Help with training a dog

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Have just read entire thread and Steph you have inspired me to work a lot harder on training my own dog........the advice you've been given has been so practical and reading how well you have been doing with your Aunt's dog is simply amazing.......

you have all enforced that a well trained dog is a happy dog

[jesse_3]

Have just read entire thread and Steph you have inspired me to work a lot harder on training my own dog........the advice you've been given has been so practical and reading how well you have been doing with your Aunt's dog is simply amazing.......

you have all enforced that a well trained dog is a happy dog

I am glad that this thread has helped more than one person Also it is very true, a well trained dog is a happy dog. They feel more useful in life. If you have any questions on training your dog, feel free to post it here! I know that everyone has helped me SO much!

As for tonight, we had a severe thunderstorm, so, we had one of the first lessons inside. I kept her walking leash on her, to teach her not to run in the house. We also worked on lay down! I am so impressed with her! She has all most come to knowing lay down perfectly! It is amazing how smart Alex is!!!! For the lay down, I had to use doggy treats, they had bought a different type, so it worked! Now, she sits before she lays down. I don't give her the treat when she sits, but when she lays down I do. I just say happily<"Good Girl Alex!" when she sits...Is that enough?

Thank you all so much! We have also improved on Andy (her youngest owner) not being a chew toy, and Any has promised that he will walk her. He sort of forgot the harness was there, and was too scared to walk her!

Thank you everyone for keeping up with this, and Brody's Mum, good luck!
Steph and Jes

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Originally posted by jesse_3
and Brody's Mum, good luck!

Thanks! Tobey is quite a bright dog so he has already got the hang of "sit", sitting and waiting at the kerb and very nearly mastered the art of "stay". This morning he did "lie down" 3 times in a row but I think that was more coincidence than my training skills

Will continue working on that one but also want to teach him not to jump up at people when they come visiting and to stop chasing Brody!!! Finding it quite exciting to have my very own dog to train

By far the most successful command I have taught His Woofship is the "lie-in" - Sundays mornings he and I sneak back to bed for a snooze

[ginagt]

Now, she sits before she lays down. I don't give her the treat when she sits, but when she lays down I do. I just say happily<"Good Girl Alex!" when she sits...Is that enough?

It really depends on what you want. My dog downs from a standing position. I didn't want to have the extra step of sitting first in there, eventually she will do agility and I don't want to add the extra time.
Are you using a clicker in your training?
If you want I can tell how to eliminate the sit before she downs.

[sandragonfly]

steph! it seems alex did well with serve thunderstorms! from all of this successful news you shared, I'm sure alex will be one pro in no time!

"is that enough...?" - I never realized/noticed if my crayola downs with/without sitting first, and I just tried that, he would just down first. but you got me to think I should teach him 'stand'! when he comes to me, he just automically sits down..lol. he also understands 'up' as of sitting up. did you want him to not sit before going down?

gina, can you summarize how anyway? even though I never trained him that, I'm curious.

hope this is okay with you, steph... brody's mum, I have a question, tobey likes to chase brody when guests come or just does that sometimes with guests?

[ginagt]

gina, can you summarize how anyway? even though I never trained him that, I'm curious

I train with a clicker (and I love it) what I do is wait for the dog to lay down (clicker trainiers call it capturing) and when the dog lays down <click> and give a treat. I throw the treat so the dog has to get up, then I wait and when they lay down <click> and give a treat. I don't say anything I am just waiting for the dog to offer the behavior. The dog my be going from a sit to a down which is ok, once they are relibly going to a down, I start clicking only for a down, not a down from a sit.

If you don't train with a clicker or don't want to you can teach down from a stand by holding a treat in front of the dogs nose and going straight down. This might take several attempts so don't give up. Say "good" when they lay down and give a treat from your other hand, in a way that makes the dog have to get up. Repeat again.
Don't say down until you have the down (behavior) you want. They say once you name the behavior that is what you will get.
I hope this helps.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Originally posted by Gina's Ark Inc.
brody's mum, I have a question, tobey likes to chase brody when guests come or just does that sometimes with guests?[/color]

Sorry, wasn't clear -these are two separate issues I want to tackle. He always chases poor Brody and always jumps up at visitors! I'm sorting that one out by putting him on a short lead before I answer the door so I am in control of him. I was thinking of using the same kind of tactic to stop him chasing the cat (might use his extendable lead so he can still roam around the living room) - he does know he is wrong to do this because once the cat is upstairs Tobey comes straight back down

[jesse_3]

hope this is okay with you, steph... brody's mum, I have a question, tobey likes to chase brody when guests come or just does that sometimes with guests?

That is fine! I have it titled Help Training with a Dog, I didn't specify who

Well, I just heard some very bad news about Alex..They are giving up on her, she got away and they got her from the pound, and then she bit my uncle. I am going to tlak to them about this, and say that I need more training time, and this will all be solved. Any suggestions on what to do? I am so dissapointed. we got this far in three sessions, just a few more and she will be better.

Please, I really need help! I adore Alex, and they don't know how intelligent and nice she is..How do I show them this?

Thank you for any suggestions..
Steph and Jes

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Oh Steph - I do hope you can persuade them to give Alex another chance, she was doing so well.

Great news about the hedgepig!

[ginagt]

Well, I just heard some very bad news about Alex..They are giving up on her, she got away and they got her from the pound, and then she bit my uncle. I am going to tlak to them about this, and say that I need more training time, and this will all be solved. Any suggestions on what to do? I am so dissapointed. we got this far in three sessions, just a few more and she will be better

I hate to say this but if they are not willing to put in the time to train and reinforce what you have taught her then she will never learn. Perhaphs you can take her and she can live with you? I know it's a lot to ask of you and your parents but its so sad that the dog has to lose in the end. People do not understand that a dog is just not born knowing the rules, they have to be taught and shown just like children do. If your child acts out you don't just to give it away you deal with it and do better in displining (training). If your aunt decides on another dog prehaps an older more mature dog would be a better fit.

Unless you can find someone to take Alex or you take her I doubt you can change your aunts mind, even if you did change it it would probably only be until the next time Alex did something wrong.
Young dogs need a lot of attention, training, stimulation and exercise everyday.

You have done a great thing helping out with Alex. I'm sorry things have come to this.

[jesse_3]

Gina, I would LOVE to have Alex, unfortunately my mom hates her and my sisters are scared of her. One day Alex had decided to tackle Syrie and started to mouth her whole face. Syrie wasn't hurt and Alex was just playing, but my mom thought that Alex was tearing Syrie apart by the way she was screaming. Ever since that, my mom has NEVER and will never trust her. If I can, I want to find a good her for her in the country where she can get more excersize, and will be loved.

I hope that I can convince them that I can get Alex through this..She really needs an understanding home. I really think that the problem is that they have a 13 yr old dog who needs to be put down, so if they do get another dog, it will be ignored and untrained, unless I jump in right away. They just can't spend the $150 fine to get her out of the pound, and with her biting her master (which was the first time she has ever bit) I think thta she deserves another chance.....

Wish me luck as I try to talk to them, my aunt and her son really do love Alex, but, it is my uncle who is the problem..

Steph and Jes

[jesse_3]

I have GREAT news! My aunt and I were talking on the phone, and she knew how sad Andy and I would be if they got rid of Alex. She is giving Alex another chance, despite of whta her husband says I am so happy!-and I can't wait until tomorrow for the training session!

Steph and Jes

[ginagt]

That is great news about Alex. Just remind that training is an ongoing process. The more time and effort put into the greater the return. I have a 1year old Golden Retriever that I have been training since I got her at 13 weeks old and she is still not a fully trained dog, is she better than when I got her yes, better than a month ago yes, but I do some sort of training every single day. It can be as simple as sitting for food or and complex as learning the weave poles for agility.

Great job with Alex. What are your training plans for tomorrow?
Does Alex have a Kong to keep her busy and entertained?

[jesse_3]

Just remind that training is an ongoing process. The more time and effort put into the greater the return.

I have known that for a long time! lol! Even before I jumped in, I heard that she was part Dalmatain, and I knew that it would take EVEN longer to train her!

Yes, she does have basic training every day, with sit. She sits before they do anything with her! Food, being pet, an occasional treat, going outside, etc.

As for the kong, she LOVES her socks. They are old socks that we play tiug-of-war with. She addores them so much! We take breaks quite often!

As for tomorrow, we are still going to work on lay down, house manners, and walking. I don't know if you have seen, but I bought her a walking harness, and it works like a charm!

Steph and Jes

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Yay!! that's great news