What is "Trainability" - Page 1

What is meant by "Trainability"?

Trainability is a measure of the ease in which a dog can be trained to utilize any of it's natural instincts and/or physical abilities toward the aims of it's handler.  The dog's repertoire of instincts and scope of it's abilities are a rather seperate matter, not reserved for this discussion.

There are modifiers that either enhance OR detract from a dog's trainability, such as

• obedient desire to cooperate or comply with the handler (bidability vs. stubborness),
• intelligence or ability to understand what the handler wants (vs. the handler's skill at communicating to the dog),
• focus or inability to do so (under distractions or preservational concerns),
• and drive or lack thereof (motivation to assert oneself toward an objective).

Each of these modifiers may vary from dog to dog, so that the overall combination of trainability factors may offer different levels of difficulty for different handlers, leading down distinct training paths toward final achievement.  This refers to variations on the handler's training skills and styles, and where each emphasis is placed regarding their personal preference in dogs.  "Trainable" from one handler's perspective, is perhaps not as trainable as another handler would think.

So this formula is then, as most things are, rather relative, but offers a useful perspective to reflect on some of the dogs you have worked with in the past, how your methods have changed, how your preferences in dogs have changed and perhaps, what unexplored qualities have eluded you thus far.

 Trainability:

                       Before I was married and when single I never put the toliet seat down I got married and wife trained me now I always put the toliet seat down. Also I never leave a empty toliet paper roll on the roller and cloths must be seperated befroe washing and you never buy eggs until you check for cracked ones...Trainability!

Bob - that makes your wife an EXCELLENT trainer.  Wish I'd been able to get those results with 'guys I have known' !!!

Here's my view on the toilet seat, if I have to put it down when done, she has to put it up when done.

Fair is fair.

Zep--

The toilet seat down can be a non issue if you train her to look before she sits, a simple exercise in focus.  I've done this before by using seran wrap to block the bowl.  Works wonders.  With intelligent planning, you can thereby diminish her drive to make you biddable.

I shoulda known there's too many jokers in this deck of cards to carry a serious conversation, ha ha.

A femeale turns into a nasty mean bitch when she sits down on the rim in the middle of the night. She will come up the leash and bite you in the ass...... that is rather a reactionto an unexpected scenario. It shocks the female and sometimes claws come out.

To prevent this from happening, simply put the seat down. The lid can be tolerated since it doesn't cause a moment of unpleasant surprise.

I'm gitting me some popcorn for this thread.  Stumbles to the kitchen for a bucket o corn :)

Trainability- convinient excuse for less complex trainers 

Precisely.  There are dogs that can make training easier for you, and dogs that make things more difficult.  I'm not sure why some people are overawed by a dog that challenges the limitations of the handler.  If you want to test your skill, try a different breed or species, like a dingo or a wild boar.  This one is supposed to be easier, so you can concentrate more on the progress of the job being performed by "the team", and less on the functional fitness of the dog who's supposed to be an asset.

Ok, I have got to ask this question.  It is not meant with malice or intent to stir the pot.
  Why would you want a dog that tests you?  I would really like to know the answer to that one.  Yes there are dogs that test, yes they are just as easily trained. 
But if you had two dogs that were equal in all ways.  Would you pick the one that comes up the leash at you or would you pick the one that happily and respectfully works with you.  German Shepherds are meant to work with man.  They were never intended to work independant of man, they are not Filas or Dogos.  It says absolutely nothing about a trainers ability to work a dog who is difficult. Frankly it is much harder to train a nerve bag and make it look good on the feild than it is to work a dog who is by nature difficult.  Just curious cuz from where I stand it just looks like a tough difficult dog is a penis extention. (Macho trainer, look at me I can handle this snarling brute) Sort of like when a small woman rides a huge stallion......  My respect will always go out to the trainer who takes the simpering, peeing, bolting dog and gets a title on it! Now that is a dog trainer!!!