Schnauzer roundup

[HoosierMike]

Just a quick little story that happened at the house yesterday afternoon.

There is a family two roads down that have a Schnauzer that seems to

be an escape artist. Actually it just bolts when a door is left open

according to it's owner. Well, it showed up in our yard again yesterday,

this is the third or fourth time. She is a friendly dog and played with our dogs

in the past. My wife tried to catch her for about 20 minutes, but this dog

loves to play "catch me if you can". About the time we were going to head

to the neighbors to tell them where she was, they came driving down the

road. It just amazes me when an owner can't even catch their own dog.

They chased and tried to bribe with treats for another 10 minutes to no

avail. We suggested that we let Maggie out to round her up. The lady said

to try anything. We brought her out and sent her after the little beast dog.

They both went into playbows, like they had in the past, and started playing.

Well, of course the lady goes nuts thinking they're fighting. We told her they

were playing and I called Maggie to come, she instantly did, and the other dog

came right with her. I told the lady to catch her dog while Maggie distracted

her by playing. Of course it worked, and when she grabbed up her dog, we

put Maggie in a down-stay, which dumbfounded our neighbor. Even more so

when I gave her the "house" command and she trotted back into the house.

The lady thanked us and asked all kinds of questions about what "magic"

we use to get our dogs to mind. Of course we laughed and told her it takes

many hours, days, months, years, to train a dog and continue to train a dog.

I'm pretty sure it went in one ear and out the other, and we'll be seeing our

Schnauzer friend again soon.

Anyway, my dog made me pretty darn proud during the whole thing, and

if anyone knows where there might be Schnauzer herding trials, I might just

sign her up.

[Jumpin Boots]

Well done! You should be very proud of your hard training work and your pooch.

[kajarrel]

You SHOULD be very proud of your well-trained pup and YOU for taking the time to train her.

 

But to be fair (and to preserve neighbor relations ), many breeds are just not as easy to train as the border collie. For example, I have a bagel (working bred beagle-Basset hound) and the only things I've been able to teach him are "sit" and "here." My other 5 dogs (border collies and GSD) are immensely easier to train. On the other hand, he's a wonderful cuddler and all around "couch hound."

 

Kim

[theshine]

Yes, you should be proud!

 

I get that alot too, that "omg, he minds you!" from people who are impressed by Shiner's recall, his down stay...I had a neighbor freaking out over his "leave it", we were over at her house to play with her dog, and I told Shiner to "leave" the other dogs bone that was out in the yard and he did...then after she assured me it was ok for him to have it, I said, "ok, you can have it" and he went and got it. Of course then you have people who say, "omg, I have to have a dog like that that listens!" as if they just are born knowing these commands. I will say though that my shelties do not listen quite as well or respond quite as quickly even though they've all had the same training, so breed does help somewhat.

[Pat W.]

It never ceases to amaze me that people are amazed by how well our (thats the whole lists) dogs listen. One day about a month ago I had the gang over at a local park running and playing frisbee. I was there by myself, usually my daughter comes too as Im not that great at throwing frisbee and chuck it ball at the same time LOL. So the guys are doing their thing Im doing my and the next thing I know theres a young couple with a young Brittany spaniel in tow. They had been driving by and saw us playing and wanted to ask how I got my dogs to come back. I gave them a crash course and sent them off happy. My daughter has a friend with a sheltie mix that escapes at least once a month, where do the owners run to? My daughter to bring out one of our dogs.....sigh

[Carson Crazies]

I once helped my friend catch up her min pin. It was out running the neighborhood and she couldn't catch it. I took June over there (whom all male dogs think is sexy, and playful, and fun) and he ran over to play with her. When I called June into the neighbor's house her dog came too, end of problem.

 

That being said - I'd agree that some breeds of dogs are just... not the same. Even with YEARS into my Ginger dog she STILL responds with a "You and whose Army?" sort of attitude from time to time. It's not that she doesn't know what I want - it's that she doesn't see any compelling reason why she should do what I want. Oh, she'll do it... but it's like a death march. LOL!

[PSmitty]

That being said - I'd agree that some breeds of dogs are just... not the same. Even with YEARS into my Ginger dog she STILL responds with a "You and whose Army?" sort of attitude from time to time. It's not that she doesn't know what I want - it's that she doesn't see any compelling reason why she should do what I want. Oh, she'll do it... but it's like a death march. LOL!

 

Lilly.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Zhi minds pretty well for a lap dog but she still runs every "request" past the "Does it suit my royal highness?" department before responding.

 

I'd be much more impressed at a Schnauzer with a semi-reliable recall, than a Border Collie with a lot of complex, rock solid commands.

[desertranger]

Be proud. You get to hear soomething that relatively few dog owners get to hear.

Compliments on how well trained your dogs are.

 

Last night at the pub I was sitting in my usual place and this couple came in with a very excited daschund puppy who they couldn't get to calm down. I just told her put him down an in about 10 mins I had him sitting quietly beside Jin. They praised Jin for being so calm (he also likes to snark from time to time) and said they were going to take a class seeing how easy it was for me to teach their dog to sit down. I told them it would take a lot of work but they fell in love with the calm BC just sitting there in his pack.

 

Mike, you're a good example to dogdom. Keep it up.

[HoosierMike]

Zhi minds pretty well for a lap dog but she still runs every "request" past the "Does it suit my royal highness?" department before responding.

 

I'd be much more impressed at a Schnauzer with a semi-reliable recall, than a Border Collie with a lot of complex, rock solid commands.

I totally agree about differences in different breed training. I grew up with beagles

my whole life while living at home. I spent countless hours looking for them while

we were hunting. And even at home I don't ever remember the thought of ever

trying to get any of them to ring a desk bell to let me know they needed to go out.

I've only been involved with Border Collies for the past 2 years or so, and they just

amaze me more and more everyday. My two make me feel like I'm a better

owner / trainer than any dog I've ever had. And I've had some good dogs.....

I wish that I had discovered this wonderful breed sooner.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Really, you can learn from a dog that has no real interest in being trained - or rather, that has very different, external motivations than a dog that is motivated just by the chance to be a team player. But the team player dogs teach a lot of really important things, too - they can take one much higher as a trainer just because you can experiment, push the envelope, explore new techniques and fine tune your timing.

 

I've learned that (finally) with my sheepdogs. Even though I've only got a tiny farm here, I'll always, from now on, spend the money and take the time to find quality pups and invest in the best training. My "problem" dogs all taught me a lot - but they are not really lessons a novice handler needs! I've only just started to learn, thanks to my well-bred youngsters, the most important lessons about reading stock tht should have been where I STARTED!

[jamesqf]

Of course training and staying at home aren't always the same thing. My former neighbors had a Rottweiler (Houdini, a thoroughly appropriate name) who was very well trained to commands, as long as his humans were around to give them. Let them leave for the day, or not pay attention, and school was out. He'd hop over the fence to explore, or to come play with my dog. Still well-trained, though: I'd tell him "Houdini, go home", and he'd hop right back over the fence.

[agilityrunningdogs]

I will NEVER let my 8 year old Schnauzer off-leash because she is the exact definition of the breed, "stubborn and independent", even after all this time, her recall is when she wants to come and at her speed and when she's done sniffing whatever she's sniffing. My 4-year old is better, and he can walk off-leash from the front door to the car. My Border however, at 6 months old was so much better than them and I took him everywhere with me because he was so good, which in turn made him even better. There are definitely breed characteristics, but your Border Collie behaved herself quite well and surely showed that Schnauzer person that training is not some far-off magical world.

[desertranger]

As good as Jin is at recall at his age (and it's by no means perfect) Abby's is. Abby is a rescued rough collie and is 7yr. old. She doesn't do tricks and she';s not really interested in dog thngs but she has the most solid recall of any dog I've ever owned. Voice or whistle you call she comes. It may take her awhile to get there (she never runs) but she does get there.