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Az987 · Jul 28, 2011

quadriplegicjon said:
I love high fives! I just taught my puppy that the other day. It's so awesome

It really is!

My dog can do double high fives where he jumps up and smacks both my hands!

Its so awesome and funny at the same time because hes really short and stocky. He gets excited when I tell him to do it so he gets this huge grin on his face. Hilarious

He won't do it on the flip side though. He just looks at me like I'm nuts.

Particle Physicist · Jul 28, 2011

PaddyOCanager said:
Name it something with two syllables, I've always felt dogs recognize their name easier.

If your dog runs off and doesn't come, don't yell at it when it finally returns. Dogs will associate the punishment with having returned, rather than running away - it confuses them. Instead reward your dog when it finally comes to you. Also, don't always call your dog when it's time to come inside. Otherwise they will associate it with "playtime's over", and not want to come as readily. Instead, ask them to come and when they do, give em a treat and let them go back to playing.

Always reward your dog for doing good things. They thrive on pleasing their owners so make sure you give back.

Start training early, start by teaching them to sit. Reward them with small treats or some love.

Dogs aren't stupid - the average one can understand 250 human words. So don't treat them like an idiot, speak to them often and normally (don't speak in a "baby voice"). They will pick up quickly - I swear my dog knows every damn thing I say to her.

Remember a dogs actions often reflect its owner. If you act like an asshole your dog will probably be an asshole too. Respect them, they will respect you. Be calm and they will be calm. Show them you are in charge, and they will quickly fall in line.

Listen to this guy.

There is some really good advice and some really bad advice in this thread. Please don't ever yell, or hit (even lightly) your dog. It can result in agressive behavior.

Seriously though, since this will be your first dog, please take them to a good puppy training course. They will give you all the good advice you need... and remember patience and consistency is key.

lawlohwhat · Jul 28, 2011

Puppy training is hard work. You have to be extremely patient and reward them when they do something good, and then keep hammering it into them with repetition. Sit is a great command to start with because they naturally sit when they're paying attention to their owner. Smarter dogs will pick up what it means to sit very very quickly. Don't punish them by yelling if they screw up, because they don't really learn anything from it. Eventually, it's a good idea to teach them 'go lay down' for when they get into the trash, start begging, or do something else annoying.

The key is to find a reward that suits your dog's wants. Some of them like extra attention, some like toys and balls, and most like salty or savory treats and bones. My dog is a sucker for peanut butter treats and top shelf irish whiskey, for example.

jay · Jul 28, 2011

suzu said:
Yeah "Spitz" type breeds (husky, shiba inu, akita, etc) can be assholes. lol. People don't understand how hard they are to train and just get them because they look so cool/cute.

I have a spitz mix who is a pain in the ass outside because he growls and pulls towards most other big dogs. Any advice on how to break him of this?

taoofjord · Jul 28, 2011

teruterubozu said:
Name will come eventually, pretty quickly in fact. Potty training is the #1 priority. There TONS and TONS of books and websites dedicated to training dogs.

Dude, you have to READ, READ, READ, before you even think about getting a puppy.

I highly suggest "How to Raise the Perfect Dog" by Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer)

He tells you how to get a dog (DO NOT BUY FROM PET STORE!!!), what kind of breed is perfect for your lifestyle, how to PREP YOUR HOUSE BEFORE the puppy even enters (very, very important), how to potty train, scheduling your life (dogs need and thrive on a schedule), etc.

Way too many people get dogs without any preparations and those are the people who usually end up giving them away to shelters. Do your homework.

Seconded, seconded, seconded. It sounds like you're nowhere near ready for a puppy. I spent two months reading and researching before I adopted my dog and I still know very little. Here's some things you need to know though:

- the breed matters. Make sure you pick a breed thatnis right for your lifestyle.
- adopt from places like petfinder.com... But if you want a purebred puppy make SURE you are supporting a responsible breeder. This takes a lot of work but it is a NECESSITY.
- focus on positive reinforcement training with a clicker. Do not punish your do by hitting it or scaring it. It makes things much worse.
- take time to learn how a dog thinks by reading up on it, do not treat your dog like a mini human
- pet insurance can be extremely helpful

wolfmat · Jul 28, 2011

jay said:
I have a spitz mix who is a pain in the ass outside because he growls and pulls towards most other big dogs. Any advice on how to break him of this?

You might have to go to a proper trainer to deal with this because it's not easy. Ask them if they truly feel like they can correct that first (they might not be aware of the problems involved with this particular variant of dog). If the dog's already older (like 2 years or so), you most likely won't change that behavior, period.

Anyway, you could live with it. A lot of people do. Just make sure you take all possible precautions to prevent fighting. This might include acquiring a muzzle.

One thing in general: Be sure your line is secure (get a quality leather line and an appropriate collar; also specifically talk about your problem with the dealer so that he can recommend specific collars and stuff). Shorten the line early enough when another dog is in sight. Shorten it simply by wrapping it around your hand. Then pull your hand towards your pelvis. Do this because these breeds tend to be exceptionally good with pulling, so you want to minimize the force vector your dog can build up away from your center of balance, and you do that by reducing the line length (which acts as a sort of lever in relation to your center of balance) and bringing the hand-line-joint above your center of balance.

Do not talk to your dog in a soothing manner when this happens. Give sharp, clear commands with a strong and commanding voice and jerk the line lightly on occasion. Don't rile him up though, meaning don't continuously shout at your dog.

Edit: Once your dog reacts and clearly backs off, even if it's just for a short while, then clearly reward that behavior as if he just did the coolest thing ever.

Rur0ni · Jul 28, 2011

1. You need enough time to train them. Basically supervision. Being gone all day basically sucks.
2. Treats are good.
3. Predictability, schedule, habits, etc.

I remember with my two pups, they started getting snippy when someone would touch them. I would grab them by the scruff, my demeanor one of disapproval, and a verbal strong no. They're over 2 years old now and have never bitten anyone despite some angry territorial barking.

If I could do it over again, I would only get one pup. The constant competition and distraction isn't conducive to good training. Never make that mistake.

wolfmat · Jul 28, 2011

Also, jay, here are some insights on the agression issue, and how to address it. http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_AggressionToApproachingDogsAndPeople.php

jay · Jul 28, 2011

wolfmat said:
You might have to go to a proper trainer to deal with this because it's not easy. Ask them if they truly feel like they can correct that first (they might not be aware of the problems involved with this particular variant of dog). If the dog's already older (like 2 years or so), you most likely won't change that behavior, period.

Anyway, you could live with it. A lot of people do. Just make sure you take all possible precautions to prevent fighting. This might include acquiring a muzzle.

One thing in general: Be sure your line is secure (get a quality leather line and an appropriate collar; also specifically talk about your problem with the dealer so that he can recommend specific collars and stuff). Shorten the line early enough when another dog is in sight. Shorten it simply by wrapping it around your hand. Then pull your hand towards your pelvis. Do this because these breeds tend to be exceptionally good with pulling, so you want to minimize the force vector your dog can build up away from your center of balance, and you do that by reducing the line length (which acts as a sort of lever in relation to your center of balance) and bringing the hand-line-joint above your center of balance.

Do not talk to your dog in a soothing manner when this happens. Give sharp, clear commands with a strong and commanding voice and jerk the line lightly on occasion. Don't rile him up though, meaning don't continuously shout at your dog.

Edit: Once your dog reacts and clearly backs off, even if it's just for a short while, then clearly reward that behavior as if he just did the coolest thing ever.

Thanks for the tips. I mostly have just been minimizing / living with the issue since he is about 4 and was like this when I adopted him. Not yelling and tugging hard to rile him up even more is good advice and something I need to focus on more, as well as rewarding him when he backs down.

He doesn't seem to want to actually fight, which seems odd to me. The one time he did get to another dog it seemed like the other, smaller dog should have been pretty badly hurt by the time I pried my dog free. He didn't bite the small dog or anything, it seems like it was all for show and intimidation. Do dogs usually not actually break the skin of other dogs?

Oh, and one more question - I play fight with him because he seems to really enjoy it. Is this making him more aggressive? I figure if I never rough house with him he will simply have huge amounts of excess energy and aggression that he may then take out in other places. He never breaks my skin or anything, and I can make him stop immediately if I choose.

wolfmat said:
Also, jay, here are some insights on the agression issue, and how to address it. http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_AggressionToApproachingDogsAndPeople.php

Thanks! I will definitely read this. He doesn't lunge at people, luckily. Well he sort of does, only to hit the ground and show them his belly because he is a whore and demands huge amounts of affection from every random person on the street.

wolfmat · Jul 28, 2011

jay said:
He doesn't seem to want to actually fight, which seems odd to me. The one time he did get to another dog it seemed like the other, smaller dog should have been pretty badly hurt by the time I pried my dog free. He didn't bite the small dog or anything, it seems like it was all for show and intimidation. Do dogs usually not actually break the skin of other dogs?

This is an indicator that it's mostly a defensive act. Your dog feels like it is for some reason in need to amplify its agressive impression, thus preventing a fight outright. This could be an indicator that there's something medically wrong with the dog. That isn't necessarily the case though.

You could compare it to the fighting in a pack of wolves they assert dominance by playfighting, and this gets more frequent if a superior wolf is afflicted in some way. The superior wolf initiates the playfighting more frequently then because playfighting is a safe way of asserting dominance that way, he doesn't let it come to a real fight. The difference here is that your dog extends that behavior to other dogs, which is uncommon, and undesirable, obviously. So you should pay close attention to the problem.

It might be that it's just learned behavior though, can't rule that out. In any case, try to address it.

Oh, and one more question - I play fight with him because he seems to really enjoy it. Is this making him more aggressive?

No. This just strengthens the bond between you and your dog. He can differentiate between playfighting and the real deal.

I figure if I never rough house with him he will simply have huge amounts of excess energy and aggression that he may then take out in other places. He never breaks my skin or anything, and I can make him stop immediately if I choose.

This is perfectly reasonable behavior. There's no need to change it. Your dog loves you very much, it therefore treats you completely different than other beings. This includes playfighting.

He doesn't lunge at people, luckily. Well he sort of does, only to hit the ground and show them his belly because he is a whore and demands huge amounts of affection from every random person on the street.

You need to be careful with that. It's best to tell people to keep cool with the dog, let him learn what they're about first. You don't want things to ever go bad, obviously. If you really want to talk to a behavioral specialist, then this is something you want to point out.

VALIS · Jul 28, 2011

Heh, good timing, our 4 mo. old puppy has been driving me CRAZY all day. I can't leave her alone for more than 30 seconds before she barks, whimpers or bites at me to play. Seriously. Every. 30. Seconds. I know she's teething badly, so I'm not angry, but I work from home and wasn't able to get jackshit done today. It's tough.

I've had dogs my whole life so I'm used to it all, I think this is my 6th dog, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating sometimes, especially when my livelihood is involved. She's awesome, though, wouldn't give her up for anything.

Particle Physicist · Jul 28, 2011

VALIS said:
Heh, good timing, our 4 mo. old puppy has been driving me CRAZY all day. I can't leave her alone for more than 30 seconds before she barks, whimpers or bites at me to play. Seriously. Every. 30. Seconds. I know she's teething badly, so I'm not angry, but I work from home and wasn't able to get jackshit done today. It's tough.

I've had dogs my whole life so I'm used to it all, I think this is my 6th dog, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating sometimes, especially when my livelihood is involved. She's awesome, though, wouldn't give her up for anything.

Try directing her biting to a toy or something she likes. You can also try using Bitter Apple spray on your hands, but some dogs actually like that.

As far as the barking goes... as soon as the puppy barks, completely ignore her. I know it's tough, and the marking will probably get worse before it gets better, but it does get better. Our puppy was a barker, but she now only barks when someone is at the door.. and not very loudly.

TouchMyBox · Jul 28, 2011

I've never really had to formally train any of my dogs. I just love them as much as possible and they in turn have respected my wishes. You need to make sure your dog knows that you're the boss though. Don't scold them to the point which they fear you, but rather establish your dominance to a point where they respect you.

I wish I could give some tips as to how you could establish dominance, but having had dogs my entire life, everything just comes second nature to me.

teruterubozu · Jul 28, 2011

VALIS said:
Heh, good timing, our 4 mo. old puppy has been driving me CRAZY all day. I can't leave her alone for more than 30 seconds before she barks, whimpers or bites at me to play. Seriously. Every. 30. Seconds. I know she's teething badly, so I'm not angry, but I work from home and wasn't able to get jackshit done today. It's tough.

I've had dogs my whole life so I'm used to it all, I think this is my 6th dog, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating sometimes, especially when my livelihood is involved. She's awesome, though, wouldn't give her up for anything.

Heh, I'm in the same boat - 4 month old puppy, psyched to play all the time, but I gotta get some work done. Sometimes you have to give them a toy they can play with by themselves.

Sometimes I'll give him a stuffed Kong, which takes about 30 minutes for him to clean out.

But the best dog toy ever is the Kyjen Hide-A-Squirrel puzzle for $11 on Amazon (see the crazy 495-customer 5-star review!):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002I0O60/?tag=neogaf0e-20

My dog would play with this for at least an hour by himself, trying to get the squirrels out. I'll also put bones and other toys in the "tree stump" and he goes nuts. It's a great "instinct play" toy that'll keep him busy for awhile.

Grimm Fandango · Jul 29, 2011

People trying to tell me how to raise a dog? All of my dogs (4 now not including puppies) have never bitten another person, growled at us or anything.

Perhaps it won't work for every dog sure. But don't you ever say I have no "fucking idea how to raise a dog." I care very very much about the wellbeing of my dogs. Go search for "depressed dog" on GAF right now to see for yourself.

I'd post more but I'm on an iPad. Be back tomorrow.

Particle Physicist · Jul 29, 2011

Grimm Fandango said:
People trying to tell me how to raise a dog? All of my dogs (4 now not including puppies) have never bitten another person, growled at us or anything.

Perhaps it won't work for every dog sure. But don't you ever say I have no "fucking idea how to raise a dog." I care very very much about the wellbeing of my dogs. Go search for "depressed dog" on GAF right now to see for yourself.

I'd post more but I'm on an iPad. Be back tomorrow.

Do a little search about hitting a dog and getting angry over it peeing in your house/apartment. It may work eventually, or may work with some dogs, but generally it's not good training practice. I don't know who said you have no idea how to raise a dog, because I did not say that. It's just that there are better and more efficient ways of doing things.

jay · Jul 29, 2011

wolfmat said:
This is an indicator that it's mostly a defensive act. Your dog feels like it is for some reason in need to amplify its agressive impression, thus preventing a fight outright. This could be an indicator that there's something medically wrong with the dog. That isn't necessarily the case though.

You could compare it to the fighting in a pack of wolves they assert dominance by playfighting, and this gets more frequent if a superior wolf is afflicted in some way. The superior wolf initiates the playfighting more frequently then because playfighting is a safe way of asserting dominance that way, he doesn't let it come to a real fight. The difference here is that your dog extends that behavior to other dogs, which is uncommon, and undesirable, obviously. So you should pay close attention to the problem.

It might be that it's just learned behavior though, can't rule that out. In any case, try to address it.

No. This just strengthens the bond between you and your dog. He can differentiate between playfighting and the real deal.

This is perfectly reasonable behavior. There's no need to change it. Your dog loves you very much, it therefore treats you completely different than other beings. This includes playfighting.

You need to be careful with that. It's best to tell people to keep cool with the dog, let him learn what they're about first. You don't want things to ever go bad, obviously. If you really want to talk to a behavioral specialist, then this is something you want to point out.

Thanks for all of your help.

Grimm Fandango · Jul 29, 2011

quadriplegicjon said:
Do a little search about hitting a dog and getting angry over it peeing in your house/apartment. It may work eventually, or may work with some dogs, but generally it's not good training practice. I don't know who said you have no idea how to raise a dog, because I did not say that. It's just that there are better and more efficient ways of doing things.

Yeah it wasn't directed at you don't worry.

Again I never advocate beating your dog. Just a little spank is all (however I do want to stop talking about this at this point, there have been far too many spanking threads on GAF and posters often get the hammer).

I'll try to look up what you said too when I get back to my computer.

Metroid Killer · Jul 29, 2011

^It's just that what you advocate is really old fashioned way of training dogs. Any dog trainer I frequent would scold you and tell you that positive reinforcement is the way to go.

Secondly, tapping/slapping or being too dominant on soft breeds (which there are a lot of popular ones) is such a bad combination. It would destroy my Icelandic Sheepdog for example.

So people react to your comment because it's probably not the best general dog advice to give these days.

Grimm Fandango · Jul 29, 2011

Metroid Killer said:
^It's just that what you advocate is really old fashioned way of training dogs. Any dog trainer I frequent would scold you and tell you that positive reinforcement is the way to go.

Secondly, tapping/slapping or being too dominant on soft breeds (which there are a lot of popular ones) is such a bad combination. It would destroy my Icelandic Sheepdog for example.

So people react to your comment because it's probably not the best general dog advice to give these days.

I still do positive reinforcement mind you, check my older posts. Just a combination of the two.

Yeah it probably won't work on softer breeds like you said. It has worked well for my labs though.

But you are probably right that my way is old fashioned. The next dog I get I'll try to train it using newer methods.

joelseph · Jul 29, 2011

Metroid Killer said:
Any dog trainer I frequent would scold you and tell you that positive reinforcement is the way to go.

Positive reinforcement is a key role to training, but dominance has it's place. That being said, punishing a dog for something that it has already done serves no purpose. You need to correct the behavior as soon as it happens. Train your dog with a pronged choke collar and teach them a negative word such as "foey". When ever you catch the dog doing something you don't want correct with a snap of the chain and "foey" and then redirect them to something you want them to be doing. After they have done good then the reward.

kevo_huevo · Aug 3, 2011

when we go on walks with our dog, he's pretty well behaved. we keep him on a short, loose leash. he never really tries to get out in front and is only allowed to sniff/eliminate when we stop and tell him to. however, when he sees most other dogs, he gets into a dominant position and starts to bark and become hostile. what are the best ways to prevent and or handle these situations?
things we've tried:
-continue walking away and try to ignore the dog
-kneel next to him and immobilize his head, make direct eye contact and say a sharp "NO!"

he seems to respond more to the latter, but i don't know if he gets more scared instead of recognizing my pack leadership.

Oppo · Aug 3, 2011

- pick a 2-syllable name that does not rhyme with a command
- pick a mutt if you can (they live longer, less health/genetic issues, no disqualifications for breed in pet insurance)
- if you are set on a breed, select a reputable breeder and I recommend a working breed (google it)
- raising a puppy is much, much easier if you have a spouse, partner or family in-house to help
- patience is key, they will wear you out for first 12-16 months typically
- positive, rapid reinforcement... dogs react in split seconds
- when house training they associate what to "go on" with the texture under their paws. if you have access to a yard skip paper training altogether. when dog starts to circle in a corner or act a bit anxious (you'll learn this fast) simply scoop them up without a word and rush them to the grass. if you yell or smack them they'll learn not to go in your presence, very bad.
- there is no good reason to smack a dog for any reason ever. a loud hand clap or sharp verbal correction is just as effective. the shock/surprise is actually the corrective bit. this is why Cesar makes those funny hissing noises, its like verbal clicker training.
- you can't really give the dog too many treats when training so don't worry about it for the first year
- when they go astray on learning a command, walk away for six steps, turn and "reset" the scenario
- after the Parvo quarantine period get your puppy to the park to socialize OFTEN with nice older dogs... they will teach the puppy how to be polite
- expose your dog early to more than one ethnicity (skin co our) and also a friedly person who's willing to engage in a wheelchair, if possible
- expose them to a large body of water in the first 4 months
- get them used to going to happy places in the car on quick trips (the park) early
- get them used to sitting quietly outside for brief periods at a store, gradually increasing from 30 seconds up to 15 min
- if you have rules about getting up on furniture, pick them and stick to them, don't waver or it will be confusing
- pick high quality dry food (best luck for me) and feed consistently 2x a day - this way they will go consistently
- tired dogs are happy/obedient dogs
- lots of toys at the beginning will keep them from destroying your house/furniture/socks
- always keep in mind while trAining that they really do want to please you, and it's up to the dog how many times he needs to go over a command before he complies and gets it... don't give up, just be consistent, if they really spaz out give it a break and try again in an hour. just turning your back on the dog and ignoring them for 2 min. can have a really profound effect. their sense of time is different, really compressed, so learn to empathize with that.

good luck

wolfmat · Aug 3, 2011

kevo_huevo said:
what are the best ways to prevent and or handle these situations?

Has been discussed above.

kevo_huevo · Aug 3, 2011

my bad. thanks. the dog we adopted is 3, so i dont know if this is too ingrained in his behavior to change. might have to see a specialized trainer.

Oppo · Aug 3, 2011

kevo_huevo said:
my bad. thanks. the dog we adopted is 3, so i dont know if this is too ingrained in his behavior to change. might have to see a specialized trainer.

he's fixed?

Mumei · Aug 4, 2011

This book.

Samara · Aug 4, 2011

My puppy won't walk with me on the leash. she just stands there and i have to drag her ass on the concrete. not wanting to hurt her,I just pick her up. its pretty annoying, since sometimes, I want her to run with me, but she just " drags around"

Mumei · Aug 4, 2011

Samara said:
My puppy won't walk with me on the leash. she just stands there and i have to drag her ass on the concrete. not wanting to hurt her,I just pick her up. its pretty annoying, since sometimes, I want her to run with me, but she just " drags around"

How old is your dog? It might not be good for her to be running with you, at least if her bone growth plates haven't finished closing and you're doing serious running.

Some dogs are a bit moronic about leashes and just stand there once you put a leash on them. They don't seem to get the concept.

kevo_huevo · Aug 4, 2011

he's fixed?

yes, he got neutered about a month ago to this day.

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