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Share your quick tips

This is a place to gain some understanding of dog behavior and to assist people in training their dogs and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. This can cover the spectrum from non-aversive to traditional methods of dog training. There are many ways to train a dog. Please avoid aggressive responses, and counter ideas and opinions with which you don't agree with friendly and helpful advice. Please refrain from submitting posts that promote off-topic discussions. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

  
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Smokey

Let's play tug!!		 
 
Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 2:11pm PST 
I thought it would be fun to have a thread of quick tips, that don't take long to explain and have made you a better trainer. Mostly for selfish reasons smile

Here are a couple that have cropped up for me:

Pursuing food is calming and distracting for dogs. I like to pinch a piece of cheese between my fingers and have Smokey try to work it out during baths and when scary monsters are passing by. This one only works if your dog won't hurt your hand.

If a dog isn't already focused on you and doesn't always listen, make an attention getting noise, then call his name, then give the verbal command, then give the hand signal. I am guilty of saying SMOKEYCOME SMOKEYCOME and the four-step process works SO much better.

Freeshaping with nervous dogs is an art, but it's worth it for all the benefits in getting the behavior reliably, teaching future behaviors more easily, confidence, and relationship. If the dog freezes up and stops offering behaviors or walks away before you're ready to end the session, try sitting down, looking away, and yawning, or move to a different area. It also helped us to add a "good boy, try again" cue for behaviors that weren't what I was looking for and to get an iClick, which is a quieter clicker.

What would you add?
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Shiver Me- Timbers- "Charlie"

My Little Dog, a- heartbeat at my- feet.<3		 
 
Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 3:33pm PST 
Learn patience - you'll need it.

NEVER suppress the problem(if there is one), instead, find the cause and effect and work THROUGH it to help your dog realize it's not such a bad thing after all.

If you have multiple dogs, don't forget to give each dog their individual time with training and walks too - sometimes, it's good to escape from each other and have one on one time.

Learn to laugh at yourself and at your dog. It's better than pulling your hair out. laugh out loud
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Sanka

The ground is my- newspaper.		 
 
Barked: Tue Nov 13, '12 6:29pm PST 
Do not let a 70-lb, 12-year-old dog with hearing loss and a general laid back, no rush attitude sleep in front of the door, unless you have no plans on leaving for the next few hours.way to go
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MIKA&KAI

Akita Pals- Always.
 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 7:45am PST 
Sanka that tip applies just as much with a three year old.laid back,willful 110 pound plus young adult dog as well. Kai can hear just fine,we know he weighs more than 110 but can no longer pick him up to weigh him and his favorite place to sleep is in front of the front door. Thankfully we also have a back door because if Kai is in a sound enough sleep he isn't moving for anything or anybody.

Another tip- Do not allow said laid back dog,to sleep on the stairs when you are on the first floor and the bathroom is on the second floor unless you have some skill in obstacle courses. Otherwise you may have an accident.

A sense of humor is always a good thing with any dog,otherwise you will be certifyably insane long before they are trained.
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Gunther

Giant Shih Tzu		 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 5:02pm PST 
For me, one of the biggest tips is to make training fun for your dog whenever possible. When Gunther starts to get bored, I throw in some tricks he finds fun, and then he's interested again.
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Sanka

The ground is my- newspaper.		 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 7:48pm PST 
M&Kbig laughlaugh out loud

But I feel worse when I have to make an old man wake up and move.
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Sabi

When the night- closes in I will- be there		 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 8:03pm PST 
Sanka, have that same problem. Was late for work a couple timeslaugh out loud

Sabs, look out baby.
Lifts head, puts head back down, grunts.
Sabi, come on sweetie, Moms gotta go!
stretches, yawns, rubs head on carpet

After a few minutes I resort to nudging her with the door, finally give up and open the fridge. THAT she hears and can suddenly move quickly.confused

Tips yes,
Chicken hotdogs are the answer to most of lifes questions. And when in doubt, laugh about it.
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Jackson Tan

Lad about town		 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 8:10pm PST 
Invest in a steam mop and a shticky (hell, I sound like Vince Offer, but nothing gets that yellow bile off the carpet like a steam mop!)

And remain happy and upbeat even if you're sure it may kill you. laugh out loud
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Smokey

Let's play tug!!		 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 9:30pm PST 
I'd probably add wipes, especially for new dog owners (baby wipes, pet wipes, whatever). Because at some point, you WILL choose between getting poop on your (floor, car seat, hands, jeans) or wiping your dog's butt.
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Theo

nom nom nom		 
 
Barked: Wed Nov 14, '12 10:23pm PST 
The most useful thing I've found is talking to my dog constantly, even when we're not actively training. It keeps me paying attention to him, so I don't ask for his attention suddenly when I haven't given him my attention for the past hour. He learn to listen to me all the time instead of when I just have his favorite cookie. He knows context phrases around his verbal cues. And he's starting to understand multiple commands in a complete sentence. Also it's a fun party trick to say to a friend, "I'm getting tired. It's time for bed," and for him to get up from the couch, go to his crate, open the door, go inside, and lay back down. laugh out loud

In fact to make it a broader tip, if you want a dog to really give you their attention whenever you request it, train and play sporadically and randomly, with exuberance, throughout the day. Make it a surprise party that could happen at any moment, not just when you have a treat pouch on, in the living room, with the same treats as yesterday, doing the same sequence of commands. Make it a fun and unexpected! They'll start watching you in to see when the party happens next. dancing
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