Dog Training . . .

[Rustward]

A few months ago DW's sister acquired a new puppy (from a rescue group in OKC) (DW's sister is a 10 out of 10 for rescues ... if you know that that means ... it requires evaluation and references evaluated by the resuce group) - it is how rescue groups evaluate potential adopters -- and she as enrolled him in obedience classes -- not the first time for DW's sister. He (the dog) is now in the itermediate obediece class having already been through an introductury class; DW's sister was unable to go to class today because she needed to atttend a family event, and asked DW (and I) to take Landry (the dog is named after a pro football coach) in her place his scheduled class today. We did, because we like animals -- sit, stay, and sit stay with distractions, and sit stay with handler walking away -- both with hanndler facing the dog and facing away) - and a few other exercises. Landry did quite well in class. ... and he got many snacks -- positive reinforcement. After we got Landry home I played with him for quite a while -- and then I smelled a little like a dog. Smelling like a dog is not the worst thing that could happen.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

You guys did your good deed for the week. I'm a real dog lover but can't get our two Chihuahua's to obey anyone. Watched a great TV show last week on the local public education channel about how smart dogs are. They are smarter than chimps when it comes to interacting with humans. The show also talked about how various breeds of dogs are trained to work with disabled people. Those animals facinate me.

 

[happy2bretired]

I love dogs but the one I have now acts more like a cat....very independent. She IS very smart...too smart for me, since she always figures out how to get her own way

This morning's paper had an article about a service dog that detects high or low blood sugar. That's absolutely amazing.

A new playmate, but a hard worker, too

 

[Nemo2]

Back when my late wife & I were fulltime RVing we had occasion to spend a month in Puerto Penasco, (if you've never been....don't).......another camper, apparently having seen my Border Collie, came over, (with her Pug dog in tow), while he & I were playing Frisbee.

"I've been watching him" she said, "He does this, and this, and this, and...." - "While you" she said, turning to her Pug, "Do nothing".

 

[Nemo2]

I know y'all are getting sick of Border Collie stories by now......but.....here's another:

When my pup was around, oh maybe 3 months, there was a local lady who conducted group training classes......she said she usually didn't take dogs under 6 months but she'd make an exception for a Border.

Due to his young age he'd sleep through half/most of the class...but occasionally would lift his head, look around, and go back to sleep with an air of "I can do that".

And he could.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I will indulge you, Nemo--and I know what you mean. The sheer range of ability of Border Collies is remarkable. Not only are they excellent herders of small livestock from sheep to goats to geese, but also excel at agility, flyball, frisbee, dock diving, and just about anything you can explain to them in adequate detail. That is what fools many neophytes into thinking they'd make great apartment dogs! But what that tells us old hands is that they need LOTS of work to keep them busy!

 

[Nemo2]

they need LOTS of work to keep them busy!

24/7

 

[Bestwifeever]

A few months ago DW's sister acquired a new puppy (from a rescue group in OKC) (DW's sister is a 10 out of 10 for rescues ... if you know that that means ... it requires evaluation and references evaluated by the resuce group) - it is how rescue groups evaluate potential adopters -- and she as enrolled him in obedience classes -- not the first time for DW's sister. He (the dog) is now in the itermediate obediece class having already been through an introductury class; DW's sister was unable to go to class today because she needed to atttend a family event, and asked DW (and I) to take Landry (the dog is named after a pro football coach) in her place his scheduled class today. We did, because we like animals -- sit, stay, and sit stay with distractions, and sit stay with handler walking away -- both with hanndler facing the dog and facing away) - and a few other exercises. Landry did quite well in class. ... and he got many snacks -- positive reinforcement. After we got Landry home I played with him for quite a while -- and then I smelled a little like a dog. Smelling like a dog is not the worst thing that could happen.

Your post made my day, especially the last sentence.

 

[rescueme]

But what that tells us old hands is that they need LOTS of work to keep them busy!

A bit more, but mostly like my rescue shelties (see picture/avatair)...

 

[ronin]

My experience with raising and training dogs for 30+ yrs is that it is largely about training the owner. The dogs get it pretty quickly.

 

[TromboneAl]

My experience with raising and training dogs for 30+ yrs is that it is largely about training the owner. The dogs get it pretty quickly.

Yes. The thing that always gets me is this: The owner calls his dog. The dog ignores him. More calling. Finally, when the dog does go to the owner, the guy punishes the dog for not coming sooner.

IOW, he's training the dog to not come when called.

 

[kat]

I got my dog at 18 months. He flunked out of guide dog training school and I had been on a wait list there for 4 years, for a flunked out dog after my dog died four years earlier. (A blind friend told me about it, so I had signed up.) My turn came for this young beautiful dog....

He came trained. For food. It's been a nice challenge to do good things when I forgot the kibble treats.

My dog and me are walking to the Occupy ...... and he does great. In fact, he is looking for play there, not food, or at least not hanging around doing nothing. He lightly jumps up and licks my face after I thought we settled down. Move. I agree that he is training me.

 

[Nemo2]

Yes. The thing that always gets me is this: The owner calls his dog. The dog ignores him. More calling. Finally, when the dog does go to the owner, the guy punishes the dog for not coming sooner.

IOW, he's training the dog to not come when called.

Our trainer said "You only call your dog once.....he heard you, he's not deaf....and if he doesn't come you'd better be prepared to go and get him, so that next time you call he knows you're not bluffing".

I also took a seminar with a trainer who also rehabilitated, (or tried to, kind of a 'last chance' operation for dogs that the courts had ordered put down if it failed), he said not to hold your dog and look into his eyes and yell at him.....all the dog gets from that is that looking at you is an unpleasant experience.

 

[FreeAtLast]

My son who is in high school helps train service dogs in a training program. The dogs are raised from pups, reside with and are trained by inmates at a prison about 30 miles away, however, they need volunteers to take the dogs for a weekend and get them use to going around in the outside world.

It has been interesting to have different dog guests for the weekend. They are very well behaved and get along just fine with our Golden Retriever.