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Training and Obedience > Favourite Training Tip (35 replies)

Favourite Training Tip
by laura271 on 13 June 2012 - 17:47
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I really love the old threads where folks would share one or two of their favourite training tips so I thought I would start a new thread for people to contribute to.

Do you have a favourite training tip or piece of training advice that you learned the hard way?

Here are my three favourites:
  1. This was said to me by my trainer when I was whining about not having enough time to devote to obedience training.
    "Laura, if you have time to do dishes then you have time to put Senta in a down or sit stay." Huh.
    I put both Bosco and Senta in a stay for at least one or two minutes every evening while I whirl around the kitchen cleaning up.
     
  2. Sunsilver wrote in the recent thread on Prince that: "One vigourous, sharp correction will accomplish far more than a hundred nagging corrections." Brynjulf enjoys reminding me of this piece of advice often when I whine about my struggles training Bosco.
     
  3. When a dog is out of position, don't physically put the dog into the correct position- he must learn to find the correct position on his own and once he can, then he truly understands the command. This is very roughly paraphrased from my trainer and a FB group that I lurk on. Not physically straightening Bosco's sit in the heel position is something that I struggle to resist doing.
     
  4. Insert your piece of sage training advice here.
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by VKGSDs on 13 June 2012 - 20:13
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The definition of insanity...doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
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by brynjulf on 14 June 2012 - 01:18
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My two favorites:
If you can't enforce it don't say it

What did you expect, look who is on the end of the leash.

I will ALWAYS remember that one it brought the house down!!!  It was one of those day where a whole field of us were just screwing up continually, like some plague was looming.  Everyone was getting frustrated and pissy.  My son who never says a peep just blurted that out, had us all rolling in stitches :)


 

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by fawndallas on 14 June 2012 - 03:39
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1. Say it once and only once.  More than that allows the dog to guess when they have to obey.
2. If a session is not going right, sounds like it is time for play time.
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by laura271 on 14 June 2012 - 04:03
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"If you can't enforce it don't say it."

Yes! That's a good one ...particularly for off-leash recalls.
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by workingdogz on 14 June 2012 - 09:34
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"Know when to quit"

More is not always best. 
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by Conspicuous on 14 June 2012 - 12:10
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I have more experience in training horses, but I think it carries over:

Along the lines of the "if you can't enforce it, don't say it" I was told "Never start something you can't finish"

I also believe in one sharp correction vs 1000 nagging ones. Eventually, the nagging falls on deaf ears. With horses we have a rule of teach, ask, tell.

One of the best pieces of advice a friend gave me when I was whining about my horse acting up a bit was "You know, he's not a stuffed toy". LOL  Sometimes they are just naughty. It doesn't mean they should get away with it, or evade work, but you have to just stop and smile at their tenacity and spirit. You never want to crush that.
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by Bob McKown on 14 June 2012 - 18:49
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 It,s not really a training tip but it was words of advice from my Axel vom Matschenka,s breeder.

 You guys in the states seem to want to push agression,aggression,aggression at a young age. A good dog has aggression and it will naturally come with age and maturity, don,t push something they don,t understand.

 It,s some of the best advice i,ve ever gotten.
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by brynjulf on 14 June 2012 - 20:16
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Excellent advice Bob!
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by Nans gsd on 14 June 2012 - 23:49
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Of course my training tip is this:  if you are using a pinch/prong collar, back up your collar with a flat, choke, or even a harness so your dog does not break loose and get away from you.  Nan
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by Chaz Reinhold on 15 June 2012 - 01:17
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Dogs are like women. You have to convince them it was their idea.
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by Chaz Reinhold on 15 June 2012 - 01:18
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There's only one thing two trainers will agree on...what the third trainer is doing wrong.
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by Chaz Reinhold on 15 June 2012 - 01:23
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Oh, and I disagree with allowing your dog to find the right position. If he doesn't know, then YOU never taught him, or you skipped some steps. You have to teach a dog what is and isn't correct. They are black and white.
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by lhczth on 15 June 2012 - 16:53
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Years ago I came back from tracking not happy with how my dog had tracked.  The club TD asked me what was wrong and then asked how my dog normally tracks.  I told him she normally does a "V" track.  He said "then do not worry about the occasional bad track".  I have tried to keep that perspective ever since. 


Lisa
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by Sunsilver on 17 June 2012 - 00:40
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I appreciate you quoting me about corrections, but the credit for that needs to go to the one I 'learned' it from: Willaim Kohler, from his famous book on Guard Dog Training.

Good thread!

Another of my favourites is the "say it ONCE and only once".  And if the dog knows the command, and doesn't do it, you follow up with a correction. Or as someone else said: Teach, ask, tell.

That has GOT to be the most common mistake people make, especially pet owners, repeating the command again and again!

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by laura271 on 17 June 2012 - 01:31
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Chaz: "Oh, and I disagree with allowing your dog to find the right position. If he doesn't know, then YOU never taught him, or you skipped some steps."

This is what I was thinking of in my original comment:

When I'm heeling Bosco and I stop and he sits crooked, I had a bad habit of physically straightening his butt instead of walking forward and having him sit again. Then rewarding for a straight sit.



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by Donnerstorm on 17 June 2012 - 23:15
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Remember, it is called giving the dog a command, NOT a request!
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by loujolly on 19 June 2012 - 12:50
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You must use the same body language in training as you will use in trial - Dean Calderon
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by dragonfry on 22 June 2012 - 03:13
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It's easy to train dogs, It's very difficult to train their owners.

As someone that teachs a few classes a year with my all breed training club. That's the first thing i tell people. And it is so very true. I would enjoy dog training more if i could just work with the dogs. But who needs a dog that only obeys me?
I saw the same thing when i was dog grooming. It's easy to teach the dogs to behave on the table. It's hell to get their owners to listen.
But there are alsways a few stars among all the class members that make every class special.
Fry
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by OGBS on 23 June 2012 - 05:45
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"The first thing you should learn when doing helper work. Never stick your face in the dog's mouth!"
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