Trainers/behaviourists etc who do not help.......

lexiedhb

lexiedhb

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How many did you have to try before something actually worked? For those of you with a Ginger gobshite type dog- not just general obedience/training but behaviour modification? :rolleyes:
 
One (venue, more than one trainer but all basically singing from the same hymnsheet). Was going to go on a rant but you're aware of my thoughts and feelings on the issue of trainers and training :p from a variety of ranty PMs already :p
 
LOL- yes having been told that the latest thing we were doing wasnt really suitable for Dexie, as he had associated the place with being highly aroused and excitable, so they were not sure they could help further, I am at a loss- think I will just stick to him and I!!!
 
When I first had Fred who had come to me via the breeder having being rehomed at 18months having bit his last owner, and having never been socialised with other dogs, I did my research with a trainer but still got it wrong. I had to search and find an ex police dog trainer who also had Dobes and was able to reassure me when Fred started kicking off and wanting to kill other dogs who barked in my presence that he was trying to protect me and I had to step up and take control. He was not a fluffy positive trainer by any means but was able to see an insecure dog and not the nasty piece of work that I was told by another trainer.It was a huge learning curve for me I must say and now my present 2 are a doddle compared to my Fred. But he was my dog of a lifetime incredibley intelligent and I lost him too young at 4yrs old.
 
....so work on helping you with switching him 'off' maybe?

Tell me, how do all those trainers and behaviourists you have tried, feel about correcting a dog? I think I have an idea...
 
Yeah you would have thought so, current people did use corrections, but only from other dogs, not humans.

Seriously its just us now- cant afford anymore trainers at present so will just have to deal with him the best i can. Not easy when you no longer live with him......
 
So what did they tell you to do if you met another dog and he got over-excited out on a walk, out of interest?
 
When Fred started kicking off(he was on a choke chain:rolleyes:)if I kept checking him he would get so frustrated he would come back up the lead to me. I had to sidestep and face him sideways on but we had to get his focus off other dogs and on me but needed to do this before he kicked off. Lots of practice at home at looking at me and using my friends dogs who he was fine with. Also practising the leave it so the minute he looked at another dog I could just say leave it and look at me and he would.

It didnt happen over night though and required a lot of work and continual revising, we got there and I think that is what made us so close.
 
Basically it is clicker based- click for calm looking at other dogs, or looking at another dog then back to me,etc. (I dont really have an issue with this but we have been clicking for a good 6 months- problem is Dex is excitable) He is actully better if you walk full pace up to said dog- no stand off- no being dragged away, but OBS this is not always possible. If you can not keep him sub crazy, just get out of the situation asap- which to be honest once he has gone that is all you can do.

Dex has a fairly solid "watch me"- but being around other dogs is just still WAY too exciting, that pretty much anything he has ever learnt goes out of the window....
 
The thing is Lexie if Dex was a horse you would be doing precisely what you are doing keeping him moving and focused on where you are going. I would try to keep my voice low key so I didnt to add to the excitement, easier said than done when youve got a big dog but no more than a fully fit tb.
 
He IS better- in that i do not get the Screaming lunging etc on sight of a dog anymore, and one can be in his presence and be calm. Off lead dogs are actually great for us if they come over to say hi. Can allow a 5-10 sec sniff before moving on. Maybe i dont see the improvement so much as i see him all the time.
 
Well if he is better he is better, some dogs take longer to learn than others and when we are learning along with them it can sometimes take longer than we would like.
The only perfect dog is that invisible one that I have some days :p :p :p
If moving on smartly works (and it works with a lot of dogs) then keep doing that.
Have you tried biking him or running with him? It is a control exercise as much as an exercise exercise.
 
I is fat, and would not trust him not to dive after a squirrel etc on a bike. My friend runs with him, and he loves it. Need much more obedience control before i would trust his left and right let alone teaching a stop on a bike!!
 
Lexie if you were to look back at your earlier posts you would see you have come a hell of a long way.

It is so easy to forget how they used to be, perhaps a diary would help you in knowing what works and what dosnt. I am constantly forgetting(old age I know) things with Diesel although I have to say he is pretty thick and takes a long time to get some things, but then I have to remind myself that Darcy and Pip catch on real quick. I think what Im trying to say is they all work at a different pace and what works for one or two wont work for someone else.

It is easy to think that everyone on here has super obedient dogs and apart from a few for the rest of us its a work in progress.
 
When I took Darcy to training for her KC good citizen bronze award I doubt the trainer said more than two words to me in the whole of the course. Darcy passed but it was more for her to be able to socialise with other dogs as she had fear aggression so I wasnt over bothered as we had that sorted. My friend on the other hand who had spent loads of money with this trainer to help with her separation anxiety got loads of help and feedback but paid exactly the same as me as we did the course together.:rolleyes:

Definately someone I wouldnt recommend, and it made me smile all the dogs who passed their gold all came out the hall dragging their owners.:D
 
I have the perfect dog..

Well I would if I could take the best bits out of all three of them!

If you want to meet up with my youngest staffie she is very very good with all dogs (quite submissive) very puppyish and I use her to test out new dogs at our yard. Worse she was was being a little too bossy with a very small JRT puppy but she is fast and playful...might help you?
 
Picture of them all... Honey is the one in the corner. An example of some idiot breeding for money but none the less, a really nice dog..

picture.php
 
It took me ages to find an effective trainer/training club for the wolves. I knew I didn't want a village hall scenario (adolescent undersocialised husky + little fluffy lapdogs in a confined space = :o) and the more yank 'n crank ex-forces GSD bloke I spoke to sounded pretty good but not all of the training fields were secure and he didn't seem to understand why that worried me - 'don't be stupid, of course we can teach them to go off lead' type thing.

Current one is all positive reward, no negative reinforcement at all (I've never admitted to using a choke/slip lead :p), affiliated to the Victoria Stilwell method/ethos/whatever it is, not scared of 'problem' dogs and does a good job of integrating them, all big outside training fields, offers loads of stuff - puppy class, agility, intensive workshops, walking, housesitting. All staff are lovely, well qualified, backgrounds in animal welfare and rehab etc. Best of all the main boss lady has done dog sledding in Alaska or somesuch place and was therefore not at all surprised by either the hyperactive teenager or the screaming banshee. :p

Echoing others in that you really have come a long way with him already Lexie. :)

For what it's worth it took about 18 months for Dax not to be an embarassment in public. She's two and a half now and only recently has been a proper Good Dog. Except if we go anywhere new, where she will pull like a train for the first half an hour. :rolleyes: Some things take a lifetime.

R understood the whole 'come in and look at me for a treat instead of throwing yourself at that dog' by the end of his six week remedial puppy course (oh, the embarassment!) but six months later he is still not consistent and I am expecting him to take another 12 months to be really solid, just like D.
 
Luci07 said:
Picture of them all... Honey is the one in the corner. An example of some idiot breeding for money but none the less, a really nice dog..

picture.php
Click to expand...

Oh love them how very cute!! Always up for a walk- Dex loves other dogs but his over excitable state can cause him to be told off alot!! (which he eventually gets naffed off with. He loves the friends he walks with and has great manners with them. see..........

Thegang.jpg
 
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