Dog Training; Do people really bother?

[Mara]

We did...and we are very happy we did. It was almost 8 years ago and she's a very well-behaved girl. I did not want a dog that we couldn't take out to places without being sure she would comport herself well.

The funniest and most true part of the training, which was not that expensive since it was only 6 weeks for puppies and was more along the lines of gearing you up as an owner to arm you with the tools to learn how to train your dog in the future, was when the trainer basically said... this is not so much about training the dog as it is about teaching you how to train your dog. So essentially almost training the humans to train the dog. It stuck with me thru the years and is very true. We learned essentials in that class that we used for years later and still do.

And I dare to say that we even find elements of that class helpful in things like child-rearing. It's somewhat a similar thing.

 

[lyra]

Thanks for the kind thoughts on our old dog. She brought a big giant dead rat to the back door this morning. Sigh. Beware of dogs with strong hunting instincts, they are only doing what comes natural to them, even when their bodies/minds become feeble. Bleah!

 

[packrat]

We need to work w/Swede more. She's a bit spastic. There aren't any classes around here so I've been considering the dvd from that guy they call the Dogfather-I saw it on tv. House training her has been a struggle too..she runs around and sniffs *constantly* so it's hard to tell if she's sniffing just b/c there's good smells/crumbs to be found, or she needs to go out. And she chews like crazy so she can't be allowed to roam the house at all, even when we're in here.

 

[partgypsy]

Well I think it depends on if you are talking about any training (i.e. you do the training yourself) versus professional dog training. With our dog Betty, we got her as a puppy and as she was part Chow (which has a bad reputation) and from a feral mommy we bought a book and worked with her alot while she was still young. There were certain things she never learned (she hated a leash and would pull; however if she was unleashed she would walk right beside you and not run off). Overall she was a very good dog despite not having professional training.

OTOH with Chuck, we got him at a year old and he had a lot of issues. We both did a beginner's class with him, and also had a friend who did dog training come over for one-on-one training. Even with that training he is still not perfect, but a big improvement from when we first got him (where he probably would have been put down). So some people might look at him, and think geesh why don't they give that dog some training, when they don't know how far he's come.

 

[QueenB29]

to the Akita and German Shepard stories......That kind of behavior is not the dogs' fault. It's the humans' and I have VERY strong feelings about what should happen to people who neglect/mistreat animals

DH and I adopted our yellow Lab, Belle, when she was 3 and training helped SOOOOO much. When we first adopted her, she was extremely aggressive toward every other dog we came across, and when she went after one it was not good: At 5'3", there is no way I can stop a determined 85-pound dog and I lost control of her more than once. We're very lucky that nothing came of it. At home, she was also pretty restless and unsure of herself and she would pace a lot.

Because of the aggression issue, we had to take her to a special trainer and it cost $$$$$, but it was SO worth it. She now walks nicely on a leash and if you tell her to sit, she sits. If you tell her to down, she downs. If you tell her to come, she comes. If you tell her to stay...well, she stays until she can't see you any more and then comes looking for you. Most importantly, she doesn't lunge after other dogs any more. The aggression is still there, but only when she's on her leash, and is limited to raised fur, which I can accept. (If she's on her leash and a loose dog comes up to her, and especially if she thinks she's protecting me, all bets are off, but I can't blame her for that.) If she's off her leash, though, she actually plays with other dogs quite well. Also, we found that training gave her a lot of confidence and really strengthened our bond. She trusts us completely now.

Everyone who meets her comments on how well behaved she is, and when we're out walking, we usually make other dog owners jealous

 

[stardust97]

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.

I completely understand how you feel. My parents adopted a Maremma sheepdog/Turkish Akbash 3 years ago. She was the cutest pup, but even then she was very strong-willed. We love her to bits, and she is wonderful with our cats and children, but boy is she a lot of work. At 120 pounds, she is also very difficult to control. She is not aggressive in the least, but she loves to run away and try to get you to catch her. I was quite upset that my parents got her at their age, and then didn't properly train her as a pup; these issues are much harder to overcome now that she is an adult. We couldn't imagine not having her now, but I'd never allow them to get a second one lol!