Favourite Training Tip - Page 1

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.

The definition of insanity...doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

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 :)


 

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.

"If you can't enforce it don't say it."

Yes! That's a good one ...particularly for off-leash recalls.

"Know when to quit"

More is not always best. 

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.

 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.

Excellent advice Bob!

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