Another trainer..... - Page 5

I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of whatever that dog is thinking.

Hi Ruger, my dog can be stand-off-ish to strangers at times, in fact she ignores them now until I give her a cue word.  But it took a long time to get there too. I broke it down into steps
Always,
Cee.

Doodle,

              That looks like a good Rottie......he means business.... I have seen to many that
look brain dead, and I love the breed. Used have some very good rotts from east german lines.

Ruger, you need to be with a trainer/club that makes you feel comfortable and is supportive. Doesn't it make sense that if you think you need to relax because your tension is affecting your dog, that you should be at a place or with a trainer that relaxes YOU?

I hope you can find a club or a trainer that works better for you. And the person that you ran into -- I feel for you! lol

I see a lot of controversy posted about clicker training. I had never done it before. My trainer taught me the proper way of clicker training. We have a very sold foundation for training. My female is 4 yrs old now, and anything new I introduce to her, gets trained with a clicker.  I believe it gives the animal (several species have been trained this way), the 'marker' for the correct behavior. When we get into training further away from our dogs, the clicker gives the mark for the correct behavior at the moment it is achieved. The dog learns quickly that the reward (food, toy) will come soon, but the bahavior has already been 'marked' by the clicker. That way, if the dog breaks from what they were just doing to get the reward, its not thinking it is getting the reward for whatever came after the exercise. Not sure that makes sence when I try to explain in writing.

I have moved away from the clicker and replaced it with a 'yes' as our training progressed. I found it very difficult trying to juggle the clicker, food and leash in both hands. I only had to train with the leash when we were getting ready to title for AKC, as that was required as part of the exercise.

I do think the clicker helps with young dogs to better understand what it was that got them a reward. We have been training with shaping behaviors and nothing was forced. She is a very handler focused dog and loves working together. Her only downfall is me, she is the first dog I have ever trained for competition. We even made it into The Review for 2008 being ranked 9th.

Ruger....I wish I had a place for you to stay the weekend. You would benefit from getting some training time here with my traininer. She has titled dogs in AKC and Schutzhund, and has learned from one of the best trainers in the country. You are about a 6 hr drive from me. Good luck with your training.

Dawn

Clicker training been around a while now, there are some good video training DVDs.

Operant conditioning, ......the fastest stimuli after a good or bad behavior is important
so the dog can associate it to the behavior.

Simple is very important when training your dog, even if you have break it down into
3 stages to perform a task.

Word commands should be short and your list of commands should be short as well.

DMShareky, I know what you mean about the clicker, leash, dumbell, food, etc! It can be really tough. That is why I went to a verbal marker instead, though I know it doesn't work quiet as well.

Doberdoodle, you might be surprised what a GOOD clicker trainer could do for that stressed out Rott. After all, marker training is how almost all exotics are taught. The Australian seal/polar bear trainer who taught me had my "killer" cane corso guard dog sitting on the couch in her lap in short order. My mouth was literally hanging down.  After many, many years in the business, this was one dog who I considered pretty incoruptable. Just saying that calm and reward often works really well with "aggressive" (what ever you call aggressive) dogs. I've seen some amazing examples.  And no, she didn't need to "choke him out" like the highly paid Cesar Milan! : (

Ruger, you have been given a lot of good advice - the best being to pick something and stick with it.  SO many people flip around if they don't get "Cesar Milan Results" (meaning dog is fixed before next commercial!)  With an 8 month old, nervy little guy, I would take him out as much as possible, but allow him to settle with people ignoring him before you start having people trying to interact with him.

To the OP:  I hate head halters: I have yet to see a dog wearing one that didn't look like it wanted to commit suicide. They make the dog crazy, and the owner must yank the dog's entire head/neck assembly to "control" the animal in an emergency.   

       Diane....you answered my PM question...how funny ..."nervy little guy".......     

                                                                                                                  
       dmsharkey ....wish you had a place too....I am getting ready to travel about 8 hrs to meet with a trainer very
soon.  


                                                                                                   Ruger1

                                                                                

Ruger, good luck! We all want you to find someone to help you, so let us know if you're successful! ;-)

                   ShadyLady....Thanks...and I will keep this thread updated......

                                                                             Ruger1