What not to train?

[flyer]

Since I am going to continue with Bea's education on stock I've been wondering if there is any type of training I should avoid or be cautious with if she is to do well on stock. i.e. teaching a dog a "watch me" command? I don't even know if that is counter productive. Is it?

 

Any of the obedience work, etc.?

[Sue R]

Jack Knox is well-known for saying that a dog needs to know three things before going to stock - his/her name; a recall; and how to take a correction (which would be without sulking and ready to give another behavior, as I understand it - in other words, "That's not what you wanted, is this what you want?").

 

I think that, in a situation where a dog lives with you and your family, basic manners are great - no jumping, no barking, walking nicely on a leash, sit, down, stay, all the "normal" stuff that makes a dog a pleasure to live with - but I'd avoid a lot of "looking at me" (as a default behavior) and nit-picking obedience stuff.

 

JMO. Best wishes!

[juliepoudrier]

^^What she said.

 

J.

[flyer]

Jack Knox is well-known for saying that a dog needs to know three things before going to stock - his/her name; a recall; and how to take a correction (which would be without sulking and ready to give another behavior, as I understand it - in other words, "That's not what you wanted, is this what you want?").

 

I think that, in a situation where a dog lives with you and your family, basic manners are great - no jumping, no barking, walking nicely on a leash, sit, down, stay, all the "normal" stuff that makes a dog a pleasure to live with - but I'd avoid a lot of "looking at me" (as a default behavior) and nit-picking obedience stuff.

 

JMO. Best wishes!

 

 

Very good. This is what I thought from reading this board. A friend asked me if I wanted to join her and her dog in an obedience class for pups and I was thinking of taking Bea and then I had the second thoughts.

 

Bea has the manners and the attitude you mention plus a number of tricks that my 16 yr. old DD has taught her. I will leave it at.

 

Thanks Sue and Julie for your replies.

[Sue R]

Well, here I will throw a monkey wrench in but I have taken all of my pups (and sometimes the adolescents) to puppy class or family dog class. It is a great place for socialization and helping you with skills for training your pup or dog for basic, nice-to-live-with manners. I don't see anything wrong with a good puppy or family dog class, myself but, if you already have the skills, you might just do it on your own and look for opportunities to socialize otherwise. These basic classes are not what I'd call "nit-picking obedience" generally, just good basic socializing and skills. It's one of those situations where you can take what you want out of the class and leave what you don't want to do.

 

That's my take but others may have different opinions.

[flyer]

Well, here I will throw a monkey wrench in but I have taken all of my pups (and sometimes the adolescents) to puppy class or family dog class. It is a great place for socialization and helping you with skills for training your pup or dog for basic, nice-to-live-with manners. I don't see anything wrong with a good puppy or family dog class, myself but, if you already have the skills, you might just do it on your own and look for opportunities to socialize otherwise. These basic classes are not what I'd call "nit-picking obedience" generally, just good basic socializing and skills. It's one of those situations where you can take what you want out of the class and leave what you don't want to do.

 

That's my take but others may have different opinions.

 

 

The reason I would take this obedience class is really for my own socialization even more than Bea's. Meeting other dog people and working with them instead of by myself all the time. Both Bea and Colt work really well under the level of distraction in a class situation and they meet and play with a fair number of dogs on our morning and evening walks. I took Colt to a class when he was six months old and the instructor used him as the example most of the time as he already knew everything they were teaching and did it well.

 

Where I feel I need help is with big distraction. This is an area of real concern right now. Will post a new thread.