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Post by Washkeeton on Jan 19, 2006 22:49:40 GMT -5
Any one have some words of wisdom for those of us who are wanting to give our dogs some general training in obedience??
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Post by wolfwoman on Jan 19, 2006 23:05:38 GMT -5
You mean other than the patience, patience, patience thing???
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Post by wolfwoman on Feb 6, 2006 20:27:37 GMT -5
Ok, guess I'll jump in here then with just a few sentances of generalizations that I've been TAUGHT over the years. Remember this is NOT sled dog training, this is pet/house dog (OUR) training! I have been taught over the past 23 years of having dogs that in most ways they are all different, they learn differently and at different speeds (hmm, sounds like kids, huh?). I have also been taught the difference between a smart dog and a dog that you think is dumb. Both are smart dogs, but the one that you think is dumb is the smarter one because they get away with a LOT more than the smart dog that just has to do what they're told. I'll elaborate more on that in another post  I have also been taught that all dogs AND humans are teachable! tho to different degrees that they WANT to be taught. Let's all think and maybe respond on that, could get interesting. Wolfie |
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Post by pipedreams on Feb 7, 2006 16:17:24 GMT -5
The most important thing in general obedience training is to start early....and you can start em at 8 weeks with no problems. When I first heard that ( two dogs ago) I thought they were nuts because everything I had ever heard before said six months or so.......  But the last two dogs (both Labs) that I've had were started at 8 weeks and they both learned everything superfast...with no hassles! They're just real receptive then....new to your family and wanting to fit in....so get em started on the right foot from the get go! and they'll not only be easy to train....but FUN to train too and always eager to please ya!!   |
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Post by wolfwoman on Feb 7, 2006 20:27:36 GMT -5
Pipedreams, You're absolutely right, you can start training eariler than that if you notice the pup actually paying attention to you. You can even do it if they're NOT paying attention. One of the fundamentals of course is SIT. As soon as a pup walks they can sit. Everytime a pup plops his butt on the floor you say SIT and then Good Boy/Girl!! or whatever form of praise you'd like to use. I've had pups sitting on command by eight weeks just because they'd heard it so much.  But I disagree with the easy part on all pups. I've had some very receptive and others not so even at an early age. It's all in their character, and if you want to keep that character, well you have to let em go their own way a bit too. Remember, I said these are pets, not sled/working dogs. You can't digress with a working dog, or as Washkeeton pointed out in another post, you can end up walking a long, long ways in the cold!! Wolfie |
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Post by pipedreams on Feb 9, 2006 19:11:19 GMT -5
Very true..........and some dogs are a lot more receptive to training in general than others. I've worked with dogs that are just plain dumb and others that are as quick as a whip...awareness is a real important trait to see in a pup before you take them home!
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Post by wolfwoman on Feb 9, 2006 23:12:53 GMT -5
Good word there, awareness. But didya ever had one that would look at you and say, "Yep, I know whatcha want, but ya know, I just don't feel like it right now." I have found this trait much more prevelant in female dogs than males, don't know why, just have. The lab that's in another post here (Ladie) was like that. Course she also didn't know she was a dog!
Wolfie
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Post by matata on Feb 14, 2006 16:42:22 GMT -5
Different breeds are different too. I raise purebred mini dachshund and have 5 in my home....2 of them are just 7 weeks old. I've already started working with the pups. But I've found that dachshunds are GERMAN in every way and can be very difficult to train. I've had them for 26.5 years and haven't had a single one that would do everything I've asked. The real trick is repeating over and over and over. And only work with the dog for maybe 15 minutes at a time....but do it maybe every hour for just a few minutes. And if you have a dog that you really want to work with, you can tie the leash around your waist and just let it be with you all day. This is how you start out a dog that is going to become a service dog. And a very good way to house train your dog....if they are tied to you, then there is no way they can go and hide a pile when you're not looking.
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Post by wolfwoman on Feb 14, 2006 21:22:20 GMT -5
Boy do I understand the GERMAN thing, hubby is German/Irish, don't get me started!!! lol At any rate, I've never had any dog that didn't have enough personality to 'talk back' to me at least every once in awhile to let me know they were also a thinking creature That's most interesting about tieing a dog to you at all time. But what about one you don't NEED to tie, that's with you ALL THE TIME anyway? I have 3 of my dogs in the house, and Yukon is the youngest (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY YUKON) and a year old, and he is like a shadow to me. Guess I could just be a-teachin him all the time....lol!!! Seriously tho, he is very smart, just terribly hyper right now at this age. He does know sit, settle, potty, outside, lay/down, go-to-bed, but the stay thing, well that just ain't a-happenin just yet. He acts like a 65lb Jack Russel terrier, he jumps straight up in the air and looks me in the face, absolutely hilarious. We call him the 'flyin dog'. I'll have to see if I can get a pic of it, I'm sure some of you would get a kick out of it. Wolfie |
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Post by Washkeeton on Feb 15, 2006 0:21:12 GMT -5
I have always had the larger breeds german shepards, black labs, sled dogs, etc. I got a mini schnauzer and he is not only hyper at 2 he is crazy. He still has no clue about poty training. He is let loose in the house and he still thinks it is his duty to dump where he is when the urge hits. I have found this true of a lot of mini breeds. I have one sled dog that never takes her eyes off of us. she came into the house for the first time and layed down and fell asleep. she has never been up close and personal to the cats and she had all eight curl up next to her and fall asleep with her. She is one and is a cool dog. Junior is a great name for her. Her mom is just like her, very calm in the house. she whined to go out to potty. Mom was left in with her puppies and did well not only with them but with all the cats. Both are sled dogs or both are suppose to be any ways. Jr runs and runs. She has this huge hole dug already around her house. I am afraid she will be running to china this summer. lol
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Post by wolfwoman on Feb 15, 2006 0:30:01 GMT -5
Yup, me too. Smallest dog I ever had was a Sheltie many years ago. This is the 'flyin dog' watchin TV on our bed even tho he has his OWN.  I've found a somewhat reliable solution to digging, and that's to place some of their poop in the hole and cover it back up. Doesn't prevent them from digging elsewhere, but if they happen to be digging under/toward a fence, it does solve that problem. |
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But the last two dogs (both Labs) that I've had were started at 8 weeks and they both learned everything superfast...with no hassles! They're just real receptive then....new to your family and wanting to fit in....so get em started on the right foot from the get go! and they'll not only be easy to train....but FUN to train too and always eager to please ya!! 