Tips on training a dog?
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ArtW
Well-known member
Train chaser, thanks for posting that, My dog, a Border Collie, sleeps with me when he stays with me, in my bed, and gets my scraps, and he is absolutely better behaved, and better trained, than my stepson's 'working dogs' that he trains subscribes to the 'alpha dog' thinking (no dog in my bed, no sharing food)
I have been praised lavishly for his good behaviour, but I always give due credit to his own intellect and desire to please
I have been praised lavishly for his good behaviour, but I always give due credit to his own intellect and desire to please
Kitt
Well-known member
TrainChaser said:
A million times yes for that first part!! The alpha theory is total BS and I agree with the second with one addition. Food and praise and toys are your best friends. Some dogs just straight up not food motivated. Back in January I was gonna adopt a three year old amstaff named cookie as a service dog candidate. Before I committed I ran through some training with her. Stubborn as hell but damn I loved that dog. Food? Nahh. Treats? Nope. Toys? Turned up her nose. My happy voice, kisses and a good scratch behind the ear? I had her doing sit, stay, high five, and roll over in no time. Smart as a whip. Being forced to back out of the adoption is my greatest regret.
Headache
Well-known member
I have retrained dogs because of their owners lack of education about canine behavior on and off for almost 40 years and have NEVER EVER used treats for not one dog, ever. I barely even talk to my dog when working. Using treats, clickers and the like are unnecessary when the person training takes the time to educate themselves AND observe the dogs behavior in the surroundings the issues come up then tailors that training to the individual dog, not some cookie cutter program.
I recently resigned from a training program because my dog is such an addict regarding food(similar to heroin like proportions) that I was accused of being cruel because I refused to use treats to train her. I'm all for some standardization in the field(FFS I know we can use it in the service dog training sector) but not thinking outside the training organization box does a complete disservice to the dogs that fall outside of it. That will be nearly all of them.
Training must be flexible and patient if nothing else. It's taken 2 months for this very independent little 6 year old wiener to potty outside but we did it with confidence and trust not bribery and punishment. Well except the day she squatted right in front of me, in shock I did shove her out the door in a hurry so there was that day but we were right in front of the door and about to go out...
I do tend to emulate more the behaviors I see in nature. Maybe that's the little bit of Indian in me maybe not but many of us train that way and our ancestors have been doing similar for thousands of years so I'd say that the way we train has been pretty successful. This was even before animal rights groups and shelters started trying to lay down the law on us for not doing things their way, or "schools" and organizations started issuing certificates. But the day I see some wolf, coyote, dingo or even ANY domesticated breed give another dog a treat because they told them to sit down, stay, lay down, heel and they did then by damn I'll start doing it too.
Just my 2 beads worth.
I recently resigned from a training program because my dog is such an addict regarding food(similar to heroin like proportions) that I was accused of being cruel because I refused to use treats to train her. I'm all for some standardization in the field(FFS I know we can use it in the service dog training sector) but not thinking outside the training organization box does a complete disservice to the dogs that fall outside of it. That will be nearly all of them.
Training must be flexible and patient if nothing else. It's taken 2 months for this very independent little 6 year old wiener to potty outside but we did it with confidence and trust not bribery and punishment. Well except the day she squatted right in front of me, in shock I did shove her out the door in a hurry so there was that day but we were right in front of the door and about to go out...
I do tend to emulate more the behaviors I see in nature. Maybe that's the little bit of Indian in me maybe not but many of us train that way and our ancestors have been doing similar for thousands of years so I'd say that the way we train has been pretty successful. This was even before animal rights groups and shelters started trying to lay down the law on us for not doing things their way, or "schools" and organizations started issuing certificates. But the day I see some wolf, coyote, dingo or even ANY domesticated breed give another dog a treat because they told them to sit down, stay, lay down, heel and they did then by damn I'll start doing it too.
Just my 2 beads worth.
