Quote:
Originally Posted by Barefoot
For sure, we will meet up with you when we get to TV in November. We'd be happy to help if we can. I'm not a professional dog trainer, but I've had 11 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses. I love working with animals. It helps that Fireboy is very strong, he is a retired firefighter. We don't believe in punishment, just consistency and firmness. Training should occur when the dog is very young, but you can teach an old dog new tricks. A few years ago, we adopted a mature 70 pound rescue with "issues". The people we got her from said she couldn't be trained. It took no time at all for us to train her. She just didn't understand what they wanted her to do, they were giving her conflicting signals.
In the meantime, the number one rule of dog training is that your dog needs to respect you as leader of the pack. Especially a large dog. Even if he is the only one in the pack! Some dogs just automatically respect their human as the dominant tribe member, some have to be taught. Let me ask you a couple of questions. Do you make sure you always feed yourself before you feed your pet? The pack leader always eats first. Do you make sure your dog sits and waits while you go out the door first? The pack leader is always given that courtesy by pack members.
With small dogs, if you're lucky, you can get away with spoiling them and babying them. But with large dogs, it's all about respect. I believe in rewarding positive behaviour rather than punishment, but with firmness and especially consistency.
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Thanks, Bare. We didn't/ haven't had an obedience or pack-leader issue with either of our goldens. They would sit/down/come/stay/leave it just fine, and recognize us as the ones in command. I fed them first because I choose to, and this one doesn't beg while we're at dinner--just sits quietly in the room.
I just haven't been able to get the heeling training down pat. I'm sure it's laziness on my part. That's why I thought this refresher course from Lifelong Learning College would be helpful. If it's offered again next semester, I may take it--unless you have taught us how to leash train!
Oh, and I disagree with you about spoiling small dogs. An untrained dog, period, no matter what the size, is a pain in the butt!