Training Info 2 years and over

[only-borders]

Add your videos and helpful info.

[trickytrip]

Recall

I recommend, if you get a puppy to start right away by playing hide and seek with your pup. It is fun for both of you and they love the reward of finding you.

Have been working on recall with Silky (she was almost 2 years old when I adopted her), I am pleased to announce, "by Jove, I think she's got it". We went to some horse trails today and she was 100% on her returns to me. She even came and stood beside me when some riders came by on their horses, they gave many compliments on how well trained she is. (puff puff for both of us) She did start to take off with a jogger who slowed to compliment, but returned when I gave a quick whistle. I have been so patient with her and it has finally paid off.

What I did/ how she got it:

find woods or hiking trails in parks (at times when I knew there wouldn't be a lot of people/ other dogs--rainy, cold days) take her on the lead then give her the touch command while standing still and holding my hand down to my left side

allowed her to run/ get ahead of me far enough that I would step behind a tree or sit behind a rock/log, so when I whistled she wouldn't see me when she looked (she was always in my site)

When she couldn't see me, she came running back and I would step out say "touch" and give her loads of praise (she is NOT food motivated) I would then tell her go ahead and repeat every 5 or so minutes. When we would get close to the end of the walk I would do the same thing but put her back on her leash.

In the beginning there were "incompletes" (I don't call it failure, just all part of the process), especially with an older dog (not one you've had since a baby.

We both had a fantastic day and she is truly physically and mentally tired. Physically from running so much (obviously) mentally from all of the new smells and sites...and many touches.

I will try to get video to show how she does.

[youngK9]

I thought this might be helpful to some folks who have a dog with 'protective aggression' dog like Athena.

http://www.bcrescue.org/protective.html

[Tassle]

(01-10-2012 05:46 PM)youngK9 Wrote:  I thought this might be helpful to some folks who have a dog with 'protective aggression' dog like Athena.

http://www.bcrescue.org/protective.html

Oh no -

Quote:You have to face off an aggressive dog and ensure that you don't get bit. You have to gain physical control over the dog and then continue to manipulate them (touch their ears, their tummy, their feet, etc.) until they submit and finally give in, realizing that it's inevitable. This is not for the faint-hearted or untrained (ever see the "Crocodile Hunter" guy on Animal Planet that catches deadly snakes with his bare hands? It's basically the same thing. :-)

This is a very dangerous thing to suggest to people. Its a very good way of getting bitten. I would urge people to look at methods to teach the dogs to accept handling in pleasant ways rather than forcing the issue.

As this guy says later - doing this is no guarantee that the dog will not try the snapping with someone else. Teaching the dog that handling is pleasant is a much better way of ensuring that, because the dog learns to enjoy the handling rather than just to tolerate it.