able to get cinnamon tranied to be a great dog your just gonna have to do it his way (the hard way) I hope this helps you out good luck with your chow chow.


• HEYY!! I have 2 chows myself 3 all my life and they are the most obideint dogs ive ever had and i have 5 dogs right now! it will happen give it time. You shouldnt just spend your 45 mins or whatever with him Chows are stubborn and very very dominant! he just doesnt want to listen he probably knows exactly what your saying hes just being a brat! just work with him all day or at least as long as your around him.
  Make it known to him that your the owner and hes the pet.. make sure to use basic commands i mean unless you want him to be an agility dog i think you will be fine. work with him over and over repetition is the best way to learn something. I dont think books are what you need maybe use them for tips but just do what works. If he sits for a treat then carry treats with you for a while and reward him when he does good and use it for other commands too. then after a while he will do it without the treat, im sure he will exspect it but he'll do the trick even without getting one. But the #1 thing for you to remember is you have chosen a very bratty breed so you MUST make him listen to you..they are stubburn and will not want to listen for anything in the beggining but when he matures he will realize whos boss and if he acts out put him in place let him know you wont stand for the way hes acting..
  
  A few things to consider, maybe adding his age to your question.
  Or if he is nuetered?
  and if there are anyother dogs in the home, that can cause a distraction for him.
  Another thing that might be helpful and im not just being an A** his name is long try choosing a nickname for him short names are better for getting a dogs attention and names that have a distinct sound like, Mack or buck or something like that , something short and sweet. Just an idea tho..
  
  Good luck if you have any other chows Questions I'll be happy to help to the best of my Knowledge! Good Luck.


• Maybe he just isn't the training kind.
  
  Some dogs are like that. but Chow Chows are so cute :D :D


• A 5 month old puppy chow trained for almost an hour straight? No, that is not going to happen.
  You need to try short bursts of training throughout the day.

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Dog Health Questions: My dog gets to excited / violent with fetch / tug a war ... what do I do?

I have a two year old Pom mix. i got him off of Craigslist in January 2008. His furr was matted, he was covered in ticks, had no training, and marked alot. I got him a cage, enrolled him in dog training class. We just complete the basic one at petco. Well he never played with anything until recently and that is whrere the problem is...

We will throw the toy he sometimes just runs by it then circles the living room as fast as he can.

Recently though he will get the toy and bring it back and the second I touch it he starts growling, jerking his head around. It sounds really violent, but I think he is still playing. Well once were done playing with the toy he starts jumping and snapping at my hands. This is really weird since he is a very sweet and friendly dog.

When we first got him he was possessive of food, but with thrainers help we got over that.

Im afraid he is now possessive with the toy, or he is just playing to hard.

How do I get him to behave?

The Significance of Dog Training Videos

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I just want to add a few things from what other have said...

You can play tug a war with a dog, the issue with this type of play is in certain breeds and behaviours it should be avoided b/c they become aggressive with the play and even dominant.

I have a two year old dog that we have successfully be able to play tug a war with. He understands when we have had enough and he is not aggressive or dominant with anything. Tug of war to him is just a fun game to play and nothing more. Personality can play a big role in determining if tug o war is a good idea or a bad idea with your dog

Growling can be normal play behaviour. But the snipping afterwards is not. I'm not sure if its possessive. I think seeing a trainer or a behaviourist is in your best interest, they will be able to analyze the context and determine if it is possessive behaviour. And be able to give you proper pointers on how to resolve the issue.

I agree with what some have wrote about the ignoring and even walking away. Dogs learn very well when you ignore behaviour you don't want and then rewards them for doing what you want. If you choose to ignore the bad behaviour you need to also reward the good, without doing both you can confuse your dog.

The Main Benefits Of Dog Training

• He is probably toy possessive. Most small dogs are. He probably needs some more training. At home you can work with him by playing with him and when these habits come out tell him no, take the toy away and stop. If he keeps snapping at your hands ignore him until he calms down. If this doesn't work you probably need some one on one training.


• As soon as he starts growling or biting, you get up and walk away. Every single time. He'll soon learn that biting/growling means no more playtime.
  
  But remember, you have to be ruthless about it. You can't let him ONCE think he'll get away with that behavior and you'll tolerate it.
  
  Good for you for rescuing, and good luck!


• Take the toy away and tell him NO!
  Ignore him for a few minutes and try again.
  Over time he will realize, he is most likely possessive
  due to some trauma in his earlier life and also trying to show dominance BUT you have the be the alpha and show him whose boss.
  
  Good luck!


• well you need to teach him a leave it command and then ensure that you choose when to play and when to stop!! My terrier goes crazy at tug of war - but he will stop when I show two flat palms to face him and say "finish"


• Any time he steps out of line drop the toy and ignore him for awhile. Once he's calmed down you can try again.
  It's a lot easier than it sounds, but if you're diligent he'll get the message.


• this takes time and patience so he likes to play and he has been abused he is just playing and he wants to play some more just keep up with the dog training


• Put him in time out.


• When your dog starts becoming aggressive when you play, you need to say no and immediately stop playing with him. It will take several tries before a dog can associate that his aggressiveness is bad. Same goes for food. Do not feed your dog when he is in his aggressive state. If he gets away with these behaviors, you're telling him that he is the pack leader. You cannot let him establish dominance over you, which is exactly what he is doing.


• In the trainning classes I went to they said never to play tug of war with a dog, because it is a game of dominance to to dog If they "win" the toy then they are the Leader/stronger boss/ Especially if your dog had a food aggression problem. What I would do is take all the toys away then get one out and give it to the dog as long as he is following the rules, trade the toy for a treat(food) instead of trying to take it from him, put the toy away when problems with the dogs attitude some up, eventually after the dog learns that he gets a treat when he willingly gives up the toy they he will give it up to u. My rottweiler had food aggression too, my boyfriend was o.k with it for some reason, when I moved in the first time the huge dog growled at me over the food he was only given food feed to him right out of my hand( I don't recomend this but I did it for two month and he learned now I can do whatever I want to his food and he feel secure that I'm not going to take it away no way was i gonna let a rottweiler that I live with growl at me for any reason LOL just scary)


• If he won't let go of the toy, make him "Sit" and bribe him with a small piece of food. He'll have to drop it to get the food. But say a command like "Drop it" before you give him to food. Whenever you say "Drop it" he will think he's going to be fed and want to give the toy back. When he runs in circles (mine does this too): Throw the toy, and shake a rattle or something to get his attention and call him with "Come". Then make him sit and do what I mentioned above. Don't give him a piece of food everytime because he won't do it when you don't have food. Every other time or every three times you play, because then he will learn to be curious and see if you have a treat or not. Most of all don't do this on a daily basis. He might get bored and start to ignore you.
  Hope this works!


• You never play any games with a dog that involve competition.
  
  If he brings you a toy and then does anything but drop it, stand up and walk away. Do not fight him for it.
  
  Work with a trainer ASAP on teaching him the "drop it" command. Every time you want to play fetch, it should consist of you throwing the toy, him bringing it back, and you ordering him to drop it, then rewarding him. When the game is over, YOU keep the toy- NOT him. And never ever play any sort of chase, tug of war, etc.


• When play is "done" have firm rules. Work on a "that'll do" or "enough" or "no play". Don't allow your hands to be near him when play is finished. Be standing. Let go of the toy, say "that'll do" or whatever key word you want to equal that you're done. After you've released the toy, used your word(s), walk away. Turn your back. If he's calm, or even still into playing, but not showing such enthusasism, you can restart play as a reward! Be like "okay, let's play!" and then "that'll do", and walk away... repeat... "okay, let's play!" "that'll do", repeat! Sounds like he just thinks this play is so much fun, and so great! And obviously he wasn't used to so much affection and positive interaction. Give it a go, see how it works!


• Sorry to say it but I suggest finding a private, positive trainer instead of the big box trainers. www.ccpdt.org is a good start.
  
  Tug toys should be put away unless you bring them out and initiate play. AS soon as he shows you a behavior you do not want, take the toy and put it away and crate him for a few minutes as a time out.
  
  By ending the game when he does something you don't want it will teach him to do those things less and less. Playing tug is a fun game but it can increase toy possession if you allow it to get out of hand and allow him to continue to progress.
  
  I will say that my male pit bull has been very growly since a puppy when he plays tug with me or with our other pit bull. It is only play though. He has been trained extensively and is not aggressive at all, he's just very vocal when playing. Some dogs are but you should know the difference in play growling and a serious warning growl. A serious growl should not be tolerated in play.
  
  http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/tugowar…
  
  I also suggest training a "drop it" cue and a "leave it" cue.


• put it down

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Dog Health Questions: Dog Leash Aggression.?

I have a Rottweiler x Labrador mix whom is now a year and eleven months old. He loves -loves- other dogs when he's allowed to play with them in the yard / in an enclosed area off the leash. He plays fine with my friend's dogs when we walk them together, with our other dog, and the neighbors dogs.

When we're on a walk and he sees another dog, be it in a fenced in yard or walking on a leash down the street he becomes a completely different animal. He lunges, barks, growls, the hair around his back and the base of his tail raise up, and he looks extremely scary. I cannot control him when he does this, I weigh 115 pounds and he weighs near 100 so it becomes a battle to keep him away because the other dog owners immediately assume he's going to come and attack and I don't really blame them.

When he does manage to drag me up to the other dog, he stops and just checks the other dog out.

When he was a puppy, around four months old he was about thirty pounds, so other people would let him approach their dogs, no problem. He never whined, barked, lunged, he just sat and waited for me to bring him over.
As he got older and got bigger, people stopped letting him near their dogs even though he still sat and waited because of his size and breed I would assume. This resulted in him whining anxiously as we passed the other dogs, occasionally the fur on his neck / tail would go up but it was hardly the reaction I get now.

I'm thinking he doesn't understand why I've suddenly cut off his socialization with other dogs, but with his reaction there's no way people will let him near their dogs willingly.

My question is, how can I get him to pass other dogs more calmly. I've gotten numerous rope burns from walking him and I'm actually afraid to walk him during the day now because of fear of coming in contact with another dog.

I've considered dog training classes but most refuse "aggressive dogs" and I figure a Novice Obedience class keeps all their dogs on a leash so I don't know what to do with him.

I'm only seventeen so I don't really have the means to go and afford an at-home trainer, 'nor do my parents so I figured it was worth a shot asking.

Dog Training - How To Train Your Dog In One Evening

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I noticed the other answerers keep suggesting all these collars that would be useless so I figured i might as well suggest one that would actually work. get the Illusion collar. the smartest out of all the collars that have so far been invented. But as with any tool you use, remember you, the handler, is still the most important tool, so don't expect the collar to magically fix your dog. it will help, but you ultimately have to know what you are doing.that sucks that so many classes have turned you away for not allowing aggressive dogs. i would stay away from classes like that anyways because the reason they turn aggressive dogs away is usually because the trainer has no idea how to handle them and can't risk looking like a fool in front of all his paying clients. just look harder for a class that doesn't turn away dogs with issues. those are the ones with the best trainers.

and ok you are young and may not have much money, but couldn't you find a way to get it somehow? anyone you can borrow a couple hundred from? a neighbor? a friend? aunt? uncle? grandparents? have a garage sale? there is always a way to scrape together some money.

Effective Dog Training by Using Collar and Leash

• When your dog starts to pull you, shorten the leash where you are only allowing the dog about 3 inches, and walk slowly. When he lunges, stop and make him sit, to calm him down. If he sits, they keep on walking, but don't let him have control. Hold the leash tightly to you only allow him to have about 3 inches of the leash, so you dont have a battle of tug of war


• Your dog is simpy not properly leash trained. You have an issue with control of your dog, and that is the main problem. You have to control the dog and make him pay attention to you and your commands over the other dogs.
  I recommend purchasing a pinch collar/prong collar. with larger dogs and dogs with thick necks like the pit, rot, and german shepherd it is the most effective way to control with the least resistance.
  I have a german shepherd rhodesian ridgeback mix who is currently 75 lbs. I myself weigh around 106. So, I understand where you are coming from.
  I have worked with dogs who are hard to walk, and I have tried everything from the halti, choke chain, and head lead. None have worked better than the pinch collar.
  What you need to do is remove your dogs standard collar when going for a walk and only use the prong collar because the normal collar will get in the way and render the pinch collar useless.
  You attach your leash to the pinch collar and at the beginning of your walk when he tries to pull away from your side you go AH as you give a firm Tug /Release. The key is to make the pinch. You want to maintain slack on the leash, and only use the pinch when your dog tries to walk in front of you.
  When you pass the dogs you will notice your dog to start posturing. He will most likely raise his head, tail and ears as he targets the other dog. You have to correct his behavior before it starts. When your dog goes on alert you do the tug and the AH. Every time he reacts to the dog you do this, but the key is to keep walking. Never stop walking.
  Up until this point you have been catering to your dogs whim by allowing him to get to the dog to investigate and thus reinforcing the bad behaviors he is having on walks.
  He needs to learn that a walk is just that, and it is not social hour. Make it clear to him that while he is on a walk he is not to interact with any other dogs, and he will surely get the idea.
  I hope this helps.


• My dog used to do the same thing, but I'm getting her under control now. I will be first to tell you that I do think that your dog could go to obedience because from what you have described you do not have an aggressive dog. O.k., now for the training part. You need to first work with your dog on basic obedience - train your dog to listen to you first and get his attention riveted to YOU, then you can tackle the challenges of walking past other dogs while on leash. Start in your home and yard with some extra yummy treats. Ask your dog to come and sit. Use a clicker or one special word like "good" - it is important that you say it exactly at the moment the dog does what you've asked. Then feed a treat. Practice this a lot until your dog is very good and turning on a dime and sitting on command. Then, you can take him out on a leash. Make sure that you ask him to sit every 5-10 feet. If you see another dog, ask your dog to sit facing you (away from the other dog). Feed your dog treats every couple seconds if your dog is able to sit while the dog passes. If the dog is barking and pulling, don't reward it.


• im surprised nobody has mentioned this before but there is something called a gentle leader which works wonders at controlling a dog who likes to pull on the leash i used to have a golden retirever and she pulled so hard but once i used the gentle leader she didnt pull at all and it helps u to have better control of the dog if the dog pulls on the leash the gentle leader turns the dogs head to look at you so this way if your dog sees another dog and wants to lunge this is prevent him from doing so

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Dog Health Questions: Unsatisfactory dog boarding experience with my greys?

Yahoo community I need your help. We went on a 9 day vacation and left our 2 greyhounds with a lady who does dog training and boarding at her home. She was recommended by the local rescue group. We went for a visit before we dropped the dogs off to discuss their issues.. mostly that greys are delicate and NOT yard dogs. We paid a premium price to board them in a home environment. And now that my dogs are home we realize that is not what we got. They have callouses, chapped skin, missing hair, and sunburn. They are stiff, lame, and sore. I already paid her and didnt inspect them closely until I got home. I was very tired when I picked them up and I trusted her and her reputation.

What would you do?

Why One Size Does Not Fit All In Dog Training

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I would not use her again. I would also call her and ask what the heck she did to your dogs to cause this. It will be relevant if they need vet attention. If you have to take them to the vet for treatment, ask her if she will pay for it, if she refuses, and the bill's significant, take her to small claims court. Oh, and phone the rescue that recommended her and let them know what happened. They may be willing to stop recommending her to others.

How to Incorporate Dog Training Into Dog Play and Exercise!

• First go to your vet and explain the situation. Get documentation and take pictures of their wounds/health condition. Ask the vet what they suggest you do. I would contact a lawyer and see what advice they can give as well.
  Once armed in writing with this info., I would go to her and let her know she did wrong, and you have the proof. Tell her you want a refund (or what ever it is you want) and if she doesn't comply tell her you'll take her to court. She neglected your pets and you should not have to pay if they were harmed and she did not give the service advertised/requested.
  Animal abuse is a crime and she should be punished. I am sorry your babies were harmed. It is like daycare for children, you can check and recheck but you never really know how they are going to be treated for sure. Again, I'm sorry.
  Best of luck with you and your dogs.


• Think BB has given a pretty good answer only thing I would add is tell the rescue group to make sure they never recommend her again.


• First - I would report your displeasure to your rescue group, so they do not refer others to her.
  
  I'm sure you'll never take your hounds to her again.
  
  Did you call her and ask her what happened to your hounds while you were away? I can't think of any reason that Greyhounds would get callouses and sunburn while being boarded inside someones home. The missing hair could be from playing with each other, as you know how easily these guys can get scuffed up.
  
  In the future maybe you can exchange dog sitting with other people within your own rescue. This is what our group does, and then instead of paying board, we make a donation to the group. So we are helping the hounds, as well as each other. (and your dogs stay in a home with other Greys)
  
  I'd be fuming about now ..........but if she did feed and care for your dogs, then I doubt you could get a refund of any type - as she did provide the service you contracted with her for.
  
  But I would make it well known to all pet owners I knew that the woman does not provide the quality of care that she advertises.


• Don't use her again, I don't think there is much you can do legally, I would call the rescue group that gave her the recommended her and let them know what happened, was the rescue group the greyhound rescue?? If not call the adoption group you got your greys from, I'm in the Phila.,Pa Area and the NGAP boards and the greyhounds get wonderful care, state of the art med care, paddocks to play in, best of food, they will do their teeth (laser) cut nails, have it all done if you want, maybe there is a NGAP in your area, they all treat the dog's great, but I think Phila has the med. center next time try them it is a large organization, I think there all over check the web National Greyhound Adoption Program.

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Dog Health Questions: My dog has a peeing problem...help!!?

ok i hav a a pug/chihuahua and everytime i leave the house and come home she gets overly excited to see me. she wangs her tail and is happy to see me and pees on me. shes is 7 months so i have learned to pick her up and run to take her outside before she pees inside the house. i got dog training pads and she uses them. so we have another pug/chihuahua and he doesnt do what she does. what is the problem? how do i fix it?

Abused Dog Training - How to Train an Abused Dog

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hi there, i understand what your going through, i have the same problem with my 5 year old pug. i have took her to the vet when she was a puupy and hey told me that she should grow out of it, but she never did so i took her back and said that its just something im going to have to live with cause theres nothing you can do about it, i suggest ignoring her as soon as you get home so that she doesnt get to excited

hope i helped =)

x

Electronic Dog Training Collar

• Not all but most small breeds are like that. Its something that you are just going to have to live with and hope maybe she does grow out of it. I wouldn't ignore her, thats sending the message that your not excited to see her. Dogs want to plz there masters. If it bothers you that bad crate her while you are away so your able to pick her out of the crate and carry her outside. Be proud that she gets that excited to see you means she loves you. My female boston does but my male has never had that problem, he just does doggie tatrums:)


• It's usually a puppy thing they grow out of...they're just so excited to see you they can't hold it in!
  You can try just not making any fuss of the dog when you first walk in, completely ignore it for 30 seconds or so and give her time to calm down before you make a fuss of her.
  Someone once told me spaying them can help stop the habit, but I've never seen that work with anyone else's dog, and I don't see why it would particularly, although in general spaying is a good idea.


• It's called submissive peeing and most puppies outgrow it. If not, take her to the vet, there's meds available to increase urethral tone.
  
  This is a puppy you need to not make eye contact with, be very, very low-key in your greetings, ignoring her for a couple of minutes would be best. Kee your voice low and quiet and she might get better just with you working with her.


• It will go away, my dog used to do the same thing. We tried to sneak into the house so she wouldn't get excited.
  I'm don't quite remember when she stopped but we were glad.
  Also glad we have hardwood floors.


• She is young and very excitable. In time she will outgrow this. Until then continue to rush her outside.She will soon learn that this is the correct behavior, peeing outside.

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Dog Health Questions: In the UK do you have to contact your local police to train a German Shepherd to protect you?

Im getting a German Shepherd I heard this from someone that you have to contact your local police to train a German Shepherd to be defensive/protective, or are you able to just do tht anyway at normal dog training classes?

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Give me one good reason that German Shepherd specifically requires permission?
Does this mean not for Rottwieler, Doberman or Mastiff?
There is nothing wrong with training a dog to protect you, any dog. But be mindful you are responsible for your dog, and theres a thing called the compensation culture too!
Teaching a dog to chase and sieze is a different matter, I'm not sure of the procedure there, but security firms will have dogs that are allowed to bite if need be...that's probably whats meant here.
Hey...see this American Police dog (GSD) get it's man!

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a115/S…

Dog Training: Communicate With Your Dog Using The Call Command

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Dog Health Questions: Help with dog training?

I have a Boston Terrior who is 9 months old. She is extremely bad about being house trained. She knows better, but for some reason she still does it EVERDAY! When I first got her she was put in a kennel when I went to work. She learned pretty fast. I bought a house about 3 months ago and it's progressively getting worse. I know she know's better than that. Any suggestions on what I can do to train her?

Tested Dog Training Tips - The Way to Hone a Dog's Behavior

Recommended Answer:
Don't assume that she "knows better." Oftentimes people assume their dog is doing something out of spite but that usually isn't the case.

Dogs are human and sometimes things "click" in different ways to dogs than they do to humans.

It's probably some weird thing that doesn't really make sense to us as humans.

Remember, at 9 months she's still a baby. Since it seems to be the new surroundings, go back to square one how you housetrained her in the old place. She should pick it up a lot faster since she's both already learned and older.

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• 9 months is a bit long to start training. Putting her in a dog crate while away from home keeps them from soiling their own bed. All I can say is keep a schedule so you know when she'll have to go run her around outside that usually gets the insides digesting. Tie her to your belt with a dog leash so you catch her instantly in the act and can rush her outside with much reward.


• When you take her out, make sure you take her out at the same door every time. Because then she will realize if she goes by the door you will go over and take her out to go pee.


• Some dogs forget their housetraining, especially when they move to a new house. It happens a lot when they are young, like her. Try starting from the beginning and putting her in the crate. When you get home, take her out and give her treats for going outside. Just reinforce what she already knows, and when you're confident in her, let her stay outside the crate.


• New surroundings is probably the problem.
  
  Retrain her. Go back to using the crate, and make sure you put her back on a feeding & watering schedule.
  
  Also, only use enzymatic cleaner to clean up messes.


• You need to have an area for the dog to use the bathroom. Then you put it on its leash and lead it over to that area and say "GET BUSY" and wait for the dog to do its buisiness. Do this repeated times for the next month or two till the dog understands where to go.

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Dog Health Questions: Am I going about this dog training the right way ? Help !?

I've began to start training my 3 year old Chi that I am the dominant one, since he believes that he is alpha. I had only recently discovered this since I had not known how to actually correctly train my dog. But now that I have kept studying carefully, I am now applying training dominant and obedience tips.

Although it has only been the start of the week I can see the changes in my dog's behavior.Such as acting much more submissive when I am around, and becoming less aggressive with me with food, toys and playing. He use to not come to me when I call him(he already knew this trick but refused to obey me), but now with a bit more training he comes. He seems to respect my space. I can tell he gets a bit confused on how to behave, because this is all new to him-- I want to enforce this new behavior without adding large amounts of stress on him. Any tips with that ?

Do you know if I'm going about it the right way ? Should I try other things ? Any opinions ? Thank you.

Advanced Dog Training Goals - It Pays to Think and Plan Ahead

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As long as you are satisfying his basic needs and drives then it will not put a lot of stress on him. Make sure he is still getting play time and able to run routinely and allow him socialization at well. You can still be dominant and keep your dog happy at the same time.

Puppy and Dog Training

• Just keep doing the new thing and give him a lot of patient and praise. What way are you training him? You can also try taking a local training class at a pet store or somewhere to help bond with him through the training process and get some more pointers. =)
  
  hope this helps!


• I think its great your trying to correct his behavior. I think in the end you both will be happier :)
  
  here's some tips:
  http://www.cbrrescue.org/articles/packle…


• you are certainly going about it the right way, I would suggest that you think about this in the way that your dog views it, put yourself in his shoes, its probably not that he thought of himself as the alpha, its just that he saw that you were unsure of yourself.
  when a dog sees a leader as being unsure, they decide that it is time for them to take the lead.
  in the wild, in pacs, you will find that the leader can either change frequently, or very rarely.
  so it doesn't hurt him any to find that the leader has changed, in fact with some dogs, it may very well come as a relief.
  try some basic dominance exercises for a few weeks, that is to say, start buy snapping your fingers by your eyes (in the wild, the eyes are one of the vocal points for communication with all canines) get him to look at your eyes, but don't show challenge, communicate your intentions through your eyes, show him that you are a kind, gentle yet FIRM leader, and that you only have good intentions, in other words, look at him the way you would your son, or a possible employee.
  In about two weeks teach him the lay down command
  laying down is the way a dog shows loyalty, and in the wild, alpha dominant dogs will demand this of their subordinates in order to re affirm their own dominants. practice this command every time you see him for at least one week, then once every time he challenges you for dominance, which, if you show a firm, and decided dominance, you should never have to do. remember, every time he challenges you for dominance, it is a sign that YOU are doing something wrong, not him.


• The dominance theory suggests that dogs will constantly challenge and test their owners until they are forcefully shown human leadership. From this theory evolved exercises and training to prevent dogs from becoming dominant or leaders of the house. Some even told owners to hold or force their dogs into submissive positions, sometimes roughly, to the point of creating fearful responses while in reality, there is no evidence that these procedures prevent dominance, aggression or any other behavioural problem. Do not hold your dog down, do not stare your dog down, do not alpha roll him.
  
  Alpha does not mean physically dominant or most aggressive. It means in control of resources that are important to the animal. What the animal dictates as important is flexible. It changes depending on the dog's motivation, the context, and the situation at the moment.
  
  This information is imperative if we are to forge a social relationship between dogs and owners that creates a bond instead of a status-type dominant-submissive relationship. Leadership should be obtained through positive means by rewarding appropriate behaviours that are acceptable to humans and by not taking the “spirit” out of the dog and suppressing aggression and other behaviour problems.
  
  Dogs learn by the immediate results of their actions or by discoveries from important events in their lives. When training a new behaviour, a correct response needs to be reinforced for it to have a strong probability of happening again. A reward serves as immediate gratification for the action being performed.
  
  You need to get you and your dog to a positive dog training class. It will make a world of differnce and will also help you to communicate with your dog in the right way. There is too much information to provide just in a small answer such as this!


• you sound like your doing fine just a couple of hints....don't bombard him with commands...take one command a week and work him as often as you can then the second week pick a new command and work that into the routine of the first command ....catch the drift there are 10 commands a dog trainer will teach you...not your dog because you will teach your dog...1. sit 2 stay 3down 4 come 5 heel then you will go 6 sit/stay 7 down/stay 8 come/stay 9 heel/stay and finally 10 all of the commands at one time...generally this training technique takes 10 weeks.....it is called The Good Boy Training used by trainers of Police dogs who are just starting out with their young dogs


• That is Great! You can also try if you havent eat you eat first before he does that pack leader always eats first...also aplha dogs sleep alone so try it. also rolling him over with out him trying to roll back over is a great way for him to submit to you. make eye contact and dont look away until he has looked away. Sounds like your doing great but just remember a little each day then once he has completly submitted do you keep doing at least one aplha exercise a day so he doesnt forget

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Dog Health Questions: About rottweiler dog training..?

I was at a dog park today and saw a man 'training' his rottweiler in one of the most abusive ways I think I've ever seen. His dog had a choker chain style collar and attached to that was a leash that had to have been about twenty, twenty five feet long. He would wait for the dog to get distracted and then run full speed in another direction and yank the dog literally off of its feet and drag it until the dog could find its balance and follow him.

At first he was doing it outside of the park in an adjacent field but when the distractions weren't plentiful enough, he brought the dog into the park itself. Because the dog's leash was so long, it was wrapping around its legs and he wouldn't even look back to see if the dog was alone or surrounded by other animals before he took off running--so there was risk of the lease wrapping around other dogs' legs, which he had no concern for: he couldn't have, since he would wait for the dog to be surrounded by other animals and distracted again before he would take off full speed and yank it again.

My question is...am I being ridiculous or is this excessively brutal? Also, is there anything I can do if I see him again? Like..film it and report him for animal cruelty?

Most importantly, is this some kind of an established training method? Because I've owned a good many dogs in my life and studied quite hard into training methods for difficult dogs and I've NEVER seen anything like this. I've always read that especially with rottweilers you should never use force. However several owners in the park called the man on his behavior, simply that it was dangerous to other animals (that whatever he did with his dog was his business but he had no right to endanger other pets) and his reaction was to become hostile and scream 'how many dogs have you trained?' and 'how many titles have you won?'

So I suppose my last question would be if there's some kind of title out there regarding who can treat their dogs the worst. Because those must have been the ones he's 'won'.

Dog Training Videos - Are They Really a Good Resource?

Recommended Answer:
Teaching a dog to come when called, on a long line, is quite common. A dog may come to his owner just fine at home, but must learn to do it under all circumstances / distractions.

There are many titles that would require a dog to recall reliably and to maintain focus on his handler. But it sounds as if this guy wasn't doing a very good job at teaching it. He should have been calling the dog once distracted, not just running away and yanking.
If the dog didn't respond to the command, then yes, a correction (not dragging) is necessary...the dog MUST come when called, period. But the extent to which you describe the corrections.....NO, too much.

I don't know where you heard that you should never use force with rottweilers. Many large, strong willed breeds require physical correction in training. Teach first, be sure the dog understands the behavior, then correct for non compliance. A solid recall can mean the difference between life and death. Just one blown command can result in being hit by a car. It's truly the most important thing we can teach.
Sounds as if this guy you mention is taking the idea to an extreme and requiring his dog to always watch his every move, and to stay with him without command. This is unnecessary, unreasonable, and from the way you describe it...quite possibly abusive. If you feel strongly that it is abuse, call to report him.
This guy is doing a disservice to his sport and breed.

Common Tools Used In Dog Training Schools

• That sounds awful. Poor dog. Have you seen him there before? Maybe if he goes there regularly you can call the SPCA and they can charge him for cruelty. Good for the other owners standing up to him. Good Luck, I hope he doesn't win any title training a dog in that manner.


• Relax guy.
  It's not your dog so it is none of your business how he trains it.


• Personally i think that is being cruel. As for a training method? Thats a pretty sick way of training a dog. I don't tie a rope around my kid and when he gets distracted with something, run the other way and pull him with me. And don't say its not the same because it is. I would be put in gaol for doing something like that to my kid and the same should be done against people and their dogs.
  If i witnessed that id go and say something to him and if i was upset enough id knock him straight on his *** and yank the shyt out of him with that lead for hours on end until i pretty much killed him. Also if i had a recording device such as a phone, id record it and take it to the Vet or something so they could hook me up with the details of a place that takes this kind of stuff seriously like animal humane etc, even the cops.
  Like i said, to me, thats just been plain cruel. I own two male rottys and no way in the world would i ever consider training them like that. I've seen first hand what both of them do to people who disrespect them. As for strong breeds needing a bit of forceful training? No. I have family members and friends who own big strong breeds like German Shephards, Dobermans, Pitbulls, etc and they have never ever use forceful ways to teach their dogs basic commands. Some of which are show dogs in different areas, so dont tell me its what they do to train them. You don't need to yank the crap out of a dog lead around a dogs neck to get it to obey a simple command such as 'come!' 'heel' etc. There are alternative options which work, you dont need that kind of behaviour with a dog. You wouldnt do it to your kid, you shouldnt do it to your pet.


• He was probably training for obedience trials. That is a standard method, to insure the dog stops what ever and immediately comes on command. Rotts are a very massive breed and there is a big difference between force and inhumane treatment.
  Why did people think he was a danger to the other dogs? Just curious if the dog was after the other dogs or was it because it was a Rott. Hate to say it but it was probably one of the best trained in the park.
  
  Edit: If it bothers you then ask him to use another area. He needs to train with those distractions. I would bet if you ask him to explain his methods during a session break he would be happy to.
  
  I can tell you I have trained for 30 years, and have never had a dog injured by a loose lead. My guys can be 50 feet away, with a TBone steak in their mouth, with one command they will be at my side in a sit in about 30 seconds off lead. Most folks want a Rott that well trained.
  Maybe he was a little to agressive, but I would have to witness it to judge him.


• This is an established method of teaching a dog, especially one who forges ahead, to pay attention to the handler at all times -- regardless of distractions.
  When the dog gets out in front of you is when you give him lots of slack and quickly/quietly turn to head the other direction with purpose. Yes, the dog may get spun around BUT if it was paying attention to you instead of other things it would not have been caught off guard. This method works pretty quick at gaining the dogs undivided attention and makes training progress quicker without a lot of repetitious jerking, commands and gimmicks. Always has worked for me -- especially effective with a big powerful dog that could drag you where ever it wants to...including into traffic or a dog fight. I think this is much more humane then letting the dog run the show, don't you?


• I have never heard of this either so I think your idea about video taping it and then taking it to the humane society for review and let them tell you if it's animal abuse or not is a good idea. I'd say yes it is abuse, as dragging a dog on the ground doesn't seem like a good way of training a dog. Make sure you also get some video of his car and the license number so they can get the individuals name and address if they want to investigate. Just by his response and reaction to the people who called him on his behavior sound like he is a little irrational. I'd report him if possible.


• i have one and they are beasts you have to be aggresssive cause they are mean

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Dog Health Questions: Help with deciding on dog training ? Agility or what?

Well i have 2 yr old shepard, chow , collie mix. So he's big, smart, athletic and easily bored. I feel i need to give him a task or a challenge but living in the suburbs their is a shortage of herds to wrangle.

so i was wondering about getting him into agility training or something like it , but have no clue as to where or how to start. If anyone has some tips, sites, or suggestions on similar things that would be great.

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Recommended Answer:
I was in the same boat last summer. I wanted to find an agility trainer, but nothing listed in the local yellow pages in my area. So I did some research and found out there was a local Agility Club. I contacted them and asked for recommendations on trainers. Since my Border Collie was just a pup at the time, I couldn't really persue proper agility training for a while, so I got into a confirmation obedience class. Obedience training is really good to have down when you do get to agility, or while you're working on agility. My breed gets bored easily too, but I have found that even tho we've not begun agility yet, the daily work on Obedience has really helped with that. It gives her something to focus on.

So search the net for your area and see if you can find an Agility Club. Contact them and they will be able to put you in the direction of some trainers (I'm sure some members will be).

Good Luck finding a trainer... it's such a fun sport and I can't wait to start my classes with my Border Collie soon!

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• Contact local all breed clubs, check in the yellow pages of the phone book, look at postings at your vet's office, you should be able to find agility training advertised. And yes, it sounds like it would be great fun for you and your dog!


• Start with a Basic Obedience course at your local training school. You will have to go on to an advanced course because the dog must be off leash controlled in order to participate in any of the other training classes that are available.
  I love agility it's fast and competitive and fun for both the dog and the owner. There are also lots of competitions around.
  What ever training school you go to (make it a better one as opposed to the pet store types) the trainers will be able to direct you to a good trainer in whatever activity you choose to pursue.


• yes,it is difficult to start ,i have the same experience with you ,but at last i find a gorgeous book that help me to train my labs ,and i no longer need to send them to the clubs,.
  
  You'll get everything you need to know about puppy and dog training in some quick, no-nonsense, get-to-the-point-fast lessons.
  
  that is http://dogstraining.info , i recommend it for you,
  hope you like!

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