Training methods for puppies, dogs, etc - Page 1

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GSDguy08

by GSDguy08 on 06 March 2017 - 20:03

Hey guys I'm curious on your thoughts on training methods. It seems like if you were to ask three people how they would train a dog, you would get three different answers. I had run into a trainer at a store today, seemed like a very knowledgeable guy, said he trains police k9s and has been doing it for many years. His method and view was that no treats should ever be used on puppies, dogs, etc, ever. And that works very well for him(he was teaching a class at the time I was talking to him). He also said that one should not use tugs or ball/rope for rewards or motivation, but tugs should only ever be used for grip work. And he also said a dog should never be off leash in a house until after they are trained.

So what about you guys? What do you do with the younger puppies? Treats and then weaning them off the treats to just commands(personally I do this); What about dogs who are getting older? Do you use compulsion at all? Tugs, ball/rope? Just wanting to see what everyone does in working with their own dogs or if you train dogs for other people as well.

And lastly I have a question regarding my own dog. I have not put as much time into training as I need to, but am making the time now and starting it with the dog that I do have, she's 9 months old. She knows a few basic commands, house broken, etc. I normally will take her and work her some in stores like tractor supply. Not a lot of dogs there typically, but she usually does great. I took her into Petco today and her excitement level was high(she had never been there before, nor has she been where a ton of dogs are at once). What do you guys suggest for a time when a dog starts whining, anxious/excited, wanting to go be pet by someone else. In her mind(though I don't have people come up and pet her) she wants to be pet by everyone. She may sit, and even if I command her into a sit, she will sit but whine quite a bit, very unstable. I'm starting to implement walks, that will be a daily thing. She had had a foot injury in the past so I had kept that light, but I know constant daily exercise and training helps with these things. Anyway, looking forward to responses.


by vk4gsd on 06 March 2017 - 21:03

Look at the results first, the no food/tug reward crowd never ime train to a high level of anything in terms of precision or a dog looking animated.

Depends what you want as a finished picture tho.

 

As far as young dog interested in the world, that is normal. Keep doing more fun stuff and let the dog explore the world, be more of an attraction to the dog.


by Junior Johnson on 06 March 2017 - 23:03

There is an old adage among trainers: The only thing two dog trainers will agree upon is what the third one is doing wrong. Leerburg.com is an excellent resource and there are countless videos that are available online or for purchase. Michael Ellis is one of the trainers in many of the videos and one of his videos is THE POWER OF TRAINING DOGS WITH FOOD, and another video is THE POWER OF PLAYING TUG WITH YOUR DOG. Both videos will assist you in answering much of your original inquiry and will assist with the learning process. IMO, operant conditioning is the best method out there for the majority of pet owners looking to train puppies.

Q Man

by Q Man on 06 March 2017 - 23:03

So many things depend on the puppy/dog itself...Age...Drive...Attention Span...etc...

Then of course you have the training methods that the training is used to or prefers...

With a puppy you can only do so much...their attention span is very short so you have to train around that and help them to mature...
So much of working with a puppy is introducing them to different things and develop or promote their drives...See what they like and are good at and to see what and where they need more help/work...

Knowing your End Goal is important and knowing where you're trying to go...

~Bob~

Sunsilver

by Sunsilver on 07 March 2017 - 16:03

As far as the dog wanting to go up and be petted by everyone...

If you let this happen, you are going to be in BIG trouble!

Here are some reasons why:

1) Not everyone wants a large dog approaching them. Many people are scared of dogs
2) If the person your dog wants to approach has a dog, a) there is nothing that guarantees their dog is dog-friendly, and your dog may be attacked, b) they may be trying to train their dog to ignore other dogs, and not want your dog approaching.
3) As your dog matures, she will get larger and stronger. If you don't nip this in the bud, it's possible she will be dragging you behind her to go and visit other dogs, whether you want her to or not.

When your dog is out with you, YOU shoul be her centre of attention. Train your dog to ignore other dogs, and listen to you at all times. That should be the goal of your training. How you accomplish this is up to you. You can use treats, toys, leash corrections, or a combination of all 3. Every dog is an INDIVIDUAL and it is up to you to find out what works best. It is NOT a one-size-fits-all thing, as many people would have you think.

Beware the all-positive crowd. A well-timed leash or verbal correction is NOT going to break your dog's spirit!  The German shepherd temperament is bred to be strong, and if they are not told 'no' now and then, they will try to take over. Just make sure the happy, positive stuff outweighs the negative.

 






 


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