Crazy Training Techniques

[DTrain]

Perhaps I have lived in the middle of nowhere with my border collies too long and I am out of touch, I have my own world and when it comes to raising and training my dogs I pretty much stick to standard practice and a logical approach. Since living in the big city and researching to write my articles I have come across some things that I think are rather odd. I am trying to find out where this sort of stuff comes from and why. I am on another board and a person with a new lab puppy was asking for some training advise to get started. Most of the answers he got where normal but a few seemed a little far fetched to me. For example, it was suggested that the gentleman spit in his dogs mouth frequently to assert dominance because the mother licks her puppies. Another suggestion was to bang on pots and make load noises and hit the dog while it is eating so the dog will not be afraid of load noises and knows who is in charge. I could go on but some of the suggestions would get this board very upset. Again, unless I missed something at training school so to speak where does this stuff come from.

[Brad]

I'm sorry, that's just ridiculous!! lol. You gotta tell me which board, I need to go laugh at this

[Maralynn]

For example, it was suggested that the gentleman spit in his dogs mouth frequently to assert dominance because the mother licks her puppies.

 

 

Now I'm cracked up laughing at the mental picture of a person chasing and catching their pup to pry it's mouth open to spit in it. And the poor mellow pup with a WTH? look on it's face. It's so absured it ridiculous.

[Jumpin Boots]

Crazyness, is there any common sense out there anymore?

 

I had a friend a few years ago who took their black lab puppy to a big pet store chain puppy class. I had tried to talk her into going to a real trainer, but she had already signed up. Anyway the issue of puppies nipping arms and such came up and the 'trainer' suggested painting their arms w/ peanut butter or honey so the puppy would lick their arms instead of nip.

I think that was the last class she went to.

[desertranger]

Another suggestion was to bang on pots and make load noises and hit the dog while it is eating so the dog will not be afraid of load noises and knows who is in charge.

 

Yeah right!!! As for the dominance issue anyone who trains dogs that way should be shot. Read the Other End of the Leash by Patricia MacConnell. You'll find there's never any need or reason to hit a dog for discipline.

 

Sweetness and living goes a lot further than banging pots over a dogs head or hitting them while they eat. Which is a good way to get bit by the way.

[bc4ever]

For example, it was suggested that the gentleman spit in his dogs mouth frequently to assert dominance because the mother licks her puppies.

I was told to spit in my dogs food before giving it to him, for the same reason. This came from a man who trains dogs for use in military and police work.

[Maralynn]

I was told to spit in my dogs food before giving it to him, for the same reason. This came from a man who trains dogs for use in military and police work.

 

Wow, I never thought that someone with that type of experience would suggest something like that! I'm on a working dog forum where there are quite a few police/military dog trainers and handlers as well as those who train their dogs for schutzhund. I know they wouldn't be suggesting that over there!

[bcnewe2]

I just can't imagine someone deciding that spitting in a dogs mouth or on food would establish dominance. What a strange concept. I've seen dogs pee on each other...should we do that too?

I could see my little white puppies (not so little anymore) loving it and being all over my face!

[MicheleS.]

I am an assistant to my own obedience instructor with her beginner class and outside of the obviously ridiculous *techniques* mentioned here, you would not believe how many people there are out there who resist even the most common sense, typically basic approaches to training their dogs. Say for example using food to teach a behavior. Get alot of 'oh, my puppy shouldn't need food (or anything) to do what I ask, he should just do it' or 'no, my 4 month old puppy doesn't need to be supervised on our 3 acre piece of property, he never strays from the yard and always comes when I call' or 'how do I teach my lab puppy not to run across the street to the water every time I open the door' (but doesn't want to use a leash or get their hands dirty). I could go on with the lack of common sense. When you think you've heard everything you could possibly hear, somebody comes up with something new to blow you away.

Another thing that amazes me is with all these new and fancy training facilities popping up on every corner we also have alot of people out there calling themselves professional training instructors???? They're qualified because why?? They spent 6 weeks at some instructor school somewhere??!!

On a good note, I do see alot of people who truly want to learn and have common sense do seem to find the legitimate, die-hard instructors who are what I would call *underground now* because the big shiney new places out there are in the forefront. Everybody wants a big shiney new place to train their dogs and wants to be seen at the big shiney new thing on the block.

Just blowing off some frustration.

Michele &

Hughie &

Gypsy &

Chase

[Brad]

If my dogs won't listen to me, should I spit in their ears? Also, when sneaking up on their meals to whack them with a pot, should I use aluminium or steel? -lol

[BaileytheCollie]

I could just imagine seeing someone attempting to spit in the puppy's mouth...personally my puppy would just lick my face if I tried.....that is funny

[DTrain]

This has got my attention. I am going to write and article about stupid dog training or dog training myths, I have not decided yet but I would still like to know where this stuff comes from and please give me more examples. I contacted the guy that made the post about spitting in your dogs mouth. He claims to be an expert ( not likely ) at training labs to retrieve. He claims that his methods are mandatory if one is to have a good retriever. I made a comment about how stupid this is and he is no longer communicating with me. Here is another one ( I know, I don't believe it either ). It is fine to hit your dog and you should to let the dog know who is boss but you should hit him with a stick or other object to let him know that you have the power to use a weapon. I had to call the guy an idiot on that one but where does this crap come from.

[pansmom]

aluminium or steel?

 

Do you mean the POT or the FACEPLATE. Personally I think we should all wear STEEL HOCKEY MASKS while hitting our dogs while they're eating--CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'D HAVE TO WEAR IF I WAS GONNA DO THAT TO PAN!!!!

 

[Maralynn]

This has got my attention. I am going to write and article about stupid dog training or dog training myths, I have not decided yet but I would still like to know where this stuff comes from and please give me more examples. I contacted the guy that made the post about spitting in your dogs mouth. He claims to be an expert ( not likely ) at training labs to retrieve. He claims that his methods are mandatory if one is to have a good retriever. I made a comment about how stupid this is and he is no longer communicating with me.

 

When people claim to ba an expert, I like to ask to see the results. If they can show me great results (rankings at trials, training level, etc) I'll listen to their method. More often than not asking for results causes these people to get huffy and go away.

[desertranger]

Use a wooden pot with a rolling pin.

 

He claims that his methods are mandatory if one is to have a good retriever.

 

Iz dat' so? If I spit at Jin he'd spit back. I've had lotsa dogs that were phenomenal retrievers and never had to spit into the mouth of one of them. Besides how would you like someone hawking one up in your mouth.

[ejano]

Another suggestion was to bang on pots and make load noises and hit the dog while it is eating so the dog will not be afraid of load noises and knows who is in charge. I could go on but some of the suggestions would get this board very upset. Again, unless I missed something at training school so to speak where does this stuff come from.

 

 

Hit the dog while it's eating????? Good grief. Pet the dog, gently take the food away and give it back, add treats to the dish, yes.....but HIT? NEVER! Sounds like this source is trying to raise either cowering or very mean dogs.

[poligar]

Once I read in a local board that, when walking your dog, you should carry a couple of pebbles and stones in your pockets to hit your dog whenever he tried to pick food from the floor or trash cans.

Even though Francisca would looove to eat from all trash cans in the world, a strong NO has been enough so far. I couln't ever ever attempt to hurt my dog or use pain to have her "learn a lesson".

Please keep us updated with your findings, and I would love to read your article.

[MrRipley]

Pretty much any training "technique" that requires the trainer supposedly "act like an alpha dog" is bunk to me. This includes alpha rolls, grabbing by the scruff, biting the dog, etc. Humans are NOT good at acting like dogs and dogs do not interpret these techniques as if they are given by another dog.

[jdarling]

Heather, I agree to a certain extent. I do, however, scruff my dog -- but not to act alpha. Simply to get the dogs attention and to let it know I'm serious. And it works for me. I don't care if the dog thinks I'm another dog or not. It needs to stop doing whatever got us to this point.

[Debbie Meier]

I did more then scruff someone the other day when they refused to give ground and insist on pulling wool for entertainment. Had to make that game no fun...at all.... old dog should know better...errr. Also had to reprogram my growl to mean "get thinking your wrong" instead of "ohh, fun fun..." I thinking someone had been growling and not following through but rather allowing the grip, doesn't take long for dog to think growl means grip not don't grip. Same with yelling, it's amazing how many dogs I have seen that think when the handler yells that they should bite or accelerate "Every time I bite or speed up, she yells, she must mean I should bite or speed up when ever she yells!!, Cool!!" It's really cool when the dog starts to slice, the handler yells and the dog thinks that means to quite slicing and go straight to bite. It's probably going to take more the a good scruffing to reprogram that response

 

Deb

[Freeman 101]

Crazy Training Techniques: I have one that most are familiar with- rubbing the dog's nose in its own feces to teach the dog not to soil in the house.

 

I have a not so funny story. A plumber that was doing some work at my house was telling me how his father would always rub the dog's nose in the poop every time the dog soiled in the house. The man would grab the dog and stick the dog's nose in the poop while scolding the dog, he would then run the dog outside to show the dog where he needed to poop. This scenario went on, and on, and on, and the dog still kept pooping in the house.

 

However, one day the dog pooped on the carpet, the man walks in the room, and before the man could grab the dog the dog runs to the poop and touches the poop with his nose. The dog then runs directly to the door to be let out!

[MrRipley]

Heather, I agree to a certain extent. I do, however, scruff my dog -- but not to act alpha. Simply to get the dogs attention and to let it know I'm serious. And it works for me. I don't care if the dog thinks I'm another dog or not. It needs to stop doing whatever got us to this point.

 

Oh, I've done it too -- to my stubborn black dog, my other dogs are too soft. That was a bad example... I meant when someone says you should grab the scruff because "that's what the alpha dog does."

 

Edited to add: Just thought of another one. On the "person as alpha dog" theme, I worked with a trainer years ago for a short time, who insisted that I must eat dinner before the dog does, and then pretend to eat some food from the dog's bowl before letting the dog eat. Whatever.

[bc4ever]

However, one day the dog pooped on the carpet, the man walks in the room, and before the man could grab the dog the dog runs to the poop and touches the poop with his nose. The dog then runs directly to the door to be let out!

Perfect example of how careful we need to be about training. Dogs learn--sometimes things we didn't mean for them to learn!

[monicah]

I have a friend who always give me advice on how to be the "alpha dog". He has two dogs too and when he tells them to come, they come to him with tail between legs and head low like they are terrified of him. I decided to call out for my dogs at the same time as he did. My dogs came running as fast as they could, tails wagging and smiling from ear to ear. I opened my arms like a mother would do and hugged them. He rolled his eyes and probably thought I was a hopeless case. I told him I always play with my dogs when I train the recall. I never discuss dog training methods with men, but it is fun to "show off" what my happy dogs can do.

[Brad]

. I never discuss dog training methods with men, but it is fun to "show off" what my happy dogs can do.

 

Excuse me???? lol Being a tough macho guy, I also call my dogs happily with outstretched arms, just like a loving dad. They come running with wagging tails and smiling faces.

 

"never discuss training with men".....hmph