Which training methods/items do you find work (or dont)

[lynspop]

Just wondering what methods/techniques or items people use for training which they find helpful, and which they possibly find not so useful?
Hoping to get some info to help me with part of my canine behaviour course- am studying/writing about different training methods etc at the moment and just wondered what everyones experiences were?

 

[skinnydogs]

I have a rescued lurcher who can be quite nervous and I used clicker training with him, it's excellent for less confident dogs.

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

food worked fine as a puppy as it seemed great, but now he is 9mnths old, my puppy is not interested in food, toys, me.... anything thats not another moving animal or object!!! so training for me is difficult!

 

[Cyberchick]

Cheese and hot dog sausages for training heel work and recall work a treat for me, as does the silly high pitched excited voice that people look at me like I am a nutter over the fields.
A long line for emergency downs and send aways has been a god send as I am rather rubbish at them and because of this I dont spend enough time practising them.
Splashing a small amount of water in the face when she whines or barks when not neccesary ( I have a whiney weimaraner ).
A crate for bed time and travelling in the car.
A kong with marmite or peanut butter for time on their own
Early socialisation and a reward for good behaviour whether a play with a toy, a good old rub or a treat, she doesn't mind either and going back to basics now and again as I sometimes take it for granted she can do things.

 

[MarleyandDarcy]

Clicker training is my favourite

You can use it for everything!
I use it with puppies for basics like sit, down etc
Then use it for tricks - paw etc
then use it for agility - for position on contact equipment
Also use it for free shaping - so clicking any new behaviours and shaping them into something - such as putting things in a box, a nose target, foot target (again something I can transfer onto agility for the contacts)

I also really encourage play drive in puppies - any toy they pick up I will play tuggy with/be excited about to encourage their need/want for toys - again for agility training

Next pup will play crate games with too as a puppy that likes their cage is so much easier

Only use food as part of clicker training - they will eat stuff they would not touch if just given to them but when it is part of clicker training they get really excited!!

 

[CAYLA]

I don't actually use many, as much as I advise others too, i/e treats, long line, I tend not to use them myself, I find the most effective training aids, are my gob

a good training lead(leather), check chain and my ability to exercise and my ability to be assertive(and my very well behaved pack of doglets)

, am not a fussy dog owner and I don't humanise then, im pretty firm when I need to be, I find this always gets the result I seek.

But mostly I use a crate as a training aid, dealing with rescue's on a vast basis, they are fabulous.

 

[Tinkerbee]

Tinkerdog- food bribery or the voice

She is ruled by her stomach so likes the bribes but rarely needs them nowadays. Recall is achieved via angryness

Dougal- Clicker training, again very foodie but prone to snapping so clicker training has worked well, as he knows he's done well, but there is nothing to maul your hand for...

 

[prosefullstop]

Stella is extremely food-motivated, so it's fun to teach her new things this way. The squeaky ball is our failsafe way of getting her to recall. I use vocal tone corrections for things like barking at skateboards (her mortal enemy) and reacting to aggressive dogs (such as the evil Beagle mix that wants to eat her).

 

[Oneofthepack]

I found the 'gentle leader' collar great to stop pulling as I hate choke chains. I followed a lot of the dog whisperer advice to stop Alf being lead aggresive and though he's not perfect he's at least manageable. Dillon is the easiest dog to train as he's part collie and the stuff I can get him to do is amazing considering neither he nor I have had proper classes, so I think it helps if the dog (or the owner!) is quite bright