And people think horsey people give out unsolicited advice. ....

[Molly'sMama]

Just a little rant. Our golden retriever lad is now rising 6 months, and he's turning out to be a beauty - real show potential and generall people we meet on walks are always utterly smitten with him.
But twice in two weeks have people we've met tried to give advice? And generally patronised us? Maybe it's because I'm a teenager but when we were walking, and we met a little terrier coming our way, the pup got excited and jumped around a little , before remembering his manners, and crouching and sniffing the dog, and generally being v. sweet.
The older gentlemen then proceeded to try to teach me in mannering a dog and said at the end, and I quote 'Well in a few months if you do that, he might start to be on his way'. Considering he's a big gangly dog and it was our first walk of the morning, I don't think a few bounces are horrendous, if when poss. I get him to return his attention to me [and a treat] and keep 4 paws on the floor. Sounds like less than it was- but the tone was quite derisive.

We've also had people in the park, with aggressive dogs mind you!- get a bit bratty about our dog coming up to theirs- which wasn't on a lead! - and being like 'don't look at them! they'll sort it out, i know what I'm talking about'. Like- ok but your growling dog is running around without warning so I'll not take your word for it.

Maybe I'm just being too proud but I would never, unless the dog/people were in danger, tell someone what to do with their dog, particularly one in training, which he is. Our trainer is starting to sell little luminous dog coats with the words 'dog in training' on and her name, so might buy one and it'll put people off grabbing him a bit?


I just smile and tell them 'I'll waste no time in putting their advice into practice' and leave,...

I suppose it is hard to resist this face - people want him for their own

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...=16203508b28f453d24ef5f7c5554ce40&oe=54C32BEA

 

[Annette4]

I don't get it as much any more but we used to get all sorts with Tia. I did get someone telling me I should smack Fizz (6 month old whippet who by my own admission is going through a rude phase) for jumping about when another dog was approaching, I asked her to sit and concentrate on me instead. If we are walking I speed up my walking so she concentrates. I did politely explain that I would deal with her as I felt best.

 

[_GG_]

At your age, I did just as you have done. I still largely do that now as well as mostly, it's just not worth doing anything else.

We have four dogs, if we see another dog coming, we always put our lot on leads. They are fine, they behave impeccably, but we have no idea what other dogs are like, so we make sure we have our own on leads. A few years ago I did bite though. This bloke had a bouncy young lab, off lead going absolutely mad around our lot. I had all four of them on my own, they sat when asked and just put up with this blokes dog literally bouncing off them. I called over to him that the rescue dog doesn't really like being jumped on and he came over to ask about her. I told him about her and then he proceeded to tell me I should put her on the floor by her neck and crouch over her like a lion until she submitted. I said thanks, but no, she is fearful and that will only make it worse....as he could see, she was doing fine as she was, just slowly losing patience with being jumped on. That's when I asked "if you can't get yours to listen or calm down, could you pop his lead on please?" There began him telling me all about his training method and how he allows the behaviour to escalate to a point at which he can use a high level correction to teach him not to do it again. Firstly, I told him how unhappy I was that he was using my dogs for that, secondly I said, nice to meet you, goodbye. That's when he really went off on one, telling me all about his training method, based on Cesar Milan and if I do it with mine, I won't need to put them on leads to keep them by my side around other dogs. I politely said I wasn't interested in that type of training. He tried to convince me otherwise. I basically said that I knew all about that type of training and I proved it by correcting him on many of his points but that I had also spent years looking into all types of training, behaviour modification etc. and that I'd discounted that as being largely dangerous and ill advised. He was a bit floored, but when I asked if he'd researched other methods, he responded by saying, "But I'm not the one who rushed to get their dogs on a lead am I".

With that, I said, "Ok...you need physical evidence" then I took the leads off my four, said nice to meet him and goodbye, told the dogs "back" so they all stood behind me and walked behind me across the field, without needing to be told again, without needing leads and behaving perfectly for about 400 yards until we went around the corner.

Some people are just self proclaimed experts and it's the ones that feel the need to justify their brilliance by telling you all about it that are generally lacking in both knowledge and skill.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

He's totally gorgeous Annette4. I think you'll have to get used to unsolicited advice, he's so lovely that everyone will want to offer their input to help him grow into a good, mannerly dog.
Just smile and ignore the bad advice, it's your fault for having a dog that everyone will adore.

I once got told off for taking my Collie X Lab out on a drizzly summer's day because he'd get wet. Okkaay...

 

[_GG_]

He's totally gorgeous Annette4. I think you'll have to get used to unsolicited advice, he's so lovely that everyone will want to offer their input to help him grow into a good, mannerly dog.
Just smile and ignore the bad advice, it's your fault for having a dog that everyone will adore.

I once got told off for taking my Collie X Lab out on a drizzly summer's day because he'd get wet. Okkaay...

That's outrageous!!!

 

[moppett]

With that, I said, "Ok...you need physical evidence" then I took the leads off my four, said nice to meet him and goodbye, told the dogs "back" so they all stood behind me and walked behind me across the field, without needing to be told again, without needing leads and behaving perfectly for about 400 yards until we went around the corner.

GG any pearls of wisdom you can pass on re: dog training multiple dogs?? all mine are fine individually but as a pack of 3 it can be a struggle!

 

[_GG_]

GG any pearls of wisdom you can pass on re: dog training multiple dogs?? all mine are fine individually but as a pack of 3 it can be a struggle!

Honestly, I just have always expected a certain behaviour from them and got it. If I make a threat, I carry it out....for example, recall...if a couple come when called and a couple don't, I just whistle and walk away, then wait and I can't even count to ten before they come running. I used to think I knew how I'd done it and had the answers, but nowadays I just think it's an inherent expectation and aloofness that they respond to. My world does revolve around them, but they'd never say that because I don't make them the centre of it...I work it so that I am the centre of their worlds and therefore, whilst they are totally fine without me, when I'm around, I'm it and their eyes are pretty much on me 100% of the time. Same with Dan. Not really positive reinforcement or correction in any kind of method or form, just tones of voice. They damn well know when they're doing something I don't want, but equally, they damn well know when I am really happy with them and they love it. They're not perfect all the time, they all have their quirks, but they never really let me down.

I think honestly, that the more people worry about how and what they are doing, the further away they get from being natural and just finding what works for them and their dog/dogs. But...if you want one thing that I think is an invaluable tool with all dogs and that is the ability to completely ignore them. Any time a dog has any behaviour issues, I'll advise ignoring it completely for two whole weeks. No fuss, not love, no attention. It's really hard to do, not even looking at them as you put a lead on, feed etc. What it does though is enable a dog to be free of any expectation/pressure/negative energy from you (not being yelled/stared at) and it also enables a dog to find it's own place and confidence in your home. I've yet to hear from anyone who hasn't noticed positive changes within days. Whether it's that they jump up, get over excited, have separation anxiety, you name it...I am of the belief that less is more and I hate stressing dogs that are already stressed.

 

[moppett]

Thanks for replying! I've tried just walking off but one of the silly hounds sometimes gets lost, will plant his feet and then just howl so I have to backtrack and pick him up. Alternatively if he decides he does want to tag along he'll come bounding up to me a few minutes later and grace me with his presence (i could strangle him!) At the moment if we're out in the woods or somewhere equally exciting, I'll let one off at a time and they just stick to me (or more like the other 2) like glue - but if I let them off all together they'll p** off with no thought for me its like they have no impulse control....oh well I wont give up!
rubbish photos from my iphone!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

He looks adorable, and I think it sounds as if you're doing great with his training.

Personally, I think that if someone else wants to train their dogs to acting like emotionless robots out in public, that is their choice. But my choice, is that I don't want my bitches to behave like robots. As long as I have control over them, and they are not bothering anyone, I don't expect to get unwanted suggestions about how to train them. Fortunately, the only comments I can remember at the moment, is comments about how cute my bitches are, and that they're calm and well-behaved.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

If _GG_'s suggestions doesn't work, have you tried training with a long line attached to a harness? Long line training is what have worked best for me, when I want to teach a dog that it has to listen to me, whether it is by my side, or 25 or more metres away from me. I've taken it in steps, first I train them one at a time, teaching them that I can "magically" reach them and remind them that they need to listen to me, even when they're not close to me. After a while, I increase the difficulty by letting two or all three of them off leash together, but with long line on the dog/dogs that needs training.

With or without long line on them, I try to remember to change direction every now and then, when we are out walking. Sometimes I turn left, when the trail I actually want to walk on turns right, but I walk a bit in the "wrong" direction, before turning back and taking the trail that I actually wanted to follow. Sometimes I walk in zigzag between trees/bushes/cars/benches/something else, back and forth, around and around... On the occasions when I don't feel for e.g. jumping over a ditch to leave the trail I'm walking on, I sometimes feel a little stupid just going back and forth, back and forth on a short stretch of the trail, but as long as it reminds my bitches about that it is they that should follow me, and not me following them, it is worth it.

Whatever you do, I hope that your persistence pays off.

Your dogs are beautiful, I hope that you don't mind if I ask what breed they are? If I'm allowed to guess, I think the red and white looks like an Ibizan Hound.

 

[_GG_]

If _GG_'s suggestions doesn't work, have you tried training with a long line attached to a harness? Long line training is what have worked best for me, when I want to teach a dog that it has to listen to me, whether it is by my side, or 25 or more metres away from me. I've taken it in steps, first I train them one at a time, teaching them that I can "magically" reach them and remind them that they need to listen to me, even when they're not close to me. After a while, I increase the difficulty by letting two or all three of them off leash together, but with long line on the dog/dogs that needs training.

With or without long line on them, I try to remember to change direction every now and then, when we are out walking. Sometimes I turn left, when the trail I actually want to walk on turns right, but I walk a bit in the "wrong" direction, before turning back and taking the trail that I actually wanted to follow. Sometimes I walk in zigzag between trees/bushes/cars/benches/something else, back and forth, around and around... On the occasions when I don't feel for e.g. jumping over a ditch to leave the trail I'm walking on, I sometimes feel a little stupid just going back and forth, back and forth on a short stretch of the trail, but as long as it reminds my bitches about that it is they that should follow me, and not me following them, it is worth it.

Whatever you do, I hope that your persistence pays off.

Your dogs are beautiful, I hope that you don't mind if I ask what breed they are? If I'm allowed to guess, I think the red and white looks like an Ibizan Hound.

And this is why I say to pick what works for you FL has far more experience with this type of dog than me

Lovely pics, of all dogs on this thread xx

 

[moppett]

If _GG_'s suggestions doesn't work, have you tried training with a long line attached to a harness? Long line training is what have worked best for me, when I want to teach a dog that it has to listen to me, whether it is by my side, or 25 or more metres away from me. I've taken it in steps, first I train them one at a time, teaching them that I can "magically" reach them and remind them that they need to listen to me, even when they're not close to me. After a while, I increase the difficulty by letting two or all three of them off leash together, but with long line on the dog/dogs that needs training.

With or without long line on them, I try to remember to change direction every now and then, when we are out walking. Sometimes I turn left, when the trail I actually want to walk on turns right, but I walk a bit in the "wrong" direction, before turning back and taking the trail that I actually wanted to follow. Sometimes I walk in zigzag between trees/bushes/cars/benches/something else, back and forth, around and around... On the occasions when I don't feel for e.g. jumping over a ditch to leave the trail I'm walking on, I sometimes feel a little stupid just going back and forth, back and forth on a short stretch of the trail, but as long as it reminds my bitches about that it is they that should follow me, and not me following them, it is worth it.

Whatever you do, I hope that your persistence pays off.

Your dogs are beautiful, I hope that you don't mind if I ask what breed they are? If I'm allowed to guess, I think the red and white looks like an Ibizan Hound.

Thanks GG & FL - I'll try the longline idea. Just need to get myself organised and start planning individual walks! Yes you're right the two boys (brothers) are ibizans and the white one is just a podenco/galgo/something mix. They're all rescues.

Will let you know how it goes!

 

[PucciNPoni]

With regard to the offering of unsolicited advice - I wouldn't personally offer it out and about to a stranger in the park for example. But I'm pretty guilty of that within the confines of my work space.

I get so many unruly, untrained molly coddled pets that then are expected to stand for a bath and a trim, while mummy has turned them in to hyper nervous wrecks. So yes, I will often give a few pointers....

It's not always appreciated, but it sure does help me keep their pet safe