I'm a failure as a dog trainer

by **pitbullmamaliz** » March 30th, 2009, 4:28 pm

I can't even get Inara to stay lying down when we do "bang bang you're dead," yet look at everything this dog can do. *sigh*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmcTW_Fg ... re=related

by **maberi** » March 30th, 2009, 4:37 pm

Typical border collie showing off :nono:

by **iluvk9** » March 30th, 2009, 4:45 pm

There MUST be a Little Person in that Border Collie costume.

by **Malli** » March 31st, 2009, 4:10 am

, just consider what the breed has been bred for

I honestly don't think I could handle owning a BC (not even factoring in the level of exercise), just too much, too much! "stop staring at me and go be a dog!"

by **SisMorphine** » March 31st, 2009, 1:15 pm

Malli wrote:I honestly don't think I could handle owning a BC (not even factoring in the level of exercise), just too much, too much! "stop staring at me and go be a dog!"

I hear ya!!!

Often I wish I had a dog who could learn so quickly and eagerly. But then I realize that if I had to live with a dog who could I'd probably kill myself.

I like my, relatively, low-key bulldogs.

by **BullyLady** » March 31st, 2009, 9:03 pm

Malli wrote:lol, just consider what the breed has been bred for

I honestly don't think I could handle owning a BC (not even factoring in the level of exercise), just too much, too much! "stop staring at me and go be a dog!"

Exactly!!! Someone asked on another forum what kind of traits we all thought made a bulldog a bulldog, that was the one that I said. The fact that she (and my previous AB) will do what is asked of her when it is asked, but if we aren't actively engaged then Shelby has no problem going and finding something else to do, or somewhere soft to sleep. I LOVE it.

by **TheRedQueen** » March 31st, 2009, 11:32 pm

eh, you non-herding folks... :nono:

so jealous.

:neener:

Herding dogs are fun...and making your bully-dog as crazy as said herding dogs is fun too...

And trust me...not all herding dogs are this much fun. (ripley)

by **Malli** » April 1st, 2009, 4:06 am

I think I could handle a Heeler, and thats about where it would end

I'll give ya that

by **TheRedQueen** » April 1st, 2009, 9:36 am

Malli wrote:I think I could handle a Heeler, and thats about where it would end I'll give ya that

*shudder* Eewww...a heeler.

I'm partial to my Aussies, because as I like to say...they have a better sense of humor than many herding breeds. Life is not that serious. Of course none of them care about herding either...(I may have duds)

Speaking of this though...has anyone read "When Pigs Fly?"...the woman who wrote it has bull terriers...and she talks about "biddable dogs" (herding, sporting breeds) as opposed to "Pigs Fly" dogs (bullies, terriers, hounds). Great book, well worth a read. Mine is currently loaned out to my friend who keeps moaning that she can't train her whippets to do anything. lol

When Pigs Fly:
http://www.madcapbullterriers.com/index ... age956.htm

by **Hundilein** » April 1st, 2009, 9:43 am

TheRedQueen wrote:Speaking of this though...has anyone read "When Pigs Fly?"...the woman who wrote it has bull terriers...and she talks about "biddable dogs" (herding, sporting breeds) as opposed to "Pigs Fly" dogs (bullies, terriers, hounds). Great book, well worth a read. Mine is currently loaned out to my friend who keeps moaning that she can't train her whippets to do anything.

When Pigs Fly:
http://www.madcapbullterriers.com/index ... age956.htm

I LOVE that book. It was affirmation for a lot of the things I'd been doing with Renee, along with a few new tricks. I found it to be very in line with my training philosophy.

by **SisMorphine** » April 1st, 2009, 10:14 am

I forgot about that book! It was recommended to me and I never got around to reading it. I definitely need to.

I found that with my hound it was a looooong slow road of communication. It took taking 3 beginner classes for him to actually do anything other than stand at the door and cry the entire class. Yet after a lot of work over the years he turned into an extremely obedient dog. I wish I had gotten video of his heel. He had the most gorgeous heel towards the end, when we had started taking Freestyle class before he got sick: perfect position, long neck wrapped around my stomach with his eye looking right into mine, GORGEOUS high step. Seriously, it was amazing.

But that took patience and figuring out HOW to work with him. Sighthounds are nothing like "real" dogs. LOL! But that's why I look forward to having another Grey in the future to use for sport work.

by **TheRedQueen** » April 1st, 2009, 10:20 am

My basset hound was one reason that I switched training methods...I started her in a choke chain and jerking her all over the place to heel with me. (we were training in a sheep barn at the 4-H fair) She took the corrections and kept her nose to the ground for sheep poop and whatever else she could find. Everyone labeled her stubborn.

But when I got into agility, and couldn't use corrections or choke chains (safety issue), I learned that she actually listened when I had treats and she was on a buckle collar, off-leash. Amazing. We then got into clicker training, so I wasn't always luring her into everything.

She was my first dog that I did sports with...I didn't start with herding breeds.

She got agility and flyball titles, and would try anything...she knew more tricks that my Aussies do now. She was awesome. I will have another basset someday!

by **maberi** » April 1st, 2009, 10:54 am

Interesting thread

What I find the most interesting is watching someone work a breed of dog they are unfamiliar with. Last night in our advanced rally class the instructor (great instructor) wanted to try to get Earl to do a 180 degree pivot to the left in heel position (180 degree pivots are not something we had previously worked on). The instructor's breed of choice are Italian Greyhounds, so you can imagine how different it was for her to work a tall, lanky 70 lb lab/hound.

The instructor tried muscling Earl into position over and over again with her face turning red while Earl just stood there staring at her hand full of treats :doh:

She exclaimed that when she taught her dogs this move, it was much easier. She loves working with Earl because it gives her a completely different prospective on training. Typically when she is working her dogs she has to be careful of stepping on them, but in Earl's case, I gave her the go ahead to move right into him because #1 he will move and #2 if she steps on him, he will only mind for a split second.

I know that if she gave me one of her dogs to work I would have one hell of the time working them because I'm not used to dogs that small nor have I ever worked a sighthound.

PS - When Pigs Fly is a great book

I'm a failure as a dog trainer

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