This weekend I met one of the nastiest dogs I've ever met

Thanks for that. Its a fair way from me, and I imagine in a hall? Will email her to find out if ASBO dogs are accepted..... I imagine the "too disruptive for the others" line will be trotted out.
 
Yes it is in a hall. I have a friend who has recently taken on a GSD that is a bit of a mess so will ask her where she goes as he is coming on well.
 
Interesting linky.
I'm no fluffy bunny, I do use compulsion, but my dog doesn't respond to the food or the ball, he responds to the fact that I am the person who delivers those things when he executes the behaviour I am looking for, if that makes any sense.

There are people training to incredibly high standards with very 'hard' dogs using the things she is discounting, even the cops and army, dealing with incredibly high-drive dogs, use balls and tugs as rewards and base the initial training on play/chase, it all depends on the dog, if the dog has crazy drive for food and ball, then use them, IMO!

Some dogs *do* need things incentivised.

However if it works, it works, depends on the dog of course :)
 
Well I wouldnt work without a wage so why should my dogs.

Once you find they key to your dogs motivation it is easier to train.

I didnt see any qualifications on her site not that would put me off as I rate experience more.
 
I wouldn't call us a bunch of fluffies, but we certainly use incentives such as treats, toys, clickers when appropriate, and we do encourage owners to teach tricks as well as the serious stuff - both to mentally stimulate the dogs, and because it's fun for both dog and owner. These range from silly tricks, to fun games that can have more serious applications such as scent work - a trick for most pet dogs, but something that can be built up to something else. Oh, and we also teach our owners to say 'no' when necessary. :)

It's a shame that these very effective methods are dismissed as nonsense by some:rolleyes:
 
oops, didn't mean to put the hackles up about training methods with my comments about clicks and treats :) I was thinking specifically about my own dog who is daft as a brush and half lab so whilst treats would go down a storm she would soon be too fat to move :)
 
Send him on Lexie but he will come back fit as a fiddle and probabley more bad habits than he came with:D



Spud can I ask how long you have been training for and what qualifications you have, the reason I ask is Ive considered this myself although I do think Im a bit long in the tooth for it.:D
 
No hackles up here, just another PoV :)
The way I train, the food the dog gets in training, it is not on top of the dog's daily food, it IS the dog's food for that day, food comes from my pocket when he is paying attention, not out of a bowl, just because. Just another way of doing things :)

Lexie, 'mon over, we have a holiday let, a fenced field, stooge dogs and fit blokes :p
 
Hehe I'll forward him onto the behaviourist who's my trainer's business partner... her stooge dog is amazing, I am awestruck!

ETA I have been training for a year and have no formal qualifications - I do it on a voluntary basis under the supervision of my trainer who is a Master Trainer in the Guild of Dog Trainers :) I am hoping to look into some formal training next year, this year has just been to hectic to fit it in :o

ETA some more - I do a lot of self-education - ie, reading around the subject, but there's no way I'd go and set up on my own, and I always have someone more experienced on hand in case it all goes pear-shaped (hasn't done yet but never say never!). :)
 
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CaveCanem said:
I am supposed to be an 'apprentice trainer' which consists of me sitting on a heater in a PortaKabin giving the thumbs up to the boys slogging away in the pouring rain :p :p :p
Click to expand...

I like the sound of your kind of training, mine involves being swaddled in waterproofs in a very windy field, although I do get an entire class full of lovely puppies to play with ;)

RebelReindeer, no hackles really, but just a plea for people generally to be openminded (all people, not just you :))
 
I have no idea why I am an apprentice trainer, I think I smiled and nodded at someone in a meeting and my name went up on a notice board. It's a bit like flinching at an auction, you'll get signed up for something.
 
I wouldnt dismiss anyones training methods if they work , the trainer i used for Fred didnt have any qualifications but was ex police trainer and had a lifetime of owning Dobermanns. When Fred kicked off he was a nasty piece of work try to give him a treat and he would have taken your hand off, Not because he was vicous as some trainers might have thought but because he was over threshold. I had to read the warning signs and get him to focus on me and treat. Lots of practice at home getting him to watch me and treat. The result was a very socialable dog and my dog of a lifetime.
 
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