Training using positive methods is the best!

CarolineH · #1 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 01:48 PM

Merlin is now knackered.

Have just trained him to leave dropped food alone and also taught him how to sit up and beg using clicker and target stick, lol. Success on both counts in just half an hours worth of training with two 3 minute breaks in between. I may not be able to physically exercise him like OH can but I can sure wear his brain out! I do keep reminding him that he is a 19 month old totally working bred collie and is meant to be hyper and 'go' for hours but he is now too busy snoozing!

He cannot even manage a paw wave right now!

Fuzzbugs!x · #2 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 01:52 PM

Lolol

. Sounds like a clever boy! Harley was begging in Pets at Home today the little show off

. Then he woos as if hes saying please - we never taught him this though lol! Nicole xx

CarolineH · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 02:00 PM

Nicole, if you reward him when he 'woos' again and then start to add a cue word, you will soon have him doing that on command! Same with the sit up and beg! It took a while for Merlin to actually realise what I wanted where that was concerned but he speaks on command now too. Merlin is indeed a clever dog who learns quickly but he could just as quickly learn bad habits if he wasn't trained or was trained badly.

Positive training can have such quick results if you are patient!

The rewards do not have to be food either though with some dogs it helps. It can be play, a special toy given or even just lots of fuss and a cuddle! Merlin learns new things very quickly and at first I always use food reards (very small ones) but then once learned, he will do it for just praise and fuss.

We don't have to always walk around with half a pound of chicken in a bag if we don't want to! Positive training gets a dog doing things because he wants to do it for you and because it is fun, not because he has to and not just because of food either as we prove time and time again.

Fuzzbugs!x · #4 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolineH

Nicole, if you reward him when he 'woos' again and then start to add a cue word, you will soon have him doing that on command! Same with the sit up and beg! It took a while for Merlin to actually realise what I wanted where that was concerned but he speaks on command now too. Merlin is indeed a clever dog who learns quickly but he could just as quickly learn bad habits if he wasn't trained or was trained badly.

Positive training can have such quick results if you are patient!

The rewards do not have to be food either though with some dogs it helps. It can be play, a special toy given or even just lots of fuss and a cuddle! Merlin learns new things very quickly and at first I always use food reards (very small ones) but then once learned, he will do it for just praise and fuss.

We don't have to always walk around with half a pound of chicken in a bag if we don't want to! Positive training gets a dog doing things because he wants to do it for you and because it is fun, not because he has to and not just because of food either as we prove time and time again.

So like say beg when he sits and gives us two paws? & say speak when he woos? Then give him a treat - he loves food so that would work best lol! Thanks for the advice - I want to go try it lol! I've been reading some of the links on certain threads about positive training and it seems so much funner

. With better results lol! x

Wee Hels · #5 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolineH

Merlin is now knackered.

Have just trained him to leave dropped food alone and also taught him how to sit up and beg using clicker and target stick, lol. Success on both counts in just half an hours worth of training with two 3 minute breaks in between. I may not be able to physically exercise him like OH can but I can sure wear his brain out! I do keep reminding him that he is a 19 month old totally working bred collie and is meant to be hyper and 'go' for hours but he is now too busy snoozing!

He cannot even manage a paw wave right now!

Wow - that's very positive news!!

We have just adopted a 6 month old GSD [last night] abd he can be quite 'nippy' with us - plus he is trying his luck thinking that he's the boss

and trying to jump up or nibble any part of us including clothing - the rascal. I am off to order a clicker and read-up on it cos I want him to know we can rectify this behaviour

Hels

CarolineH · #6 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wee Hels

Wow - that's very positive news!!

We have just adopted a 6 month old GSD [last night] abd he can be quite 'nippy' with us - plus he is trying his luck thinking that he's the boss

and trying to jump up or nibble any part of us including clothing - the rascal. I am off to order a clicker and read-up on it cos I want him to know we can rectify this behaviour

Hels

Sometimes with second hand dogs, they have been 'spoiled' by previous owners who have made the jumping up and nipping into a game instead of teaching him to more acceptable behaviour. Remember that the clicker is not a remote control - it is a tool that you can use to instantly mark the behaviour that you want and is quicker than a verbal praise word to issue. The dog works to make the clicker click and you can vary what reward you give plus you can learn how to 'chain' different behaviours together so that you are not clicking as often once the dog knows all the different commands.

I have just receieved my first part of this FREE 7 Day Clickertraining Course! after following a recommendation from LeashedforLife who is also on here and it looks really good. Yes, ok, so I am beyond beginner level I suppose but I like to see what something is like before I recommend it.

You will get a daily link sent to you for a week by email and it costs nothing. There is a book to buy if you want to go further of course but that's up to you.

dogtrainerDp · #7 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 05:09 PM

totally right, positive methods are the best. though i have a rotweiller, myself and when he see that i am to good with he, he starts to do nasty things like jumping on me, like not listenning when i am saying something to him. so positive is good i quess to some particular dog!

London Dogwalker · #8 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogtrainerDp

totally right, positive methods are the best. though i have a rotweiller, myself and when he see that i am to good with he, he starts to do nasty things like jumping on me, like not listenning when i am saying something to him. so positive is good i quess to some particular dog!

Don't really understand what you're saying here?

Yes positive methods are the most fair, effective and less chance for damage between the owner and the dog.

leashedForLife · #9 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 06:57 PM

spammer...

yet again...

please Don;t Feed the Troll...

CarolineH · #10 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leashedForLife

spammer...

yet again...

please Don;t Feed the Troll...

Yep the clue is in the signature link.

Crafty way of spamming though.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Contact Us - Terms of use - Top
Pet Forum \| Dog Forum \| Cat Forum \| Small Animals Forum \| Bird Forum \| Horse and Equestrian Forum \| Reptile Forum \| Poultry Forum \| Fish Forum \| Pet Movies \| Dog Movies \| Cat Movies \| Dog Walking Business In association with Pets4Homes, the UK's leading free pet advertising site to find Dogs \| Dogs for Sale \| Puppies for Sale \| Horses for Sale \| Ponies for Sale \| Reptiles for Sale \| Poultry for Sale \| Birds for Sale \| Fish for Sale \| Guinea Pigs for Sale \| Ferrets for Sale \| Hamsters for Sale \| Tortoises for Sale \| pets for sale and Dog Breeds information, Pet Insurance and Dog Insurance quotes. PetForums is part of the Pet Media group of websites including \| Pets4Homes \| PetsLocally \| Used Car