NationStates Jolt Archive

So, ive been largely absent from these forums for a while. Mainly, becuase ive been very busy studying a new profession.
Yours truly will soon be a Certified Canine Obedience Instructor.

Or..a "dog trainer", if ya wanna be a dick about it. (Thank you Dave Chappelle)

My goal is to finish class, and apply for provisional membership to N.A.D.O.I. (National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors.
I also plan to further this training, into rehabilitation and therapy work, and even specialized training such as Assistance training.

Aside from helping clients choose, evaluate, and train thier dogs, I will also to be able to help aggressive dogs be rehabilitated, so they can be placed in loving homes.

SO..

I'd like to give advice on dogs, to any that ask it. Does your dog have any "issues"?
Having trouble potty-training Fluffy? Does Rover keep eating the paperboy, and you need a new place to bury the remains?
I may be able to help you.

Please note, for anything serious, such as an agressive dog, you should contact a local trainer, or behaviourist.

Can you train a dog to drop jockstraps into mailboxes?

I love imagining the bewildered looks on the faces of postal workers. :)

Can you train a dog to drop jockstraps into mailboxes?

I love imagining the bewildered looks on the faces of postal workers. :)

You can train a dog to do just about anything, really.

A Clicker, and some treats, a jock strap, and a mailbox are all you'd need.

Just click the clicker and give a treat at the same time. Now, the click means "good" to the dog. Then, whenever the dog does something good, like say, putting the jockstrap in the mailbox, you click...and treat.

You can teach a dog just about anything like that.

Okay, I'll bite! (so to speak)

Could you train a German Shephard to bring money into a liquor store, buy scotch, and bring it home?

I assume that age wouldn't be a problem, given "doggie" years!

What a pointless job.
you must not have ever had a dog.

I'd like to give advice on dogs, to any that ask it. Does your dog have any "issues"?
Having trouble potty-training Fluffy? Does Rover keep eating the paperboy, and you need a new place to bury the remains?
I may be able to help you.
My landlord has a large breed puppy that likes to jump up and mouth. It's just being friendly, I know, but it's huge and slobbery and eventually, it's going to knock me down. What can I do to discourage it jumping or grabbing?

What a pointless job.
What a pointless post. Unless the point was to flamebait?

My doggie is awesome, and therefore I need no training advice. I just wanted to brag. :tongue:

What a pointless job.

No, and I think they should all be shot.

Massive flamebait. Were I not carded already, I'd gladly take one for the team and tell you what treatment you should receive. Now please, go crawl back under your assigned bridge and leave those of us for whom the thread is relevant to discuss what we like, okay?

Seriously, how hard is it to think "no interest, no post".

:rolleyes:

No it wasn't, I think it's a pointless job and a waste of time. You don't even do anything worthwhile.

Okay, so training dogs to help people isn't worthwhile? Explain how that's even remotely true. I'd like to see this.

Not at all. I find it a stupid pointless job and I hate dogs. I'm stating my opinion.

Except that it's neither stupid nor pointless to train dogs to HELP PEOPLE. Whether it's police dogs in K-9 units, dogs trained to search for trapped people in earthquakes, sniff out illegal drugs, lead and protect the blind or deaf, aid those with epilepsy because they can sense the aura before a seizure, or simply bringing a little joy to those who are in hospital -- something my sister did in Calgary for a decade, which is probably why you're irritating me with your childish remarks -- training dogs is far from worthless.

Just because you can't manage to wrap your mind around how useful dogs can be doesn't mean you're anywhere close to accurate with your benighted opinion.

No, and I think they should all be shot.

So you hate dogs but spend your spare time seeking out any obscure forum reference to them just for kicks. Not to troll, but as a caring concerned citizen of the net who just wants to help with his comments. :rolleyes:

Does it mention guide dogs/hearing dogs anywhere in there? No. Therefore they are not helper dogs.

My goal is to finish class, and apply for provisional membership to N.A.D.O.I. (National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors.
I also plan to further this training, into rehabilitation and therapy work, and even specialized training such as Assistance training.

Aside from helping clients choose, evaluate, and train thier dogs, I will also to be able to help aggressive dogs be rehabilitated, so they can be placed in loving homes.

Therapy dogs help people -- it's exactly what my sister did, and it was so valuable, the CBC devoted a segment of it's national news magazine show to her efforts in 2002.

Your personal opinion regarding dogs is your own, and I won't hold that against you, but your statement that training, even obedience training, is worthless is incorrect. To become any other kind of service dog, the dog must have basic obedience training.

Any other objections?

No it's not, but that's not what this thread is about. It's about dog obedience.

Right, which is the first step to a dog receiving any other kind of training. So keep trying, if you must.

Not seeking out, the thread came up.

It came up and the link clicked itself?!? You better get your computer in for service, pal.

Not seeking out, the thread came up.
All by itself it did? You didn't have to click a thing? What browser are you running?

It's a therapy dog, not a real helper dog that actually does something useful.

Tell that to the parents of autistic children who open up and show progress in dealing with their condition through the use of therapy dogs.

Again, "I don't understand" does NOT equate to "it is worthless".

You know what I mean. I didn't actively seek it out you said I did.

No, we don't know what you mean.

You saw a thread clearly labeled -- THREE TIMES -- with a subject you don't care for. So you thought you'd come in anyway? Seems to me like that's your problem, not the thread's.

Didn't help me, nor any of the other autistic spectrum kids I knew, most were actually scared of dogs.

How many did you know? Also, does any one therapy ever work for all people al the time? No. Does that invalidate the given therapy for those it DOES work for? Not no, but hell no.

You're being deliberately fractious, and I'd ask why, but I don't really care.

What a pointless post. Unless the point was to flamebait?
And he seems to have succeeded amazingly.

And he seems to have succeeded amazingly.Don't be fooled... some of us just enjoy poking the trolls with sticks...

He said I actively seeked it out for kicks when I didn't. The first time I didn't know exactly what it was gonna say about dogs because the title doesn't make it clear. The 2nd time I saw Kat had posted so I thought she might be carding someone etc, the 3rd time because I read the threads, even if I don't participate and saw your comment.

Nice try, but no. You have already come out and said you hate dogs. Why then would you even enter a thread labeled "Dogs, dogs, dogs!"

Wanna try and wiggle out again?

Don't be fooled... some of us just enjoy poking the trolls with sticks...
Do you think he cares? He wanted negative attention, he's getting negative attention, he wins.
Dogs do that too, although shit on the rugs as opposed to forums.

Do you think he cares? He wanted negative attention, he's getting negative attention, he wins.
Dogs do that too, although shit on the rugs as opposed to forums.So he get attention... I get a giggle.. we both win...:tongue:

He could've been complaining about dogs, talking about the recent DNA evidence that shows dogs have 99.7% of the same genes as wolves etc.

Ah, but if you have no interest... ...ah, skip it. You have your own issues. I've shined enough light.

Cheers!

No, and I think they should all be shot.
surely even you can see the value in a job that teaches people how to train their dogs to no bother YOU on the street.

people will keep dogs as pets. the community is a better place of all those dogs are well trained.

But they're not. In England 2 little kids were killed by dogs last year, and it may have been more but if so they weren't on the news. It's better to have no dogs than some well trained ones and some bastards.
DUH

that is why dog trainer is such a valuable job!

dogs need training. dog trainers train dogs. if all dogs were properly trained there would be no such horrible incidents.

the community is a better place of allthose dogs are well trained.

But they're not. In England 2 little kids were killed by dogs last year, and it may have been more but if so they weren't on the news. It's better to have no dogs than some well trained ones and some bastards.

Key word being all. Not all owners train their dogs well (or at all) and not all owners are capable of handling their dogs. Thus the need for intervention by specialists.

What Saige Dragon said.
glad to see you agree with us then.

Partially. What if a family can't afford or dog trainer, or doesn't want one? Then what? An easier solution is to kill them.

I agree completely 100%, but this doesn't take it far enough. Troublesome children should be shot before they become criminals. Same with people who can't afford they're medical bills. "Don't pay up sucka and we gonna break that leg again!"

The easiest solution isn't always the best solution.

I'd like to give advice on dogs, to any that ask it. Does your dog have any "issues"?
Having trouble potty-training Fluffy? Does Rover keep eating the paperboy, and you need a new place to bury the remains?
I may be able to help you.

Please note, for anything serious, such as an agressive dog, you should contact a local trainer, or behaviourist.

how do you feel about those electronic leashes and fences that were advertised years ago?

Partially. What if a family can't afford or dog trainer, or doesn't want one? Then what? An easier solution is to kill them.
*Shrug*

dunno

but i DO know that people will keep dogs as pets no matter how you feel about them. dogs need training. not everyone knows how to train dogs. it is much better to have professional dog trainers available than it is to not have them available.

that makes dog training a very valuable profession. your feelings about dogs are irrelevant to that.

That's completely different

It is a completely different species, with a very similar problem. Poor parenting may help contribute to a child with poorly developed social skills.

Poor dog training may help contribute to an animal with poorly developed social skills.

Don't you have insurance in America? Surely that pays for it?

If you'll kindly take notice of my location you may notice I'm not American, I'm a Hellian :p

That's completely different

How, exactly? Your average child is a lot more likely to kill someone than my dog is.


Don't you have insurance in America? Surely that pays for it?

I take it you haven't followed American politics at all in the past several years...

No, and I think they should all be shot.

I think people who don't like dogs should be shot. Or at least severely beaten.
People who don't like dogs, or any pet for that matter, are not right in the head.

Edit:

Anyways, congrats on becoming a dog trainer! I work at an animal shelter, so picked up a few tricks to work with dogs.

So I am insane and should be beaten for not liking dogs? You said any pets, right? What if the pet's a bear and is eating everybody?

I meant more pets in general.

And no, you aren't insane, but anyone who doesn't like dogs is a bit off. Something just doesn't work right in their head.

And yes, you should be beaten since you want all dogs shot.

And let me just add this:

If you shot my dog I would shoot you right back.

Not at all. I find it a stupid pointless job and I hate dogs. I'm stating my opinion.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj181/Anndrayabelle/Macro/funny-dog-pictures-caring-dog-is-he.jpg

I think we're missing something that explains (NOT excuses) some of the posters behavior here.

Tell that to the parents of autistic children who open up and show progress in dealing with their condition through the use of therapy dogs.


Didn't help me, nor any of the other autistic spectrum kids I knew, most were actually scared of dogs.

Even so, act as a troll get treated as a troll. Learn to interact properly (it can be done) or you will eventually face the wrath of Mod almighty.

What a pointless job.

Why pointless? I would say that 99.9999999% of the problems people have with dogs have to do with training and socialization. I wouldn't keep a dog that wasn't obedience trained. Oh, and btw, the trainers are there, not just to train the dogs, but to train the owners, too. I want to see the day when owners have to demonstrate that their dogs are obedience trained before they can get licenses.

Okay, I'll bite! (so to speak)

Could you train a German Shephard to bring money into a liquor store, buy scotch, and bring it home?

I assume that age wouldn't be a problem, given "doggie" years!


As a matter of fact, theres plenty of reports of dogs doing just that.
Particularly Shepards. Its not much different than training a dog as an assistance dog, really. Repetition of the action, with rewarding the dog when it got back would be all that would take. Most of the stories you hear about this are fairly old, and in small towns where the store owner would probably know the dog. These days, however, it could probably get you into lot of trouble.

My landlord has a large breed puppy that likes to jump up and mouth. It's just being friendly, I know, but it's huge and slobbery and eventually, it's going to knock me down. What can I do to discourage it jumping or grabbing?

This dog is a people dog. Wich is to say, it has a lot of rank drive. Rank drive simply means a dogs eagerness to endear itself to its "pack".This is a dog who wants you to fawn all over it when it meets you.

The best advice, is to ignore it. Turn around with your back to the dog, and cross your arms over your chest. Your body language should be saying, "Im NOT going to pay attention to you, when youre all crazy like this." To try to pet him, or calm him down, is basically rewarding him for his previous actions. This is called "Negative Reinforcement."
Your taking away something the dog wants (your attention), until you get the desired result. (Calm happy puppy).

Essentially, by petting him, your rewarding his bad behavior. So dont. Not until hes calm.
That sends the message that once hes calm, he gets rewarded by petting from the new person in the room.

Especiallly if hes a puppy, he should be discouraged by his owner when he jumps up.
a simple "ah-ah!", or a "PSSHT!" Noise to get his attention.
Doing that now, will teach him early, and wont carry to adulthood.

*nod* OK, I guess I need just to continue with what I'm doing, because that's pretty much what I am doing. When he's got all four feet on the ground and just wagging his tail calmly, I pet him and talk softly. Otherwise, I turn my back as you said, and cross arms, and keep walking.

The funny thing is they've another large breed dog who IS well socialized and about a year or so older -- sometimes the older dog has actually "run interference", so to speak, distracting the puppy with play so I can get in and out unmolested. He's more inclined to come over when the pup's tired out or in the house and calmly give me a paw. Of course I make the effort to greet both dogs when they're calm, and to tell them they're good when they're behaving... and I tell the older dog he's a good boy when he's behaving calmly in front of the pup, and try to ignore the pup when he's frenzied.

how do you feel about those electronic leashes and fences that were advertised years ago?

Good question.

Im not an expert yet, but I have had a number of dogs. However, even as a novice trainer, i can tell you that the ultimate goal of any training, is to reinforce a desired behavior (such as "sit").

Electronic shock collars, "pinch" collars, and anything that uses pain to reinforce a behavior is WRONG. They are tools that deliver pain, to teach a lesson.

You wouldnt use a sharp smack to your kids when they get an "a" on a test, why does it make sense to do it to a dog?

I think anyone who uses one, isnt a good trainer.

Nuff said.

*nod* OK, I guess I need just to continue, because that's pretty much what I am doing. When he's got all four feet on the ground and just wagging his tail calmly, I pet him and talk softly. Otherwise, I turn my back as you said, and cross arms, and keep walking.


Excellent!

I know how hard it is not to pet a puppy on sight. I generally lose IQ points and gush like a grinning fool over a pup. Its hard to wait for the right moment to pet one, but in training, its essential.

Another good idea, is when you come, bring a treat with you. Only give it to him after he comes to you and sits. Do this everytime you come there, and soon the dog will come right to you, and sit all nicely, waiting for its treat he knows you have.

Ok, it seems someone needs some direct answers.

Adunabar,
So much of what youve posted is either trolling, or innacurate, so Im not gonna bother quoting anything particular, im just gonna say a few things and you can think about them
on your own time, when "teh interwebs" arent watching, so you dont have to get all puffy and flustered to the other Generalites.

Assistance dogs help thousands of people, from the blind, deaf, mentally handicapped, mentally ill, physically impaired,lonely, or even the just plain bored. These dogs perform mundane services to disabled people who cant perform them themselves. Going across the room to grab the TV remote is easy for you and me, but if you cant walk...it can be an impossible task.

Dropping a 20 dollar bill on the ground and bending over to quickly pick it up is no sweat for you, but youre probably not physically disabled, are you?

These are the sort of things those dogs do for thier owners. They help those people do ordinary things, that you and I take for granted, every day.
They give those people the same confidence to go about thier lives, knowing that a smiling, eager partner is there to do anything they ask. For most of these people, that means the difference between living in some institution, or the independance of living by themselves, in thier own places.

Worthless job?

I cant think of a more rewarding one.

Originally Posted by Adunabar
What a pointless job.

considering dogs save our lives everyday in this terrorists marred planet by constanlty sniffing out drugs, bombs and now even cancer..maybe you should take a book out and study a bit!

The funny thing is they've another large breed dog who IS well socialized and about a year or so older -- sometimes the older dog has actually "run interference", so to speak, distracting the puppy with play so I can get in and out unmolested. He's more inclined to come over when the pup's tired out or in the house and calmly give me a paw. Of course I make the effort to greet both dogs when they're calm, and to tell them they're good when they're behaving... and I tell the older dog he's a good boy when he's behaving calmly in front of the pup, and try to ignore the pup when he's frenzied.

The older dog sounds like many well behaved balanced dogs. Essentially, the older one is doing just that. Distracting the younger one, and forcing him to change his state of mind.
Its a lot like what an alpha wolf would do. If the younger dog/wolf, still didnt obey, the alpha wolf would "roll him". Thats basically what you see Force Trainers like Cesar Milan do.
They mimic an alpha dog, forcing a weaker dog to submit, by holding it down on its back, until the dog "shows you its belly", and lays still.

This is a pretty powerful technique to a dog, and it sends a strong message.
Becuase of this, you have to use it somewhat sparingly. A dog who is Dominant, but not aggressive (two very different things) is the candidate for the "alpha roll".

Originally Posted by Adunabar
Not at all. I find it a stupid pointless job and I hate dogs. I'm stating my opinion.


Also you are entitled to your opinion but when its based on your personal prejudices it just makes you sound dumb...and now I am stating my opinion without prejudice!

Originally Posted by Adunabar
Not at all. I find it a stupid pointless job and I hate dogs. I'm stating my opinion.


Also you are entitled to your opinion but when its based on your personal prejudices it just makes you sound dumb...and now I am stating my opinion without prejudice!
Let's not concentrate on Adunabar and keep to the topic of training, please.

Ok, i have two dogs currently, they are both well behaved for the most part and very freindly. However I am having a couple of problems that have just come aboout recently (within the last 3-6 months) and nothing I seem to do helps alleviate the problem.

The first one is perpetrated by both dogs, niether dog will let me, or anyone else clip thier nails. They started fighting, sometimes they growl but they don't go past the basic threat, but usually they simply flail around and attempt to escape, making it of course almost impossible to clip thier nails. I thought I was doing it wrong and so I got one of those file things, however that sets them off and makes them behave the same way, refusing to let me file thier nails. They behave this way even for proffessional groomers; I brought them to one on the assumption that if I took them away from 'thier territory' they would be more inclined to go along with the proffesional groomer but they put up the same kind of fight, and are actually ore aggressive with the strangers.

The other problem I am having; one of my dogs is a female beagle, about 6 years old. She has always loved children, wanting to play with them and get attention from them and has always been gentle and kind even without being trained. However; in the last few months she becomes aggressive and barks and growls at children when they turn away from her, and I have to physically reign her in because I think she may bite. What could be causing this and why?

ya I guess u r right...btw if anyone is interested I have a neat story. I have 3 dogs..two were rescued from the street. The last one that I rescued..because of whatever unknown reason was extremely aggresive. Ive been bit by her 3 times or more..and not tiny miny bites, the kind that make a mark for life bites. I put a trainer "who I guess was useless" coz he couldnt do shit. At the end of it I was so sick of her but I am not the kind of guy who would just throw out a dog I rescued but didnt know what to do. My second dog picked up a very funny thing, everytime my last dog became seriously aggresive she growled and pounced on her till my aggresive one calmed down. We were all surprised. Every single time she showed aggression my second one kind of thrashed her to submission. In 2 months time my aggresive little dog is now all nice and tempered. That doesnt mean she doesnt show tantrums once in a while but I am ok with that as long as we are not all getting bit. Funny huh?

Why pointless? I would say that 99.9999999% of the problems people have with dogs have to do with training and socialization. I wouldn't keep a dog that wasn't obedience trained. Oh, and btw, the trainers are there, not just to train the dogs, but to train the owners, too. I want to see the day when owners have to demonstrate that their dogs are obedience trained before they can get licenses.

You hit the nail directly on the head, sir.

Yes, I train dogs. But I will soon be training people who own dogs, more specifically.

I cant take someones dog, and train it, and then give it back to their owners, completely changed and magically obedient. That would require me to keep the dog with me for weeks, until its mastered basic commands.
It would also be phenominally exspensive, as most trainers charge anywhere from 50-100 dollars for the first hour, and discounted rates every hour after that, for private lessons.

But I CAN train the owner to train thier own dogs. THEY have to be with the dog every day, to maintain the needed repetition, and consistancy, that is crucial for any training program.

I think communicating with that owner, especially in a dog that needs behavior modification, is the most important thing. A good trainer gets to know his clients, and motivates them to change thier own behavior, and that of thier dogs. Making both lives happier and healthier.

Two examples of celebrity trainers:

Cesar Milan "The Dog Whisperer".
He may be a shmaltzy bastard, but the guy knows his shit.
His best ability is not with the dogs, but rather, in the way he communicates with his clients. He tells them the truth, and helps them change thier lives in a positive way.
His clients often take the new attitude into thier daily lives, even when not around thier dogs, carry the "Calm, assertive" attitude, everywhere. Positive Reinforcement.
THATS a good dog trainer.

Victoria Stillwell, star of "Its me or the Dog".
Im a rookie to this business admittedly, but i will say the woman knows her stuff.
She teaches classic obedience training, and is, in her own way, just as effective with the dogs she works with. However, shes mean. She berates her clients, and makes them feel guilty about thier dogs rotten behavior. She almost "bullies" her clients into proper training.

Thats bad.

You get more flies with honey than vinegar.
Making her clients feel guilty, probably makes them subconciously resent her for that.
Theyre probably less likely to continue properly, if they dont like the way shes dealt with them.

Negative Reinforcement.

I know cats=/=dogs, but My housemates cat(about 10-11 months) is a royal PITA. Because we are in Australia, and in Australia cats are not natural ('ferals' if you will) we decided as a house that the cat must stay inside. ie, no outside play time unless it has a collar and lead. Anyway, because cats are total mongrels and their only good use is as crab bait, every time I try to open a door to get out/in (unless I am completely silent) it will try to escape. More often that not succeeding. What ensues is a 5 minute chasing of the cat around the yard/street/block/suburb. Which isn't really a good thing at 6am when I am just in my underwear. So, the question is, How can we stop the blasted thing escaping?

We have tried being quiet, but cats have good hearing
We have tried negative reinforcement, but it doesn't stop it.
We try taking it out in the yard on a lead to have a run around, but it doesn't like the feel of the lead so just sits down and doesn't move. My house mate is also to lazy to put in any effort.

So, any suggestions? How about if every 'cat' was replaced with 'dog', how would you manage it then?

You have to admit, though -- Stillwell often has a point. Don't bitch that your dog pisses and poops all over the house if you're so lazy you won't get up and let them out or walk them.

Maybe she could be nicer, but yes, a lot of times the behavior is the person's doing, not the dog's fault.

I know cats=/=dogs, but My housemates cat(about 10-11 months) is a royal PITA. Because we are in Australia, and in Australia cats are not natural ('ferals' if you will) we decided as a house that the cat must stay inside. ie, no outside play time unless it has a collar and lead. Anyway, because cats are total mongrels and their only good use is as crab bait, every time I try to open a door to get out/in (unless I am completely silent) it will try to escape. More often that not succeeding. What ensues is a 5 minute chasing of the cat around the yard/street/block/suburb. Which isn't really a good thing at 6am when I am just in my underwear. So, the question is, How can we stop the blasted thing escaping?

We have tried being quiet, but cats have good hearing
We have tried negative reinforcement, but it doesn't stop it.
We try taking it out in the yard on a lead to have a run around, but it doesn't like the feel of the lead so just sits down and doesn't move. My house mate is also to lazy to put in any effort.

So, any suggestions? How about if every 'cat' was replaced with 'dog', how would you manage it then?

I've had a cat for ten years.
You need to be cognizant of where the cat is before you open the door. If it's hanging about, you may want to put it in another room temporarily.

You need to have a water pistol or household spritzer to train it not to do things you don't want it to do -- by spraying it and saying NO! immediately as it is doing the behavior (not after the fact) and they're smart, it only takes one or two rounds to show them.

The problem seems more the humans' than the cats' though. You think it's useless and don't want it, and its "owner" doesn't take the time to care for it. No wonder it wants to escape.

I know cats=/=dogs, but My housemates cat(about 10-11 months) is a royal PITA. Because we are in Australia, and in Australia cats are not natural ('ferals' if you will) we decided as a house that the cat must stay inside. ie, no outside play time unless it has a collar and lead. Anyway, because cats are total mongrels and their only good use is as crab bait, every time I try to open a door to get out/in (unless I am completely silent) it will try to escape. More often that not succeeding. What ensues is a 5 minute chasing of the cat around the yard/street/block/suburb. Which isn't really a good thing at 6am when I am just in my underwear. So, the question is, How can we stop the blasted thing escaping?

We have tried being quiet, but cats have good hearing
We have tried negative reinforcement, but it doesn't stop it.
We try taking it out in the yard on a lead to have a run around, but it doesn't like the feel of the lead so just sits down and doesn't move. My house mate is also to lazy to put in any effort.

So, any suggestions? How about if every 'cat' was replaced with 'dog', how would you manage it then?

Ok, as cats seem to have a superiority complex people think that they are smarter than they are, but animal behaviorists have proven beyond the shadow of a doubt most cats are pretty frickin' stupid. What works for a social and intelligent creature does not always work so well for a nearly feral and dim creature; I don't know if Blackwoods could help you.

Ok, as cats seem to have a superiority complex people think that they are smarter than they are, but animal behaviorists have proven beyond the shadow of a doubt most cats are pretty frickin' stupid. What works for a social and intelligent creature does not always work so well for a nearly feral and dim creature; I don't know if Blackwoods could help you.
Cats aren't stupid. They're pretty fast learners and are unfortunately amazing problem solvers -- mine figured out how the doorknob worked pretty quickly and if not for a lack of opposable thumbs would have gotten the door open -- it grabbed it with both paws, hung from it, and was swinging its body back and forth and rotating the knob between its paws.

Ok, as cats seem to have a superiority complex people think that they are smarter than they are, but animal behaviorists have proven beyond the shadow of a doubt most cats are pretty frickin' stupid. What works for a social and intelligent creature does not always work so well for a nearly feral and dim creature;
:D SaintB, that is the most logical, correct and intelligent thing I have ever seen posted on these forums!


The problem seems more the humans' than the cats' though. You think it's useless and don't want it, and its "owner" doesn't take the time to care for it. No wonder it wants to escape.

Actually, cats are very useful! Unfortunatly, I don't have a boat so I can't take it crabbing :(
Thanks for the advice, I may invest in a water pistol. At the very least it would be another way to ingest alcohol.

Cats aren't stupid. They're pretty fast learners and are unfortunately amazing problem solvers -- mine figured out how the doorknob worked pretty quickly and if not for a lack of opposable thumbs would have gotten the door open -- it grabbed it with both paws, hung from it, and was swinging its body back and forth and rotating the knob between its paws.

I'm not toally serious, I'm just mad at my cats because they won't fetch my slippers in the morning.

Ok, i have two dogs currently, they are both well behaved for the most part and very freindly. However I am having a couple of problems that have just come aboout recently (within the last 3-6 months) and nothing I seem to do helps alleviate the problem.

The first one is perpetrated by both dogs, niether dog will let me, or anyone else clip thier nails. They started fighting, sometimes they growl but they don't go past the basic threat, but usually they simply flail around and attempt to escape, making it of course almost impossible to clip thier nails. I thought I was doing it wrong and so I got one of those file things, however that sets them off and makes them behave the same way, refusing to let me file thier nails. They behave this way even for proffessional groomers; I brought them to one on the assumption that if I took them away from 'thier territory' they would be more inclined to go along with the proffesional groomer but they put up the same kind of fight, and are actually ore aggressive with the strangers.

Two very good questions.

Without being able to observe them, the first thing that comes to mind, is the state of mind that you and your dogs get into when its clipping time.
They get stressed, wich stresses you out, right? When you get stressed and frustrated, your dogs get even more so, becuase generally, dogs take thier cues from us humans.

Viscious cycle, that.

The key, is not to allow either you, or the dogs, to get into such a state.
By now, theyve learned that by throwing a fit, gets them the reward of not having the annoying clipper bother them. Thats a learned reaction.

Try getting them nice and tired before you clip them. Take a nice long walk, or a visit to the local dog park (if you have one). This will help get rid of excess nervous energy beforehand, and your dogs will likely be a bit more cooperative.

Also, try to "de-sensitize" them from the electric clippers. put it near them, (turned off) and just leave it there. If theyre calm, reward them with treats and much praise and petting. Next, turn it on, but dont trim the dogs nails, yet. Just have it on, making whatever noise it makes. Let them gradually get used to it. Praise and pet.
Repeat this process daily, and you should see progress.
NOTE : Do not rush this process! Let it take as long as it takes for your dogs to adjust.
The whole idea is to associate the process with something good. Making a former bad experience, into a good one. This can take some time.
Try rewarding with thier absolute favorite treats!

Remember: The more YOU stress out, the more your dog will too.

Good luck!


The other problem I am having; one of my dogs is a female beagle, about 6 years old. She has always loved children, wanting to play with them and get attention from them and has always been gentle and kind even without being trained. However; in the last few months she becomes aggressive and barks and growls at children when they turn away from her, and I have to physically reign her in because I think she may bite. What could be causing this and why?

This one is harder to address without meeting and observing your dog.
Aggression can come from two general sources, Dominance, and Fear.
Aggressive dogs are a very serious issue and not all trainers even deal with such dogs.
As dogs get older, sometimes they get well, "crankier" in their advancing years.
Sometimes the loud, high energy kids can frighten, or annoy older dogs.
There is no such thing as a dog that is 100% percent safe around children ALL the time.
ALWAYS supervise young children around any dog, even your own.

Your issue could be a number of things. The dog could view the kids as lower in the pack order than the kids, and is attempting to "discipline" them, as she might one of her pups.
Or, she could reacting out of fear from bouncing hyper children. (or so she might see it).

I recommend three things:

1. Dogs eat in order of pack rank. The "Alpha Wolf/Dog" eats first. Always.
The rest of the pack eat next. This helps to establish the "pecking order", if you will.
Feed the kids first, THEN the dog. Make sure she sees the kids eating, but isnt allowed near any food, until they are done.

2. Do not allow the dog near the kids unless she is perfectly calm and submissive. Under no circumstances should she be allowed around the kids if shes too excited.

3. The MOST important thing I can tell you is, that any aggression case must be taken very seriously. If your dog bites a child, the dog may be put down as a result.
You dont want that, and neither does your dog.
If you arent 100% positive your dog is safe for childen to be around, you should consult a proffessional trainer in your area. Your dog doesnt sound like a lost cause, and very likely, a little work is all she'll need.

Good luck!

You have to admit, though -- Stillwell often has a point. Don't bitch that your dog pisses and poops all over the house if you're so lazy you won't get up and let them out or walk them.

Maybe she could be nicer, but yes, a lot of times the behavior is the person's doing, not the dog's fault.

Oh shes perfectly right.
Shes a very solid trainer and most of what she says is "textbook".
I just feel her approach is a little too abrasive. I think that motivating a client to change out of guilt is the wrong approach.

Then again, she has a TV show, and I dont, so....*shrug*.

Your issue could be a number of things. The dog could view the kids as lower in the pack order than the kids, and is attempting to "discipline" them, as she might one of her pups.
Or, she could reacting out of fear from bouncing hyper children. (or so she might see it).

I recommend three things:

1. Dogs eat in order of pack rank. The "Alpha Wolf/Dog" eats first. Always.
The rest of the pack eat next. This helps to establish the "pecking order", if you will.
Feed the kids first, THEN the dog. Make sure she sees the kids eating, but isnt allowed near any food, until they are done.

These aren't my children. Just children of my neighbors and freinds. I don't have any kids let alone a steady relationship with anyone right now. I'm not in the habit of feeding other people's children, and I always feed my dogs (and cats) after I have eaten for the reasons you stated. It shows them who is in charge.


2. Do not allow the dog near the kids unless she is perfectly calm and submissive. Under no circumstances should she be allowed around the kids if shes too excited.


The biggest thing is she is always cool and collected when a child approches her, she sits calmly and wags her tail; occasionally she wines plaintivly if children approach her and then hesitate. Its when they leave her that she does this, could it be a plea for more attention or perhaps she's getting some kind of form of doggie alzhiemer's?

Oh shes perfectly right.
Shes a very solid trainer and most of what she says is "textbook".
I just feel her approach is a little too abrasive. I think that motivating a client to change out of guilt is the wrong approach.

Then again, she has a TV show, and I dont, so....*shrug*.

Its because America loves shitty TV shows with angry women yelling at everyone (I mean... Judge Judy!)

I know cats=/=dogs, but My housemates cat(about 10-11 months) is a royal PITA. Because we are in Australia, and in Australia cats are not natural ('ferals' if you will) we decided as a house that the cat must stay inside. ie, no outside play time unless it has a collar and lead. Anyway, because cats are total mongrels and their only good use is as crab bait, every time I try to open a door to get out/in (unless I am completely silent) it will try to escape. More often that not succeeding. What ensues is a 5 minute chasing of the cat around the yard/street/block/suburb. Which isn't really a good thing at 6am when I am just in my underwear. So, the question is, How can we stop the blasted thing escaping?

We have tried being quiet, but cats have good hearing
We have tried negative reinforcement, but it doesn't stop it.
We try taking it out in the yard on a lead to have a run around, but it doesn't like the feel of the lead so just sits down and doesn't move. My house mate is also to lazy to put in any effort.

So, any suggestions? How about if every 'cat' was replaced with 'dog', how would you manage it then?

HA!

Well, theres a world of difference between dog training and cat training.
Mostly, becuase dogs LIKE to be trained.
Cats, would prefer you get stuffed.
Ive had a couple, and aside from litterbox training and cutesy tricks, ive trained a cat to do "fuck all".

If it were a dog...
I'd "claim" the doorway.
Basically, you dont allow the "dog" anywhere near the front door, unless specifically invited.
By a verbal admonishment, like Milan's "Shhhht!!" for instance, and a palm-out hand, your telling the dog "this door is mine, and you stay away from it unless I tell you otherwise!"
With little dogs, even a blast of canned air sprayed near them as they go for the door, is enough to change thier minds. Once changed, the dogs are removed from the doorway.

an example of this would be a wolf chewing a bone, and not letting other wolves near it.
It growls and chases them away.

In this case, replace doorway with bone.

Since its a cat, it will probably comply, and then go and plot your painful demise.

Its because America loves shitty TV shows with angry women yelling at everyone (I mean... Judge Judy!)


Pretty much.

The biggest thing is she is always cool and collected when a child approches her, she sits calmly and wags her tail; occasionally she wines plaintivly if children approach her and then hesitate. Its when they leave her that she does this, could it be a plea for more attention or perhaps she's getting some kind of form of doggie alzhiemer's?

How would you describe her body language as she does it?

Is her tail up and flopping about, or tucked under her?
Does she raise her hackles?
Eyes?
Lips?

How would you describe her body language as she does it?

Is her tail up and flopping about, or tucked under her?
Does she raise her hackles?
Eyes?
Lips?

When the child is leaving her, or when she is being approached?

When she is being approached her demeanor is freindly, even submissive at times. As I said she waits calmly and tries to look as unthreatening as possible, her tail either wags back and forth or thumps up and down on the ground.

When they leave, she lunges; she always falls short but sometimes she starts growling and takes on a more aggressive stance with lips raised, tail up or tucked in, and teeth barred. Once or twice when I had my attention elsewhere she gave chase; a verbal command immedialty makes her compliant though.

When the child is leaving her, or when she is being approached?

When she is being approached her demeanor is freindly, even submissive at times. As I said she waits calmly and tries to look as unthreatening as possible.

When they leave, she lunges; she always falls short but sometimes she starts growling and takes on a more aggressive stance with lips raised and teeth barred. Once or twice when I had my attention elsewhere she gave chase; a verbal command immedialty makes her compliant though.


Hmm. That sounds like prey drive to me. The same reaction she might have to say, a rabbit running away from her?
Like, she wants to give chase, but stops when you raise your voice at her?

If shes stopping when you tell her, thats good. That means shes not getting "carried away" with whatever emotional state shes in when she does the lunging.
Shes still listening, then. Thats good.

While, if you do have kids around frequently, i would still advise at least consulting a professional, it sounds to me like simply calling her to you, and keeping her at a down/stay, while the kids leave should do the trick.
Letting her know YOU will not tolerate such behavior.

Hmm. That sounds like prey drive to me. The same reaction she might have to say, a rabbit running away from her?

She has never chased rabbits, the only animal I ever saw her chase was cats and then it was only cats she was familiar with and I assume she just wanted to say hello. She tends to retreat from other dogs and bark at them from the safety of behind me...

The only other people I have ever seen her behave aggressive with are drunks; and she seems to take that cue from me since I tend to bristle at the strong smell of alcohol.

So do you think it could be some kind of mental click brought on by old age, or perhaps stress?

She has never chased rabbits,

Its genetically encoded, really. Beagles are a very old breed, bred for exactly that purpose. If its not even an actual "rabbit", it can be other "prey". For domesticated dogs, "prey" doesnt always mean "chase it and kill it". Sheep herding, in dogs, is all about Prey Drive.


the only animal I ever saw her chase was cats and then it was only cats she was familiar with and I assume she just wanted to say hello. She tends to retreat from other dogs and bark at them from the safety of behind me...

This to me, says "fear aggression".
She could be reacting that way, becuase shes afraid of other dogs/children.
She cant match thier energy levels, so to speak, and it may be frustrating her.
Or, "im older now, and kids make me a little nervous".


The only other people I have ever seen her behave aggressive with are drunks; and she seems to take that cue from me since I tend to bristle at the strong smell of alcohol.

Probably very true. She can probably smell you get angry.


So do you think it could be some kind of mental click brought on by old age, or perhaps stress?

I would think stress more than a mental click. She sounds somewhat off-balanced.
Thats not as bad as it sounds, really, it just means she might have a bit more nervous energy than she knows what to do with.
Beagles are high energy dogs, and 6 years old is about middle aged for them.
Middle aged people still need excercise, too.
If I may ask, how often do you walk her?

Its genetically encoded, really. Beagles are a very old breed, bred for exactly that purpose. If its not even an actual "rabbit", it can be other "prey". For domesticated dogs, "prey" doesnt always mean "chase it and kill it". Sheep herding, in dogs, is all about Prey Drive.



This to me, says "fear aggression".
She could be reacting that way, becuase shes afraid of other dogs/children.
She cant match thier energy levels, so to speak, and it may be frustrating her.
Or, "im older now, and kids make me a little nervous".



Probably very true. She can probably smell you get angry.



I would think stress more than a mental click. She sounds somewhat off-balanced.
Thats not as bad as it sounds, really, it just means she might have a bit more nervous energy than she knows what to do with.
Beagles are high energy dogs, and 6 years old is about middle aged for them.
Middle aged people still need excercise, too.
If I may ask, how often do you walk her?

I used to walk her a lot, but once she got to be about 4 I'd try to take her out and she'd just sit there with the leash buckled on and look at me funny. I gave up trying to get her to walk, maybe I should try again and see what happens. She does still play with a couple of her toys but she looses interest within a few minutes.

I've got a question. My uncle and my younger sister both have dogs that I would label as having bad behavior. My sister's dog still attempts to jump up on people from time to time, and has difficulty listening (won't stay, won't lay down, darts out house when you open the door, etc). She's still a young dog (over 1 year old, but it's doubtful she's over 2). My uncle's dog is older (somewhere between 3-5 years), and does much of the same (sometimes better, sometimes worse, though).

Is it possible to still train these dogs, or will any training be tempered by the bad habits they've always known?

I used to walk her a lot, but once she got to be about 4 I'd try to take her out and she'd just sit there with the leash buckled on and look at me funny. I gave up trying to get her to walk, maybe I should try again and see what happens. She does still play with a couple of her toys but she looses interest within a few minutes.


AH!

This says much.
Walking a dog at any age is crucial for a dogs physical and mental health. Like I said earlier, Beagles and all other hound dogs, are hunters. Thats what theyve been bred for for 10,000 years. When a dog doesnt get any or even enough excercise, it makes them anxious, and even stressed. Imagine a kid forced to stay inside all day, every day, with not much to do.

Its the same with dogs.
Even if you could get her out for 30 mins a day, or trips to a local dog park, anything, that will help a LOT.
Im as bad as anybody about not walking my dog enough, but every day i get off work, we it the dog park for an hour or two. On days I cant get her there, we at least do a 30 minute around the block trip.

Thats it, really. Even that little bit helps immensely.

Try it again, for your dog.'
Bribe her with chicken, if thats what it takes.
She'll be happier and healthier, and LIVE LONGER.

Do it, or i'll drive to your house, walk your dog, and hold you down while my dog farts on you. Shes very obedient. She'll do it. :P

I've got a question. My uncle and my younger sister both have dogs that I would label as having bad behavior. My sister's dog still attempts to jump up on people from time to time, and has difficulty listening (won't stay, won't lay down, darts out house when you open the door, etc). She's still a young dog (over 1 year old, but it's doubtful she's over 2). My uncle's dog is older (somewhere between 3-5 years), and does much of the same (sometimes better, sometimes worse, though).

Is it possible to still train these dogs, or will any training be tempered by the bad habits they've always known?

Absolutely not.
Those dogs are perfectly trainable.

The old saying "You cant teach an old dog new tricks", is crap.
Ive heard of a 14 year old Newfoundland getting water rescue certified.

The dogs your talking about arent even old.
It seems to me that neither of them have had proper training, and just need a little discipline. It takes patience and hard work to train a dog, and from the sounds of it, those two dogs probably just need some direction.

Absolutely not.
Those dogs are perfectly trainable.

The old saying "You cant teach an old dog new tricks", is crap.
Ive heard of a 14 year old Newfoundland getting water rescue certified.

The dogs your talking about arent even old.
It seems to me that neither of them have had proper training, and just need a little discipline. It takes patience and hard work to train a dog, and from the sounds of it, those two dogs probably just need some direction.

I had a 6 year old terrier (I know, young for a terrier) I had gotten from the pound. She had some pretty well engrained bad habits, but I decided to take her in for basic obedience with a group of much younger dogs (some were under a year). She not only learned, she surpassed the younger dogs. She absolutely loved the class, it was her chance to socialize with other dogs, to spend time with me and to show how she could please me. It was a delight for both of us. She did, however, put her own unique spin on things - stay, for instance, meant play in place.

I had a 6 year old terrier (I know, young for a terrier) I had gotten from the pound. She had some pretty well engrained bad habits, but I decided to take her in for basic obedience with a group of much younger dogs (some were under a year). She not only learned, she surpassed the younger dogs. She absolutely loved the class, it was her chance to socialize with other dogs, to spend time with me and to show how she could please me. It was a delight for both of us. She did, however, put her own unique spin on things - stay, for instance, meant play in place.

Cool!

Terriers are smart dogs.

Its never too late to start em, either!

Is there a good way to get a chihuahua to stop chewing up underwear and pooping everywhere?

My sister's dog behaves poorly.

Is there a good way to get a chihuahua to stop chewing up underwear and pooping everywhere?

My sister's dog behaves poorly.

Yikes.

Yes there is, but it will require your sister to be a responsible pet owner. Most of the time dogs chew something up is becuase theyre bored and frustrated from lack of excersize.

Regular walks, and even rawhide bones for something constructive to chew on will help that.

The pooping thing, sounds like she wasnt housetrained very well.
That requires the dog to be taken outside on regular intervals.
Consistent times, every day.
The dog needs to be shown that pooping outside, is what you want from them.

Regular walks will also help with that, too.

If this dog is your sisters, it sounds to me like she needs to take the responsibilty of owning a dog a bit more seriously, and put the effort into helping her dog become a better pet.

I've a problem with my sister-in-law's dogs: They're both the most awesome dogs ever; well-behaved, cute, soft, fun&energetic - the catch is: They aren't mine! She won't even be parted with them for a few days so I could borrow them.. so my question is: How do I make a dog temporarily invisible so that I can borrow them unnoticed, and/or shrink an Aussie Shepherd to handbag size for the same purpose?

Well, my mom is a bit of an amateur dog trainer herself. First she taught a series of our own dogs to behave, then we took puppies for Seeing Eye Dogs and assistance dogs for disabled people. Lots of discipline work, and useful tricks like putting clothing into washing machines.

At any rate, the next idea now is doggy daycare, where people leave their dogs with us and they live with us while their families are on holidays. Great idea, works fine.

But now there is one question - we're taking a Great Dane "puppy" (6 months or so) for an extended period, and she's too big for her own good. She gets excited, falls over herself, runs into stuff and has already stepped on our own little Labradoodle accidentally during acclimatisation visits. We're not quite sure of what we can feasibly do to run her out of energy for longer than half an hour, and the plan at the moment is simply to always have someone around to pay attention, and otherwise hope she'll calm down as time progresses.

Any more tricks of the trade you might have learned that will keep an excited big-ass puppy occupied without wiping stuff off tables and benches with a careless wag of the tail? ;)

I have a 4 year-old collie-whippet cross who is an absolute gem. He's got a great personality, is really well behaved and loves to meet other people, children and dogs. I'm confident letting him off the lead because I know he'll come running back when he's called and won't cause any trouble. However, on a walk recently, he met another bigger collie and was immediately on edge. The other dog set him and they had a slight scuffle, although Basil came away when I called him. We've seen the other dog (Shep) a few times since and he always menaces Basil a bit. Is there anything we can do to help them get along? Shep's owner is taking him to classes but is very nervous of him - are the owner's nerves setting the dog off?

Is there anything we can do to help them get along? Shep's owner is taking him to classes but is very nervous of him - are the owner's nerves setting the dog off?
They're not going to like each other, at least until they've settled who is boss. And if neither is quite ready to accept being second fiddle, they're going to be cranky with each other for some time. It happens sometimes.

If you want to give it a go, just meet in some neutral place, have a chat with the owner or something and let the dogs sort each other out. If they fight, obviously break it up, but that's just about the only thing you can do.

This is all assuming they actually have to get along, of course. If they're rarely if ever going to meet, maybe it's best to just spare everyone the stress and accept that they're not going to be great friends.

*is not a certified dog trainer*

idea, works fine.

But now there is one question - we're taking a Great Dane "puppy" (6 months or so) for an extended period, and she's too big for her own good. She gets excited, falls over herself, runs into stuff and has already stepped on our own little Labradoodle accidentally during acclimatisation visits. We're not quite sure of what we can feasibly do to run her out of energy for longer than half an hour, and the plan at the moment is simply to always have someone around to pay attention, and otherwise hope she'll calm down as time progresses.

Any more tricks of the trade you might have learned that will keep an excited big-ass puppy occupied without wiping stuff off tables and benches with a careless wag of the tail? ;)

Just got to work with a Dane puppy recently. Theres not much that can keep up with that!
If you have a dog park in the area, i definately reccomend that.
If shes sociable, then try it. You and I cant move like another dog can, and one she starts playing with dogs her size, they run like fools.
Its great!

The good news is Danes actually dont require as much exercise as other breeds.
Thier hearts arent big enough for thier massive bodies. Eventually, she'll be a huge tail-wagging couch potato. Until then, a good walk every day is usually plenty.

I have a 4 year-old collie-whippet cross who is an absolute gem. He's got a great personality, is really well behaved and loves to meet other people, children and dogs. I'm confident letting him off the lead because I know he'll come running back when he's called and won't cause any trouble. However, on a walk recently, he met another bigger collie and was immediately on edge. The other dog set him and they had a slight scuffle, although Basil came away when I called him. We've seen the other dog (Shep) a few times since and he always menaces Basil a bit. Is there anything we can do to help them get along? Shep's owner is taking him to classes but is very nervous of him - are the owner's nerves setting the dog off?

Absolutely. Dogs can feel tension from you (or sheps owner) right through the leash. You tense up, the leash tenses up, and so does the dog. The dog can totally sense its owners apprehension.

I advise not walking a dog without a leash where your likely to encounter other dogs, or even people. You may be able to trust your dog, and thats awesome, but you cant always trust someone elses. All it takes is one dog to start a fight.

However, youre correct about the "neutral ground" thing.

Lots of socialization early in a dogs life is the key to having a dog that is comfortable around other dogs. In this case, try a dog park ( i know, again with the dog park), and let them go. Your part, is not to allow either dog to get into an agressive state. THEY dont have to establish whos alpha dog, becuase its YOU. If play gets too aggressive, a sharp vocal warning, or a heavy clap can often be enough to break the intense focus of two dogs entering a "sizing up" session that sometimes leads to fights.

I suspect the other dog will get along better with your dog without being attached to its nervous owner.
The key, is not allowing either dog to get into a dominant state. They can run and play and be dogs. They just have to follow the rules.

You'll know very quickly if these two dogs will be cool with each other or not.

If the dogs are opposite sexes, and one of them isnt fixed...thats a whole other ball game.
That could be a whole different kind of aggression.

I've a problem with my sister-in-law's dogs: They're both the most awesome dogs ever; well-behaved, cute, soft, fun&energetic - the catch is: They aren't mine! She won't even be parted with them for a few days so I could borrow them.. so my question is: How do I make a dog temporarily invisible so that I can borrow them unnoticed, and/or shrink an Aussie Shepherd to handbag size for the same purpose?


Obtain chloroform.
Douse rag with said chemcial.
When sister refuses to cooperate...say "hey does this smell like chloroform to you?", and then hold the rag to her mouth and face.

Then just take the dogs.

score.

One of my dogs has developed a new habit where he picks up his food bowl and dumps half of it all over the place before eating it.

Any idea why he might be doing this? He doesn't seem upset or anything. He just started doing it. And it's rather annoying (especially given the habit he already had to occasionally carry bits of food around and get them all over the place).

Oh, a couple more questions:

1) One of my dogs is incredibly annoying when people come over. He's not aggressive, just loud. And he'll bark and duck out of the way as long as they're standing or moving around. Once they sit in one place, he'll gladly come over to get attention from them, so it isn't that he feels they shouldn't be there. But once they stand up again, he starts barking.

He's part corgi, so I figure it's the herding instinct coming out and he wants them to be "in their place." Problem is, once he gets going, there's no calming him down. I've tried putting him on a leash when people come in, but that doesn't really quiet him down. It just means he's barking a lot close to me. And while I realize dogs are hard work, I really can't put him on a leash every time one of my friends is standing up to go to the bathroom.


2) My other dog gets incredibly excited when it's time to go outside. He runs around ramming his tail into the wall and generally getting so worked up that it's amazing he doesn't pee himself (he actually used to, so I guess we've made some progress). I've tried making him sit before I'll put the leash on him or open the door, but it hasn't seemed to make him any calmer when it comes time to go for a walk and he still bolts through the door the moment I let him out. Any suggestions?


Oh, and as long as I'm asking,

3) What's the best way to stop pulling at the leash? Both of my dogs do it to some extent, but the corgi mix is the worst. Nothing seems to phase him - he pulls on the leash to the point that he's clearly choking himself and starts coughing, and that doesn't slow him up one bit.

Yikes.

Yes there is, but it will require your sister to be a responsible pet owner. Most of the time dogs chew something up is becuase theyre bored and frustrated from lack of excersize.

Regular walks, and even rawhide bones for something constructive to chew on will help that.

The pooping thing, sounds like she wasnt housetrained very well.
That requires the dog to be taken outside on regular intervals.
Consistent times, every day.
The dog needs to be shown that pooping outside, is what you want from them.

Regular walks will also help with that, too.

If this dog is your sisters, it sounds to me like she needs to take the responsibilty of owning a dog a bit more seriously, and put the effort into helping her dog become a better pet.
Yeah, this is probably true, but I'm not sure she'll do anything about it. She just keeps her room clean so none of her stuff gets chewed. I've learned that when I'm visiting I just have to keep putting my dirty clothes back in my bag to keep them from getting chewed.

Yeah, this is probably true, but I'm not sure she'll do anything about it. She just keeps her room clean so none of her stuff gets chewed. I've learned that when I'm visiting I just have to keep putting my dirty clothes back in my bag to keep them from getting chewed.

Even keeping rawhide bones around really does help. *nodnod*

My husband and I have to keep long hours, so our dogs get bored. If they've got chew toys and bones lying around, they're usually pretty good. If not, anything that they knock into (particularly the sticky pads under rugs) get strewn around the house.

Even keeping rawhide bones around really does help. *nodnod*

My husband and I have to keep long hours, so our dogs get bored. If they've got chew toys and bones lying around, they're usually pretty good. If not, anything that they knock into (particularly the sticky pads under rugs) get strewn around the house.
They have chew toys (my parents have two other dogs as well) and I see him chewing them (even the ones that are for the bigger dogs and thus bigger than his head) but sometimes he just grabs underwear and chews it up. It's pretty much only underwear too as far as I know.

They have chew toys (my parents have two other dogs as well) and I see him chewing them (even the ones that are for the bigger dogs and thus bigger than his head) but sometimes he just grabs underwear and chews it up. It's pretty much only underwear too as far as I know.

Ah, I always figured that was a smell-related thing. I keep my underwear in a closed room when I'm not home. =)

Obtain chloroform.
Douse rag with said chemcial.
When sister refuses to cooperate...say "hey does this smell like chloroform to you?", and then hold the rag to her mouth and face.

Then just take the dogs.

score.

There's several catches to that plan.

a) I'm not sure how to obtain chloroform.

b) I'm at least as fond of the woman as I am of the dogs, so hurting her, or unreasonably upsetting her, is out.

c) I'm not sure the dogs will still be as cute and likeable when they feel I'm threatening/hurting their master.

d) I've hinted at my strong desire to obtain these dogs often enough that if they were to disappear under curious circumstances, coinciding with a visit of mine or not, the family'd come knocking on my door within the hour.

One of my dogs has developed a new habit where he picks up his food bowl and dumps half of it all over the place before eating it.

Any idea why he might be doing this? He doesn't seem upset or anything. He just started doing it. And it's rather annoying (especially given the habit he already had to occasionally carry bits of food around and get them all over the place).


Lot of dogs do that. Not really sure why.
The solution is to buy a food bowl stand. One that elevates the food and water bowl on table legs. Depending on the size of your dog, thats where his bowls ought to be anyway.
For bigger dogs, it really helps with digestion, and sometimes "bloat", a often fatal twisting of the intestines, or stomach.

One of my dogs has developed a new habit where he picks up his food bowl and dumps half of it all over the place before eating it.

Any idea why he might be doing this? He doesn't seem upset or anything. He just started doing it. And it's rather annoying (especially given the habit he already had to occasionally carry bits of food around and get them all over the place).

My parents had the same issue (except it was with the water bowl) with their springer when he was a puppy so they went out and bought a water bowl (http://www.arcatapet.com/fullsize/9536.jpg) that he couldn't tip over. He did eventually grow out of the habit and now uses an old icecream bucket.

Oh, a couple more questions:

1) One of my dogs is incredibly annoying when people come over. He's not aggressive, just loud. And he'll bark and duck out of the way as long as they're standing or moving around. Once they sit in one place, he'll gladly come over to get attention from them, so it isn't that he feels they shouldn't be there. But once they stand up again, he starts barking.

He's part corgi, so I figure it's the herding instinct coming out and he wants them to be "in their place." Problem is, once he gets going, there's no calming him down. I've tried putting him on a leash when people come in, but that doesn't really quiet him down. It just means he's barking a lot close to me. And while I realize dogs are hard work, I really can't put him on a leash every time one of my friends is standing up to go to the bathroom.

Ok, this one is easy, but it takes a lot of repetition. I reccomend using a technique called
"The soft bite". Its basically an imitation of a very gentle bite, on his hip or back. Take your index and middle finger and slightly curve them like you were throwing a baseball.
In essence, your imitating a dogs two incisors with your hand.

Now, you dont have to do it very hard. In fact, the main point of this is to get his attention, and to let him know that his behavior is not acceptable. Likely the dog will be surprised, and turn to face you like "woah, what?".
This is where you give him a pointed finger and a "psshht!".
"Dont do that!" is what your body language should say. This basically tells him that barking and getting into an excited state when around guests, is unnacceptable.

In a wolf pack, the alpha wolf doesnt really tell the other wolfs what to do, he tells them what NOT to do. Holding another dog down until submissive "the alpha roll" and "The Soft Bite" are two very powerful techniques wolves and dogs use to other dogs, when asserting dominance.

When the dog is again calm and submissive, reward him.
Dont try to pet him to calm him down. That only reinforces his state of mind, and makes him think hes being rewarded for bad behavior.

So, interrupt that excited state of mind, and redirect it. Reward when he displays the state of mind you want him to be in.



2) My other dog gets incredibly excited when it's time to go outside. He runs around ramming his tail into the wall and generally getting so worked up that it's amazing he doesn't pee himself (he actually used to, so I guess we've made some progress). I've tried making him sit before I'll put the leash on him or open the door, but it hasn't seemed to make him any calmer when it comes time to go for a walk and he still bolts through the door the moment I let him out. Any suggestions?

I sure do.

1. Never let the dog out of the house before you. Always go first, even if its just a step first. Also, dont let him out, when his IS that excited. Let him know that he only gets what he wants, when he gives you what you want. Wich is a calm dog.

2. "Claim" the door. It is not your dogs job to answer the door. Thats your job.
So, the dog isnt allowed near the door, except by invitation. When the doorbell rings, or while the door is open, shoo him away from it, with a "psst!" or other vocal admonishment.
Be firm. This is YOUR door, and YOU say who goes in and out.

If your dog knows "stay", then before you go out. Make him sit and stay, and not to move, even if you step out the door. (dont try this without a leash for a while, until your dog gets it, or if he tries to dart past you) If he does try, its right back to the sit/stay, until hes calm. THEN he gets to go outside.

Thats about the only thing Ive had to teach my 3 year old lab mix. We got her from the pound, and before, she would do just what your dog does. Now, I put her in the sit/stay, and i exit the door, and tell her when she can follow me.
Works everytime.

Dogs are infinitely bribeable. Reward the sit. Reward the stay. Intead of the dog getting crazy from anticipation of going outside, turn it into a peformance of good behavior for the reward of its favorite treat, or game.

If want visual examples of this technique, check out "The Dog Whisperer" or "Its me or the dog", both of those two celebrity trainers do a lot of that.


Oh, and as long as I'm asking,

3) What's the best way to stop pulling at the leash? Both of my dogs do it to some extent, but the corgi mix is the worst. Nothing seems to phase him - he pulls on the leash to the point that he's clearly choking himself and starts coughing, and that doesn't slow him up one bit.

First, if your dog has a tendency to choke himself on a lead, use a Halti. It ties around the head and muzzle and not the neck. "Halti" is a brand name halter collar, and there are lots of similar ones.

As for the pulling, theres a couple techniques you can try.
One, is while using a long leash, simply walk forward, while swinging the leash in quick circles in front of you, like airplane propellers.
If the dog goes too far forward, its gonna get whapped in the nose by the leash.
Obviously, you dont want to swing the leash so hard you hurt the dog, but a little thump on its sniffer wont hurt it.

The other method is to use a 3 foot thin dowel rod.
Sometimes called "stick walking", or "stick training", the idea is to swing that in front of you, or to tap it rapidly in front of the dogs paws, while backing him up with the stick.
You never bop the dog with the stick, its just an extension of your arm.
When not using the stick, you keep it close to your side, in the "holstered" position.
When the dog begins to move past you, tap the ground in front of the dog. and gently move the dog back to the Heel Position.

Reward the heel position.

Occasionally, stop completely, and back the dog up. Make it sit. After a moment, continue forward. Repeat.
At first, just try this technique up and down the driveway. Once your dog gets it...out you go for a good walk.

Remember, your dog will sense any frustration or tension from you, so be calm and assertive at all times.

Dont let the dog lead you on the walk. This is the dog assuming the role of pack leader on the walk. YOU are the pack leader, and YOU decide where the "pack" will go.

I recently met an Internationally reknown dog trainer who lives in my very own hometown, by the name, Brenda Aloff.
WOW, is she good.

She has four books on training, and covers stick training very well. You can probably get them at your local library, OR, even buy them, as not only are they fairly priced, but from what Ive seen, and read, some of the best training guides out there.

Good luck.

There's several catches to that plan.

a) I'm not sure how to obtain chloroform.

b) I'm at least as fond of the woman as I am of the dogs, so hurting her, or unreasonably upsetting her, is out.

c) I'm not sure the dogs will still be as cute and likeable when they feel I'm threatening/hurting their master.

d) I've hinted at my strong desire to obtain these dogs often enough that if they were to disappear under curious circumstances, coinciding with a visit of mine or not, the family'd come knocking on my door within the hour.

Well then, the solution is, GET A PUPPEH!

Your local dog shelter probably has a cute furry little ball of awesome, right now at this very minute, who would love you and slobber all over you.

C'mon.....PUPPEH!

Update:
The turning the back and crossing arms works like a charm. The pup walks away the SECOND I do it, and calms down pretty quick. Then when he comes over calmly, I tell him "Good dog," and pet him.

My parents had the same issue (except it was with the water bowl) with their springer when he was a puppy so they went out and bought a water bowl (http://www.arcatapet.com/fullsize/9536.jpg) that he couldn't tip over. He did eventually grow out of the habit and now uses an old icecream bucket.

I was thinking more like this

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753769&keepsr=0

Thats an exspensive one, with wooden doo-dads, and frippery.

Mine is a basic metal frame with a wood top, and metal bowls.
Better for digestion, and of course, my dog cant knock over her water dish.

20 bucks.

Come to think of it, mine is better. This one doesnt have adjustable legs.

Update:
The turning the back and crossing arms works like a charm. The pup walks away the SECOND I do it, and calms down pretty quick. Then when he comes over calmly, I tell him "Good dog," and pet him.

Excellent!

That will be 75 dollars!

We also accept global domination...

My dog HATES it when i play the saxophone- he goes into a frenzy every time i need to practice. (And trust me, Im really not that bad)

could you give me a suggestion?

My dog HATES it when i play the saxophone- he goes into a frenzy every time i need to practice. (And trust me, Im really not that bad)

could you give me a suggestion?

Well, a dogs ears are more sensitive than ours. It may be too loud for him.
If it isnt necessary to have him there when you practice, just let him wander off, or put him outside in the back yard for a few minutes.

If thats not possible, the dog needs to be de-sensitized to it, and thats a long process.
Basically, you need to get him to associate something good, with the saxophone.
If he loves to fetch a ball, have someone throw a few for him while you play it.
Or try feeding him while you play softly.

De-sensitizing a dog to something wich scares it, is a careful process, and isnt to be done without a professional. You may do more harm than good if you dont know what youre doing.

Well then, the solution is, GET A PUPPEH!

Your local dog shelter probably has a cute furry little ball of awesome, right now at this very minute, who would love you and slobber all over you.

C'mon.....PUPPEH!

Yeah, I'd consider that if I did not live in a tiny apartment, in the town center, on the third floor, with a no-pets policy, and if I were home more often than "in the evening.. most of the time".

I have another issue that you may have an idea with that could help.

My mom (she does like her dogs) is looking at setting up a small breeding operation when we move. I myself am a bit of a fan of the Anatolian Shepherd, but I can't convince her to consider them. The reason is this: apparently they are very territorial and protective dogs, who like to increase their territory whenever possible. In short, should they manage to get out of the garden, they'll explore the surrounding area, conclude it's all theirs and then try to protect it where possible.

That could of course lead to all sorts of troubles, so my mom tends towards smaller, boring breeds. Do you have a method that would make this issue less of an argument against my idea?

Absolutely. Dogs can feel tension from you (or sheps owner) right through the leash. You tense up, the leash tenses up, and so does the dog. The dog can totally sense its owners apprehension.

I advise not walking a dog without a leash where your likely to encounter other dogs, or even people. You may be able to trust your dog, and thats awesome, but you cant always trust someone elses. All it takes is one dog to start a fight.

However, youre correct about the "neutral ground" thing.

Lots of socialization early in a dogs life is the key to having a dog that is comfortable around other dogs. In this case, try a dog park ( i know, again with the dog park), and let them go. Your part, is not to allow either dog to get into an agressive state. THEY dont have to establish whos alpha dog, becuase its YOU. If play gets too aggressive, a sharp vocal warning, or a heavy clap can often be enough to break the intense focus of two dogs entering a "sizing up" session that sometimes leads to fights.

I suspect the other dog will get along better with your dog without being attached to its nervous owner.
The key, is not allowing either dog to get into a dominant state. They can run and play and be dogs. They just have to follow the rules.

You'll know very quickly if these two dogs will be cool with each other or not.

If the dogs are opposite sexes, and one of them isnt fixed...thats a whole other ball game.
That could be a whole different kind of aggression.

Okie, thanks for this. I should clarify that Basil is on the lead from home to the open fields, but then I let him off because he needs and loves to run. (I assume its the racing dog in him).

I think the trick will be persuading Shep's owner to leave them to their own devices for a few minutes - he is constantly and nervously giving instructions to Shep which are usually ignored. Anyway, we often see them on our Thursday walks, so I'll report back :)

I have another issue that you may have an idea with that could help.

My mom (she does like her dogs) is looking at setting up a small breeding operation when we move. I myself am a bit of a fan of the Anatolian Shepherd, but I can't convince her to consider them. The reason is this: apparently they are very territorial and protective dogs, who like to increase their territory whenever possible. In short, should they manage to get out of the garden, they'll explore the surrounding area, conclude it's all theirs and then try to protect it where possible.

That could of course lead to all sorts of troubles, so my mom tends towards smaller, boring breeds. Do you have a method that would make this issue less of an argument against my idea?

Well, aside from doing whatever you can to not let them get out, i cant think of any ways to train away centuries of selective breeding for a certain behavior.

I could reccomend some ways to whistle-train a dog to come back when recalled, but other than that, there isnt much a trainer could do for ya.

From what I know of these dogs (never met one), these arent "first time breeder" dogs, really :)

So, ive been largely absent from these forums for a while. Mainly, becuase ive been very busy studying a new profession.
Yours truly will soon be a Certified Canine Obedience Instructor.

Or..a "dog trainer", if ya wanna be a dick about it. (Thank you Dave Chappelle)

My goal is to finish class, and apply for provisional membership to N.A.D.O.I. (National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors.
I also plan to further this training, into rehabilitation and therapy work, and even specialized training such as Assistance training.

Aside from helping clients choose, evaluate, and train thier dogs, I will also to be able to help aggressive dogs be rehabilitated, so they can be placed in loving homes.

SO..

I'd like to give advice on dogs, to any that ask it. Does your dog have any "issues"?
Having trouble potty-training Fluffy? Does Rover keep eating the paperboy, and you need a new place to bury the remains?
I may be able to help you.

Please note, for anything serious, such as an agressive dog, you should contact a local trainer, or behaviourist.

I love all dogs. I love German Shepherd dogs. I have had 2 large boned pure bred German Shepherd dogs. Rest in peace, my loyal friends. The last one was directly imported from Germany. A police officer friend of mine in Miami Who worked with police dogs and had connections with the people who supplied the police dept with the German Shepherd dogs got one for me.

After Lobo-Wolf the II, passed away, I buried him in the back yard. Marked his grave. I cried many a times near his grave. I dreamed my wife dug him out of his grave. He came out happy running all over the yard nice and healthy, waggin his tail happy to see us all. I removed the marker after that dream. I still honor his-thier memory as part of my E-Mail address. I decided never to have a dog again. Is too painful when you loose them.

I love all dogs. I love German Shepherd dogs. I have had 2 large boned pure bred German Shepherd dogs. Rest in peace, my loyal friends. The last one was directly imported from Germany. A police officer friend of mine in Miami Who worked with police dogs and had connections with the people who supplied the police dept with the German Shepherd dogs got one for me.

After Lobo-Wolf the II, passed away, I buried him in the back yard. Marked his grave. I cried many a times near his grave. I dreamed my wife dug him out of his grave. He came out happy running all over the yard nice and healthy, waggin his tail happy to see us all. I removed the marker after that dream. I still honor his-thier memory as part of my E-Mail address. I decided never to have a dog again. Is too painful when you loose them.

Im very sorry you lost your friend. I know full well what it means to lose your best friend.
It will be two years this November when I lost my best friend Jose, the Golden Retriever mix. I raised him from a puppy and he died just short of his 15th birthday.

It IS painful to lose them. Ive never cried so hard in my life as when I watched the vet put him to sleep. But I tell you this:

You have to let them go so you can go on. A dog gives its life for the ones it loves. They live and work and play, and grow old, and sadly, eventually die for us.
Thier greatest joy in life, is simply to be with us. We can repay them by honoring the memories they leave us with, and the lessons they teach us in life.
Have fun. Be loyal. Guard those you love. Chase a ball now and then.

Two months after Jose died, i was given the green light to get another dog when I was ready for one. My aunt saw a picture of a sweet looking yellow lab mix, with doe eyes and a pouty lip, on the local animal shelter website.
She pestered me until I went and visited the dog for myself. I fell in love instantly. I make no exaggeration when I say she is the sweetest animal Ive ever met.

The point is, I wasnt sure i was ready to get another dog, so soon after losing my last one, until I saw her sweet face. One door closed, and another opened up.
If I hadnt made the choice to get her, I wouldnt have the best dog in the world right now.
Yes, its hard when a beloved pet dies, but its a small price to pay for unconditional love.

I can tell you loved your dogs. A person who has such a passion for dogs shouldnt be without one for too long.
Theres lots of dogs out there who need a good home.

Think about it.

Ok, this one is easy, but it takes a lot of repetition. I reccomend using a technique called
"The soft bite". Its basically an imitation of a very gentle bite, on his hip or back. Take your index and middle finger and slightly curve them like you were throwing a baseball.
In essence, your imitating a dogs two incisors with your hand.

Now, you dont have to do it very hard. In fact, the main point of this is to get his attention, and to let him know that his behavior is not acceptable. Likely the dog will be surprised, and turn to face you like "woah, what?".
This is where you give him a pointed finger and a "psshht!".
"Dont do that!" is what your body language should say. This basically tells him that barking and getting into an excited state when around guests, is unnacceptable.

In a wolf pack, the alpha wolf doesnt really tell the other wolfs what to do, he tells them what NOT to do. Holding another dog down until submissive "the alpha roll" and "The Soft Bite" are two very powerful techniques wolves and dogs use to other dogs, when asserting dominance.

Sounds easy enough, if I can actually get ahold of him.

I think I'm just going to have to put him on a leash whenever we have guests coming over until I can get him to calm down. Otherwise, he acts like it's a game and tries to keep away from me as well (so he can bark at the guests).


I sure do.

1. Never let the dog out of the house before you. Always go first, even if its just a step first. Also, dont let him out, when his IS that excited. Let him know that he only gets what he wants, when he gives you what you want. Wich is a calm dog.

2. "Claim" the door. It is not your dogs job to answer the door. Thats your job.
So, the dog isnt allowed near the door, except by invitation. When the doorbell rings, or while the door is open, shoo him away from it, with a "psst!" or other vocal admonishment.
Be firm. This is YOUR door, and YOU say who goes in and out.

If your dog knows "stay", then before you go out. Make him sit and stay, and not to move, even if you step out the door. (dont try this without a leash for a while, until your dog gets it, or if he tries to dart past you) If he does try, its right back to the sit/stay, until hes calm. THEN he gets to go outside.

Thats about the only thing Ive had to teach my 3 year old lab mix. We got her from the pound, and before, she would do just what your dog does. Now, I put her in the sit/stay, and i exit the door, and tell her when she can follow me.
Works everytime.

He's getting better at calming down quickly since I haven't been letting him out without making him stay. The not letting him go out before me thing will be new, and it seemed to confuse the heck out of him this morning, but I think he'll eventually get it.

Mind you, this is a dog that actually blew right through a screen door once because he was so excited to go out that he didn't think about us needing to open both doors. So just having him wait until the door was fully open has been an improvement. =)

First, if your dog has a tendency to choke himself on a lead, use a Halti. It ties around the head and muzzle and not the neck. "Halti" is a brand name halter collar, and there are lots of similar ones.

I think I've seen those at the store. We tried a halter lead for a while, but that just gave him more leverage to pull. Also, he's a bit of a Houdini dog and has managed to get out of it, so we ended up going back to the neck collar.

As for the pulling, theres a couple techniques you can try.
One, is while using a long leash, simply walk forward, while swinging the leash in quick circles in front of you, like airplane propellers.
If the dog goes too far forward, its gonna get whapped in the nose by the leash.
Obviously, you dont want to swing the leash so hard you hurt the dog, but a little thump on its sniffer wont hurt it.

Interesting. I assume this requires a standard leash, and not a retractable one, though.

The other method is to use a 3 foot thin dowel rod.
Sometimes called "stick walking", or "stick training", the idea is to swing that in front of you, or to tap it rapidly in front of the dogs paws, while backing him up with the stick.
You never bop the dog with the stick, its just an extension of your arm.
When not using the stick, you keep it close to your side, in the "holstered" position.
When the dog begins to move past you, tap the ground in front of the dog. and gently move the dog back to the Heel Position.

Reward the heel position.

Occasionally, stop completely, and back the dog up. Make it sit. After a moment, continue forward. Repeat.
At first, just try this technique up and down the driveway. Once your dog gets it...out you go for a good walk.

That sounds workable, although I'd have to find time to do it (probably the biggest problem with getting dogs well-trained, right?)

Of course, as with jumping and such, my husband would probably get him riled up and undo my work. :(

Dont let the dog lead you on the walk. This is the dog assuming the role of pack leader on the walk. YOU are the pack leader, and YOU decide where the "pack" will go.

As a clarification, this doesn't mean you never let them walk out ahead of you, does it? After all, I have to let them go find their places to pee and such. It just means not to let them pull you off in a different direction?

Good luck.

Thanks!

I was thinking more like this

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753769&keepsr=0

Thats an exspensive one, with wooden doo-dads, and frippery.

Mine is a basic metal frame with a wood top, and metal bowls.
Better for digestion, and of course, my dog cant knock over her water dish.

20 bucks.

Come to think of it, mine is better. This one doesnt have adjustable legs.

My bloodhound mix has one sort of like this:
http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3757638t400.jpg
except taller.

But the one dumping the bowl is a corgi mix. He's fairly low to the ground, so we never really worried about raising his food bowl. Now that he's gotten in the bad habit of dumping it, though, we just might.


Another question I just thought of last night when we came home to a mess from one of our dogs and not the other:

Does sibling rivalry pay a role in behavior issues? If one dog (the one who seems to be more alpha of the two) sees us reward the other for good behavior, and doesn't get a reward himself, will that likely be a lesson to him? Or will it just make him angry and likely to act out?

Good to see you Backwoods!

Go for something more difficult like Cat Trainer.

Another question I just thought of last night when we came home to a mess from one of our dogs and not the other:

Does sibling rivalry pay a role in behavior issues? If one dog (the one who seems to be more alpha of the two) sees us reward the other for good behavior, and doesn't get a reward himself, will that likely be a lesson to him? Or will it just make him angry and likely to act out?

What you call "sibling Rivalry" is "Rank Drive". Rank drive is a very important trait of any dogs temperment. It is as the name implies, a dogs attitude towards it place in its pack.
The higher the rank drive in a dog can often mean the dog will be more dominant than others.

Two larger dogs usually settle wich one is the dominant one, and the question is rarely ever brought up, unless something changes.
With smaller breeds, it can change day to day.

So, yes, rank drive can be the root of many behavioral issues in any dog.

To answer you last questions, yes, one dog watching another dog get rewarded and not it, can be a powerful tool. Most people would think it "unfair" to give one dog a treat and not the other, so both dogs get the treat. Remember, youre rewarding a behavior to the dog that obeyed a command, or displayed a behavior. If the other dog wants a treat, he has to follow the same command.
No negotiations. Those treats belong to YOU, and you, the alpha "dog", decide who gets them, and when.

Most of the time, the dog who didnt get the treat will try harder, and do what you want to get one. However, watch for any signs of food aggression, wich may come from the dominant dog. THAT is especially verboten.

As for becoming angry and acting out, not really. Dogs dont hold grudges. It may frustrate the dog, and he may find a way to relieve that frustration by some means like chewing, for example, but in his mind, hes not really associating the two.

He's getting better at calming down quickly since I haven't been letting him out without making him stay. The not letting him go out before me thing will be new, and it seemed to confuse the heck out of him this morning, but I think he'll eventually get it.

Most dogs get that pretty quick. You just need to be firm.


I think I've seen those at the store. We tried a halter lead for a while, but that just gave him more leverage to pull. Also, he's a bit of a Houdini dog and has managed to get out of it, so we ended up going back to the neck collar.

Theres lots of collar and leash choices out there to choose from. If a Halti doesnt work, perhaps another will. With a dog that pulls on the leash, though, I would advise against a harness-type, as those tend to actually encourage it. A Halti, or even a "Whisper" leash would be best.



Interesting. I assume this requires a standard leash, and not a retractable one, though.

Yes indeed. The very problem with those rectractables is that they encourage the dog to walk ahead of you. In fact, I suspect if you switch to a normal nylon, or leather training leash, you'll see better results.



That sounds workable, although I'd have to find time to do it (probably the biggest problem with getting dogs well-trained, right?)

Of course, as with jumping and such, my husband would probably get him riled up and undo my work. :(

Repetition and consistantcy. Lots of time, and the same way every time.



As a clarification, this doesn't mean you never let them walk out ahead of you, does it? After all, I have to let them go find their places to pee and such. It just means not to let them pull you off in a different direction?

It does mean just that. Never ahead of you. Of course dogs need to pee on walks, so every so often stop on some grass and let him sniff around for a few. Make it a reward for walking at the heel position. He can be a step behind you, or even at your side, but if he walks ahead of you, hes leading you, and thats not good.

There are exceptions to this rule, particularly in "Loose Leash" training. The idea of that is to teach the dog that the walk stops the second he pulls on the leash. When he relaxes any tension, you can move forward. This technique takes a while longer for some dogs, but once they get it, they tend to keep it. That might be a good method for your dog.

Once your dog "gets it" you can be a bit more relaxed with the rules, and almost always, the dog will continue walking as instructed. The behavior becomes conditioned.

In fact, one of the requirements for the AKC's "Good Canine Citizen" test, is to turn corners on a loose leash. If your dog is heel trained, its pretty easy.

A great way to reinforce this is to walk to a place where you can let the dog run for a bit, again, as a reward for good behavior. That way, the dog will learn that by travelling on walks the right way, he gets rewarded by being allowed to play.



Thanks!

Anytime!

Good to see you Backwoods!

Go for something more difficult like Cat Trainer.

Heya!

Cat Trainer?

Oddly enough, Ive met one. Well not really a trainer, per se, more like an animal behaviorist, who worked with cats. Cats get issues too.

Besides, if a cat ever listens to you, and obeys a command, hes only really humoring you while his plans for your demise unfurl.