Recent Posts by sires6

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / controlling her around other dogs whilst walking!

That's a good beginning.  I use "Watch Me" in a similar vein.  I find it hard to do both... can't walk and chew gum so to speak.  Anything that will teach her that the other dog is not the focus is good.  Make sure that you have not only verbal but physical control when you are working her in a specific training pattern.

Also, teaching her things like "stop" or "down" on a recall will condition her to obey even when moving.  A really long "such" line (the long flat leashes SAR dogs are trained with) is great if you need to tie it off to remind her of "stay" and "down" when doing a recall, etc.  I use one on my big Shepherd often.  She can be a little bit of a wild thing.

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / We Just Got A New Dog Today..Help Me?

Feed a good diet:  I love this one - www.thehonestkitchen.com

Keep him active:  Huskies are runners and labs are working dogs... combined you may have to run him (literally) 3 or 4 times a day.

Keep him trained... Huskies aren't known for their obedience but are good dogs, good people dogs.  Labs are known for their obedience and are really smart to boot.  You are guessing as to how the genetics worked out, so get him trained, preferably by a trainer recommended by the APDT.

Train him for the Canine Good Citizen Test and he'll be a beloved companion for all his life.

Annie

Trainer in Germany

www.painlessdogtraining.com

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / Shaping behavior

I train using the lure method.  It is 180 degrees different from the old way I used to train using "Monks of New Skete" jerk them off their feet when they disobey method.

I have a free lesson that will show basics of lure:  www.painlessdogtraining.com

For SAR dogs and Versucht [German SAR] you cannot use choke methods, harsh methods, anything but reward methods.

When I want to teach my GSD Luka a new trick, I just decide what I want her to do, then use a lure to pull the behavior and reward with the words GOOD [whatever I want the trick named].  Like crawl.  I taught her to respond to "crawl" by luring her in a down forward with my hand on her shoulder and when she crawled forward, I said "Good Crawl" and gave the treat.

Sit is similar, hold the treat in your hand, lift over nose to between ears and when the dog's butt hits the floor, "Good Sit" and reward.

The assumption with clickers is that the closer to the targeted activity you click, the better... funny enough, dogs learn complex and coordinated behaviors without reward to hunt (watch the BBC Planet Earth Series and watch the Wild dogs of Africa hunt... like a precision formation).  Using a food lure or a toy lure and getting a reward-response connection for the dog will make training VERY easy.

Annie

Trainer in Germany

www.painlessdogtraining.com

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / Terrified of the Car? Help?

Try working with a positive attitude about this.  Start with a shut down car, a leash, a hungry dog. 

Take to car, when she approaches [lured there if need be], reward, turn her around.  Repeat 2 more times.  Then try getting her close to the car.  Reward.  Wo, by steps and treats, get her to the car, into car and out.  Pet, play, reward!!!  Do this with a non-moving car.  Then try it with a running car.  Build her up gradually until she looks forward to going to the car!  THEN take her on a ride, a short one and then where ever you go, give her a treat and some play time... like a DQ or a Frostee [vanilla of course] and play play play, reward reward reward.

Now keep building up the times and places until only positive associations are in the car.  Then you can take her where you need.

This way takes time and patience, but does the job very well... you may even have problems later with her not wanting to get out!

Good luck!

Annie

Trainer in Germany

www.painlessdogtraining.com

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / Terrified of vet's

Try taking him there and rewarding him (in stages).  Take for ride, reward... home.  Take to office door, reward.  Home. Take to office inside, reward, leave, home.  Take to office, room, reward, home.  Take to office, room, TABLE [this seems to be his trigger] reward, reward reward, home.  Repeat as often as necessary to make a the association positive. Call the vet and tell them what you will be doing.  For their sake and yours, it's in their best interest to make this problem better.

Same with groom:  bring in table, reward.  drop treats near table, put on table for a second, reward, put down, reward.  Repeat until he can stand on the table without relieving himself. Build him up and also, asking the groom to do it on the floor until he's rebuilt up his love for it, a couple of times.

Good Luck!

Annie

Trainer in Germany

www.painlessdogtraining.com

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / controlling her around other dogs whilst walking!

I have a suggestion!  I would get her attention off of the other dog and on to you!  Association of Pet Dog Trainer's REsource Book calls it abandonment training.  My training is slightly modified because many of the people I have to help are not in a position where they can run very far away [I live on a military base and in an apartment complex] and our contact with other dogs is sporadic, at best. 

So,I use a 6' leash, and when the dog becomes aggessive, I say some word or owrds, for my own GSD I use, Ugh Oh! and turn and walk away fast.  When the dog's head turns and looks at you (why have you just reversed and run away) I give a treat (food or play reward)!  Takes time and patience, but keep doing that until your dog will allow you closer and closer to other dogs without you having to "run" away.

If you can find someone to help you, you can use two leashes, one 4-6' and the other 15-20'.  Attach both to the collar.  have the other person hold the long leash.  When your dog exhibits aggression, say loudly, "Oh NO!" or "Bye!" [fillin your word here... mine is "Uh Oh!"], toss the end of the lead at the dog so it lightly hits his side, and run away.  Preferably out of sight.  Repeat until the dog gets it that if he is aggressive, you leave.  Shouldn't take too long.  couple of times.  The more attached he is to you, the faster it works.

Good luck!

Annie

Trainer in Germany

www.painlessdogtraining.com

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / A bit OVERWHELMED... Advice?

As a professional dog trainer, I would suggest you get yourself and Badger to a trainer soonest.  Make sure you find one that doesn't use pinch or choke collars or abusive techniques.  You can find them at the APDT.  You dog needs training and you can do some of it without a trainer until you find one.  Go here:  www.painlessdogtraining.com and go through these first lessons, it will get you started on training Badger.  It's free and very easy.

I would encourage attaching "GOOD" and his name... I use food.  "Good Badger" [toss treat or toy].  Then you can start with the training.  Remember, all the things he does wrong are because he was taught them as "appropriate doggy behavior" at his previous owners.  Now, you get the whole bag.  So be patient, kind, loving and firm.  Treat him well, and reward good behavior.

Do not punish bad behavior, for right now, he hasn't a clue what you think is bad behavior!  When you have people come over, take a moment and put him in his kennel and reward him for it, with food, praise or play.  Until you can get him sitting quietly for the door, you won't be able to control him and the rest... so that is my temporary suggestion.

Good luck!

Annie,

Trainer in Germany

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / If you could ask any question of a trainer...

Or... you could teach one dog to walk on the left (I use "Let's Go") and teach the other to go to the right side on command, using something different for left walking say something like... "Go Right".  Teach them to stay on their side and voila!  No tangles!

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / If you could ask any question of a trainer...

Dr. Mary Adelman, well known trainer and author of The German Shepherd Dog Handbook and titles of many dogs, her own,  Including a recent legs for Champion on her 7 month old GSDs, Chase, and his sister, Catch.

Topic: Advice, Training And Tips / If you could ask any question of a trainer...

If you could ask any question of a trainer, and not just any trainer but a world-reknowned trainer, a woman with over 40 years experience and hundreds of titles showing her's and other's dogs, what would you ask?

I would like to ask her questions in a webinar, but not just any questions, YOUR questions!

Go here and tell me what I should ask:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=AMwRLwXsL_2bZ2suRr3Bc_2baA_3d_3d