Training!! How Often Do You Work Your Dogs? - Page 2

I don't think you can over train them as long as you are not exhausting them or burning them out.  Change it up a bit and they are like sponges, wanting to learn more and dying to please.  I know my girl would train night and day if I could keep up with her.  Bob M. makes a good point...whether you are aware of it or not, you are training your dog with every breath you take. 

 Every day if weather permits,  and our Sch. Club on Sat and Sun.  if weather permits...Kansas is a really bad state to live in...the weather changes from day to day...

depends. i mostly try to train so jazzy doesn't know shes being trained. keep it fun!!!
all depends on the dog and the results you desire!

Every day.......we do something...if it's working on articles...long downs....sits. I track 2 days a week right now....working 2 dogs is fun! e take a 2 mile walk every Saturday/Sunday morning after tracking. Protection work is done daily...lots of different scenarios...different environments....lots of fun!

nona ...60 -- we have the same philosophy ... first i don't use the word training .... because ... EVERYTHING is a function of your REL:ATIONSHIP and how you share your life with your dog.. that said .. i teach my dog ... ANYWHERE , ANYTIME and ANYPLACE PLACE .. doesn't matter if i am practicing an obedience , protection , agility , scent ,  . doesn't matter if there are noises , sights , smells [ any distraction]. . when i feed .. they learn .. if i go for a walk .. they learn .. if i am watching television .. they learn .. if i have company they learn .. I will do protection work in the middle of traffic , right in front of police if i have to .. obedience the same --  no difeerence if it is in my living room or the middle of traffic. with other dogs next to them or not .. doesn't matter. i have no formal sessions .: Life"  is the session ..  whether you do Ring sports , Schutzhund , Flyball ... INTERACTING with your dog .. should be .. if it is not .. , should be ... A WAY of LIFE !!

hmm...not to derail the topic but how do you guys train "protection" at home? I understand when you go to class and there is a trainer who also acts as a decoy, the bad man that dog must protect you from...now how the heck do you do that at home when its just you and your dogs? ...

I honestly can't get my dogs to bark on command...they will do every trick in the book but bark...if its food that is used to get them to bark, after a while they  give up and walk away thinking they are just not gonna get it....at one point one of my dogs was barking at neighbors cat so I kept saying 'speak" just to get basic understanding that "speak" must lead to bark...well i got a dog that now thinks it's okay to chase cat outside..even the one she playes with at home...once that got nipped there is no longer even barking going on...
any suggestions and explanation/clarification on protection training at home....

This has made me realize that although I do OB at home with just normal everyday things I need to take take to do formal OB at home as well.  When I mean formal I mean in the backyard and working on just regular stuff.  Always do it informally at home or out but still need to do one on one and focused with it.

Alphapup...how do you train protection in public?

I am learning (im a newbie) that I seriously love training with my dogs.  If I could do it everyday I would because I love seeing them perform well and they look they give me of wanting to please.  Also it teaches me about them and what I am doing wrong.

I have a 4-1/2 month old and a 2 yr old.
4-1/2 is with my trainer and is learning basic OB.  He will be be doing PSA's once he is old enough to enter which if I am correct the end of September which will be the earliest he can compete.  I see him 2x a week and see what he is accomplishing and it is awesome.

My 2 yr old is my PPD and I LOVE working PP with him.  I am learning a lot and it is fun to work my dog and seeing what all he can do.  Right now I work him 2x a week but I am going to increase it to 4x a week and looking at a hour or so each session.

Everyone talks about how fun tracking is and I live in AZ so I don't see tracking as something fun especially in this weather and dussty climate but I may just have to try it once to see how it is.

What are the starting blocks for teaching protection?
Reggie

ACE.. yes i do train in public ... i don't understand exactly what you are asking .. i train All exercises in public [ with safety of course] as I would at home inside / outside  , or  on a training field . at any age ..and in regards to how the exercise has progressed.  for example if i am training a dog to do bite work - one thing  i am working on motivation for the bite .. work on one feature .. here i am not concearned about body entry or setting grip ... it's a young pup. .. then i might take my pup for a walk  and out of the clear blue pull out a bite rag .. two passes and let the pup bite .. recoup the rag .. walk and then again agitate and the pup this time gets a bite maybe jumping up onto a fence ... maybe the next time the pup has to climb a cement stair for the bite at the college campus . .. maybe the next day the pup does bite /rag work in the parking lot of Walmart with cars passing by a little ways off. next day maybe a little ways off from where the town employees are fixing the street with heavy maichnery . to repeat ...my goal with the pup in doing this is simply " nothing matters but the bite  environment is irrelevent- concentrate : GET the BITE"       . now i do work on other features in public too .. like bite grip and entry .. but first i want MOTIVATION ..  Later i teach the dog to bite hard and fast .. in public/at home doesn't matter. similarlily i teach a pup to desire to go into body ... Frankly i can do all thesed things by myself... later i can even back tie a dog to the park fence, the tree at my office , the water hydrant on the side walk .. OK .. when i need a helper .. same thing .. we work on a sidewalk , in the street , at the park , at walmart./ the grocery store.. TRAINING FIELD ?? the WHOLE WORLD is a training field !! same concept when i did police building searches... every building was searchable even the buildings condemned for demolition !! FOR PSA for example  .. with  a young pup .. arleady at 10/ 12  weeks i am filling plastic milk containers with rocks  throwing them around as the pup does rag work .. i make my pup run through public sprinklers for the bite . i makle a pup jump on someon's metal garbage can for a bite. i make the pup run through a old tire for a bite ...  on my friends wheel barrel for a bite. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING !!  DID i answer your question ??AP