Dog Health Questions: What kind of dog should I get?

I live in a medium sized house, pretty big yard. I live alone and so I'm sort of lonely and I want a partner.
I am very active, I like to go on long walks and take jogs
I want a dog that is medium sized - large
I want a dog that isn't ugly, something really attractive
I've had a dog before, it was a mutt when I was younger, so I already know something about dog training.
I don't mind shedding, grooming, etc. I work at home, so I'm home a lot.

Soooo, give me some ideas so I can do more research on different types of breeds that I might want to get.
Thanks!

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i have a dog myself and we are pretty similar i have a Labrador retriever who is like you described your "dream dog". another dog would be a golden retriever or a husky.

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• Well with those things almost any breed of dog over 50 pounds fits your wants, so I can't really suggest a breed.
  
  My personal favorite is a Duck Tolling Retriever, they are pretty attractive looking dogs (at least I think so) and it likes exercise. If you want an uncommon dog, I also like kooikers, but don't know too much about them yet so you would need to the research if you want to look into that breed. They are a bit smaller though. Like 35-55ish pounds.


• I don't think there is an "ugly" dog, haha. Even the "ugliest ones" are real cute. As for which dog you should get, well I got an Australian Shepard, and he's my first dog. He is amazing and smart and active and I never have problems with him. Of course like the typical dog he dug and chewed but after some repellent and conditioning he has stopped. He's very smart and learned quick and he's friendly with not only our cat, but everyone else. Good luck!


• I have a springer Spaniel. He is a wonderful dog, Medium build and he is very active, loves to play ball, but at night or during the day when I came home from work, he will curl up in my lap and wants to be loved on. Not something u asked about but he is also great for guarding my house and kids but not aggressive.


• Wow, you practically spelled it out! Get a Siberian Husky. They are medium to large sized dogs, very beautiful, need lots of exercise (very active) and require a lot of attention. They shed A LOT though, but you already said you don't mind shedding.


• On the animal planet website there is a dog breed selector that asks about 20 or so questions about living arrangements, activity level, grooming, etc and then gives you matches on the breeds with a % and pic.


• german shepherd hello!!! they are the best great companions and very protective. they are eager learners though sometimes they can be stubburn. they are very acttive and love being outdoors as well as indoors on your lap if you want a dog thats about a 100 lbs on your lap of course


• Golden Retriever
  Cocker Spaniel
  Beagle
  Labrador
  German Shepard
  Dalmation
  siberian husky
  Samoyed
  
  I would go for either the golden retriever, the labrador, the cocker spaniel or the samoyed :) All are very very cute and have energy:)


• Definitely an Australian shepard! they are sweet and loyal like a golden retriever and they'll adore you for being active or big yards! They're beautiful and easy to train.


• A Rough Collie(lassie)! That's what I have. He seems like just the right dog for you. Very attractive dog.


• Get a shelter dog. There are plenty of needy dogs and puppies at your local pound. :)


• Collies are very social. Just look at Lassie.
  
  FACT: Average life span of a collie is 13-15 years.
  
  There is much grooming to be done. One brushing a day is recommended. Most loyal breed I have heard of. VERY smart and fun to train also. I highly recommend getting a Rough Collie. www.bluridgecollies.com always has a litter available if you cannot find one at a shelter. NO "E" IN WEBSITE ADDRESS! I DID NOT MAKE A TYPO! Although, Blue Ridge Collies IS another breeder. Search all shelters near your before going to a breeder. Save a dog, make a friend.
  
  Also, I recommend collie mixes.
  
  IMPORTANT: Do as much research as possible on the breed you choose, whether it be a collie or not.


• A - G O L D E N - R E T R I E V E R ! ! ! ! ! !Golden Retrievers are the best, I have one and it is definitely energetic cute and very handsome or pretty when they grow up.
  
  1. Large dog.... CHECK!
  
  2. It isn´t ugly....CHECK! (its actually beautiful.
  
  3. It does shed, but not that much....CHECK! I have one!!!! And he is a very beautiful puppy!
  
  He is also not agressive!
  
  Picture:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Retriever_standing_Tucker.jpg
  Video:
  http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-golden-retriever.html
  
  Good luck! I hope you get a Golden!
  
  ---------------------------------------…
  
  I changed the picture link because it sent me someplace of an offroad thing, but you can check it now

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Dog Health Questions: Guard dog training help?

how do i train a dog to protect my home
i have had my dog for a year now he can do the basic commands ( sit, down, come, paw,ect)
I was up stairs today and my friend walked through my front door and my dog waggged his tail and jumped around.
The dog has only ever meet my friend once for 5 mins in the past.
why did he not bark ?
i thought dogs were meant to protect there home and there owners
he is a staffy cross

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You wont be able to make a guard dog out of a staffy.

They see the world thru rose coloured glasses.

Maybe invest in a good alarm system and get a better lock for your door!

Because even a robber is a visitor coming to play with them.

Take care.XAdd On; My dog Rocco is the same. He 'talks' to people walking past us in the street. He smiles at everyone. They are more likely to lick a burgular to death than ward them off.

Electronic Dog Training Collar

• Well, I can only go from personal experience, but dogs tend to react to a person on how you react to someone. Because you knew the person that walked through the door, you body language was relaxed and so your dog realised that the friend posed no threat.
  If, however, you had seemed fearful or shocked when they walked in, it is quite likely that you dog would have become defensive. I wouldn't recomend trying to train your dog to become more aggressive towards strangers because you could end up with an overly aggressive and nervous dog. Just trust that you dog will protect you when the time comes. I should know because my normally friendly, and very licky, dog scared away an intruder in my garden only a few months ago.


• You should do a test with somone (preferably someone your dog has not met) knocking at your door or ringing the doorbell. See if he barks. More than likely, he will.
  
  It could be that your dog smelled the friend and remembered (dogs are amazing that way). If someone rings the front door (even people they know), they go ape-spit barking.
  
  Dogs are by nature territorial. I would guess that if someone broke into your home at night, your dog would give you good warning. Just experiment with strangers or even with your friend knocking as if he/se were a stranger.
  
  Also, remember that unless you have a specific breed and have been training in protective maneuvers, most dogs aren't really going to 'protect' your home...they are best served to warn you if anyone comes in or near. I can attest that although my lab and pitbull mix dogs are very menacing when the door rings, they would rather probably just play with whomever came through if he/she acted normal.


• I say congrats on having a friendly, well socialized dog. :)
  
  get an alarm if you want to keep intruders out, because all a staffy will do is lick them to death! my dogs bark if somebody knocks on the door. maybe get a 2nd dog like a terrier? something that will just bark to alert you to somebody but also be well socialized and friendly is what you want. you don't want a dog that will actually attack. just a bark at the front door is more than enough.


• He is keying off your body language. Your body langauge said this is my friend and therefore your dog went this person is okay. Five minute is enough for dog to remember that this person is okay. if you had reacted differently your dog woudl have reacted differently. That my guess anyways.


• If you want a barker. Get a small hyper dog ie terrier,or chi-wa-wa.If you want a biteing dog go for Akita,or pit bull (then make sure your lawyer is on spead dial).


• get a german shepherd.


• Even in a five minute visit your dog would learn that your friend is not an enemy.
  
  You are doing all the right things with your dog so far. This is evident because he met your friend with gentleness. Dogs are naturally protective of their territories and owners. Trust your dog to sense when there is an intruder or danger. Any dog. large or small will protect their owner in whatever way they can if the need arises.
  
  I have seen far too many dogs destroyed by owners that want a more protective pet. I'm relieved that if you keep up the positive training, yours will not be one more :).
  
  I would like to add that if you would like your dog to act as an early warning system, you can teach him to bark each time the door is opened or knocked on. It would be similar to down and stay teaching. You will need a friend for this who will come to the door. Get your dog barking in any way that works such as playing, have your friend walk in the door at the same time and reward your dog immediately. Be consistent and he will bark without the rewards once he realizes that that behaviour makes you happy. You will still have a wonderful family pet that will not become aggressive unnecessarily.
  
  If more staffy owners were as responsible as you , they would not have the reputation they have received due to inexperienced owners.


• If you indicated to your dog that this was a friend, then your dog would consider the person to be a friend and would not bark unless the dog sensed ill intent on the part of your friend. Had a stranger whom your dog had never met walked in, I am sure he would have barked.
  
  Your problem is not your dog. your problem is your friend, who is RUDE! It's highly inappropriate for anyone to just walk into someone else's home without knocking, ringing the bell and waiting for the owner to come open the door.
  
  You need to LOCK your front door and tell your "friend" that you don't like people just walking in, no matter WHO they are.
  
  You don't need a staffy to have a dog who will protect your home. ALL dogs protect their home and owner. The longer the dog is with you, and the stronger your bonds to the dog, the stronger the dog's instinct to protect you and home become.
  
  I agree with SC!!! And she's right. A terrier would probably bark at everyone at the door.
  
  But, if you want a dog that threatens everyone at your door, and everyone you pass on the street, please get a lot of insurance to cover the cost of your dog attacking people. I won't tell you how to make your dog vicious but if you're so misinformed that this is the only way to have a dog that protects you, then that's what you are looking for... a vicious dog... because that's what you may get if you insist on a dog that barks at everyone you pass or who comes to your home. A GOOD guardian dog will be friendly to good people, and only go into protection mode when you are actually seriously threatened.
  
  I think you're totally confused as to what a person needs in the way of a good guard dog, and what a good guard dog who's also a GOOD dog should do. You need to educate yourself on proper actions of a good guard dog. Take your dog to obedience class and ask the trainer to teach you what a good guard dog should do -!-

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Dog Health Questions: My friends dog, her family wants to get rid of her!?

she is a yorkie chihuahua mix she was supposed to be a teacup yorkie they say she is too aggressive, my friend doesn't care about her. her sister says she likes her but never pays her any attention. they never took the time to train her which is why she is so unmanageable and aggressive. she is about 2 years old and is spayed. im thinking about offering to train her so they will keep her. im thinking clicker training, i like a challenge and im not afraid of getting bit. i trained my sisters dog and she is really obedient but she was easy because she is a people pleaser. and she was a puppy. so should i offer or not bother? i watch a lot of dog training shows so i have some tips and i guess i can always come on here for advice, i mean its worth a shot isn't it? :) thanks

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If they cant be arsed to train THEIR dog, then why should YOU go to the trouble of training it so they can keep her??

Im sorry to be so blunt but if you did train her, and they kept her, would it really be worth it, if the poor thing will just get ignored still

I think she should be re-homed with someone who wants her, and will train her, and give her the attention she needs
She sounds like she would be in good hands with you, but i dont kow your situation, so it might not be an option. Im getting the impression she's being slightly neglected.

It think you should train her to a respectful level (Her aggresion would be much better if she respected you/them whoever) and then get her rehomed one way or another

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• I think it's worth a shot. It sounds like the dog just wasn't handled the right way. I do think though that if they truly don't care about her that she would be better off with someone else. I think you should see what you can do with her and even if the owners end up not wanting to keep her, it could make her prospects a lot better with more training. What have you got to lose? Do your best


• Any chance to save a dogs life and prevent it from being euthanized, thrown in a pound, or dumped on the side of the road is a worthwhile opportunity. I think it would be great if you were willing to help the poor pup...Then again, you can't really make that family actually care about their pet, trained or not. Good luck. :]


• i would sounds like a cute pup and that is better than having it put to sleep or put in a home who will possibly hurt em and if it donsne work out i would take her a one of thoose obedeince schools.GOOD LUCK


• Go for it! It'll be worth a try. I think YOU should take the dog if they do get rid of it, if you can. Clicker training is a good idea!


• Go 4 it!Maybe you can fix the dogs problem!We do not want anymore dogs in shelters/pounds or on the street!:]


• I think that's a really nice thing to do. You sound like a special person. While you have the dog or just train it, it would be nice to have one of them to watch you and learn. Give the dog allot of love and attention also.

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Dog Health Questions: Are these legal?? (dog tattoo machine)?

I mean you can buy them, but geeze-seems kinda crazy, a DIY tattoo machine for dogs?

http://www.huntsmart.com/hunt/Dog-Traini…

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they are used by breeders as some kennel clubs still require the dog to be tattooed. Personally I think microchipping is better. With a tattooed ear you are more likely to end up with a dog who's going to be missing part of their ear.

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• Dogs are tattooed with special letters and numbers for identification purposes. If a tattooed dog is found, the tattoo should be called in to Tattoo-A-Pet (or another registry) which will alert the owner that you have her/his lost dog. Tattooing dogs, usually on the inner thigh or ear, was more popular before micro-chipping came along. Some people have their dogs tattooed AND micro-chipped...and have collar ID tags as well.
  
  Yes, these tattoo machines are perfectly legal and are widely used by owners of very valuable dogs.


• Yes its legal.
  
  I actually looked into doing pet tattoos for extra income.. but wasnt sure if the start-up costs would really pay out in the end.You can buy tattoo guns and ink and do your own tats on human skin.. so why would this be any different? As long as the things are only used to tattoo dogs for ID purposes, then its not cruel.


• All greyhounds bred for racing are tattooed in both ears. In one ear is their racing number, the other ear has their birth order and birth date. I don't know that the average Joe would necessarily purchase a diy tattoo machine, but I know breeders are buying them and why.


• DOg tattoos are used for identification purposes. I dont agree with using it on ordinary pets, where the dog lives in a yard, goes for walks, etc. Also the above dogs can wear a collor and tag to be identified (or microchipped)
  
  However, I dont believe it is necessarily cruel and I honestly battle to find sense in calling this cruel when we are prepared to put our dog through an op to get their testicals cut off (as important as it is).
  
  I have trained 3 hound breeds recently and they all had been tattoed. DOgs who are used as hunting dogs often cannot where collars with ID tags due to the fact that collars can get caught on trees, etc and dog tags just will not last on a dogs collar for long. Another reason for it is, that its important to understand that dogs trained in hunting or tracking are not ordinary dogs and can be worth a small fortune. Many people may find a dog like this, remove its collar and keep it.
  Yes, I know ur asking....why not just use Microchips? Yet even Microchips have its drawbracks. Firstly, hunting dogs are mainly used in rural areas where a vet is a hassle to try to get hold of or incredibly expensive. Secondly, not all vets have microchip scanners and thirdly vets only scan if asked to (going back to the point of people stealing dogs.)
  Tattoos are easy to spot, are permanent and reduce the chance of a dog being nicked.


• Tattoo ID is a good idea. It's a permanant way to identify your dog. However, it should only be done by professionals. I would never buy a do-it-yourself tattoo kit for a dog and I'm sort of surprised to see them available for sale.


• Its for identification
  But yeah, seems cruel.


• Yes,they are legal,and the tattoo is not that painful for the dog,just a little uncomfortable - I'm sure a tail - docking or ear-cropping is much worse.It is done on the ear and is very quick. Tattoos are not just used on hunting dogs,they are used on pets,too.The only problem with an ear tattoo is that ears can be cut off - and yes,it happens. People who steal dogs to sell to laboratories and puppy mills would just cut the tattooed ear off so the dog couldn't be identified. That's why it's better to have your vet tattoo the dog on the inside of the thigh or on the belly,or micro-chip the dog. I don't like hunting,either,and my dogs aren't tattooed,but I don't think it's cruel to tattoo a dog.
  http://www.ambassedorrottweilers.com/rot…
  
  Edit: For those of you saying it's cruel - what about people who get their newborn babies' ears pierced? And as I mentioned before,ear-cropping and tail-docking.Even a quicked nail probably hurts more than a tattoo does.


• 10-15 years ago tattoos were the standard for permanent dog identification they don't slip off like collars and don't have the possibilities of migrating or going unnoticed like chips. AKC CAR and NDR still recognize tattoos, the NDR sells the tattoo guns to qualified buyers. Guide Dogs for the blind use a similar technique of stamping dogs ears.
  
  Back in the day you would tattoo a unique series of characters like AKC or drivers license number with lost dog registry phone number. Many tattooers are moving away from tattooing dogs due to questions of "cruelty" and unclear state laws. One example I've seen used by tattooers of why they stopped was the Colo state law against dyeing dogs ( http://peek.snipurl.com/3liv9 ).
  
  When I got my first border collie the vet tattooed her inner thigh while she was being spayed. Honestly just spending some time around these boards and seeing what happens when dogs slip through the cracks, the states have bigger fish to fry than tattoo ids at the same time these should really be used by qualified people like veterinarians, breeders and groomers certified in their use. Dogs skin is built differently than human skin and human tattoo artist would need to know the difference and possibly need different needles if they tattooed dogs in order to minimize discomfort.
  
  Add: http://www.nationaldogregistry.com/nopai…
  "Pet tattoos are not like human tattoos, because there are distinct dimensional differences between the structures of human and animal skin. The epidermis, or top layer of skin, on a human is much thicker, and the lower skin layers are more uneven than the layers of canine or feline skin. The epidermis is the layer of skin that dries up and flakes off, so to tattoo effectively, the ink must be inserted just below it. On humans, the tattoo must go much deeper into the skin, because of the thickness and uneven shape of the epidermis. Canine and feline epidermis is much thinner and is very regular and even. As a result, the tattoo does not need to penetrate as deeply into the skin."


• yes it is legal... its mostly for breeders because sometimes people will steal their more valuable dogs and try to sell them on their own. I think it's abslutely horrible and it SHOULD be illegal, but then again I am also against most breeders


• Even if there were, why would you want one??
  Its so cruel

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Dog Health Questions: What would be a good job that includes animals?

I am thinking about what job i shpuld do when i am in college.
What is a Job that includes animals? besides a vet and dog training?

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Here are some ideas. Zoologist if u want a tough challenging job. Petco/petsmart employee for something easier. An animal breeder. Or u could work at an animal conservation...that would be nice. ..and if its not pushing it....you could have a bisness of your own. like...have a dentists office with a seperate waiting room that has like a cat roaming around...and an aqaurium, and like a few birds...and a rabbit or something like taht.

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• assistant in animal hospital


• vet and dogtrainer.


• work at a zoo? walk peoples dogs... wash dogs... idk!


• a zoologist, animal trainer, breeder, animal conservationists etc.


• zoo keeper


• Do you have a large pet store in your area? Not one that only has pet supplies, but has fish and hamsters, stuff like that. You could also petsit for people in your neighborhood.


• zoo keeper, animal psychologist (sadly, yes, they exist), groomer (although you wouldn't need a degree for this), animal training in general (ie for movies, etc), pet shop owner, farmer
  
  Most you don't really need a degree for with the exception of the zookeeper.


• That question is to abroad there is thousands of answers so you should list your expirence and any other info you think we may need.

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Dog Health Questions: Military Working Dog Handler?

from a military perspective, what college degree or professional experience would be related to being selected to become a MWD handler? 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?

Career in Dog Training

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you dont need any college at all.you just enlist into that career field.army mps have the option to become dog handlers if selected.air force security forces has combat arms or k-9 handler position when youre eligible to train for them.you cant just enlist as a handler you have to go into that career field do your best and hope you get selected for training.

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Dog Health Questions: What are some good jobs that have to do with dogs?

well im 16 and when im out of school and college i want to do somthing that has to do with dogs. what are some good paying jobs? and what do they pay? or about how much. i was thinking of dog training. and i meet somone on the internet and she said that she was a dog trainer and she said that the pay is exellent but the dogs are perks.

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Pet sitting. It's fun, and it's pays great! Plus starting up your own business for it is pretty simple. Read Pet Sitting for Profit by Patti J. Moran. She is the founder of P.S.I. There are other books she's written, but this one is really great on explaining the business and how you can make money, and what you need to get started. It's really helpful. Good luck hun!

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• Groomer, dog walker, daycare attendant or owner, trainer.


• law enforcment ,vet,animal shelter rescue person


• Working at a doggy daycare could be a nice idea. It seems like you like animals and from what I've observed most of these dog care facilities are fun places to work. Not sure how good the pay will be though.


• Vets make the most money and since you are planning college, that is the best choice in my opinion. In the meantime you can volunteer at an animal shelter or work at a vet's boarding facility.
  
  A trainer is iffy since you have to find the customers and small business like that have a very high failure rate. There is a great deal of liability, too. Besides people can say anything on internet so don't believe them.
  
  The one job you DONT want is working in a pet store. Puppy mills are terrible!


• She's right! Check into working as a Pet Trainer at Petsmart. You get an hourly wage plus commission off of every dog that you train. PetSmart is a great company to work for, excellent benefits, great employee discount and working with dogs is a BONUS!
  
  Its fun to watch some of the "less obediant" dogs start class. When they graduate, they are like a totally different dog. I would definately recommend becoming a dog trainer. Maybe after teaching basic class, you could move on and teach agility or train dogs to assist the handicap/eldery. You really can do alot with this profession if you have the dedication which sounds like you already have.
  
  GOOD LUCK!!! :)


• there are so many great jobs out there for dog care. if you have never worked with them before, you may want to atrt off at a place like your local pound to get a feel for it, and after that if you still feel you want to do more, there is always grooming, walking, training, or one of my personal vfavorites... being a doggie foster home. :) all have their rewards. good luck!

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Dog Health Questions: Some body knows about dogs training?

How do i train my dog to not jump the fence of my backyard?

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Many people in the country today are having a number of problems with their dogs. These problems could range form barking, to digging, to jumping, and even to a specific problem like rushing to the door every time its opened. Most people end up resorting to paying a dog trainer. This is most peoples experience is usually a gamble.

The fact of the matter is that training your dog yourself is 100% possible. In some cases is even better for the dog to be trained by the owner, and the plus side is that you get to spend more time with your animal. But how does one go about training their dog?

What training you dog comes down to is knowing the proper methods of approach that the professional trainers use. And now you ask how can I even begin to use these methods when I have no clue of them at all? The answer is that you can learn. There are many information packed courses you can buy in stores or online that will show you step by step you to change your dogs behavior and how to take control.

To give you a quick example something you may learn when learning how to train your dog are mental tactic on changing behavior. Say for example you dog has a problem with jumping. Yelling you screaming at your dog obviously doesn't work. You need to change your mental approach and this in turn will change your dog's mental approach.

Next time you dog jumps up on someone reward him. Now you must be saying, "What are you talking about rewarding him". This is one of the first steps that you can take to change your dog's perspective on jumping. The next step will be to find set up a situation where you know your dog will jump up, and then before he or she can you distract them and them to another part of the room and then reward them for no reason.

It's these type of things that will start to change you dogs mentality when it comes to their behaviors. In a sense you need to know the proven method of basically tricking your dog into doing what you what.

I have a 1 and a half year old german shepherd and had my own share of problems training him but when you keep on trying different methods, you eventually find the one which could be of use to you and bring about desired effects. I have tried different ways to train my dog and now I have a very obedient and friendly german shepherd to be proud of!
(Try the link in the source to get more information about training your dog properly).

Six Dog Training Tips to Modify Negative Behavior

• Install an electric fence at the top of the fence. Installed at the top, your dog can still have free run of the back yard without getting zapped!
  
  Unless... He tries to jump/climb the fence. Then, he will get a little shock.
  
  Of course, you need to set it to Low, if adjustable. Home Depot has inexpensive units that you can install yourself. They are very low voltage, and do not harm dogs. Just scares the wits out of them.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training HELP!!! Is it too late?

I have a 3 year old male chihuahua that I got when I was still living with my parents. I recently moved into a house with quite a few roommates. He is currently still at my parent's house because I'm afraid that he will get out of the house/back yard at my new house and run away. Unfortunately, I did spoil him too much and the only command he obeys is "sit", and even then, that only happens when food is dangled in front of his face.
I understand that this is my own fault, I don't need any answers telling me that...I need some advice on what to do to train him. Is it too late with him being 3 years old?
What can I do to ensure that he doesn't run away if brought to the new house? The roommates are kind of oblivious to dogs, so I can't rely on them to watch him when I'm not home.

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It's going to be a lot more difficult, especially with Chi's but it is possible if you're willing to put in the effort. You probably would want to enroll him in an obedience class at some place like PetSmart or Petco. They usually see dogs of all ages, so you shouldn't worry about that.
Remember while you are training him that YOU are going to need to have a very assertive and calm attitude. You are going to need to be the dominant one, you can't allow him to have any attitude that lets him be spoiled. You know that already.
As to the backyard, the best way to make sure that the back yard is safe is for you to get down back there and check for things like gaps in the fencem holes in the house that lead underneath the house, and out to the street, weak boards that he can paw his way through. Another problem could be the dirt underneath the fence. If it's just loose dirt, and no concrete, he could dig his way out. Check for that to make sure that he would not be able to dig into the neighbor's house, or dig his way onto the street.
Once you bring him home, if you don't have any dogs right now, your roommates could surprise you by taking an interest, or at the very least, making sure that they watch him to see if he runs away. Either way, even then, you would not leave him the ability to run away under the nose of your friends. Try placing reminders around the house that tells them to close doors, and watch out for your dog. It would help you, and would help them from experiencing any guilt over losing your dog.

Why it's Important For New Dog Owners to Take Dog Training Seriously

• No, it is not too late. Train him like you would a new puppy. Start ALL over, even with the sit command. I'm guessing your new house doesn't have a fence, so I advise keeping him as an inside dog. If you don't trust them to watch him, hire a dog sitter.


• Dogs are absolutely capable of learning at any age.
  
  Enroll yourself and your dog in a training class. Keep him on the leash outdoors.


• about the new house.. put up a fence.. at least a small one..
  
  i dont think its too late to train your dog.. granted it might be harder and it might be more stubborn.. but i do believe it can be done!


• Hie thee to an obedience class forthwith!!! And when you're not home keep the little guy in a crate in your closed bedroom.
  
  Old Dogs Do Learn New Tricks!!!!


• Enroll both of you in obedience training..


• It is not too late, if he hasn't had obedience training it might be a good thing. He can be weaned off foodtreats over time even if he expects them all the time now. The only way to ensure that your dog doesn't escape while you are away is to crate him, he may have to learn the crate is a GOOD place,also he needs to be gradually introduced to your new roommates.
  You need to make the rules clear to your roommates about YOUR dog so every one is consistent. Clickers are just another type of reward that you use just before treating the dog after immediately catching him doing the thing you are trying to teach him. (My dog ignores it
  Trial and errlor. A good trainer should be able to help as you go. Good luck


• Dogs are learning new things all the time! I have three dogs around my house and none of them are professionally trained. For some obvious commands you always have to reward him with food, practically this is the most important thing for them. Just give them a reward every time you ask them to do something.. This is how they learn. I've got an old doggy and we have just finished practicing on "Eat your breakfast or else I'm putting it away!"
  Don't worry! I'm sure it will learn, even though he is three years old.


• You can train him now. Age doesn't really matter as much as everyone thinks but it will be harder because of the bad behaviors he already has imprinted on him. Find a good dog trainer to work with and be strong. It is very difficult to not give in but it is better for the dog and you in the long run to stay firm.
  
  Since he's moving to your new house adding new rules will be easier since his confidence level with be a little unbalanced and it will be easier to become the dominant one in the relationship. Make sure you start off right and continue on the right path.
  
  Taking care of Chihuahuas while you're gone can be a problem. Since you should never leave chihuahuas outside, you'll need to keep him inside somewhere. Can he stay in your room so none of your roommates let him out? If a dog wants to run away there is nothing you can do to prevent that behavior. Especially if you're roommates are bad about leaving the front door open. If he stays in your bedroom you'll need to provide him with a lot of entertainment and maybe make it so he can see out the window. Also, you'll have to have a way for him to get outside occasionally so he can go to the bathroom or you'll have to come home and walk him.
  
  After he gets a better attitude you may want to get him a buddy to keep him company while you're gone. Chis are always happier in a pack. In the meantime you may see if there are any doggie daycares in your area. That way he can play all day with the other dogs there and not get lonely and anxious being alone too much.

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Dog Health Questions: What are the different types of dog training tools?

I'm going to be getting a 10 month old husky mix this coming up weekend. I've owned several huskies in the past and absolutely love these dogs. Before I have effectively been able to use a pinch collar to teach them to not pull my arm off when walking. I'm interested in learning what other types of training tools are out there and how effective they are compared to the pinch collar.

The only type of tool I won't use is any sort of harness because I'm hoping to teach him to Skijor so he needs to retain his drive to pull, just not when we're walking on a leash.

Top Three Problems Solved by a Secret to Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Even if you have experience with dogs, it's always best to seek a professionals help when using a new tool. Any new tool (or old tool) can cause damage to a dog if not used correctly.

I've tried several available tools and only found one to really be effective when dealing with pulling/lunging (of course, it was used at the discretion of my trainer and along with proper training techniques.)

Here's a list of the tools i've used and what i found out about them with MY dog:

1) Head Halter: Not effective in the sense that it made my dog MORE frustrated when working around other dogs. Instead of dealing or correcting the excited behavior, it turned her away from the dog and that made her throw a tantrum. Every single time we used it, she threw a big one and ended up worse off. In terms of pulling it helped, but when she wanted to go somewhere she stiffened her head/neck and went on pulling.

2) Harness: Traditional harnesses encourage pulling. The no pull ones that make it uncomfortable just made her walk on her hind legs when she wanted to go. The ones that snapped in the front made her walk sideways, and eventually she managed to pull OUT of them.

3) Pinch (slip) collar: She pulled too much (too constant) for me to safely or effectively correct the behavior.

4) Prong collar: This one worked. She stopped the behavior VERY quickly after a correction and i was able to return her focus to me. I have since STOPPED using it because she got the point very quickly.

Note: I used tools because her behavior would get bad enough that a treat and simply Positive reward training would not get her attention OR the behavior i wanted. I was advised by a trainer.

Dogs respond to different tools in different ways. Some could respond well to the Head Halter even though my dog did not. Others could be too timid or fearful for a Prong collar. It's best to consult with a professional to figure out which tools are needed, if they even are. It's best if NO tools are needed at all because removal of the tool could mean recurrence of the behavior. Secrets to Dog Training, by Dog Trainer Expert, Daniel Stevens. It's a terrific book on how to train dog.

http://kingdom-of-dog.blogspot.com/

Dog Training - How to Handle Outdoor Dog Training

• My tall & very muscular male Dobermann would pull on the way to the park/castle/nature reserve, so I purchased a prong collar. I agree with Unstoppable that the collar is only as effective as the handler using it.
  
  When the dog attempts to forge ahead, a quick check then immediate release of the collar, when the dog walks to heel praise. As a training tool it was excellent, as my Dobe responded instantly to the correction & now walks to heel in a flat leather collar.
  
  I use a strong cotton/metal half check on my other Dobermann. Again it is effective if used correctly.


• I use a cloth slip collar or any regular buckle cloth or leather collar. Place the collar on the dogs neck close to the jaw, as opposed to it being close to the dog's body. Gently pull the leash straight up from the dog, leaving no slack. This will require the dog to remain close to you, in the healing position. The dog will not pull because of the collar placement.


• The delmar smith command lead works amazingly well. I've had dogs that could pull a sled with a pinch collar learn to lead with one of them. Definitely recommended.


• WHY...er,HOW ...can you imagine that a TOOL does anything?
  It's the HUMAN using it that matters!
  
  You had success w/a prong collar? USE IT AGAIN!.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training problems, please help?

We have two dogs; a two year old ***** and her 6 month old son. The ***** always does this wierd bitey thing with the puppy where they basically just have their mouths open and attack each other. The problem is that we can't teach the puppy that its not ok to do this with humans, and we're ending up with alot of injuries, what can we do to stop this??

The Significance of Dog Training Videos

Recommended Answer:
Yep, ouch real loud worked for me and my 2 Huskies. That and a firm NO! Maybe even a little smac on the nose tip and say NO! Not abuse, just a little snip to let them know it's not allowed doggie behavior! Or try a muzzle, they wont like that.
Best of luck!! Teach them love, my started giving kisses all the time instead of the nipping. It's amazing how far a lil love willgo. My Female Husky Kimba will be 16 yeras old this month! She's still got a lot of love and lifeleft in her.
Best wishes

Dog Training - Three Stages of Dog Training

• When my puppy did this I would say ow really loud and high-pitched so that it sounded like a yelp. That is the signal that they are being to rough in dog world so it usually works.


• Make a sharp loud noise and then glare at her and look away for 30 seconds. That's what the trainer told us. Eye contact is apparently a reward to dogs. good luck!


• i agree with animalov , watch me or the dog on animal planet Victoria stilwater shes a behavior specialist,, good-luck


• Dogs respond best to firm spoken, short commands, and visual cues. When you see the pup even starting this unwanted behavior point and say No or Stop in a firm mad tone, but do not scream, yell or over react. Use the same method every time the pup starts this behavior. If the pup stops wait a minute and then reward it. This may be done with a pat on the head, and say good boy in a nice tone of voice, or by giving a treat. This will take several trys to get him to understand. Dont give up and use the same voice and cues each time you tell him.


• My friend had a puppy that liked to bite people, too. She found a book online that showed her how to train the dog not to bite, as well as get rid of other bad habits should they ever arise. The link is below.

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Dog Health Questions: Professional Dog training advice only please. What to expect from 1st dog when a new dog arrives?

1st Siberian Husky is 6 yrs old. He's been the only dog for 4 yrs. He's always been great at letting other dogs come over for play dates and sleepovers. Just got a 1 yr old Siberian Husky for his companion. Both males are fixed and are trying to establish dominance. I'd like the oldest to be dominate but I don't think I can control that. Both seem to be alpha personalities. They got along fine at the dog park all summer so the owners gave him to me. Any professional advice? Should I have gotten a female? I know I have to give it more time but will it take lots of time? They don't fight but they are tearing up my backyard with digging and wrestling. Also I separate them at feeding time but one won't let the other eat and when I try to bring the youngest inside to feed the oldest is jealous and acts very stubborn i.e. won't obey commands and acts like he feels he's not loved anymore. I try to show more attention to the oldest to let him know this is still his territory but I don't think I'm not doing things properly. They are playing me by vying for my affection and it's working. Help!

How Dog Training Can Help You Find the Perfect Family Dog

Recommended Answer:
Letting two male dogs `sort it out` is frankly the worst advice I have read here on this forum in some time. Unless bloody fights than can leave one dog seriously hurt or even dead, is okey pokey with some people no person in their right mind would let two dogs continue to brawl.

In fact, society condemns it - its against the law (dog fighting).

Rotten Rotts has it right - TAKE NO CRAP from either of them.

Now - reality. The young male is working to establish himself as the alpha. You cannot change that. Its a matter of time before they knock heads. How badly, and how often will depend on whether the other dog submits - or fights back.

Do you have any reason to believe your old dog will just give in....and do you really want to wait to find out....and either way WHY would you allow it. YOU ARE EITHER THE LEADER - OR YOU ARE NOT.

For the record, they are not `Play fighting`` - they are ``practicing`` for more serious stuff.

You must take charge. You are smarter than dog.

When you say things like: ``but one won't let the other eat `` that is a sign you are not in control.

When you say things like:

``when I try to bring the youngest inside to feed the oldest is jealous and acts very stubborn i.e. won't obey commands and acts like he feels he's not loved anymore.``

it tells me you are not taking charge - rather you are attempting to inflitrate the pack and negotiate a treaty.

Dogs dont think that way. They dont feel ``unloved`` - what your dog is doing is an act of possesion - ie his insecurities are being tapped into. He was an only dog all his life - now there are two.

You cannot play favourites, or try to ``convince`` the young dog the old dog is king.

You are in charge - they are not. They must accept each others presence - period.

Things you should do:
- if one dog intimindates the other eating, put each dog on lead, in different corners of the room. If necessary, feed one (or both) in crates.

Don`t tolerate growling and dont allow one dog to stare down another...if a dogs tail is up over his back, he is thinking bad thoughts. You dont wait for that to escalate into a brawl - you stop it in its tracks.

How: redirect the dogs aggression using obedience. In order to do this, the dog needs a prong colkar and a leash on. You cannot make an impression on a dog with a flat collar and if both dogs have no collar and no leash - you are frankly quite useless to do anything.

the bottom line: Yes, I would have gotten a female.

But, you can straighten it out by: taking each dog out by himself on lead, developing some obedience, re-establishing yourself as the leader.

In the meantime, keep them separated and if the yard is a bomb zone, it will only get worse.

BTW once the one male is permitted to defeat the other, he will target him whenever he wants (again, if he is permitted). Letting two males brawl is building a bomb - and trust me when I say you don`t want that to happen.

Keep the dogs off your bed, crate at least one dog at night (so that they dont get into it in the middle of the night) and treat them as ``equals`. Both are given affection, both are off the bed, both are fed at the same time.

When you walk out the door- the dog goes last. These are ways of communicating to your dog in `dog language`that you are in charge.

You need a professional trainer to guide you because forums cannot provide the level of support you require.

Good luck.

Considering a Dog Training Career

• You need to take a stand that you aren't going to put up with crap from either of them. Correct them when they are wrong and praise them when they are good. Your older dog should already be used to commands and you just need to start training the new one. Remember SH can be pretty stubborn so you have to be more so


• Haha... Do not bring any of your current pets with you when you pick up your new pet. Also, try to wear clothing that smells like your pets (hold them and pet them before you leave to get the new dog). This will accomplish two things: One, you get bonding time with your new pet without the scrutiny of your other pets, and Two, the new dog will smell the other pets on your clothes and have an idea of what he is in store for. If possible, have another person drive you to pick up the new pet so you can sit in the passenger seat and bond on the way home.
  
  -alvaro


• First don't worry about who the boss is as they'll work that out among themselves. Sounds like they're getting along pretty good anyway so it's most likely already worked out. Your older dog now has a friend so your yard will suffer a bit from two adult dogs playing and wrestling. For feeding train both dogs to sit for their food. Feed in separate bowls and on a schedule. Do not allow bowl switching or other obnoxious behavior. Train both dogs. The young one needs training and the older dog needs to be reinforced in his training. Right now both are kind of testing the situation to see what they can get away with since the living environment has changed for both of them.
  
  WOW Raven, I guess I really misinterpreted this question. The dogs sounded like they were getting along to me. But again I cannot see what they are doing through words on a screen. Male dogs do play even intact males play. Wrestling is a form of play. Wrestling isn't really fighting. Fighting is fighting.
  
  To the poster: It is best to hire someone to go to your home and watch these dogs interact. That way you will receive the best advice. As you can see two knowledgeable people can really misinterpret the words on a screen.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog Training Help Please!!!?

Okay, we just got an 11 week year old labradoodle and I have a few questions.

1. When clicker training, should multiple people be using the clicker or just one?

2. What are the best ways to show that you are dominant?

3. How should I effectively stop nipping?

4. How should I get him to go into his kennel willingly?

5. How should I get him to come and stay by my side without a leash?

If you can answer any or all of the above questions, I would really appreciate it.

Dog Training Basics

Recommended Answer:
Multiple people can use the clicker (if they all understand what they are doing!) but not at one time.

Don't worry about dominance, just be a clear leader and provide clear and consistent rules. Puppies do NOT need a lot of freedom, management is your friend when they are this young! Any time you need to correct the pup, ask yourself what you could have done to prevent that from happening.

Stop interacting when pup nips.

I clicker train my pups to go in their crates, and also make sure the first few times they go in, they are tired, and have something to chew on. I keep crates near where I'll be, either in the living room, or in the bedroom, so pup is not alone to start with.

For teaching recalls, there are some articles on the clickersolutions.com website, and I also suggest joining the listgroup. Clicker training is great, but is more involved than many people realize when they first get started.

To find a good trainer near you, I suggest choosing from this list, or ask those nearest you for recommendations: http://www.trulydogfriendly.com/blog/?pa…

Dog Training Leads And How To Start Dog Training Products Business?

• You need to take the pup to "puppy class"! If that isn't available, get a book on dog training! Your vet can make good recommendations.


• yep- one answer- Puppy class- find one- go
  humane society's or local pet stores often offer classes


• 1. Only one person should be training the dog at any given time. You need to be precise with that clicker. If two or more people are clicking the dog will become confused. Set up training sessions so that one person trains one time and another might train later in the day, just make sure you are training the same way or the dog will be trying to learn two different methods of how to sit, for example.
  2. Please don't worry about that. Through training your dog and setting boundaries (like not allowed to do this or that) your dog will know that you are in charge. You don't need to worry about "alpha rolling" which could cause submissive behaviors or anything else that could potentially cause aggression. Just treat your dog with respect and show him the rules and you will be the world to him.
  3. To stop nipping there are two ideas to try. First, if he is nipping you while playing, STOP playing immediately and walk away from him. By taking away the "fun stuff" (you), he will realize that when his teeth touch you all the fun stops too. Another way is to substitute your arm or leg, whichever he is nipping on, with a toy. Show him what is appropriate to chew.
  4. There are crate games you can play with him. If you google "crate games" you will find tons of these fun games to play with your dog. Another helpful tip is to feed him his meals inside his crate.
  5. It will be a long time before your puppy can be fully trusted off leash. I wouldn' even attempt it without a lot of training first.
  
  Why not try a training class in your area? It is great for socialization for the puppy and it will give you tons of resources for training your dog well. Look for someone who does positive reinforcement training and not harsh corrections. Always check out the trainer and make sure they do what you feel comfortable with. Good Luck!


• I feel that a puppy training class is the best bet. In my experience, having one strong person training the puppy is the best, although you need to look at your family and your new pet as a pack, and that means that EVERYONE in your family needs to have some sort of "dominance" over your puppy.
  
  I'm not talking "mean" dominance but a calm assertive "I'm the boss and you are the puppy" vibe in your home, right from the beginning. If you look at your family as a pack, the puppy needs to be at the bottom of the "chain of command" all the times. The sooner the puppy realizes his place in your pack the quicker he will be adjusted and comfortable in your home.
  
  In my home we are a pack of three(with no kids) so it was a little easier for our puppy to figure out her place. My wife in the beginning wasn't dominant enough and we found our puppy "humping" her, or stepping out in front of her. She thought it was "being mean" to put the puppy in her place. I had to teach my wife how to be the boss without being mean. It's a tricky touch, but the best way to describe it is is being a "gentle giant" to the pup. Big deep voices, lowering of your tone to say "no," and general voice tone changes are the best way for your pup to know what you are feeling.
  
  I've read a lot of books for raising a pup and they all have their own and very strong opinion. 10 books and 10 opinions. You need to find for yourself what your pup will respond to and go with it. You don't want a scared pup, but you also don't want your pup to walk all over you! For example, when my puppy tried to hump my wife(an act of dominance) I had my wife grab the puppy and hump her back. It's odd but it really worked. Of course the puppy had to submit and the behavior ended quickly! Go to the park and you will see the dogs in a pack doing it to each other(as long as one isn't in heat), and if you watch closely you can figure out just what their chain of command is for that day.
  
  Long of the short of it, try different things and find out what works best. Combine that with a good puppy class and you will be on your way to having your best friend love his new home!!

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Dog Health Questions: Does anyone know of place that does private dog obedience training in Gainesville, TX?

I have a 6 month old puppy that I can't break of some very annoying habits, despite having tried many things.
I'd like to try private lessons.
If public/group lessons are the only option, I could go for that. She needs socialization as well, but I think she would freak out too much at public lessons. This is the kind of dog that if she even sees an object that has another animals scent on it, she will choke herself (on the leash), and squells and whines (very loudly and endlessly) to get to it. For example I've tried introducing her to someone. After an hour of being in the prescence of the other person, she calmed down a little but still broke into fits of squelling and whining shrilly, all because I wouldn't let her run over and bite, scratch, and jump all over the person.

We only have one shelter, Noah's Ark, and I do not believe it offers lessons of any sort. Nor is there a Petco or Petsmart or anything of the sort within 50 minutes of here.

Anyway, sorry for the long explantion. With all this said, does anyone know of a place or qualified person who offers private dog training in Gainesville? If not what group training is available? Also if you know the prices that would be helpful too.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

The Importance of Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
sorry no one is answering.

I found one luisting on this page

http://www.allprok9training.com/texas.ht…

GOOD DOGS TRAINING CENTER no address or phone number but should be in the dictionary.

Here it is. Now I don't know anything about it, just trying to help.

GOOD DOGS TRAINING CENTER
3829 E Highway 82
Gainesville,TX 76240
35.0MI from Prosper
(940) 665-5000

Small Dog Training Tips

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Dog Health Questions: House break dog training?

I have a 2 month old puppy. Everytime I take it outside we spend about 30 minutes if not more and she doesn't potty, but as soon as we go back inside she goes potty in my place.

What techniques woud you suggest when it comes to house break training?

Thank you

Basic Dog Training Obedience - Puppy Behavior Tips

Recommended Answer:
If you're not already using a crate, I'd suggest you get one right away. Crate training is the simplest, and quickest way to housebreak a puppy. This webpage will give you a complete guide to crate training http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/crate…

If your pup doesn't eliminate while your outside, put him back in his crate and try again in 15 minutes. Do this until she pees/poops outside. Then she gets supervised playtimes out of the crate.

Set up a regular schedule of feedings, naps, playtimes and potty breaks to help your pups digestive system settle into a routine. Then you'll have a better idea of when she usually really needs to 'go'.

Best of luck.

Secrets to German Shepherd Dog Training

• ha ha ha i am haunting you,you can run,but you cant hide..................................i'm coming for your children


• Stay outside however long it takes to have them do their thing outside and then praise them. This will condition them and each additional time you go out it will take less time. Also, if you are not already giving them specific feeding times then do so. This will allow them to have predictable times when they have to go. Leaving a food bowl down for whenever they want to eat makes the timing unpredictable.


• If you see your dog eliminating in an inappropriate area say, "Outside" in a sharp voice. The sharp tone of your voice will startle your dog and cause him to stop eliminating. Quickly walk your dog outside so he can finish there. When your dog has finished praise him. Do not punish him for eliminating in unappropriate areas. This will only make hold his bowel and bladder and hide while he is eliminating.


• Your puppy already owns the place... I found, with all of my dogs, when they are young they get their own little habitat. I purchased a puppy play pen and put their dish, favorite toy and small kennel inside leaving kennel door open. That is their space. I also put o blanket down under the play pen in case of accidents, although there were none. Dogs will almost never potty where they sleep. Talk to your puppy. All of my puppies, now grown, still potty on command. I told mine "Potty" for number 1 and " Get all done" for number 2. As ridiculous as it may sound, it has worked on 4 dogs over the course of 20 years. Bring puppy out to potty first and reward with playtime. My puppies even understood "Nap time" At nap time they go into closed door kennel inside play pen. Try a little bite of a treat every time your puppy goes potty outside and a lot of praise.


• She doesn't do her business outside because she doesn't know what outside is for. You need to show her what it's for. You might want to take her out every 2 hours. Put her on a feeding schedule so you know when it's time to poop. Take her out 30 minutes after each meal, first thing in the morning (and I mean first thing) right after waking from a nap and right after playing and then every 2 hours in between that. Take her outside on a leash if you can and walk her around. Use a command word like Potty Time or Quick Quick, keep her moving (this stimulates the bowls) take some tasty treats with you and keep her moving till she squats to pee, once she does praise her really well, get excited and give her a treat. Then once she's calmed down try for a poop. If she doesn't then bring her back inside, confine her to a crate or a small room and then try again in 30 minutes.
  
  Look for signs she needs to go, sniffing the floor, circling around sniffing, pick her up immediately to go out repeat above. Once she's done his business bring her back inside. Right now you need to teach her that outside is for your business and nothing else at this time. If you catch her in the act of going, clap your hands together say OUTSIDE in a loud voice to startle her, pick her up and take her straight outside to the grass to go, encourage her and when she goes praise and reward.
  
  If he has an accident in the house, note how long between the last outside excursion that she went so you can adjust your schedule accordingly. Clean up the mess and DO NOT PUNISH OR YELL at the puppy ignore this behavior. You see the puppy cannot distinguish the difference between the act of going or the mess on the floor. If you punish she will associate it with the mess on the floor and that will make her HIDE her poop from you or be afraid of ever going in front of you again. Imagine how hard it will make housebreaking if she is afraid to poop or pee in front of you outside because she's afraid he will get punished for it.
  
  Reward the behavior you want, IGNORE the behavior you do not want. Eventually she'll learn what makes you happy and will continue to try to please you, but you must show her what makes you happy by praising and rewarding the behavior you want, it works the same way for teaching tricks, if you don't you will have one confused dog.
  
  Pick up books in PetSmart on proper housebreaking techniques.

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Dog Health Questions: Has anyone had success with a vibration/shock dog training collar?

I have a 2 yr old very hyper female rottie that has some bad behavior with fixating on chasing cars up the driveway on the other side of the fence, and now going crazy at my sisters horses on the other side of the fence. She won't respond to anyone when either distraction is there and you can't get near her she takes off and then returns to the crazy barking. I would like to try a vibration/shock collar that is remote controlled to break her fixation and get her to listen since nothing else has worked. Has anyone else used this in training a hard to train dog? Are they safe when used responsibly? I do not want to hurt her but her behavior is going to get her injured if she gets out and get's in that horse pen the horses will kick her. And she is only getting worse in her fixation on vehicles and larger animals not better as she gets used to them being there. Any suggestions would be great. She also has a acre of yard so she has lots of room to run just is so hyperactive though.

Therapy Dog Training - What Are the Various Methods of Obedience Training For Dogs?

Recommended Answer:
I refuse to use them. Try classical conditioning, operant conditioning and speaking to a behaviorist. You can actually make the behavior worse if you aren't careful. If worse comes to worse use a citronella spray collar. They work on the same principle but do no harm to the dog.

Dog Training - Most Common Mistakes While Training Your Dog

• 2 yr old very hyper female rottie ..................UMMMM that sounds fun bet your place smells nice ~YA RIGHT~!


• I'm starring this so that hopefully one of the trainers on here that has used a shock collar will see it.


• A petsafe shock collar. That is the brand "Petsafe". My new (now 1year old) puppy needed something to. And all this does is give her a short painles vibration/shock, and it increases the more she barks. It never hurt her at all, so maybe give that a try, you have to order it online though, and u may want to get an extra battery for it while your at it. I hope it works for you if u try it! Good Luck!


• I think there are better ways to go about that. Try looking up local Dog training places and see if that won't work over a course of time. See that she gets walked like maybe Twice a day. Once in the morning before it's to warm and then in the evening. That might burn off some energy.


• i have 2 dogs a 3 yr old shepard and a 5 mth old black lab, i bought a shock collar for my 3 yr old when he was a puppy and i will never go back. once he learned what it was and was trained to the sound of the beeping i very rarely have to push the shock button, usually only the beep button. my 5 mth old is learning she is a little more defiant but she is learning. i would spend lots of money on shock collars, if something should happen to the set that i have. i highly recommend them to people with "unruly" dogs but its all on how you want to train them.


• Shock collars create timid behavior and can result in fear biting. Your problem is not a diciplinary problem but a familiarization problem. Your dog is facinated by new things and the best thing to do around new things is to put your dog on a leash. Walk her around an remain calm. This creates a calm atmospher and a calm dog and she will associate everything around her as being calm. Second, the reason your dog is trying to chase cars is because he is satsifying his prey drive. You need to do this instead of leaving him to do it himself. Throw balls, frisbees, toys. Let him chase things just to get it out of him. Otherwise it's suppressed energy and frustration.
  
  Shock collars have also been shown to inadvertently go off. One person even reported that the collar burned through her dogs neck because it was mistriggering. These collars are not a substitue for proper training and should not be used. Often the short cuts cause more problems.


• I had a friend who used a shock collar on his dog, but only for a little while. HE still uses it, however, he took the batteries out, and only uses it when his dog is barking too much.


• If the issue is barking I would not use a remote control collar. I would use a bark control collar. Start with it at its lowest setting. If the dog does not respond to that, turn it up until the dog reacts.
  If you want to use the collar for other types of training, get a remote control collar. These can work great, but do not over do it. Don't leave the collar on the dog constantly as the metal contacts can irritate the dog's neck. I have learned the hard way not to but the cheap collars. The only brand I would recommend is Tri Tronics. The others don't last.

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Dog Health Questions: Good Afternoon DS: Dog training question?

Do you think its imperative for any good trainer to at least consider the possibility of using different tools, depending on the dog that they train?

Especially for the all positive crowd, do you think that EVERY single dog can be trained w/o some sort of a physical correction?

I met a lady for lunch who claims to be a "certified dog trainer"....she stated that she will NOT use anything but positive reinforcement when training other people's dogs. That statement completely turned me off against using her as a trainer....shouldnt you at least acknowledge that other methods exist and that they might be necessary for certain situations/dogs?

LEGIT: Will everyone hug a bunny this Sunday? :)

Are You Selecting the Right Dog Training Treat For Your Dog?

Recommended Answer:
I'm with you.

There is no ONE way to train every dog.

I've never been a fan of 100% positive reinforcement training, BUT I acknowledge it DOES work on some dogs. For example, I have a now 15 year old German Shorthair Pointer. Before I got her, someone had beat the crap out of her. She was about 2 years old, but only 30lbs. She is now old and kind of frail and still weighs 62lbs. She cowered at quick movements, yelped if someone had a broom, and hid in the bedroom if a man she didn't know came over. For training, she required much more of a positive approach than I was used to using....BUT I had to adapt for the dog. so she ended up getting some kind of mixture, but it worked.

LEGIT: Stupid bunny means I need to go shopping for basket fillers for the kids. I still have Halloween candy in my house. Boo.

Are You Selecting the Right Dog Training Treat For Your Dog?

• You use the tool, any tool you have to in order to accomplish your goal, that is your job as a trainer.
  Refusal to use anything it takes means that you are not yourself secure in your training abilities and/or you have emotional issues.
  Personally, I dont have several years to train a dog, I dont have the temperament needed to sit and wait and play games and pretend the dog is "thinking" as its cycling through its tricks trying to get that food from my hand.
  So, be it a plain choker, a prong, an E collar or an atomic bomb, whatever it takes to get the dog to learn, so be it.
  
  Nope, no hugging bunnies...I am not religious!!


• I am a certified dog trainer and I ONLY use positive reinforcement and anybody who doesn't think that method works on every dog let me know and I will prove it wrong. There are different methods to every method. So saying they only use positive reinforcement is in itself saying I use different tools under one big category. So, before all you people call me close minded think about that and stop living in ignorance and learn a bit more you are really the close minded idiots who made your belief before educating yourself.


• Yes! I often frequent a dog nutrition forum and the majority of the members are for all positive reinforcement. They claim that using a prong collar can damage your dog's "psyche" and anyone who mentions negative reinforcement is immediately jumped on. A couple of them are trainers, but I would never consider them. They are some of most close minded people I've ever come across. The ones that train with a mixture of positive and negative are much more open minded.
  
  Legit - Nope, not religious. I do like Peeps and bunnies, though!


• Having trained horses professionally for the last 25+ years I can tell you that to be effective as a trainer one must constantly be willing to adapt to each animal.
  
  I do not believe in the pure positive garbage. Dogs need to know there are consequences that are more severe then not getting a cookie.
  
  The method I use to train dogs adapts to each dog, in that you would not give a Rottweiler the same type of correction you would give a Collie.
  
  LG: My ranch is full of bunnies. My husband wanted to know why we had day bunnies and night bunnies, as he believed all bunnies were night bunnies. I tell them the union bunnies get to be out during the day, they got that in their collective bargaining agreement.


• When I was actively training I used behavior modification of the individual dog. What works for one dog may not work for another. So one has to be aware of the different correctional tools for the individual dog. & yes many times you have to fall back to method training.
  
  All corrections are leash corrections, never a hand laid on the dog. Lavish praise. What ever works for the individual dog. The only hand correction is for a redirected bite while dog is being agitated. Pent up aggression will redirect.
  
  Basic to Advanced obedience is strictly leash corrections.


• I agree with you. While I usually support positive training and attempt it first with my dogs, sometimes one has to use what works with the individual dog. That "certified dog trainer" needs to open their mind to all training methods.
  
  LEGIT: I will not be hugging any bunnies anytime soon -laughs- they are adorable and all, but I like to look at them from a distance. Those teeth, they scare me.


• I agree with you. I am not a certified trainer but I am working to be and I work with in everyday. We have 3 dobermans and every one of them gets a little different technique to go with their personality. I have one that I would dare someone to strictly use positive reinforcement. He would be a monster! Then another that is very light and docile so I do believe it depends on the dog.


• different dogs different personalities and issues yeah i agree that at some point you have to change to work with the dog.
  
  i am for positive reinforcement but certainly understand that there are some dogs that simply won't work on.
  
  people can whine and cry about training collars martingales, prongs and chokes until the day they die yes with some dogs it's overkill with others it is the only thing that will work.


• I have been MIA the last few days...
  
  If someone refuses to use certain methods - they are not the trainer for me.
  A good trainer will have methods for each individual dog with a well-rounded "training philosophy".
  
  Legit: I'm Catholic...so Easter will be celebrated in my family.
  I would be lying if I told you if there was a bunny in my midst I wouldn't hug it LOL.
  I even hug Quattro sometimes...WHAT UP NOW???? lmao


• I hear ya. I'd walk away from a trainer that said that too. Then again, the kind of dogs I work with are usually large and powerful dogs, not little guys that can be easily controlled with in all situations with a buckle collar and treats. I think EVERY dog trainer should understand and know how to use all the tools available in a proper way.


• It is funny. I was originally trained to use ''Bad dog!''. As more positive methods became the norm, it is now ''Ah, ah. ah!'' and offer a chew.


• I think a good trainer should adapt for every dog they train weither it be different tool or methods. And yes I will be hugging a bunny this sunday.


• You are 100% right. No one method works for EVERY dog. I wouldn't use anyone with such a closed mind (although I would LOVE to turn her loose with my headstrong GSD and watch her suffer, lol)


• I had the opportunity this weekend to see the written guidelines for an all-positive trainer. She basically will not take any dog that has problems, especially aggression.
  
  I actually called a trainer that does marker training when I was having so many problems with my Lab mix. I thought maybe he would have some ideas for a different approach, but I never heard back from him. I bought a marker training video, but after watching it I could see that it was not appropriate for my dog, and ended up fixing the problems myself with a prong and e-collar.
  
  I don't doubt that there are dogs that would do well with all positive methods.....fearful dogs, for example, but you know the old adage...."one size does NOT fit all". :o)
  ****
  Oh...missed the bunny part. Rabbits are pests, and are not welcome at my house. Especially the one that got up under my hood of my car while it was parked in the driveway and chewed through the wiring. No hugging here. :o)


• I use all clicker training/positive reinforcement with my puppy, but I don't see anything wrong with physical correction with tools like prong collars. Each dog is different, and requires a different approach. My dog is very sensitive, and yelps if she is scolded or given a physical correction, but I have met MANY dogs that are way to head-strong to use JUST positive reinforcement and need discipline too. I hate choke chains, because I have seen time and time again that they don't work well, because people do not know how to use them properly. I used a prong collar for a couple of weeks on Luna, but it just wasn't the right tool for HER. She would walk perfectly with it on, and never pull, but the second that we took it off, she would pull very hard, so I'm working on her to walk well on a leash using just clicker training. It is a VERY slow process, but I think in the end, it will last longer. Lol, I don't trust anyone who says they are a "certified dog trainer"! A certificate doesn't mean they are a good dog trainer! A dog trainer comes from experience and knowledge, not a piece of paper :)
  
  I will make sure to go to the pet store on Sunday and hug a bunny :D


• My opinions -
  Absolutely we should consider different tools. If one doesn't work after really, properly trying it, of course, try something that will work. And learn how to use the tools right, and give it a fighting chance.
  
  Especially for the all positive crowd .... Are there any all positive trainers even here on DS?
  But to your point, if we agree that different tools should be tried, would that include all positive as a tool? Or is that a method?
  
  All I know is that I wouldn't have the patience to do all positive. Dogs speak dog .. and dogs aren't purely positive, they correct each other all the time, it works for them, so it really doesn't make sense to me. Bunnies ... yum. The back legs are meatiest.


• I use positive methods but I'm not a purely positive trainer. Never have been, never will be. I use any method or any tool that will work for me.
  
  I love arguing with people like these. I can usually get them to slink off with their little tails between their legs. My questions usually have something to do with consequences which are corrections. It goes something like this:
  ME so you're a positive trainer
  IDIOT yes I have a degree in so and so dog academy.
  ME so you use no corrections?
  IDIOT no corrections are cruel
  ME so you don't use a collar pull
  IDIOT no
  ME the verbal correction no?
  IDIOT no
  ME do you use positioning?
  IDIOT no
  ME do you use blocking and behavior
  IDIOT what do you mean?
  ME lets say you catch your dog stealing food from the counter. What do you do?
  IDIOT I remove his feet from the counter and tell him to get off.
  ME isn't that a correction by positioning as well as a verbal correction?
  IDIOT ummmm a a a ummmmmm
  ME how do you keep the dog from getting on the counter again?
  IDIOT I pull him back when he tries to get on the counter again
  ME isn't that a collar pull correction?
  IDIOT ummmm a a a ?
  IDIOT I prevent him from jumping on the counter by getting in his way yeah yeah that's how I do it
  ME Isn't that blocking which is also a correction?
  
  By the time I'm done with these people I have their heads spinning. It gets even better when I start adding negative punishment, negative reinforcement, counter conditioning, redirection, rate of reinforcement, etc. I can baffle them with BS everytime they try and get me. Yes I love talking to idiots.
  
  As far as bunnies: They look mighty good on my plate lightly breaded and next to the mashed potatoes and corn.


• Well I used to use the old methods and I do acknowledge that they exist and that probably 95% of all the dog trainers and owners use these methods still, so I know all about them. With that said about 5 years ago I started or better yet saw the light and learnt about positive reinforcement type training and I know it works. I try to always come up with a better way a positive way and for the most part I would consider myself a positive dog trainer now. I am not perfect but I know being positive works 100% better. I wish I could show you I wish you could see what I have done with dogs using positive methods if you could I really think you would start believing also.
  
  Look I see dogs that have issues all the time and the reason these dogs are out there is the owners just didn't train them when the problems started or they used force based training and really messed the dogs up. So can positive reinforcement work with these dogs well to be honest some dogs are to badly ruined and no methods will work. These are the dogs that get euthanized over and over sad that no one will show the link between how they where raised and trained.
  So your question is do I think it is imperative? No I don't 5 years ago I would of said yes but now No! Positive training methods are better all day long I saw the science behind it and I am learning free shaping and positive reinforcement you should too.
  
  Sorry no hugging this weekend I have better plans.You say the trainer was closed minded well if she just started last week then maybe but do you think it is possible that she now knows a better way and couldn't be bothered with going back in time and methods? The old methods and the positive methods don't really work well together at all. Look if you wont buy into the positive training methods thats too bad, I still say you should of given them a good old college try I have never seen a dog get worse because of positive reinforcement.


• I hate the term "all positive" but I will agree that I won't use an e-collar, prong collar, etc in training ANY dog. Although the need for this may occur in a very small handful of cases, it is such a tiny fraction that I won't have the expertise to use it, and would refer to someone who does, for that particular issue, once I have established that it was truly necessary and done other essential training with the dog. I basically follow Bob Bailey's guidelines for the use of punishment
  
  The article is thought provoking, and comes from a lot of experience training a wide variety of animals (including dogs) for commercial and government purposes where reliability was extremely important, and can be read here:
  http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles…
  
  I have excerpted a paragraph that gives a general summary:
  
  My personal view is that virtually all animal training would profit from the use of positive reinforcement. There are a very few circumstances in animal training where the addition of punishment is, in my opinion, extremely worthwhile, and possibly essential. There are a few more situations where adding punishment would likely be very useful. In those rare circumstances where punishment offers potential benefit, it is always to stop some behavior that could cause harm to the animal, a human, or damage or destroy property. In my opinion, and just as examples, this would exclude the use of positive punishment in the training of sport or obedience training and severely restrict punishment in the training of service dogs.
  
  Back to me:
  
  In short, if I am going to use positive punishment (the application of an aversive) I am going to do it in such a way that it is not associated with me or my presence, and is only necessary a scant handful of times. Properly timed and applied punishment should only need to be done 1-5 times to eliminate the behavior. If I am having to do it more, I should be looking at what else is going on. In many cases, positive reinforcement is coming from the environment, rather than from the trainer, and that needs to be reversed.
  
  The caveat with training without using physical corrections is that it does take a different mind set, and a different skill set. It is not simply doing the same thing you did when you trained with corrections, and then not correcting, and many people don't recognize this fact.
  
  I hear the comment, a lot, about considering the necessity for different dogs and different situations, but somehow, what the dog needs generally is less important in the decision than what the trainer is used to using and comfortable with. A trainer who has used an e-collar successfully tends to use it again (hey, positive reinforcement works on humans, too!) on every dog- do all of the dogs NEED it? I don't doubt its efficacy, just its necessity. I've seen trainers put an e-collar on a dog on its second agility lesson because the dog wandered over to see the other owner (husband was training the dog, wife was watching outside of a fence.) The trainer was a seasoned K9 cop (but complete newbie about agility, he didn't have a clue!) and because of his status and experience, the husband allowed him to do this. I'm sure the cop had a lot of experience using the e-collar, but was it necessary? No, there was a lot of other training that needed to happen, that the cop did not understand, so he fell back on what he knew.
  
  I'm perfectly willing to acknowledge that physically aversive technniques exist, and that they can work, just not that they are necessary 99.99% of the time, IF APPROPRIATE OTHER TRAINING IS GOING ON. I do, however, use other techniques, such as negative punishment, extinction, the use of body blocks and space management, and strong management, in addition to positive reinforcement. I'm a huge proponent of teaching dogs Zen (a la Sue Ailsby) as written up here:
  
  http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20dogs/le… also known as Its Yer Choice (Susan Garrett)
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipT5k1gaX…
  
  Please keep in mind that the end behavior isn't a dog who just stays off food, or a toy, but a dog who has learned that the best way to get things is to exhibit self control in all situations.Add: Not all trainers of any kind want to deal with aggression, and I do know quite a few positive reinforcement trainers who either specialize in it, or who include it in their case mix. Funny how people start saying the dog wasn't really aggressive if he responds to +R, even when the dog got worse with more aversive methods... A good read is Pam Dennison's "Bringing Light to Shadow" about working with an aggressive dog.I'm working all weekend, no bunnies for me! And I doubt most bunnies like to be squeezed...

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Dog Health Questions: Best dog training book for problemed dog?

I was going to get a cesar millan book but there are so many and im not sure which one would be the best for my dog.
He is a rescue beagle and has more than his fair share of problems.

-He can be possesive over objects and especially food, we have learnt how to get these objects and food away from him safley but we obviously want to sort that problem out and make sure he doesnt do it all together.
-He has problems with other dogs. When he was in the kennels he got mauled by another dog and left for dead, So he has problems with some dogs on walks. Its quite weird actually because he got on perfectly and had a perfect first meet with my labrador (who is obviously taller than him and is a female) but he can be aggressive towards other dogs. He is never aggressive towards dogs that are smaller than him only dogs that are larger than him. He doesnt go for all dogs but its is more than we want. Also its not like he is trying to 'kill' other dogs more of a horrible playing im not sure how to explain it.
-His call back is crap to say the least, i know that beagles are a very hard breed to train callback but you have to lure this dog in with treats to get him in from the back yard lol.

So if you know a training book that best reflects my dog then can you please let me know about it, thank you

Dog Behavior Training - How Much Does Professional Dog Training Cost?

Recommended Answer:
You need behavioral modification first, obedience training second. You can do it, but realize a few things. Shows like Dog Whisperer and that Victoria Stillwell show are entertaining but misleading. Victoria Stillwell dirties up the whole alpha concept by assigning a definition to it that says you must have to be mean, cruel, and sadistic to a dog in order to train it. Then she pretty much blows off the whole concept in general and tries to suggest you can be equal partners with a dog in a training process where there's only happiness and pleasantness, but no strong physical corrections. But in every show she's still reverting to the basic foundation of obedience training and behavioral modification, showing everyone how to teach their dog to obey and follow their lead and stop trying to get their own way. She's a hypocrite who ties herself up way too much in semantics because it's too politically in-correct to her to refer to what she's doing by exactly what it is: Taking control of your dog and conditioning it to obey you as its leader. Her very premise is idiotic. A highly evolved, intelligent, rational human being CANNOT be equal partners with a dog which has a brain the size of a peanut, and which operates purely based on instinct, repetition, and physical sensation.

Ceasar Milan, Dog Whisperer, is also very entertaining. But it is a bit mis-leading when he walks into a room with a ferocious, territorial dog then browbeats him into submission within 5 minutes by walking slowly towards him going 'PSSST... PSSST...' THERE ARE marathon exercise sessions and obedience training sessions that they don't show in full. He will be the first to tell you, his show is about behavioral modification and not obedience. He minimizes the importance of obedience training but what they don't tell you is the obedience training is still necessary after you've laid the groundwork with behavioral modification. And also that Ceasar doesn't emphasize it because that's not where his strengths lie.

You have to figure out how to communicate to a dog what you want it to do in a given situation somehow. I'm sure Ceasar doesn't walk around all day in his own compound going 'PSSST... PSSST... PSST...' His dogs are taught to obey known commands. He's even been known to send some of his hardest cases to OBEDIENCE TRAINERS. I saw one episode where there was fleeting mention of an electronic stimulation collar and a 2 week training camp before showing the happy ending where he returns a happy, well adjusted dog to its owner. There are times when he acknowledges the problem is beyond his expertise and training tools, and he brings in true obedience trainers for help.

There are lots of different training and behavioral modification techniques out there. MANY of them work well. Some better than others. Some are just more appropriate for different situations than others. Just because it worked for a dog on TV or in a book doesn't mean it'll work for yours. There is often not one right way to do anything, and you shouldn't listen to anybody who tells you one technique or another is always wrong or inappropriate until you understand it for yourself.

Some dogs may back down if you walk towards them calmly and go 'PSST' a bunch of times. Sometimes you have to go for a more forceful, but still humane correction that is strong and memorable and clearly imprints in a dog's head that what they just did was a DEFINITE no-no. Sometimes training tools and corrective collars that alot of people write off as barbaric or cruel are not as physically painful to the dog as everyone will tell you, but are instantly effective in correcting certain behaviors and teaching proper behaviors when used properly. Rather than worrying about one book or one school of training, just do some extensive research on the internet. Learn about all the available techniques and tools and their positive and negative aspects. Come up with a game plan for YOUR dog that makes sense to you based on looking at all the different situations where he acts out and understanding WHY. Then stick to it, and be consistent.

Who Let The Dogs Out? Pointers For In Home Dog Training

• How about hiring a human trainer and having them help you work with your dog? After you get some initial training and help with his behaviors, I'm sure the trainer can recommend a resource to help you continue the training.
  
  ADD: Sounds like you need to find a different trainer then.


• Yeah, I would go ahead and invest in classes or a trainer.
  
  #3, that's the nature of beagles.


• Dogs can't read!

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Dog Health Questions: Therapy dog training for my Golden Retriever?

Well My female Golden Retriever Lilly is well known around the neighborhood and everyone loves her. She is Gentle,loving,kind, happy Even toward other dogs! I was wanting to get he to be a therapy dog but don't know were to train her or certify her.Can anyone help? plz? she loves ppl and I think she could make a difference in this world.

Any information you have will be help-full! I thank you in advance! :)

Hunting Dog Training Equipment

Recommended Answer:
Contact your local ASPCA or Humane society. Im sure they can give you the info you need.

Dog Training Book - Why Buy One? When Everything is Free Online!

• try these sites for more info..
  
  http://www.therapydogs.com/
  http://www.tdi-dog.org/
  https://www.deltasociety.org/

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Dog Health Questions: DS: Why dog training classes rarely address behavior issues beyond puppy/beginning classes?

I was just thinking and pondering that all the dog training classes I've seen no longer address behavioral issues pass beginning. Or do yours?

Is there a reason why most dog training places don't address correcting behavioral issues in classes pass beginning classes? Since behavioral issues will most likely also come up pass puppy months and/or a 8 week beginning course, why wouldn't they also address them in those classes? It's weird to me, because I would think they would continue to.

Given, intermediate and advance classes need a lot time to teach new cues/proof old ones but I think behavioral issues should also be addressed. I don't know. Any opinions or experiences?

A Look At Bird Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
i think the trainers kinda rely on the questions coming from the students.
if they don't have any problems and they are not asked to solve a question,
they don't go there.
my trainers always asked if someone has problems and/or questions.
i have dealt with 4 different trainers.
they adressed jumping, nipping and housebreaking.

Teaching Your Dogs The Basics Of Dog Training

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