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Dog Training; Do people really bother?

SweetAsscher

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Sep 11, 2011
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I recently decided to invest in my dog's education with some professional dog training.
Good training is something I highly value especially as I own a breed that has a bad reputation. Usually I train my own pets, dogs, horses, bird etc, but my dog has a tendency to be dominant and aggressive towards some other dogs. (The funny thing is that our little chihuahua is totally his boss and even the cat picks on him bcuz he's such a big baby. )

So we are now working with a trainer and it's going very very well! Bentley (my dog) already knows all the basic commands so we are mostly working on his socialization and fixation on other dogs. Basically ignore all distractions and only focus on me.
It's very expensive and lots of time and effort but I believe in the reward of having an enjoyable, reliably trained companion. It just makes me wonder why doesn't everyone train their dog??

I see all these owners at the dog park with absolutely no control of their dogs and I feel like it's a huge liability. Why would you want to risk something happening to your dog or someone else's dog or another person? The dog always ends up losing in the end.
And I'm not just talking about aggression issues, I'm talking about the dog that doesn't come when it's called or drags it's owner at the end of the leash.

So training: do you or don't you and why not?
 

sonnyjane

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SweetAsscher|1331270107|3144773 said:
It just makes me wonder why doesn't everyone train their dog??

...

So training: do you or don't you and why not?

Wellllp, I'm a professional animal trainer, so my thoughts on the subject are pretty skewed ;-)

I just wanted to answer your question above about why not everyone trains their dogs and the truth is, as you said, it's expensive and time consuming. I don't believe that you have to pay an outside trainer. If you understand the training principles and pick up a simple book or two, you can easily train your pet quite well, but that takes time and patience, something not everyone has, or at least not something people are willing to apply toward their pet. I hate that people get dogs without training them at least basic manners. I don't think you need to have a dog that gets you a beer from the fridge or does agility courses, but at least teach them not to beg at the dinner table or go after other dogs while you're walking. As I said, I'm a professional animal trainer so I know the demands of the task. It's one reason I actually choose NOT to have a dog of my own, because I simply don't have the time or energy to devote to that right now, or possibly ever to be honest!

I wish people would make more informed decisions before getting a pet but unfortunately a lot of people don't realize the responsibility that comes with pet ownership.
 

Mayk

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Best money I ever spent. I agree you enjoy your dog more if it is well behaved. We had a chocolate lab we sent to obedience school. She was such a great dog! People always commented on how well behaved she was....
 

rainwood

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We went to puppy class with our Lab, but the class was mostly to train the owners so the owners could then teach their dogs the basics. We then did a lot of training on our own. People are particularly impressed that she will wait at the curb until I tell her it's okay to cross the street even if I've already crossed. We started when she was young and put in lots of time and patience. Some people aren't willing to or can't do that and become lousy dog owners.

We were also lucky because Labs are pretty teachable because they're so food-oriented. Ours can heel, do a dozen different tricks, lift up her foot on command if the leash gets tangled, deliver the newspaper and mail, and drop stuff on command. She's also learned how to finagle treats from strangers and charm every business owner and delivery person in the neighborhood to give her something yummy. She learned that on her own though. She's smart that way.
 

zoebartlett

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We don't have a dog but we'd like to get one in a few years. My sister is a puppy trainer, so when we do get a dog, we'll fly her out (she lives across the country from us) and work with him or her. My sister trains dogs in all different settings and situations, and her clients even ask her to keep their puppy for a week or two at a time to live in her house, go on errands or even trips, and practice socialization with her own dogs. I think it makes so much sense to train a puppy or dog so he or she gets used to being in many situations with different people.
 

StacylikesSparkles

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There is nothing worse than getting all dressed up to visit friends and then you step through the door of their house, this HUGE dog jumps up on you. It's rude and it shows the bad manners of the owners. Do something about it people! If you can't afford training, give your time and do it yourself. I've found that dog owners that have a dog that isn't trained well will actually keep their dog in a crate more. It's inhumane to have them spend all this time in a crate because their selfish owners won't teach them proper behavior when guests are over. I'd rather the dogs be jumping all over than stuck in a cage. That is no place for an animal to live.
 

SweetAsscher

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Oh yes, my dog used to jump up on me A LOT! Not cool when you're wearing heels and a short dress. Luckily we taught him not to do that anymore before he got too huge!
I have so much admiration for people with well trained dogs who put the effort in! Our trainer works with all kinds of dogs but they also do police dog type training and Shutzhund and well it's just so darn cool!
 

Laughinggravy0

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I'm very into training my dogs. It's so important to invest time and be consistent and clear for the first two years - systematically. And then you are set up with a well behaved dog for life. It's like programming. It must be hell to live with a dog that's all over the place. We also exercise our two into the ground - they get loaaaaads of walks and if we really can't fit one in, we have a great dog walker who fills the gaps.

It's only fair on the dog as well as the people around the dog.
 

maplefemme

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I train K9 Search & Rescue and PP (Personal Protection) I also volunteered in pitbull rehab with law enforcement confiscated pit fighting dogs for 8 years.
I agree, it's very frustrating when I see people who have not put the effort into training their dogs basic obedience. Or have a dog with behavior issues that they aren't addressing or make excuses for and do not attempt to resolve.
I highly commend you on your efforts with your dog, SweetAsscher. What a gorgeous looking dog!
So many people buy dogs emotionally, regardless of breed, personal experience, lifestyle or level of dedication to training. It's very frustrating.
We do not go to dog parks anymore, even though my dogs are extremely dog social, the same cannot be said for everyone else's dogs.
Our last visit to the dog park involved a unaltered male Bullmastiff charging out of the bushes in a full on, unprovoked, attack on my Dogo. He bulldozed him to the ground, he didn't even know what hit him. Even when he pinned my dog to the ground by his neck, he did nothing, however, when he proceeded to shake him violently my dog fought back.
The Bullmastiff required emergency surgery and ended up with 82 stitches and two drains. I called the police immediately from the dog park and they deemed the other owner at fault because multiple witnesses testified his dog attacked mine without provocation. The dog also had prior reports to Animal Services for aggression.
I was furious at the other owner for putting our dogs in that situation and he was absolutely useless at diffusing the fight. He would not listen to my direction and stuck his hands between the dogs instead of grabbing the back end. His own dog bit him badly, he admitted that his dog bit him but later tried to accuse my dog. Thankfully other dog owners stayed with me to be witnesses until the police arrived.

I consider dog parks to be Russian roulette now, there's too many dogs who have been pent up all week because their owners are too busy to take them for anything more than a walk down the street. They come to the dog park and the dogs release all that pent up energy, not always positively.

It really bothers me when I see people with small dogs with behavioural issues and they do nothing because they think the cuteness factor wins out, it doesn't. I have lost count the amount of times I have had a little dog come after me and the owners make light of it, it's not funny. If I allowed my dogs to do the same thing they'd be up in arms.
I really dislike the double standard.
 

soocool

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I took my mini schnauzer to both puppy and teen classes and he is the most well behaved dog in the neighborhood. Everyone comments on this as well. He listens to me , will stop dead in his tracks if I tell him so, will not eat until I give him the go ahead, and will not go off property unless he has his leash on. When I say we are going for a walk he immediately gets his leash and brings it to me. When I say it is raining, he drops his head and drags his raincoat over to me.. (it is so cute).

A neighbor on the other hand decided to get a German Shepherd and worked with him for a few times a week and then when the dog turned one, he decided he had enough training and placed him within an invisible fence. The dog broke through everyt time and terrorized not only other dogs, but the people in the neighborhood as well. It led to one person's own dog biting him when he got between the 2 dogs. They called the police, but did not press charges. He came after my dog, not once, but twice. The second time I called the police and the owner came over while I was talking to the officer and she called me a liar. Less than one week later the dog bit a man who was walking his well trained doberman. Last December, this man and my husband and I took the owners of the shepherd to court and the judge beat up on the owners. They claim they have no money to train the dog, so the judge asked why do they have the dog. Unfortunately, they still have not trained the dog or put in a proper enclosure, but just tie their dog up outside where he now howls all the time. I only hear the howling when I am outdoors, but I am sure it must bother their immediate neighbors.

As for socialization, I set up playdates for my dog. His best friend is a 125 lb Great Dane and she romps around with my 15 lb schnauzer. I have several neighborhood dogs who stop by several times a week begging for my dog to come out and play and now that the shepherd is tied up we can do so again - with adult supervision of course!
 

lliang_chi

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maplefemme|1331308915|3144978 said:
I consider dog parks to be Russian roulette now, there's too many dogs who have been pent up all week because their owners are too busy to take them for anything more than a walk down the street. They come to the dog park and the dogs release all that pent up energy, not always positively.

It really bothers me when I see people with small dogs with behavioural issues and they do nothing because they think the cuteness factor wins out, it doesn't. I have lost count the amount of times I have had a little dog come after me and the owners make light of it, it's not funny. If I allowed my dogs to do the same thing they'd be up in arms.
I really dislike the double standard.

THIS!!! I *hate* how small dog owners DO NOT TRAIN THEIR DOGS!!! My dog is 35 lbs, and is considered a "big dog" in the city. And if she was even a fraction as out of control as these little toy dogs are, everyone would be freaking out. But because their dog weighs less than 10lbs they think it's OK if it lunges uncontrollably, or jumps up on me, etc. Dude! CONTROL YOUR DOG! I'm controlling mine. And it peeves me to NO END that the owners are like "Oh, she just wants to play!" No lady, your dog is out of control. Curb your dog! And have you noticed that those untrained toy dogs are ALWAYS the ones that are running amuck on flexi-leashes??? :angryfire:

MapleFemme, awesome your dog is so well behaved.

To be honest, my dog had behavior issues from 8 months - 2 yrs. We hired a behaviorist and did a LOT of clicker training to get her to walk around the neighborhood wihtout lunging or barking. She has her good days and bad days, but she's gotten a lot better. SHe even passed her Canine Good Citizen test on the FIRST TRY last week! So no we keep her enrolled in some kind of class every few months just to get her focused and building confidence.
 

maplefemme

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soocool|1331312362|3145018 said:
I took my mini schnauzer to both puppy and teen classes and he is the most well behaved dog in the neighborhood. Everyone comments on this as well. He listens to me , will stop dead in his tracks if I tell him so, will not eat until I give him the go ahead, and will not go off property unless he has his leash on. When I say we are going for a walk he immediately gets his leash and brings it to me. When I say it is raining, he drops his head and drags his raincoat over to me.. (it is so cute).

A neighbor on the other hand decided to get a German Shepherd and worked with him for a few times a week and then when the dog turned one, he decided he had enough training and placed him within an invisible fence. The dog broke through everyt time and terrorized not only other dogs, but the people in the neighborhood as well. It led to one person's own dog biting him when he got between the 2 dogs. They called the police, but did not press charges. He came after my dog, not once, but twice. The second time I called the police and the owner came over while I was talking to the officer and she called me a liar. Less than one week later the dog bit a man who was walking his well trained doberman. Last December, this man and my husband and I took the owners of the shepherd to court and the judge beat up on the owners. They claim they have no money to train the dog, so the judge asked why do they have the dog. Unfortunately, they still have not trained the dog or put in a proper enclosure, but just tie their dog up outside where he now howls all the time. I only hear the howling when I am outdoors, but I am sure it must bother their immediate neighbors.

As for socialization, I set up playdates for my dog. His best friend is a 125 lb Great Dane and she romps around with my 15 lb schnauzer. I have several neighborhood dogs who stop by several times a week begging for my dog to come out and play and now that the shepherd is tied up we can do so again - with adult supervision of course!

That's a sad state, the worst thing to do to an aggressive dog is tether it, it only amplifies the aggression.
The only positive is that it's safe for your community, no one should live in fear like that so I'm glad there's been a resolution in that regard. Still, the owners of that dog are the worst kind of dog owners, that's no life for a dog.

Your boy is adorable and very lucky to have you!

Some people should stick to goldfish...
 

amc80

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I grew up always having pretty smart dogs. Our last dog was amazing, a German Shepard, who was trained in search and rescue. That dog was ridiculously smart. Training was so easy.

Fast forward to now. I married someone who breeds English Bulldogs. Number 77 on the breed intelligence list. Out of 79. Their intelligence is also amazing, but for the opposite reason. They are fairly well behaved due to their laziness. You know when you look at a dog and you can tell they are thinking about something? Not so much here....they've mastered the blank stare. I can't imagine trying to train them...makes me laugh just thinking about it.
 

LJL

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We have our two dogs in basic training now - not for the simple tricks, they know all those - but to correct some behavioral issues that are breed-specific. They are both huskies so they LOVE to pull on the leash and are so independent/don't come when called if not interested. Our youngest is more people-dependent so he listens better but has jumping issues because he always feels like he is fighting for attention. In just a couple weeks we have seen improvement on the jumping, but I'm not sure how much our older dog (2 years) will ever listen. We have been told to try wild animal scent instead of other forms of encouragement (she doesnt care for treats and has no need to please) so I think we will do that.

The dog park is definitely scary sometimes- some dogs have major socialization issues. Luckily, we have had our dogs around other people and dogs from a young age and they are not aggressive in any way. However, I have seen dog fights break out and been totally scared for my dogs - who are usually standing on the outskirts watching. And I def agree that the smaller dogs can be just as big of a problem as the big dogs since the owners dont think its a problem to "control" a 10lb dog - well, you shouldnt HAVE to control them, they should just behave on their own.
 

calibali

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I have a competition dog so he has continuously had some form of training from the time he was 3 months old. Because of all the work we have done with him, we are constantly getting praise from other Vizsla owners about how well-behaved and socialized he is compared to others in the breed. On the other hand, we are now hearing from our breeders that one of our guy's littermates has serious behavioral issues (taking down other dogs at competitions, growling, dominance issues, etc.) because the owners did not put in the training and socializing these dogs require. Now we have to worry that our litter will get a bad rap and people might be hesitant to breed to our amazing dog since his brother did not get the necessary foundation work. It's hard to see all the potential of the littermate gone to waste because of poor ownership...

In regards to dog parks, I will say that it is a sad state of affairs when people are blown away that a dog is actually trained. My guy is independent and runs for hours, but when we say "here" he knows he better get in front of us immediately. Others are always impressed that he listens so well and we've explained how we got to that point, but it just seems like most people don't want to put in the work.
 

distracts

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We've been working with our dog on just this - she knows basic commands, but we are struggling with her reliability in distracting/chaotic situations and leash walking with me. With my fiance, she's fine on the leash, but she weighs 60 lbs and he weighs 300 lbs, so bad behavior is kind of masked by the fact that she can't ever tug him anywhere. But I am just twice her weight, so when I walk her, if she starts and takes off after another dog, I am pulled over. She has gotten a LOT better at this since I moved in almost a year ago (doesn't tug on the leash as a matter of course with nearly the same frequency) but isn't perfect so I can't take my attention off of her for a second when we're walking, in case that second is the one she forgets about how to walk on a leash. (And coming when called at the dog park is a problem. She will come and look at me from ten feet away when I call her, but she won't come and sit so I can put the leash on. In all other environments, she's very good at that - even at the doggy daycare. But the dog park totally overwhelms her with excitement and all she wants to do is run and get muddy.)

The other big things we're working on are for her not to jump on people when she first sees them and not to shove her cold wet nose onto people when sniffing them. The problem is that she seems to learn this for specific people - like she knows not to do it to me, my fiance, and the people who come over to our house most, but she still thinks it's fair game for other people. Like, she knows she's not supposed to jump on my mom... but she doesn't know she's not supposed to jump on my dad. I don't know enough about training animals to know how to fix this. She's been getting better - a year and a half ago, she wouldn't stop jumping until you'd yelled "NO!" and pushed her down, and now she just needs to be told "no" and she'll stop, but we'd like her to not do it at all. She IS learning, but it's slower than I'd like.

She's been through some training courses with my fiance, but they all seem to recommend that just one person does the training courses with the dog. But right now, I am unemployed and so spending lots of time with Rory without my fiance. She misbehaves more without him there, so I have been thinking of taking her to a leash training workshop that the trainer at my vet has, and of doing some other classes with her. Will this be confusing for her?

Also we need to figure out how to ensure the best relations possible between dog and bunny. Rory used to cry whenever she saw the bunny, but we've introduced them enough so that she doesn't cry about rabbity things anymore, but now she thinks Gwen is a really cool interactive toy that she wants to bite and shake around (this would be deadly to the little bunny). I'd prefer for her to just ignore Gwen entirely, or, in the best world, think of Gwen as a tiny little dog friend that she has to be really careful around.

On this subject, does anyone have recommendations for good books on dog training and just dogs in general? This is my first dog (my fiance had her before I met him) and while I know a lot more about dogs than I did a year ago, I still don't know as much as I know about cats or rabbits. I've been thinking of clicker-training because it sounds interesting, and like a better fit for me than other kinds. It's nice that this thread popped up because for the past month I've been thinking of asking advice on just this but then forgetting whenever I actually checked the forum.
 

SweetAsscher

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distracts|1331330317|3145224 said:
We've been working with our dog on just this - she knows basic commands, but we are struggling with her reliability in distracting/chaotic situations and leash walking with me. With my fiance, she's fine on the leash, but she weighs 60 lbs and he weighs 300 lbs, so bad behavior is kind of masked by the fact that she can't ever tug him anywhere. But I am just twice her weight, so when I walk her, if she starts and takes off after another dog, I am pulled over. She has gotten a LOT better at this since I moved in almost a year ago (doesn't tug on the leash as a matter of course with nearly the same frequency) but isn't perfect so I can't take my attention off of her for a second when we're walking, in case that second is the one she forgets about how to walk on a leash. (And coming when called at the dog park is a problem. She will come and look at me from ten feet away when I call her, but she won't come and sit so I can put the leash on. In all other environments, she's very good at that - even at the doggy daycare. But the dog park totally overwhelms her with excitement and all she wants to do is run and get muddy.)

The other big things we're working on are for her not to jump on people when she first sees them and not to shove her cold wet nose onto people when sniffing them. The problem is that she seems to learn this for specific people - like she knows not to do it to me, my fiance, and the people who come over to our house most, but she still thinks it's fair game for other people. Like, she knows she's not supposed to jump on my mom... but she doesn't know she's not supposed to jump on my dad. I don't know enough about training animals to know how to fix this. She's been getting better - a year and a half ago, she wouldn't stop jumping until you'd yelled "NO!" and pushed her down, and now she just needs to be told "no" and she'll stop, but we'd like her to not do it at all. She IS learning, but it's slower than I'd like.

She's been through some training courses with my fiance, but they all seem to recommend that just one person does the training courses with the dog. But right now, I am unemployed and so spending lots of time with Rory without my fiance. She misbehaves more without him there, so I have been thinking of taking her to a leash training workshop that the trainer at my vet has, and of doing some other classes with her. Will this be confusing for her?

Also we need to figure out how to ensure the best relations possible between dog and bunny. Rory used to cry whenever she saw the bunny, but we've introduced them enough so that she doesn't cry about rabbity things anymore, but now she thinks Gwen is a really cool interactive toy that she wants to bite and shake around (this would be deadly to the little bunny). I'd prefer for her to just ignore Gwen entirely, or, in the best world, think of Gwen as a tiny little dog friend that she has to be really careful around.

On this subject, does anyone have recommendations for good books on dog training and just dogs in general? This is my first dog (my fiance had her before I met him) and while I know a lot more about dogs than I did a year ago, I still don't know as much as I know about cats or rabbits. I've been thinking of clicker-training because it sounds interesting, and like a better fit for me than other kinds. It's nice that this thread popped up because for the past month I've been thinking of asking advice on just this but then forgetting whenever I actually checked the forum.


I think you should definitely do some training classes with her, It shouldn't confuse her, but more likely show her you are a pack leader equal to your fiance. The fact that she behaves more with him than with you means she has more respect for him. My dog is like that too with my husband. Well actually he listens to me and not so much with my husband but it's more because I am the one that is home with the dogs all day and I am the one who initially trained them.
Also consistency is key. Bentley knows what to do and what not to do when I am around because I am always consistent. I do not like him to walk in front of me on walks. His place is next to my leg on my left and walking at my pace. So he is very good with me. But DH doesn't consistently correct him every time he walks Bentley and then complains that the dog doesn't walk well on a leash for him only for me.
DH and I both attend the training sessions, but DH acts as the handler during the sessions bcuz he needs the practice and it's good for the trainer to help him do the training correctly. Training really is more of teaching the owner and then you go home and implement it.
I say do the training! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It's better for Rory too because dogs like structure. It makes them feel safe. Good luck!


ETA: re the not coming when called, we had this same issue with our dog too, and it's the thing that I most wanted fixed. My worst fear is Bentley not coming when called and getting hit by a car or something.
 

PinkTower

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We live in a high rise. I am dismayed at the number of residents who cannot put their dog into a down on an elevator. We have standard poodles. I too find the smaller dogs are less obedient in crowded situations.
 

Enerchi

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We have 2 dogs with us at present. I wish we had spent more time training our Lab - she is IN-freaking - SANE! She has the basics (and ONLY the basics...) of sit/stay/crate/"walkies" but its really our fault for not spending more time training her better. She thinks she's got to be first at the door to great guests (no, we can handle the door, thanks so much) and we've managed to get her to at least sit/stay away from the front foyer until people have come in and settled, but that's about it so far.

I would love to hire someone to come to our home and train her in her environment, but it is all about practice and sadly, I have to admit that's where we fall down. :oops:

as noted earlier about some of the smaller dogs - I do home assessments in my job and it is amazing the amount of untrained obnoxious "jumping" small dogs, that people have let run wild like beasts, in their home. Ugh.
 

ChloeTheGreat

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I wish everyone trained their dogs! It is so important!

Not to offend any of the small dog owners here, but I see way too many small dogs that are terrors. If my big dog behaved the way the little fluffy monsters do (growling, snarling, yipping, and lunging) it would not be cute, it would be seen as aggressive. I just don't think it's fair that the cute little ones practically get away with murder because their owners think it's cute. Training small dogs should be just as important as training big dogs. Rant over.

ETA: I just read through the responses after posting my own. I'm glad I am not the only one that gets frustrated with untrained small dogs! Lol.
 

MsP

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I am fighting this battle right now...

I have a scottish terrier... aka scottish TERROR.

To the casual observer, he is well behaved. He walks very well on lead. He does not bark. He isn't jumpy. However, he couldn't give even the tiniest care if I call him name while he's out playing or even if he's sleeping on his bed. He looks at you, and then continues his business. We have an amazing obedience school in my town that has beautiful facilities and many many awards on the wall. Its a tight knit community there. It is mostly enthusiasts who attend but occasionally they have newbie courses. We've started with those and then did the mid-level obedience. He's smart but when the lead comes off... he's on his own. I've had lots of discussions with people there and this is VERY breed specific. They were bred to hunt on their own. Its so hard to train him because he isn't driven by ANYTHING. He isn't food driven, isn't toy driven, and doesn't particularly care for praise. Give him a live squirrel to chase and then he'd finally wake up.

I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes it isn't that people aren't trying. I TRY but am embarrassed by how little progress I've made with his off-lead work. I've had other dogs and they were easy-peasy to train compared to him. Do I regret getting this breed? Not at all. It just means that he is always on a lead and I watch over him more than most.
 

lyra

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We're having a problem in our house right now as far as keeping the dogs in line goes. Unfortunately, our almost 14 year old fox terrier now has dementia on top of deafness and partial blindness. Fun times, not. :(sad The vet says we need to make a decision that works for everyone, and that the quality of our life is also a priority. She's fine some days, other days she's a danger to the chihuahuas. She barks for no reason, which gets the other 2 barking, and it's impossible to get her to stop doing it on a daily basis. The other 2 dogs listen, but she can't. You have to approach her carefully or she'll snap (not at me, but at everyone else). She's unpredictable. She can't see hand signals. She also has congestive heart failure. But like I said, some days she's totally chipper and bouncing around happy. Other days she barely moves off the floor. She's not allowed to go on walks or exercise much as the vet advised against it. I don't know why I'm posting this. I guess there comes a point when even the well trained dogs can go off, and there's nothing you can do about it. We haven't had an old dog with dementia before. This is a new experience, and something I guess we'll learn from.
 

Enerchi

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Sorry to hear that your dog is in failing health Lyra. It is hard to have to consider making that "final decision" to a family pet that you have loved for so long. Your vet is very perceptive to get you thinking about quality of life - not just his at 14 years and in bad health - but yours and the other 2 dogs that live there.

Good luck thru this journey. I hope it is a smooth one for you.
 

Matata

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SweetAsscher|1331270107|3144773 said:
It just makes me wonder why doesn't everyone train their dog??

People who don't train their dogs have no respect for the dog, themselves, and other people. They either view companion animals as being human in character or as having little value beyond amusement. Either way, the responsibility required to live with a companion animal is very much undervalued, unfortunately to the detriment of the animal.

I wish the current focus in this country on banning certain types of animals as pets, and the money being spent on these campaigns, would instead be channeled into programs fostering responsible pet ownership and pet training. I'll even go as far to say that I fantasize occasionally about making training mandatory.

Just 2 days ago, 2 Akitas allowed to run at-large in a dog park killed 2 small dogs that were on lead. This was the 4th attack by these dogs and users of the park finally found out who owned the Akitas and contacted police. Yesterday the Akitas were euthanized. The owner said he wasn't upset about the death of his dogs because he believes "in an eye for an eye and besides, I have their pup who is a better dog." I am horrified that he's allowed to own a dog at all because with his attitude, we're looking for a repeat performance. And it is these kinds of situations that threaten the freedom of all others who own companion animals.
 

Enerchi

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10,658
Matata|1331410713|3145733 said:
SweetAsscher|1331270107|3144773 said:
It just makes me wonder why doesn't everyone train their dog??

People who don't train their dogs have no respect for the dog, themselves, and other people. They either view companion animals as being human in character or as having little value beyond amusement. Either way, the responsibility required to live with a companion animal is very much undervalued, unfortunately to the detriment of the animal.

I wish the current focus in this country on banning certain types of animals as pets, and the money being spent on these campaigns, would instead be channeled into programs fostering responsible pet ownership and pet training. I'll even go as far to say that I fantasize occasionally about making training mandatory.

Just 2 days ago, 2 Akitas allowed to run at-large in a dog park killed 2 small dogs that were on lead. This was the 4th attack by these dogs and users of the park finally found out who owned the Akitas and contacted police. Yesterday the Akitas were euthanized. The owner said he wasn't upset about the death of his dogs because he believes "in an eye for an eye and besides, I have their pup who is a better dog." I am horrified that he's allowed to own a dog at all because with his attitude, we're looking for a repeat performance. And it is these kinds of situations that threaten the freedom of all others who own companion animals.

What a disgusting attitude that man has! :nono: :evil: :shock: I agree - he should not be allowed to own animals. Wonder what his 'human skills' are like....
 

Amys Bling

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We put our dog through 16 weeks of training and got a lot out of it. There are a few behaviors we want to further asters which we might bring a trainer in to the home to show us how to address an correct them.
 

SweetAsscher

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
377
anovice said:
I am fighting this battle right now...

I have a scottish terrier... aka scottish TERROR.

To the casual observer, he is well behaved. He walks very well on lead. He does not bark. He isn't jumpy. However, he couldn't give even the tiniest care if I call him name while he's out playing or even if he's sleeping on his bed. He looks at you, and then continues his business. We have an amazing obedience school in my town that has beautiful facilities and many many awards on the wall. Its a tight knit community there. It is mostly enthusiasts who attend but occasionally they have newbie courses. We've started with those and then did the mid-level obedience. He's smart but when the lead comes off... he's on his own. I've had lots of discussions with people there and this is VERY breed specific. They were bred to hunt on their own. Its so hard to train him because he isn't driven by ANYTHING. He isn't food driven, isn't toy driven, and doesn't particularly care for praise. Give him a live squirrel to chase and then he'd finally wake up.

I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes it isn't that people aren't trying. I TRY but am embarrassed by how little progress I've made with his off-lead work. I've had other dogs and they were easy-peasy to train compared to him. Do I regret getting this breed? Not at all. It just means that he is always on a lead and I watch over him more than most.

It sounds like he has a high prey drive so for him his reward would be playing with a squeaky toy instead of praise or treats. Also I don't know how you feel about this, but for off leash training, e-collars are very effective. You just have to know how to use them correctly. There's a ton of info on that on the leerburg site. Some people think it is cruel to use e-collars but that is because they are uninformed for the proper way to use them.
 

SweetAsscher

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lyra said:
We're having a problem in our house right now as far as keeping the dogs in line goes. Unfortunately, our almost 14 year old fox terrier now has dementia on top of deafness and partial blindness. Fun times, not. :(sad The vet says we need to make a decision that works for everyone, and that the quality of our life is also a priority. She's fine some days, other days she's a danger to the chihuahuas. She barks for no reason, which gets the other 2 barking, and it's impossible to get her to stop doing it on a daily basis. The other 2 dogs listen, but she can't. You have to approach her carefully or she'll snap (not at me, but at everyone else). She's unpredictable. She can't see hand signals. She also has congestive heart failure. But like I said, some days she's totally chipper and bouncing around happy. Other days she barely moves off the floor. She's not allowed to go on walks or exercise much as the vet advised against it. I don't know why I'm posting this. I guess there comes a point when even the well trained dogs can go off, and there's nothing you can do about it. We haven't had an old dog with dementia before. This is a new experience, and something I guess we'll learn from.
I'm sorry about your doggie. Last year my mom had to put down her 14 year old toy fox terrier due to cancer. It was sad but best not to prolong her life since she was suffering.
 

SweetAsscher

Shiny_Rock
Joined
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Messages
377
Enerchi said:
Matata|1331410713|3145733 said:
SweetAsscher|1331270107|3144773 said:
It just makes me wonder why doesn't everyone train their dog??

People who don't train their dogs have no respect for the dog, themselves, and other people. They either view companion animals as being human in character or as having little value beyond amusement. Either way, the responsibility required to live with a companion animal is very much undervalued, unfortunately to the detriment of the animal.

I wish the current focus in this country on banning certain types of animals as pets, and the money being spent on these campaigns, would instead be channeled into programs fostering responsible pet ownership and pet training. I'll even go as far to say that I fantasize occasionally about making training mandatory.

Just 2 days ago, 2 Akitas allowed to run at-large in a dog park killed 2 small dogs that were on lead. This was the 4th attack by these dogs and users of the park finally found out who owned the Akitas and contacted police. Yesterday the Akitas were euthanized. The owner said he wasn't upset about the death of his dogs because he believes "in an eye for an eye and besides, I have their pup who is a better dog." I am horrified that he's allowed to own a dog at all because with his attitude, we're looking for a repeat performance. And it is these kinds of situations that threaten the freedom of all others who own companion animals.

What a disgusting attitude that man has! :nono: :evil: :shock: I agree - he should not be allowed to own animals. Wonder what his 'human skills' are like....


I agree that training should be mandatory. And some people should not own pets.
I feel bad for the owners of the small dogs that were killed. I almost lost my little dog like that too.
 
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