Dog Health Questions: Help me with my foster dog!!?

I am fostering to adopt a dog right now. fostering to adopt is fostering a dog and if you choose to adopt the dog you can, otherwise you can give the dog back to the shelter or wait until someone else adopts the dog. The dog is a bernese / border collie mix and he is 7 months old. We started fostering the do because we were very interested in adopting him because he was very sweet and great with our young son. But now we have only had the dog for 5 days and he has severe separation anxiety where he freaks if we are out for even 10 minutes, he howls and tears up our entire house.. The other day we were gone for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes and he tore up all of our venetian blinds and I guess he cut his gums on the blinds because there was blood on them. We also take him out every 2 hours to go pee or whenever he looks like he has to go and he will not pee or poo outside, it seems like he holds it in until we get back. The shelter said he was housebroken. We called bark busters and a few other dog training companies and they said the severe anxiety can turn to aggression and that we cant take the dog to group training lessons like we wanted to the only thing we can do is get private training lessons which will cost 595$ for this guy to come by for 4 hours just to talk about where to start... what should we do about this dog we really like him but don't want all the trouble and a ruined house??

Dog Training - Secrets For Training Your Dog

Recommended Answer:
I've been in a similar position to you when I got my first dog. You just need good information to follow. I called Bark Busters and Dog Tech and got very expensive , not very helpful information. You need education you can apply. Go buy Cesar Milan's Perfect Puppy or Cesar's Way, his techniques are gentle and firm and really work. He's on TV to, The Dog Whisperer.
The person who wrote about crate training is right, in my opinion.
You can crate train, or buy a puppy play pen.. they are bigger. I prefer a pen and what I do with a pup when I get it is start by letting it follow me everywhere, then I feed it in the pen. Put the pups bed in the pen and loads of toys and a water bowl. Get him used to going inside, give him treats, play with him in it. When you know he's sleepy take him to the pen and sit in it with him until he goes to sleep. Then what I'd do is get him used to being in the pen with the gate closed whilst your doing something else. Tel him "pen", give him a treat when he goes in. Close the gate then get on with your business with him in. Don't respond to his whining. But just be around and he will settle down. Personally I'd stay in sight. Then let him settle. Reward him with a treat after he's settled for a minute or so and then let him out. Once you have him dooig this you can increase the time he spends, leave the room etc. Put him to bed at night.I wait til my pup is asleep then I carry him and put him in his bed. I sit and watch TV until he goes off to sleep before I go to bed. After you have this sorted then you have your dog contained, he can't mess everywhere. He can't destroy things that aren't his. When you leave the house do so for short periods of time at first. The idea is he doesn't know how long your going for. Give him something to do. Try peanut butter inside a Kong that has been frozen. Takes them a long time to lick it out. anyway get Cesars book and good luck. Unfortunately it's just patience and putting him in an environment where he can't destroy things. Like you might do with a toddler.
Good luck

Top Dog Training Tips

• bark busters and the other people you called are idiots...
  the best thing that you can do is to take him to classes, it will build his confidence


• This is common for Border Collies, to be honest. They can be very destructive when they're bored. You need to really wear him out; he needs to go on very long, tiring walks as often as possible.


• Try housebreaking 101 again. The animal is in a new home and may not understand he can not go inside there. As far as the separation anxiety goes, lock him up in a crate or make a puppy safe area to put him in so he won't ruin your home. The dog will get over it as he gets older. Need cheaper dog training courses, try petco or petsmart. My petsmart classes cost $100 for 6 or 8 week courses (depending on the training level). Don't give up on the little guy, he just needs some training.


• let me help you :). With separation anxiety, you only have to train your dog to know that you will be back. He might have had a problem before coming to the shelter, like the owner never came back and he was starving. Naturally, no dog nor human would want this, so he gets scared if you leave. When you leave, you might have an order of things, for example, you pick up your keys and then get your coat and walk out the door. If you do have an order, the dog will pick it up and anytime he sees you doing it, it will make him nervous. Do everything regularly, then walk out the door and say good-bye. Walk in about 10 or 20 seconds after, and undo your order. Then go back, do everything again, and say good-bye. Continue doing this, until he stops whining and barking. He will now see that you are coming back. Make each time longer and longer. Remember, repetition is the key! If you do it 5 times, and he doesn't get it, don't give up! Sometimes it takes some dogs longer than others, but it will turn out great if you keep at it. For the housekeeping, take him out oftener and stay there more. Once he does his business for the first time, praise extravagantly! He will learn that going outside is a good thing!


• Training: I would respectfully suggest you read a couple of books and watch some videos on raising and training dogs. Also, I recommend two TV shows, "The Dog Whisperer" with Cesar Millan on the National Geographic Channel, and "It's Me or the Dog," with Victoria Stillwell, on Animal Planet. Both programs are very instructive and often deal with the issues you raise here. Good luck!
  
  Consider that you and your fam have submitted to the dog as pack leader and he is really stressing with you out of his watchful eyes. There are many training aids/books you can consult for tips on reversing this.
  
  In addition, the Border Collie in your dog requires significant intellectual stimulation and exercise, without witch, he will resort to (more) destruction and aggression.


• Do not worry. Whoever said separation anxiety can turn into aggression was an idiot. Also, whoever was going to charge that much has a serious problem. I charge at the most 75 dollars for an initial assessment. Aggression cases are more, and I usually am very reasonable with pricing and payment plans for people on a fixed income, etc.
  First off. You need to start from scratch with ANY shelter dog. No shelter dog is housebroken, and even if they are, the change in environement will stress the dog out, and throw everything out of whack. this can also cause a dog to behave the way you described. It can take sometimes up to 9 weeks for a dog to fully become acclimated to going from a shelter environment to the home environment. Can you say culture shock?
  You need to crate train the dog. I have two dogs that were fosters that I have officially adopted, and both went through the same thing you have mentioned. You just have to start training from scratch, build that bond with the dog, etc. I would take the new dog everywhere with me, and socialize, socialize, socialize. You want to take the dog to experience as many things, animals, and people as possible. Take them to a farm where they can be around livestock or a fair, etc. This will help build their confidence. Take him to the dog park for some dog socialization (as long as he isn't aggressive) which I highly doubt since he was in a shelter situation.
  Crate training will offer you the peace of mind that the dog cannot destroy your home, and cannot hurt himself. You want to rub a towel all over you, and place it in there so he'll be comfortable. Show him the crate, and toss some treats in it so he will associate the crate with good things. Leave the door open for him to go in and out as he pleases, and praise him for going in it. You can put him in the crate for short periods of time, and work your way up. Crate training also helps with housebreaking a dog. If he will not go potty outside, bring him in and place him in the crate, and take him out every ten minutes till he goes. I liked to tie bells to the back door so if my dogs rang them, they would get to go outside. Now, they just go to the back door when they need to potty.
  Crate training isn't mean, and not at all inhumane. It is safe, and since your puppy is still getting used to its new home, a crate will offer him some security. It will be his little den. My dogs don't have to be crated, but when we go to my friend's house, they all curl up in her Mastiff's crate together to sleep. A dog wouldn't choose to do that if it was such a terrible place to be.
  Housebreaking takes a lot of time and patience. Some shelter dogs get it within a few days, like my first one. The second one took almost a month. Now, they are both great, and fully housebroken.
  I've had my second dog since November of last year. He was found, abandoned in a back yard. His mouth was duct taped shut, he was chained behind a shed with no food or water, he was severly emaciated, flea and tick infested, and had some scars on him. He was only 5 mo. It took him a while to come out of his shell. Three months to be exact, and our bond just clicked a few weeks ago. Now, he's a wonderful dog.
  Just be patient, and treat him like you would a brand new puppy who knows nothing. Crate train him, socialize him, exercise him, and love him. Be extremely patient. Trust me, the outcome is worth it. I always tell people not to judge a dog by how it acts the first month or so. If I had, I would have taken both my boys back. Now, they are my world. They are wonderful with children, love people, and other dogs, are amazing protection, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
  If you have any questions please feel free to message me. I'd be happy to walk you through some techniqes that may help you with your pup. Remember, he is also entering adolescence. Dogs can be a little tying at that age, and that is why most of them winde up in shelters. They are like teenage humans. Once you get over the hump, its all great!


• It may be separation anxiety, then again it may be extreme boredom. You have a working breed mix, that needs tons of exercise & mental stimulation, and for his safety, needs to be crated when left alone. If you want a couch potato type of dog, choose an older rescue with an evident temperament. Call the shelter & tell them that this isn't the right dog for your family


• A dog crate can be your, and your dog's best friend!
  Ask if the shelter has one to lend you of look for a used one on Craig's List. The crate will be your pup's den. Always feed him in there, give him treats in there. All his favorite toys, etc. When train a dog in a crate sit by him while he is in the crate and offer good treats. Be calm and reassuring.
  Next, leave him in the crate and leave the room. When you return in a minute reward him! Reward him for choosing to go into the crate on his own.
  Never let the pup out of the crate until he has calmed down. This is NOT going to be easy at first!

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Dog Health Questions: How do we get our young dog used to a Halti Collar?

Our seven month old pup is very big and strong and has a habit of pulling hard on the lead (especially when he sees another dog or a child as he wants to play). To correct this we bought a Halti Coller however when we have tried putting it on him he goes daft and runs about, very distressed trying to remove it. Obviously we don't like seeing him upset and we worry he might hurt his face trying to remove it. Trying to distract him with treats and toys doesn't work at all. Can anyone suggest a good way to gradually get him used to it? It's been suggested that he really hates it as he sees it as being forced into a submissive role - we seem to be in constant battle in asserting our dominane over him , particularly as he is reaching puberty. Anyway, and tips and even your own dog training stories would be really helpful. Thanks.

Dog Training Aids - Best Tips for Using Crates

Recommended Answer:
I use a gentle leader (halti) on my corgi pup. When we put it on her we just had to hold her and fix it to her measurments and everything. When you have it on your pup take it for a walk and bring lots of treats. When it stops and tries and take it off say "Let's go" and call it's name in your best happy/baby voice and show him the treat. If you have trouble putting it on him have another person hold him tightly on a leash then you crouch over him since he is big and fit it to him (if you have already done that great!) or put it on him. If bites or tries to yell "AH AH" and have the person holding him give him a jerk. If you have further trouble call an obidence trainer or behavorist. I used Pet-smart training and they are great my corgi is great now.

Dog Training Secrets Revealed

• There are several ways to go about this. The most important thing is not to give in to his "distressed" behavior as this will only teach him that it will get him what he wants.
  
  When we got a head halter for our first dog, she absolutely hated it. Since we lived in an apartment with no fence, getting her over it wasn't hard. If she wanted to go outside at ALL she had to wear her halter. Didn't take her too long to learn that the head halter meant she got to go outside and she was quickly eager to put it on. My dog trainer is also a fan of this method. Don't put the halti on and then just let him wander around the house/yard. Put it on, clip on the leash (depending on how resistant he is you may have to clip on the leash first) and start walking. when he starts flipping out, ignore the behavior and just keep walking. He will soon learn that the halti is not optional and that fighting like that only makes him tired and he has to do what you say anyway. My trainer recommends gentle leaders for many of the dogs in her classes. At the beginning of a 6 week basic session she has dogs flip-flopping all over the place and refusing to walk because they are fighting the head halter. By the end of the six weeks, most of them are doing a pretty good approximation of heel and very few of them even seem to notice the head halters anymore. Many of her basic dogs also go on to intermediate obedience and her Canine Good Citizen class (where they can not wear the head halter to pass the CGC test).
  
  A more gradual approach would be to associate the halti with yummy treats (not dry milkbones...go for moist or semi-moist treats, at least at first). Take the halti out, let him sniff it and as soon as he moves his nose towards it to sniff it pop a treat in his mouth and remove the halti. Put the halti away for a while then bring it out and again reward him for sniffing it. Once he's eager to see you get the halti out, slip the loop around his muzzle, pop a treat in his mouth, and immediately remove the halti (no more treats for simply sniffing it). Gradually increase the amount of time that the loop stays on before you give a treat. Once he seems comfortable with just the loop on for a minute or so, connect the strap behind his head and immediately give a treat and then remove it. Gradually increase the amount of time he has the halti entirely on. Eventually he will associate wearing the halti with treats and shouldn't fight it (at least not nearly as much).


• I used a halti for about a week. I finally gave up trying to get him used to it - but it was MORE because they can slip out of it than I was irritated that he was walking with his face rubbing the ground.
  
  Twice he slipped out of it by squirming and that scared the bejeesus out of me. It has the safety latch so I was still connected to him via the slim line that connects to their collar but I then had NO control over him.
  
  I got my pup from the Humane Society and I admit - as my first dog - I probably didn't choose him correctly. Granted, any knowledgeable person at the Humane Society should have recognized this and refused me adoption of this particular pup but they are overworked/underpaid and I think relieved that they wouldn't have to put another one to sleep. I picked my dog (10 months old) because he chased the ball, brought it back, and dropped it for me to throw again). Seemed like a smart dog.
  
  I went through normal collars (getting dragged along), choke collars, all he did was choke himself and hack to death and the "popping" that you are supposed to do really bothered me (I was afraid I was going to snap his windpipe in half), the halti - which he slipped out of twice and now to a pinch collar.
  
  Here's my halti experience. I don't think that it is soooo much that he is fighting losing dominance - I think it is more about what it feels like on his face. Remember the first time you wore a turtleneck?? You probably spent the entire day pulling at the neck because it felt weird. I think the dog is experiencing the same phenomenon. It is just about getting him used to it.
  
  I would put it on while he is lying around the house. NOT just while you are getting ready to walk with him. He will be excited with the walk and irritated with the thing covering his face. He is not going to hurt his face while trying to remove it, dogs aren't that dumb! Just like you didn't go get a hacksaw to fix that turtleneck, they won't do anything ridiculous!
  
  Putting the halti on around the house will desensitize him to it. Put it on - set a timer for 5 minutes and distract him while it is on - play ball, belly rubs, whatever - but don't let him focus on the halti. Do this two or three times a day and extend the period of time he is wearing it in a non-walking situation.
  
  Once he is used to it - on the walk, do NOT let him misbahave and try to "wipe" the thing off his face. Keep his head up (it's a pain - I know -remember my dog spent an entire walk trying to wipe it off his face). It will get better. By the end of the week my dog didn't mind it so much, but after the second time he slipped out of it (and yes it was on appropriately) I couldn't have the lack of control.
  
  Now, to the type of collar you didn't ask about - the pinch collar. Many people will tell you that it is inhumane - I PROMISE that the pinch collar is more human than a choke collar for the following reasons
  
  1.) first and foremost - the dog does not get speared or injured by the prongs - they DO NOT penetrate the skin
  2.) the dog WILL NOT pull itself to choking with the pinch collar because the prongs prevent that - therefore there is no choking hazard with this collar - the "pinch" stops them from doing that which means that they aren't pulling!!
  3.) you do not "pop" the leash with the prongs (no need to - a gentle pull is all that is needed and they feel the "pinch"
  4.) This collar also mimics how dogs behave in nature (see Cesar Millan's the Dog Whisperer).
  
  I was still skeptical over whether I was doing the right thing with the pinch collar. I wanted to be humane but I was never in control of my dog with the regular collar, choke collar or halti. On an episode of Cesar Millan (first season) he helped a dog whose owner used a pinch collar and Cesar explained to the audience the theory behind the collar. When dogs "misbehave" in a pack, the pack leader comes over and bites the misbehaving dog - and where do dogs bite? On the neck! So the pinch mimics the pack leaders "bite" to get attention and to say - hey - stop what you are doing it is not acceptable to me.
  
  I think MANY MANY dogs owners on yahoo answers will tell you Cesar Millan is amazing (The Dog Whisperer on National Geographic channel). And when he said that pinch collars were ok to use, I felt a million times better about using mine.
  
  Here's what some dog trainers say about the halti. The halti is not a training tool. Once you remove the halti and go to a normal collar, you will be in the pulling battle again. Pinch collars are a training tool. I am now able to walk my dog using a REGULAR leash attached to a regular collar with no/little pulling (if we see a squirrel we still have some issues . . .)
  
  I wish you luck - practice makes perfect, whatever tool you use. Desensitize desensitize desensitize and kudos to you for wanting to be in control of your dog.


• I have an American Bulldog/Staffy mix puppy, 10 months, and he also is a VERY strong puller. I have had great success with the Gentle Leader (same as the Halti) and am now in the process of weaning him off of it, as any head collar is to be used as a training device ONLY. The ultimate goal is to have the dog walking nicely on a regular collar and lead eventually.
  
  Keep associating wearing the Halti with treats and petting. You can also either allow your dog to tantrum for a few minutes, ingoring it, then give the "Let's Go!" command (or whatever you use to signal leaving), or immediately leave after putting it on him and don't give him a chance to tantrum. I've done both; your dog won't hurt himself and should forget that he's wearing it if you make your walks interesting and fun. Whatever you do, DO NOT give the tantruming any attention. And honestly, your dog will probably never LIKE wearing the head collar, but train him correctly and quickly and he should be out of it in no time.
  
  Also, don't be shy about asserting yourselves with your dog. YOU are the owner, not him. Sure, he doesn't like to wear a head collar, and is distressed, but aren't YOU distressed and unhappy when your dog is dragging you down the street?? So don't be afraid to show him who is in charge, especially at such a critical time in his development. He needs you to be firm now more than ever, if he is to be a happy, well-behaved, well-mannered adult dog.
  
  Best of luck!


• Have you considered using just a plain harness? I have a Rotty who I use just a harness on because she has no aggressive or behavioral problems..So I don't really need as much control over her.
  However I do have to muzzle my Bluetick hound, as he is quite ill tempered and erratic.
  
  I had *alot* of trouble training him with it though. I included an article that will hopefully be of some assistance to you! Good luck!

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Dog Health Questions: How to teach my dog to do this?

Is it possible to train difficult dogs? My dog is friendly, loving, lovable and a great companion. But even by taking her to dog training classes she has always failed to learn any commands. We love her but it's quite obvious she is pretty stupid lol.
Finally I taught her to sit and I know when I say certain things she understands. Like if I say "walk" she runs and hides because she doesn't like being walked. If I'm talking and say "I'm going to bed" she immediately runs down to bed. If I say "Mum" in a sentence she looks at my mum. If I say "Lauren" in a sentence she look at my sister. So it has become obvious she is not quite as stupid as she seems. She is very stubborn and it is impossible to even force her to lie down or touch her paws or roll over. She's only a very small breed of dog and would never dream of hurting anyone but she resists so hard it's just impossible and I don;t want to hurt her. So I want to teach her stuff like how to shut a door, how to jump up onto stuff like a sofa for EXAMPLE.
How do I go about doing this?
Thanks

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

Recommended Answer:
What appears as stubborness or stupidity is actually fear. I bet if you used a more gentle tone as cue rather than a command, she would respond better, once she learns not to be afraid of you.

Learning new things in a class full of other dogs can be very intimidating for a dog, espcially one that not accustomed to being in that environement. What that tells me about your dog is that she is out of her comfort level and can't learn, not that she is dumb. Think of a situation where you walked into a room full of strange people, and you felt like they were watching you. Were you able to learn or even perfom something uo already know?

The fact she is afraid of her walks says that she is over threshold for her fear level when she is in that environment.

Dogs that 'freeze' or stop doing anything, refuse behaviors, avoid eye contact, yawn, stretch, turn their head away, or eyes glaze over when you give a command are afraid. Turid Rugaas wrote a book that will help you learn what your dog is communicating to you. It's called "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals." You can oder it throguh www.dogwise.com . It's a little book and cheap.

By offering thse behaviors the dog is trying to calm you down in a situation she feels is stressful. When it doesn't work and you talk louder, or keep insisiting she does a behavior, she offers more calming signals in an effort to avoid confrontation. So the cycle escalates.

I'd be interested to know why you think clicker training won't work for her. I think it might be the best thing as it is a hands off training where the dog learns to offer behaviors with no threat of punishment. The communication is very clear "Yes! you did that correctly-and you get a treat for doing so!" And you don't have to actually use a clicker, you can use a marker word like "Yes!" instead.

If she doesn't like treats, it tells me you need to try harder to find something she likes. Cooked liver bits? Bits of hard mild cheese? Cooked chicken bits? I have not yet met a dog that didn't like all of these, even the fussy ones! You can use these to motivate her to learn new things.

Here is a free online training program that teaches you how to train yuor dog and along the way, she'll learn behaviors she needs to be a great family dog.
http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/%2…

I wish I lived closer or I would help you learn how to communicate with and train your dog.

Dog Training Fundamentals

• I have a Pitty mixed and he was so stubborn and strong willed it was ridiculous..give her activities that would make her interested and reward her with treats she should catch on. No dog is to difficult to train if given the right amount of time and dedication into their training.


• It sounds like you just haven't found a training method that works for her - I suggest looking into clicker training.


• I know some dogs that are difficult to train and it's assumed they're stupid when they can actually be very, very smart. If you have a smart dog it just may take a little more to train her. Try different training methods. Maybe she needs more training then your average dog or maybe she just needs to be more mentally challenged. But all dogs can be trained.


• treats or the best way plus dvd on learning just don't over treat them but no he may be difficult but he is still trainable


• If my puppy is not responding to training, I don't blame the puppy, I reevaluate myself. If my puppy is not responding to commands, I change them. Each of my dogs has different words, sounds, hand signals they respond to, so if one is not responding, I just keep running down words or sounds or hand signals until I see what that puppy is responding to. There is no law that says you have to use come, sit, stay, if your dog sits when you say popcorn, then use popcorn. We have doggie stairs, probably bought at walmart of a pet store so our puppies can get on the bed and one for the couch. I think we put a puppy treat on each step until they learned to climb up them. I think you need to just practice with her to find what she responds to. One of my dogs I used signs from sing language, his daughter, I used thumbs up for things I wanted her to do, and I shook my finger at her like I was scolding for things I didn't want her to do. You just have to reevaluate yourself and find what she responds to and run with that.


• yeah, i've the same problem as you do,
  but since i get dog personal trainer,
  i don't have any problem again with that.
  source :
  www.training-dog.co.cc

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Dog Health Questions: Please help me with my dog problem!?

I am moving to Cortland NY from Binghamton NY in August with my fiance so she can go to SUNY Cortland College. Well at the same time I will be attending Animal Behavior College to be professionally certified in dog training and it says that I need access to a dog that I can train with but the landlord doesnt allow pets. I won't have any family nearby and I kinda need the dog to do the schooling so what can I do? Please help! Need to find a solution.

Enroll Your Pet to Dog Training School to Modify Behavioral Problems

Recommended Answer:
You need to find another apartment complex. That is the only solution really. You can TRY to buy over your landlord, but thats not the best way to go. And since you don't really no anybody finding a place for the dog to say would be tough. New apartment is being called for!

Dog Training Basics - Some Tips to Help You Start Training Your Dogs

• feed him


• put a wanted ad on craigs list.find someone with a dog that would like free training in your area or on the way to school' everybody wins.


• couldn't you volunteer at a local animal shelter?


• take him in the apartment or whatever anywayz the landlord won't find out i'm pretty sure other ppl in the apartments have animals


• I would not take the chance moving the dog in your rental place if the landlord has already told you so. You are looking at getting evicted. I would seriously be looking at another place that accept pets. .


• Hi ,
  Well i found this really helpful guide ,its a really professional training called sit stay fetch , it teaches you how to train your dog by yourself , check it out at http://www.dogobediencetraining.co.nr , its a easy step by step book and videos. Hope this helps you with your dog
  Good luck

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training please HELP!?

I am worried about my puppy. He has started tearing up his wee wee pads and I know it's a bad thing to teach them to go on the pads and not outside. I was doing great with his training but my husband and I have decided to separate and its been a whirlwind and ive stopped paying attention to him. I absolutely love him and do not want to give him away simply because I am going through a hard time. Things are setting now and I want to see if you all had advice on how t o get him back into a routine he is almost 16 weeks old. He is a maltese/poodle mix. As of now he is tearing up his wee wee pads and pees on the floor where the wee wee pad had been. He is normally in the kitchen I have crated him before and he does not seem to soil in the crate while I am out but normally I am out 8 hours a day at a time. I really love him and want to teach him. Any suggestions?

Dog Training Clicker - Why Use a Clicker?

Recommended Answer:
The dog can tell you're upset. The other day, I was having a BAD day, I cried and yelled and all that--LOL-- and he could tell. When I went to tuck my DD into bed, he ran into our office and peed on the floor. The ONLY accident he has had-EVER! He was reacting to my mood.

That being said, get back to training to go pee outside. If you are having a rough time, a walk is a great way to give the dog exercise AND to clear your mind. I filled my MP3 player up with all sorts of fast paced songs and go walking...it helps!

Dog Training Secrets

• Be patient with your puppy, going to a corner and peeing is a big accomplishment for them, just like going to the corner of the yard is a big accomplishment for a grown dog. Do your very best to spend as much time with him as possible. Discipline him when he does bad, but do not yell or strike him. Speak in a strict tone that will let him know he did bad.


• Hey I had the same problem. My resolution was to crate Chewie overnight, and then first thing in the morning, I took him outside and waited until he relieved himself, praised him, and brought him back in. Same thing for afternoons, but in the beginning do it at least 5 times so that way your puppy knows that going outside is the place for him to go potty.


• Well the above answer, "teach them when they are young" is not at all helpful. The dog is not "young" anymore but it is yes still trainable. When you are home take it outside!! Dogs will find joy in going outside and associate it with good.
  I would not wan to pee in my room(crate) either.


• Dog training: the process of teaching a dog to perform certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand. It is a general term which does not, by itself, describe what or how the dog is taught.
  
  More training tips, http://is.gd/7oSgS


• teach them while therre young


• give your dog more time.. be patient while teaching ur pet :)

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Dog Health Questions: Could anyone tell about dog training DVDs?

i really need it.
thanks

Dog Training - Avoiding Common Training Mistakes

Recommended Answer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lsNOX7-l2I0
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3uj1IhJmpME
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LDyyGMa3Sc8
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XryUAV2atu4

Electronic Dog Training Collar

• I normally use a "frisbie'


• You mean like these?
  http://www.totalretriever.com/
  
  Like these you will find that most of them are very specific in content. So you will need to narrow your search substantially.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training book?

can anyone suggest an obediance training book preferably geared specifically for adult dogs that might be available at a library? (not something that needs to be ordered online or something. thanks!

Common Gun Dog Training Equipment

Recommended Answer:
Try:
Good Owners, Great Dogs, by Brian Kilcommons
The Other End Of The Leash, by Patricia McConnell
Don't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor

Good luck.

5 Dog Training Tips to Stop Barking

• The dog listener by Jan Fennell, not only tells how to train but why dogs do what they do, a dog owners bible.


• I agree...the Dog listener is a great book. Try that one!

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Dog Health Questions: Stupid dog training?

OK all I was trying to do this morning was take my freakin dog on a walk. My other retarded dog ran out of our yard (even though she was supposed to be inside) and he just went bazarre. I tried walking him the other direction so he wouldn't pay attention. (the other dog has no training whatsoever and will not come so I was stuck) Anyways when I tried to get him to go the other way he just would not come and this just pissed me off so much!!! I mean he wasnt pulling the other way or anything he just simply refused to go the other way because HE did not want. HE wanted to followed airhead!!!!!!!!! I dont want him getting away with this, what should I do? OH and hes a 90 pound lab so i cant really drag him half a mile around our neighborhood.

Dog Training Aids - Best Tips for Using Crates

Recommended Answer:
I call it stupid people training =).... seek a trainer. i have honestly seen very few stupid dogs

The Importance of Dog Training

• I think the first step is to actually train your other dog. Then maybe you won't have to deal with this any more.


• It's too late to punish your dog for this. He won't be able to associate what he did earlier with the punishment.
  
  All you can do is continue training him so this won't happen again in the future. Practice training him with distractions so he will be more apt to listen to you in similar circumstances.


• Take both dogs to basic obedience classes. There are very few stupid dogs. There are many many people who have no clue how to train their dogs.


• Train your dogs comes to mind right away. Your dogs are not stupid. Don't blame them for your mistakes in not training them.


• When you show anxiety and frustration (which it sounds like you are) the dog can sense that. You can't expect your dog to read your mind and be perfect. Your dogs not stupid, it's just feeding off your energy and if it's not trained it just follows his instincts.
  
  Call a trainer and relax.


• I can see why your dog on leash wanted to follow your other dog. That's pretty natural. Your "airhead" is running around having a grand time, so the other wants to join in. How can you blame him?
  
  I think what you really need to do is train the "airhead" so that you can take both dogs on a walk together. It's not fair to take one dog for a walk and leave the other home. No wonder the dog wants to break out and run away!
  
  Sign up for an obedience class.
  
  And why weren't you trying to catch your dog and get him back in your yard/house? Just because he doesn't come when you call, you just let him run amuck and maybe get hit by a car? Get some MEAT out of the fridge and let him see/smell, and he will come to you.


• Usually dog training problems can be found at the UPPER end of the leash.


• This is an ID 10 T error. You need to train you other dog as well. Stop being so lazy and off your dead @ss and do some training. If you are too retarded to do the training bring your dogs to a class. Better yet give your dogs to someone who knows what they are doing!!!


• Carry really good treats and give them to your dog when he does something you like, or when you need to lure him into doing something. You might also take a class so you can learn how to work with your dogs.
  
  www.fearfuldogs.com

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training question.?

I have a 4 year old german shepard.. when we got him we really didnt know how to properly train a dog , instead we figured he wud just behave on his own... well ofcourse dats not the case so most of his life we have had to keep him either chained or in his crate but i started training him and hes good around the house and hes trained to use the bathroom outside but he has a thing where he likes to jump on my bed and when i try to remove him he gets aggressive. i would like to know what i should do to make him stop jumping on my bed and acting that way cuz im afraid he might bite one day, my other options are putting him to sleep... we tried a shelter... and he didnt eat for 3 days so thats not a option, plz help?

Dog Training - How to Train Your Dog Successful

Recommended Answer:
When he is getting aggressive he is most likely thinking you are playing with him. You need to let him know that you are the dominate "dog" before you put the dog to sleep contact a trainer who does in home sessions. Remember you are always training an animal and that sometimes we as people need to learn how to effectively train ourselves before we can train an animal.

Dog Training - Teach Your Dog the Sit Command at Once

• You have to re-establish the fact that you are the boss, not him. Obedience training will help to get the point across. He especially needs to learn the down and stay commands.
  There are also small mats that you can buy online and at pet stores that you place on a bed or couch that will give him a very mild zap to get him off. Good luck!


• Okay he thinks he is top dog alpha male. When he gets on your bed make him get off and put him in another room. After a little while let him out and every time he doesn't get up there reward him with a treat and LOTS of praise! Don't ever show him aggression and don't ever hit him. Show him alot of love. This might take a while but STAY consistent. Make sure he gets outside to run or take him on walks. And make sure your your signifigant other is involved in this as well


• Your German Shepherd is most likely a dominant male (I just recently adopted one myself). Being on the bed to a dog is a "status" symbol. To him, only the "top dog" should sleep there and he definetely thinks he's it. And your right, it can be a dangerous situation. By trying to remove him you are in a sense "challenging" him, and if he senses any fear by you about being bitten he won't budge and may give a warning bite to let you know to back off of "his" turf.
  
  You said he is also crated & chained alot. THAT is the culprit of all your trouble right there. You have a HIGH energy breed (mine can run 10 miles a day along a bike plus gets 2-4 more miles of walks) If you take a race horse and put him in a stall eventually he's gonna get "kicking mad" Not that your dog is "mad" but he is very frustrated. Imagine if you had all the energy in the world, and someone put you in a closet, or bedroom and thats where you stayed with no hope of hardly ever going anywhere else....you would begin to have alot of pent up frustration & energy, this is what your dog is going thru....and the dominant aggression issue is the end result. All dogs must have a minium of 45 min walks per day, preferrably twice a day (some breeds or individual dogs may need more....way more).
  
  The breed is VERY loyal. He wouldn't eat at the shelter because of this. But a dog will never starve himself to death. Eventually HE WILL eat. However a dog like this may have a hard time being placed. As he's going from a crate to a cage in the shelter, he will not only continue to have the pent up frustration and energy, he is now in a scary new enviroment to boot.
  
  I would suggest looking for a German Shepherd rescue http://www.petfinder.com (type in German Shepherd in the search box) if you don't want to get a trainer or want to work with him. The shelter would be the 2nd choice.....it's better then just taking him in and having him put down as he at least has a shot at a good home maybe.
  
  Or......better yet you can work with him. He will repay you 10 fold for it! :) Start by walking him in the mornings and again in the evenings. For now, put him in the crate when you go to bed (crates are like their den so he won't mind if it's only to sleep there). In the meantime, learn how to PROPERLY interact with him and deal with him. This can be done by the following:
  
  Watch "The Dog Whisperer" on national geographic channel friday evenings (you can also get his DVDs & Book "Cesars Way" off ebay...he shows you WHY your dog is doing what it's doing and how to deal with an aggressive dog).
  
  For obedience training check out Barbra Woodhouse (you can also find her stuff on ebay or petstores)
  
  David Dikeman - Command Performance vol 1 & 2 (this is a bit more advance training methods but yields foolproof results, but you have to be commited to working several weeks with the dog using his methods).
  
  A simple way to train your dog to walk on the leash (as I'm betting thats why you don't walk him....he pulls like a sled dog lol) is get a 6' leash, and holding ONLY the handle walk in a line, as soon as he starts going ahead of you or trying to pull promptly turn the opposite direction with no warning and walk. He will get caught by the leash and learn real fast it's better to stay by your side then out ahead. You can also purchase off ebay for a few bucks something called a "halti headcollar" it works like a horses halter and leads the head so the body must follow......drastically reduces pulling and works quite well. It doubles a muzzle only if the dog suddenly lunges (which prevents biting) otherwise it hangs loose and he can keep his mouth open normally.
  
  Hope this helps.REY- Read your update. This bite you describe is a warning bite. My GSD I just adopted was a guard dog his whole life and bit me 10 times in a row for being corrected on a leash (that was also the LAST time he did it too.....lol...he's getting better about stuff). If your dog ever does that again, DON'T MOVE just freeze. But this is definetely a DANERGOUS situation. He definetely thinks he's boss in your house & you both. The warning bite is how dogs correct each other....he was "correcting" you for trying to move him off "his" bed. If you have the money, you really need to consult a professional at this point, you have a ticking time bomb on your hands....HE WILL DO IT AGAIN. You will find he's fine....as long as you allow him to do EVERYTHING he wants to do, but as soon as you tell him he can't do something your gonna run into trouble. I still recommend viewing the Dog Whisperer, as I said he will show you WHY your dog is doing this and how to handle it but watching any show is no replacement for a real life trainer. I would suggest at this point maybe finding a rescue for him. There is usually one in every state. If you have any further questions your welcome to email me. Or check out my group at:
  
  http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/dogwh…Someone here mentioned a prong collar. While this is normally good advice, a prong collar can BRING ON an attack in this situation. This was the VERY REASON my GSD attacked me (and yep it wa fitted properly). If you look on the tag when purchasing one, most will say "not to be used on aggressive dogs". This is because a prong acts like a "bite correction" to the dog that dogs give each other. However, IF YOUR GSD CONSIDERS HIMSELF ALPHA AND THINKS YOU JUST GAVE HIM A BITE CORRECTION (via prong collar, an extension of you) HE VERY WELL MAY TURN ON YOU BIG TIME! Otherwise, that would work to keep him from pulling, but for now I would stick with the halti-headcollar.


• You have already received some wonderful answers, so I will only add to this based on my personal experience with dogs.
  
  First, congrats on recognizing that you haven't trained your dog. I wish more dog owners would recognize this. Second, I'm happy you are now training him - it's never too late.
  
  As was stated by others, your dog thinks he's the "alpha". After a dog is properly obedience trained and you are firmly established as the "alpha", there is nothing wrong with him sleeping on a bed - as long as he knows you are the boss. If you tell him "off" he should immediately respond. If not, you must correct him. But you aren't at that stage yet. First, you have to establish yourself as the "top dog" (or alpha).
  
  Before working on the bed issue, I'd take a few steps back. Get a prong collar (have someone at the store show you how to properly use it - if not attached to the dog correctly or if used improperly, the collar could be ineffective or painful to your dog) and a leash. Then, empty a can, but about 20 pennies in it and re-seal it (tin foil taped on works fine). Lastly, get some of your dog's favorite treats (kibble is also fine), but make it something he can eat fast.
  
  Start to go for a walk. A dog that thinks he's in charge will pull you and walk in front of you. It's time to change that. Whenever your dog pulls you, give a jerk on the leash. The leash will tighten the prong collar and give your dog a little "nip" on his neck. This is the exact same nip an alpha dog will give to his packmates in nature (and I don't mean "in the wild", although that is true - but I mean in all packs of dogs. There is always an alpha that emerges who will control the other dogs.). You are giving your dog a nip to say "hey, I don't like that!". Immediately follow that nip with the command "heel" and then show him what heel is (that is, pull him back to your side). Before resuming your walk, tell him to "sit". If he doesn't, jerk the leash again, say "sit" and push him into the sit mode. If he already knows how to sit, then he knows what you mean, he just won't do it. So the jerk on his collar is needed. After he is sitting, then resume your walk.
  
  Repeat the above as needed. Every time he walks in front of you, pull the leash. Once he gets that he is only to walk by your side, he will stop pulling. The can with pennies serves as a great reminder. If he's walking fairly well by your side, but starts to get a bit ahead of you, shake the can once at him, then firmly say "heel". The noise simulates an alpha dog's bark. This is your way of reminding him that when you say "heel", it means right by your side and nothing more.
  
  Once you get this down, you have done a lot more than train your dog to walk and sit properly - you have started establishing yourself as the alpha dog.
  
  Now bring this inside. If your dog hops on the couch, shake that can at him once (do not rattle the can, just one hard shake), with a firm "Off". Do not scream it, do not ask it, just be authoritative. Tell him off. If he doesn't do it, pull him off the couch repeating the command.
  
  If he shows aggression on the couch as you reach to pull him off, you may have to restart this process. Get him off the couch in some manner - perhaps with a treat. Put his prong collar and leash back on him. When he hops on the couch, repeat the above - shake the can once, then say off. If he doesn't respond, get up, say off, again and then pull him off the couch by the leash. Like with the heel command outside, the jerk on his collar is your nip saying, "Hey! I said OFF the couch and I mean NOW!"
  
  Treats are important as is praise. For example, during your heel command, jerk him back to you, say "heel" again. When he stands by your side, say "good boy, good heel" and reward with a treat. Same is true for the "sit" command outside. When you get him off the couch with the "off" command, again, say "good boy, good off" and reward with a treat. The goal is to show your dog that when you say something and he ignores you or shows aggression, he will get a nip on the neck or a bark in the ear (with the can). But if he listens to you, he gets lots of praise and a treat!
  
  I used the couch in my example above as usually dogs love couches. But the same can be used for a bed. Many people, though, love to have their dogs stay on a bed at night. During this training time, this will have to change. You need to establish yourself as the top dog and him on the bed is not good until you are firmly in charge. So he may need to sleep in his crate. Once you have him fully obedient, then he may be allowed back on the couch.
  
  Do not give him up to a shelter again. That's ignoring the fact that your family are, well, bad dog owners. You did things wrong and when it got out of hand, you blamed the dog and not yourselves. Instead, it's time to take action and train him. I gave you the basic tips above, but I STRONGLY recommend you get him (and yourself) to an obedience training class where you can receive proper instruction on how to train him and how you can be in charge. Trust me, it is worth it. A well trained dog is a joy to be around. You won't fear him biting you. If you need him to be calm, you can make him be so. This is NOT about breaking a dog's spirit - but rather, taking control. Dogs want someone to be in charge. If they fail to see that "alpha" in the house, they will take on that job. However, if you take on that job, they will gladly step aside. That's less stress for them.
  
  The big trick to training, though, is to be authoritative (never yell or hit, even if you are frustrated - this does nothing), consistent (that is, don't train one way one day and then another way a different day), correct his behavior AS he does it wrong (it does no good to correct his behavior well after the fact) and then reward/praise all good behavior.
  
  If you start this now, within a month, you should notice a TREMENDOUS difference. By early July, you might have a happier dog that never growls at you. If you want him off the bed, a simple "off" is all you need (and again, all dogs need reminders, so sometimes you need to give him one, by squeezing the top of his neck to give him a "nip" to say "hey, I said off and I'm in charge, so do it now!").
  
  Hope this helps and good luck!


• Hi, I had many of the same problems as you training my dog. He was very disobedient!
  
  I found lots of good information on the internet and talking to my friends who had similar proplems with their pups.
  
  Starting to ask questions on here is a very good start you will find some good info.
  
  I hae had lots of success from one site (see sources). I learned to train my dog really fast and It while it took some efoort it is well worth it as now my dog is a joy to be around!

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Dog Health Questions: DS: The Koehler Method of Dog Training?

What's your opinion? Know any dogs trained with Koehler? How did they turn out?

I'm asking because I'm probably gonna buy the book for my dog, and I'm just wondering how others did using this method. Thanks!

Rescue Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Yes - I've known more than a few and they turned out very well.

As with everything -- use what works for you and your dog and discard the rest.

Training Your Dog at Home - Save Thousands of Dollars on Dog Training

• I am sure that there are methods in the book that you can incorporate into your own training routine. Just don't take everything as the gospel truth, as with any training method. It depends on the dog and how it responds to which method of training.
  
  BTW can someone tell me WTF a "qualified" trainer is. I have seen this mentioned on many post today by a level 1 newcomer and have no idea what it means?
  
  feeling a little bltchy tonight LOL


• I'm just looking into these training methods. I use to know some people with the most well behaved Dobermans ever and they only trained using the Koehler method.
  
  About a month ago I purchased a 1962 hard-copy edition in great shape of "The Koehler Method of Dog Training" from half.com for $2.98 (under $7 with shipping).
  
  I have not read it yet, but you will find some great book scores off of half.com. It's owned by eBay but it's NOT an auction. The sellers are rated like eBay sellers, but you are purchasing outright. I would never purchase from someone with less then a 98% rating.
  
  Just an FYI.
  .


• My opinion? Nothing is brilliant about Koehler. Many people think his method is ingenious, but it's anything but! Koehler is old and outdated. Yes, it's been around for decades, but decades have come and gone since then! What was a brilliant training method back then isn't now. This is the 21st century for heaven's sake! Things have changed. People have found more effective ways to train dogs without fear or force.
  
  William Koehler's training methods are outdated and barbaric! There will ALWAYS be everlasting fans of his unfortunately, but hopefully they will get outnumbered by people who are finding a BALANCE or a MIDDLE GROUND between two very opposite methods aka positive reinforcement and the dominance/alpha/pack leader method.
  
  I despise this website! http://www.koehlerdogtraining.com/ The two people who wrote that lecture clearly think quite highly of themselves.
  
  Usually, it's the older generation that swears by Koehler because they're always set in their ways. They don't have the decency to hold their heads up, swallow their pride and realize that there are BETTER training methods!
  
  I really hope you don't choose this training method for your dog. It's sad to see someone as young as you choose a method that has been scrapped (by anyone who has common sense) for quite a while now.
  
  ADD: You mentioned in one of your previous questions that you were a teenager.


• I used this method with an airedale terrier, with disastrous consequences. Note that I did not do it on my own, but attended obedience classes with a trainer who practiced Koehler's methods. My dog turned out aggressive, yet fearful, took 2 1/2 years to housebreak and was completely untrustworthy with other dogs and cats.


• Not a fan at all....
  
  It is a must read if you're a serious trainer no doubt but it's beyond dated. Those books HURT more dogs than they help.
  
  Koehler trained military dogs, if they didn't "survive" his training oh well, junk, get me some new ones they failed. Unless you have the same philosophy with pet dogs, his methods simply don't overlap. The other argument is his work with Disney which is the same concept...if the dog wasn't to his liking aka not hard enough to take the extreme amounts of pressure he put on them, he'd get another dog and write that one off.
  
  It's also based on a timeline. You can have a loose timeline that's fine, but you're an idiot if you think you can make some "schedule". You bring dogs around when they're ready, you don't follow some schedule. HUMAN error, the dog, his temperament, different things can result in a dog who's slower to catch onto things (or faster). You have to work around the dog unless...like I said before, you trash dogs that don't fit your routine. You can't MAKE a dog be what you want them to be and if the dog is slower there's nothing you can do but be patient.
  
  If you've taught him everything with reward, and he's blowing off your commands? Feel free to go Bill Koehler on him. He deserves a correction. BUT if his lack of performance is due to you NOT rewarding his good behavior with high value food/toys/play or because you're boring him to death, that's a handler error. You're working with an animal with an attention span of .02 seconds. You have to remain animated, up beat, know when to give treats for his focus etc. I move around, when I get eye contact or good focus I reward etc etc. When the dog has definitely learned what I want, and has learned that training can be fun, then I add corrections if he so chooses not to obey. It's a clear choice. DO it and be rewarded. Don't do it, be corrected, and be forced to do it, and NOT be rewarded. That's plain common sense that even an animal with a 4 ounce brain can understand.
  
  Like I said, it's an interesting read, but even my mom back in the 70's had surpassed this crap and used food rewards with her dogs (and did very well vs the "never give a dog food or they'll only work for food" crowd).
  
  Look at the top AKC OB dogs, the top 5 Sch dogs, the top 5 FR dogs, and the top 5 Agility and Mondio Ring dogs and I bet you they all have owners who believe in reward, markers, and motivation before they ever correct a dog. Results speak LOUDLY. The best dog trainers on this planet bar none are French...Germans, Slovaks, Czechs, all make fun of them for being "soft" trainers...but they give corrections when needed and at the end of the day they take WEAKER dogs than the Germans/Czech/Slovaks train, and train them to do MORE. They can bring a weaker dog to competition and win simply because their training is more solid. To me that makes it pretty clear that a bond, and reward based teaching systems + Corrections = well trained dog.
  
  PS: I know somebody is going to say something stupid such as: "Not everybody trains protection sports"...granted, but in case you haven't noticed 95% of protection sports is obedience, heeling, positions, control under EXTREME drive...if you can control a dog in the situations in protection sports, life around the house/dog park isn't ****. That's why when I talk about training and trainers I talk about these dog sports, that's why some of the best trainers come from these disciplines.


• I have used some of the methods on Rock. I think that training a dog should be with more than one training method, and it's more of a figuring out what will work best in the current situation. I've never met a dog that's been trained only on the Koehler method, though.


• I train based upon the Koehler Method. The dogs do great. We get happy, willing workers who live for the praise and think the best place to be in any crisis is at the Heel position with their owner. Bomb-proof dogs. Just tear out the back half of the book. He gets too rough for my taste.


• I'm currently reading one of his books, but i don't think I've met a straight Koheler trained dog.
  
  Obviously his methods work, some of them are still good today.
  
  Personally, I find it harsh at times.


• I bought the book, joined the group and I found it interesting.
  
  I agree with some of the basic concepts.....I think its helpful to allow a dog to learn from natural consequences and make the dog pay attention to the handler, since he doesnt know what the handler will do next.
  
  All my dogs know too much to hit the end of the leash, but I tried doing 90 and 180 degree turns with six of my dogs. Some of them responded very well, and some didnt.
  
  My sensitive Westie mix shut down. One foster dog, who did not respond to my usual approach to forging, started watching me carefully, and seemed to actually enjoy the training. My big, insensitive Lab mix was unimpressed (but it takes LOT to impress him). The other three dogs started paying better attention.
  
  Parts of the approach are rougher than I am comfortable with, but I think its definitely worth reading.


• I grew up with the method, and that was long before Koehler ever wrote a book. I still use the concepts (if not the methods) yet today.
  So to answer your second question; yes, literally hundreds.
  As to how did they turn out? Well I have 122 of these in this notebook covering several different disciplines. http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp43/…
  And it only took me 70 years to do that ;-)
  However, even more important than the method you choose to use is the training program that you apply that method to.
  First decide what you want for a finished dog, then plot out a flow chart of how you intend to get there.
  Here is a flow chart used for training Retrievers that is used by many trainers, including me.
  http://www.totalretriever.com/rj/totalre…
  Each section of the chart represents about 6 months, resulting in a dog that is ready for open all age competition at 2 years of age.
  
  Oh and Emily, there is no such thing as "positive reinforcement training". Even just ignoring a behavior is a correction, thus training through the use of punishment. If you are using Operant Conditioning, you are using all of it or you are not using any of it.
  "add: i dont just ignore a bad behavior, if its happening, i make a noise, and correct him"
  And that my dear is training through the use of Positive Punishment -- NOT -- Positive Reinforcement
  
  edit:
  "Usually, it's the older generation that swears by Koehler because they're always set in their ways. They don't have the decency to hold their heads up, swallow their pride and realize that there are BETTER training methods!"
  
  Now the hair on my neck is bristling!
  Being as I am one of those from the "older generation" (I'm 70), and I can assure you that there isn't a method of training out there that I haven't studied (and observed the results), your premise is WRONG!
  What you are failing to understand is that as time has progressed, so have the methods that pressure is applied during training. Thus my statement above "I still use the concepts (if not the methods) yet today." The harshness of a correction is up to the trainer, not the training method.
  The base concepts of Koehler are the application of Operant Conditioning, pure and simple. The concepts of Koehler are about WHEN a correction is appropriate, NOT how it is applied or how harsh it is. The individual dog will determine the "how and how harsh", not the training method.
  
  AND, I hold my head up quite high, I have earned the right to do so!
  So what you need to do is try to explain away why it is that those of us from the "older generation" are the ones that just seem to keep right on WINNING in every dog sport there is. Maybe we have learned, through experience, a lot more than you think!


• you love me??? what???? lol
  
  but i prefer positive reinforcement, but i know how to use it so its affective.
  its whatever works for you.
  if you have no idea how to rightfully use training methods, dont even try ANYTHING but positive.
  
  thats my opinion though :)
  my dog, using positive reinforcement, is very obediant and even though he is getting real old, he is still quick to his feet in training.
  
  what kind of method do you use now?
  
  add: oh, lol well i wish you both have a happy life together! XD
  but it makes sense dogs are different, i have a lab/pit mix, great dog. just make sure to study up on any method you use(i know you are), dont want to hurt the dogs:) good luck to you!
  
  add: i dont just ignore a bad behavior, if its happening, i make a noise, and correct him. it makes abosolutly NO sense to the dog if they are getting yelled at for something they did hours ago though,.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training books?

Can anyone recommend some dog training books available in stores, for an older dog (not puppy) who has already picked up some bad habits that need correcting?

Some Obvious Benefits of Dog Training - Help For Owners of Older Dogs

Recommended Answer:
Cesar Millan is a very divisive subject in the dog world. He obviously gets a lot of exposure through his books and TV show. I'll lead you to sort out his merits and mistakes for your own. What I will say is this: Millan is a big believer in "alpha" issues and he's less about "training" a dog than he is about dealing with behavioral issues. That's an important point to make: just because a dog doesn't do what you want it to do doesn't mean it's got behavioral problems. Most of the time when a dog piddles in the house, it's not about alpha issues but poor house training.

Let me offer a couple of basic philosophical positions I take on dog training (nothing unique to me--almost all outstanding trainers and performance dog handlers would tell you this stuff). Dogs want our approval. Dogs do best when they have a job (to provide focus and purpose) and a dog without a job suffers and is generally misbehaved. Dogs don't generalize well (you can teach "come" inside and the dog doesn't automatically get that "come" means the same thing at the park). Dogs learn better by reward and praise than they do with punishment. Dogs learn better when you teach them to DO something than to NOT do something (ie: easier to teach a dog to assume a down-stay position when someone comes to the door than to teach them "don't jump up on a stranger."). Finally, dogs aren't people. Stuff that a human or even a child would "get" a dog won't. So you've got to keep all of this in mind and when training a dog. And finally, whoever said you can't teach an old dog new tricks is wrong when it comes to dogs. In fact, old dogs learn better than new dogs (better attention span and focus--puppies are ADD).

Two best online sources for dog books are:
--dogwise (www.dogwise.com) and cleanrun (www.cleanrun.com).
--Amazon or a Borders may have more total books and reviews but a most of the reviews are clueless--often by someone who knows nothing about dogs or it's the first book they read. I recall reading an Amazon glowing review of a book I'd never heard of before, did a little research and then discovered that the book advocated training a dog with a shock collar at all times--using pain as the way to train.
--If it is a reputable book about training dogs, cleanrun and dogwise have it.

One thing I definitely recommend that you read up on is clicker training. Clicker training is based on classical operant conditioning research validated by a century of animal and human research (remember Pavlov's dogs taught to drool at the sound of a bell?). The basis for clicker training is what ALL reputable animal trainers use (well, at Sea World they use whistles with the dolphins and orca's--but the whistle is the same principle). While Karen Pryor's book "Don't Shoot the Dog" explains the principle of clickers brilliantly (for humans and dogs), it's more on theory and concept than practice. For clicker application I'd recommend:
--Quick Clicks by Smith and Book
--Clicker Training for Obedience by Spector
--Karen Pryor's DVD/Video "Clicker Magic"
I owned and trained 15 dogs without a clicker. Number 16 I use a clicker on. I have no idea how I did it previously without a clicker. Using a clicker is so much faster and accurate. Especially with a dog you've got some issues with.

As for training issues, it really depends upon where your dog is and what the issues are. For instance, if your dog has received little training and is a bit like an uneducated child than I'd recommend any of Patricia McConnell's books ("Family Friendly Dog Training" is a good one but also "The Other End of the Leash" is good as well). I would also look at Shirley Chong's website (www.shirleychong.com). She has an outstanding section on recalls (the only thing better is Leslie Nielsen's "Really Reliable Recalls" DVD), a section on "101 Uses for a Box" (which is a great training game--it teaches your dog to look to you and look for ways to please you) plus a lot of basic obedience stuff (she has it set up as a mini-course or progression).

If it's about basic obedience, I'd look at Susan Garrett's "Ruff Love."

If your dog isn't a biddable dog (ie: it's in his nature not to obey, he's a problem-solver who will do what he thinks is best) than look at Jane Killion's "When Pigs Fly"

If your dog is reactive and because of stress, fear, over-reaction becomes a mess around other dogs or strangers, than look at either the "In-Focus" series by Deborah Jones and ? (sorry, can't remember her last name) or especially Leslie McDevitt's great book "Control Unleashed."

Two other resources I want to share with you that by themselves would be insufficient but combined with one of the books above will augment it well:
--"Crate Games" by Susan Garrett, a great DVD. It talks about how to use your crate to train your dog. Imagine a situation where your dog RAN to get into his crate. And when you opened it, only came out when you released him. And while it seems like it's about just training to like the crate, it's actually about training your dog in a host of different things (control, focus, behavior, obedience) but using your crate.
--www.clickertraining.com which is Karen Pryor's website. Tons of really great short articles there (how to use a clicker to stop your dog from barking at strangers, how to use a clicker to prevent your dog from jumping up on people at the door). By itself, the website won't teach you all you need to know about using a clicker (or rather it's set up so the articles don't follow sequentially so you'd have a hard time learning how to use a clicker just from the site articles). But in combination with one of the obedience books, you'd learn a lot from this site.

No-one can really recommend the perfect book for you because it's a question of your dog's personality traits, what training your dog has had previously, what you're like as a handler, and what the "bad habits" are.

Dog Training vs Horse Training

• Click Here for a Well-Trained Dog by Deborah A. Jones, Ph.D
  
  Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller
  
  If Only They Could Speak by Nicholas Dodman
  
  Dogs Behaving Badly by Nicholas Dodman
  
  The Dog Who Loved Too Much by Nicholas Dodman
  
  How Dogs Think: Understanding the Canine Mind by Stanley Coren
  
  Don't Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
  
  The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
  
  21 Days to a Trained Dog by Dick Maller
  
  Everything You Need to Know about House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs by Lori Verni


• Any book by cesar millian you might also want to catch his show the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel or see if your local library has some videos by him.


• Don't Shoot The Dog, and The Power Of Positive Dog Training are good books. Anything by Dr. Ian Miller will be great. Also, Culture Clash by Jean Donaldosn, and The Other End Of The Leash by Patricia McConnell are a couple of other great books. These dog books have more up-to-date training methods that focus on positive dog training.

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Dog Health Questions: Im looking for dog training (read details)?

please leave some website links to help with all dog training thanks

Dog Clicker Training Can Make Dog Training Easy

Recommended Answer:
Take yoru dog to a PetCo. They will teach you how to work with your dog and train him. It is not expensive.

http://www.petco.com/Content/Content.asp…

Common Gun Dog Training Equipment

• Just my opinion as a dog trainer who has seen many messed up dogs come from in store training 'classes'
  & Petco sucks & so do all the other in store trainng 'classes'
  
  They are Great dont get me wrong in socializing your pet & selling you over priced things & animals from puppy mills & other unhealthy/ inhumanine sources etc
  
  If you've never owned a dog yourself please dont attempt to train it by yourself
  
  Look for a positive ( no prong collars or hiting etc trainier. or classes not located at a pet store - best thing is to ask people you know or meet with dogs for ones they reccomend. It will cost a bit of money but i you need instructions from online - most likely you won't find good ones .... * that explain things as if you were there in clss being physically shown what to do , nor answer all your questions effectivly.
  
  PS - dog 'trainers' in stores only get 1 - 2 weeks of mystery training - would you really want to trust some one with only 2 weeks of experience with your furry kid ??


• call the dog whisper


• my puppy goes to Petsmart.
  it is his 5th week and he has already learned how to sit,stay,watch,go up stairs, and lay down. etc.
  you go once a week and its really easy.
  it is not too expensive, and its very worth it
  
  if you want to do it on your own then you have to get a lot of treats! after he accomplishes something, give him a treat. sometimes, a pat on the head isnt good enough for a dog.
  small treats will always work.


• check out www.mysmartpuppy.com and ask questions in the forums-web board. another place is www.goodpaws.com and of course, the boards at sitstay.com.
  
  There are many yahoo groups for dog training too. My favorite is frontandfinish, with dogobedience being good for competition obedience folks.


• look in the yellow pages and read reviews of place online.stay away from Bad Newz Kennelz.lmao ot you wont have a dog to train


• Here are a few great websites for training... best of luck


• try petco or petsmart they do pet training and you can also get courses with other dogs so your dog can interact

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Dog Health Questions: Can US military girls do dog training?

I love dogs and I'm joining the military. and I know theres this military K9 job...Can girls do that sort of stuff, training the dogs?

Dog House Training - Complete Dog Training Tips and Tricks For Training Your Dog in Your Home

Recommended Answer:
of course. the only things closed off are the front line combat and special forces.

The Three Dog Training Mistakes You Should Avoid

• heres a good blog for dog training :
  
  www.free-dog-training-tips.com

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Dog Health Questions: How much should dog training classes be?

I found one near my house for $50 for 5 weeks and want to know if that's reasonable.

Six Dog Training Tips to Modify Negative Behavior

Recommended Answer:
I just paid $180 for eight weeks. LI NY

Dog Training - Teach Your Dog the Sit Command at Once

• Very! That's a great deal. Have fun.


• thats very cheap. the one's around me are $100 for a 6 week session


• Quite reasonable. I have seen obedience training class series running about $99 lately.


• Sounds right for my area. Through a public school system is inexpensive, too.


• Thats not bad. It all depends on what type of training classes they are.
  
  The place I took my dog to was pretty reasonable too, but, then I am in Tulsa.
  
  http://www.tulsadogs.com/classes/class.asp?ccid=1


• Very reasonable price for 5 weeks! Go for it and have fun!!


• $10 a session is pretty much the norm for classes that involve other students.. But you have to work loyally with your dog... every day... It is soooo much fun.. you will really like how the two of you bond during this time.
  
  GOOD LUCK


• $ 50 sounds a little cheap for 5 weeks of lessons. Make sure you are not getting a deal because the trainer is less knowledgable. Most private trainers off a series of group lessons for $100 to $150. Don't pay more unless it is a private lesson. But a $50 price tag would make me sceptical fo the quality I'd be recieveing,


• I paid $100 for 8 weeks at Petsmart. We are on week 7 and the classes have been great. I woulddo some research on the "Trainer" if you are unsure.


• Hi ,
  Well why don't you read this guide , its awesome , it will help you train your dog by yourself , its a really professional training http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobedienc… and save you the money , Hope this helps you

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Dog Health Questions: Is dog training a good career? What can I expect?

I have read in a few different articles that many careers in the pet businesses and dog training being one of them is a great career to go into for flexibility, stability (because people always spend on their pets) and great income potential as long as you are good at what you do and have a love for it. Would many of you agree with this? What would you say are pros and cons of this career field?

5 Basic Dog Training Mistakes

Recommended Answer:
I trained dogs as a pro for about 30 years. I found it to be a great "avocation", but it worked out best if I kept my day job.
Those that do make a good living as a dog trainer do so as much from their handling skills as they do from their training skills. The one problem with relying on handling dogs for a living is that your kids will even forget what your name is. Just to much time away from home for most people.

The Praise and Reward Dog Training Method

• You can make money with this. I would recommend dog grooming. There is big money and you don't have to deal with owners. This has always been an issue, the dogs are fine, but try to train the owners.


• I say it has to be something you enjoy doing. If you go into a career for the money, it will likely make you unhappy, but it looks like you already agree with that, so I say go for it.
  
  In my opinion,
  Pros-you get to work with dogs & will always have a challenge.
  Cons-you have to deal with their idiotic owners.


• The only places where you are likely to make money as a dog trainer is in large cities. I live in a smaller city and all of our dog trainers only work part time because there is little demand for them. If you want job security and a good income, you need to be in an area where the demand is high.


• Generally speaking there are few careers in dog training as an employee. I would expect dog training jobs to be a dead end. It's honest work though and you will gain experience and if you are exposed to the right methods, expertise. Rather, you should expect to start your own business at some point in your developing expertise. Because of that, it's really an entrepreneurial field. You have to figure out how to add accounts, and eventually you'll overreach your limit as an individual and you'll need to deal with employees. You can also generate revenue some other way with a book, video, equipment sales or franchises. Other ways to expand business would be to add boarding, but that generally involves a substantial real estate investment.


• It takes TIME to get to a point where you're able to go out on your own and train at a level where you have a steady clientele and enough money coming in to support your own business.
  
  The kind of trainer that is SUCCESSFUL is one who spent ten plus years gaining experience: seminars, mentoring under other trainers, titling their own dogs, working in real life situations, volunteering at shelters/vets/kennels, etc. That's ten plus years generally working minimum wage or slightly above it, most likely with another job on the sidelines.
  
  If you think you want to do it, then go for it. Do some research into local trainers if you plan to stay where you're at now. See what is being offered, and what your competition is likely to be. See if anyone is willing to TALK to you about mentorship. Find seminars. Volunteer places.
  
  There are no college degrees for training. Yes, there are programs out there that offer six to eight weeks of "certification training" but nine out of ten of these are SHAMS where you work ONE dog and don't get any practical experience with multiple training types. Be very careful about these programs and if you find one that seems decent (IE you work under an actual trainer who has titles and awards, you work in real life situations, you get hands on work with MULTIPLE dogs and with MULTIPLE training methods, etc) then think of it as a starting point and not a "get accomplished quick" thing.
  
  http://www.inch.com/~dogs/protrainer.htm…


• heres a good blog for dog training :
  
  www.free-dog-training-tips.com

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training?

I have a Boxer pup.. She is only 9 weeks old.. We have had her for 1 week... This is my first time training a dog to use the bathroom in the house in her designated area.. And i am having a real problem with her, one time she will use the piddle pad and the next she won't.. We take her out side when we can... I guess my real question is do you all have any tips? Could us taking her outside to use the bathroom then turning around and bringing her inside be causing her to have a conflict ? Please help? I have tried to reward her when she does use the pad.. But then 5 minutes later she's using it on the floor...?!

Dog Training - 4 Quick Steps to Good Doggie Manners

Recommended Answer:
I hate puppy pads. If you want your dog to learn to go OUTSIDE then take her outside. I would research crate training, it's the best method of potty training as well as giving the dog a safe place to go when shes tired or scared. It can help you keep the dog from destroying your house, and a boxer puppy WILL destroy your house if left out. Go get a crate, it needs to be large enough for her to stand up, turn around and lie down in comfortable but no bigger, if there is room for her to potty and still lie down, she will. Keep her in the crate when your not watching her. Take her out when you wake up, after she eats, after she drinks, after she plays, before bed and every hour or two in between. When you take her outside, don't let her play before she goes potty, if she gets distracted, pick her up set her back down and tell her to go. When she goes, make a HUGE deal about it let her know she's a good girl. If she's outside for 10mins and doesn't go, take her back inside and put her back in the crate for 20 mins. If you can stick to this for a few days or a week, she will eventually get it. If she's 9 wks old she can hold it for about 2 hours. If she has an accident, don't scold her, rub her nose in it or punish her in any way. If you CATCH her doing it, pick her up, tell her NO firmly and carry her outside. Even if you get peed on. Another word on training. There is nothing wrong with telling a dog no. Punishment is after the dog has done something wrong. When a dog does something they forget it almost immediately, so punishing her (after she's done something) will confuse her and scare her, she won't connect the action with your reaction. Correction is when you catch them in the act and CORRECT the behavior, if you catch her chewing, you say NO and take the shoe away, replacing it with one of HER toys. Correction works better than punishment because the dog was interrupted during the behavior. Interruption sends the dog the message that what they're doing at that moment is not allowed. Girl, I would get her into some training classes, not all boxers are that calm dignified dog in the dog shows and pictures, shes gonna be a handfull so I would start early!

Even if you live in an apartment you can let her out onto the porch or out into the lawn with the same effects. If your not going to do SOMETHING your not going to have any luck training her.

The Importance of Dog Training

• G


• She's not going to have it all figured out at 9 weeks, but you are making things harder on her by not having a schedule and just taking her out when you can. You should probably do one or the other.


• You take her out when you can? Are you allowed in the bathroom when your parents can allow you there? Dogs need consistency. That's all I have to say. It does not sound like you are offering this dog a routine, at all.


• put more than one piddle pad, and take her outside more


• Piddle pads and litter boxes often teach to dog to pee inside the house. I would recommend letting her out every couple of hours to pee outside and crate training her. Out door training is the best, even if you have to get up @ 3 AM to let your doggy out! (Think about a doggy door!)


• there should definitly be a schedule, that way your dog's body gets used to relieving itself at certain times.
  
  also, when your dog is done with her business outside, make sure when you enter the house again right away she gets a treat and/or praise for going to the bathroom in the right place. soon she will begin to understand that when she goes to the bathroom outside is a good thing, and it will become a natural behavior.


• Get rid of the puppy pad! They rarely work because all they teach the puppy to do is to use the restroom inside. Purchase a crate and crate train your puppy. You and your puppy will be much happier!


• I second the crate training. Get rid of the pad, it just teaches them to use the bathroom inside. Crate train instead, puppies won't usually want to use the bathroom in their crate because it's their safe place. This doesn't mean you should leave her in her crate for extended periods though, start with short sessions. Definately try and give her a routine to adapt to though, that will make it much easier!


• dont punish her if she goes on the floor yet, just reward her wih a treat when she goes in the right place. right when she squats to pee, run her outside or wherever she's soposed to pee. after about 2 months she's still goin on the floor, punish her. she'l get the hang of it!

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