Training heaven/hell

CorvusCorax

CorvusCorax

Deary me...
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I threatened to post about this a while ago, so here it is - what training aids (if any) have you found have helped you and your dogs the most, and the least? What tools do you think are the most and least effective?

I'll go first!
For me:

Best

A long/lunge line - has really helped with recall with my very stubborn boy

Mr Spiky the prong collar - I know a lot of people don't like them, but used with guidance and lots of positivity on my behalf, I couldn't have got my boy's dog-aggression under control without it

Hotdog sausages - the food of the Gods!

And, of course, lots and lots of patience!

Worst -

Extendable leads - these, in my opinion, are the worst things ever invented and they should all be piled up and burned.

Anti-bark collars (the zappy ones) - my female is still singing her head off!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Extendable leads - these, in my opinion, are the worst things ever invented and they should all be piled up and burned.

[/ QUOTE ] I so agree with you on that!
 
Totally agree on extendable leads, just love it when other peoples dogs wrap their bloomin leads round my legs
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Best training aids:
Long line, and whistle - really helped with Evies recall
Gencon headcollar. Evie doesn't pull on her own but when I walk her with the others it becomes a race, and also had less control in ordinary collar if she decided to have a pop at other dogs. Gencon is like a halti but more figure of 8, doesn't ride up and controls from the neck rather than the nose. Hard to explain really, but has made a big difference to her, and can slip the nose bit off and it becomes a slip lead if she is behaving.

And in the good old days never had any of these aids, just the good old check chain and a firm voice
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I think dogs were easier to train then.

I used the spray anti bark collar in the past, and found the dog learned what happened and used to bark with her eyes shut to avoid the spray
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Oh, the Gencon looks good.....yeah, agree MM about dogs being harder to train these days! My voice has been a better deterrent for barking than anything, even though I get hoarse these days
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I hate, hate, hate extending leads!

For the gundogs all we ever use is the slip leads and a good whistle.

And have always put a check chain to good use
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I know a lot of people hate them, but I have been taught how to apply it correctly.
 
The lunge line has been a complete and utter godsend! Coupled with a riduculous amount of perseverance!!
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Plus a whistle on a lanyard, crunchy biscuits and a slip lead for "normal walking"

Hate extendable leads, vile things! Also dislike harnesses for "normal" walking, although every other dog walker seems to have them!
 
Oh...halters, combined with extendable leads, esp on husky breeds...turns me into Harry Enfield...oi, you, NO!

Re headcollars, in fairness that one MM uses looks good and I might look into it - when you've had a willful GSD tank off on you, you will try anything!!!
 
What is wrong with extendable leads, I have used them for years, first with old dog who had gone deaf and therefore wouldn't recall, but liked to run within limit of lead. Now I use one with puppy because I am still training her recall. I also use a harness because I would not want to hurt her neck. She has learnt that short lead means walk to heal, and when we hit fields lead will be extended. Is this wrong?
 
First of all, welcome! And second of all, you sound like a very sensible owner who is training their dog very well.
You'll find we are ranting about people who use these aids as an excuse not to put hard work in.

There have been lots of cases where dogs have been run over when on extendable leads, because the spool has just kept going.

I personally dont like them because IMO I don't know how much control anyone can have over a dog while holding one-handed onto a big lump of plastic.
For smaller, older or quiet dogs, I am sure they are fine. But I and I am sure many others on here see people with big dogs running amuck and getting tangled in everything.

As I said before, I am a big fan of long lines for recall and keeping a dog within a certain radius - they just take a bit more careful management, which some people (not you, I suspect!) can't be bothered to do.

I am mixed on harnesses. I used a Lupi one for my boy, but he got too strong for it. As Cala, a poster on here points out, huskies run with harnesses because you want the sledge to be attatched to the strongest part of the dog - again, I see a lot of people being trailed about by dogs on harnesses.
When you combine a strong dog, a harness and an extendable lead, that leads to possible disaster!

I don't think there is anything wrong with harnesses them per se, but I think they are pretty much redundant with larger dogs who want to pull.

As others have said here, a good old lead and a check chain (Or Mr Spiky in my case!) will do the job just as well.

And if you read the posts on here, we're none of us perfect!
 
[ QUOTE ]
What is wrong with extendable leads, I have used them for years, first with old dog who had gone deaf and therefore wouldn't recall, but liked to run within limit of lead. Now I use one with puppy because I am still training her recall. I also use a harness because I would not want to hurt her neck. She has learnt that short lead means walk to heal, and when we hit fields lead will be extended. Is this wrong?

[/ QUOTE ]

I use a lunge line in place of the extendable lead, I hate extendable leads because I have had many break on me and not stop the dog so I have had to grab the lead and got huge rope burns.

I hate seeing people walking along roadsides with the dog on an extendable lead!
 
Best -
Check chain - sorted out my pig headed terrier ( only problem is it took the hair off his neck a bit) and he's still in one piece and now walking much better!
JWB "Pure incentives" fantastic little cube treats which are perfect for training
Also hard work and patience! I have been nagging myself for weeks now to bring home the lunge line from the yard!!

Worst - Extendable lead, just taught Scruffy to pi$$ off and hink he was in charge. Dad got a big telling off for buying it (but of course he was "right" buying it - typical man). IMHO the only thing a dog won't get to see if it wasn't wearing one - is the road.
 
My most useful and used training aids.

My gob
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My strength
Check chain
Good(well worn) leather training lead
Long line
My well behaved pre trained pack
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I cannot bide

You guessed.....The old extendy lead
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Chain leads
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Harnesses
D!ck head owners
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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Extendable leads - these, in my opinion, are the worst things ever invented and they should all be piled up and burned.

[/ QUOTE ] I so agree with you on that!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too. I got smacked round the head with one this week
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Some silly teenager's randy terrier was after Popple who I was trying to pick up (she's been on heat) and the girl was trying to catch her dog, with the lead in her hand and cracked me round the head...
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Just what my poorly head needed
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My favourite training aid is my whistle
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I have never used a whistle with previous dogs, but we are doing gundog training with our young flatcoat, so have used it with him.
I didn't realise how effectively our other dog, an 11 year old collie x, had picked up on it too, until today when he was off towards the pond to swim - he goes deaf when he's heading towards water, so I thought there was no chance of getting him back.
We started to follow him, and I whistled to the pup, who had gone after him - I was amazed when Mr 'I can't hear you calling me, I'm going swimming' suddenly reappeared and came back!

I also hate extending leads - have seen a dog run over whilst on one
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Chain leads
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I didn't comment on this at the time, thankfully they seem to be dying out, but lo and behold in the past few days I have seen several people using them - and the dogs were straining at the end of them on a choke chain.

Yeah, good luck with your hands when your akita/dobe/staff sees something it wants to chase.....
 
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