RE: Training Questions
 

OK well I thought are sit / come's were coming along nicley until this morning!!!!![:@] I let Blaze out to relieve himself this morning. Well he did his thing and decided he wanted to chew on a stick that had fallen into the yard. Now its cold out and I want to go in. So I call him with a "come" and as soon as I said that he takes off bucking like a bull and running back and forth in the yard. Pretty much he was like I dont have to listen to you I want you to come chase me......

Now, I know I did something bad. I finally got him to come to me after about 5 minutes of him acting a fool in the back yard. I tapped his rear end, yelled (like that did any good), and tossed him in his kennel.

How do I punish a not "coming" after he has eventually come's to you? I feel like I punished his come and not his not listning. I cant really punish him when he is running away from me. No I did not chase him......... PLEASE HELP!!! I'm a little upset right now, because he was doing so well with sit/stay/come......

RE: Training Questions
 

Are you planning to use an ecollar?


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RE: Training Questions
 

Trying to avoid it because I am not familiar with them and dont want to use it in a wrong way......

RE: Training Questions
 

Ok this is somewhat common. Labs can be bullheaded and love to see if you will chase them. IMPORTANT: Never chase! not saying you did, but this is just something not to do.

You didnt mess up terribly, but you never want to associate "come" with anything but praise... In scold mode, use something else, like "look what you did" or "whats the matter with you?" Only use "come" with a reward. The dog should want to come to you, if he gets yelled at or scolded and you have said "come"... He is going to remember that it means he is going to be punished. You follow?

E-collars are great tools. But there is no faster way to ruin a dog. You have to study up on how to use them succesfully. Dont get buttonitis. They are for corrections when the dog "KNOWS" the command and "CHOOSES" not to obey... You shouldnt "nick" a dog that doesnt know the command yet, for not obeying. If blaze "KNOWS" that "come" means to get his arse to your feet immediately, and decides hes not going to...then you wear his azz out. (nick him until hedecides to cometo you) Then give him lots of praise.

Hope this helps get you through, training is very frustrating one day, and very rewarding the next. Your doing a good job, just keep to it.

Good luck.

RE: Training Questions
 

Personally, I say wait a bit before using the collar. Too much pressure for seven months. There will be a time when the pup isn't going to listen and be stubborn and it looks like yours is starting. Slow down a bit. Alot of professional trainers won't start training until a year old. Its all well and fine to condition or prep a dog for training but real training at that age shouldn't involve serious correction. So, get frustrated.

If you start using an ecollar, remember the dog has to be conditioned to it. It has to know why it's being corrected and use it sparingly. As an example, my collar has a beeper and a stimulus range of 1-10. I've only needed to use a moderate rangeabout twice all season. Once when she went hunting for another group of hunters and wouldn't return and another because she was entering a restricted area and the beeper wouldnt turn her. Note, command first then beeper (no stimulus) then low setting (usually 2-3 times) then step up the stimulus. Off-season, the prongs get unscrewed so no stimulus.

RE: Training Questions
 

7 months is plenty old to make the transition from leash training to ecollar.

If the dog has learned the commands and refuses to obey, he gets corrected. Doesnt mean that every correction has to be a shock, or a "nick". But he should be reminded who's the boss, I put collars on dogs after 12 weeks or so. 21 weeks is plenty old enough. I dont use a beeper function, I give the dog ample time to correct himself before he gets a verbal warning and then he gets ironed out with ecollar. Low stim for my labs doesnt even get a reaction, so they go right to medium, before med-high, then High.

RE: Training Questions
 

This is what I do - no e-collar is needed.

Once you have calledthe dogand he has disobeyed - I do not say another word but go get that dog in a very calm manner. I have walked dogs down over a 1/4 to 1/2 mile saying nothing. When I finally do get my hands on that dog - I snap on my check cord - I use a 50 footer - and it is pure HECK all the way back to the spotI first called the dog. I then go through repetitive sessions allowing the dog to go out and pull back quickly on that check cord using my command I have chosen to call the dog back to me.

No dog is ever given a "good dog" command until I have my hands on it - When the dog responds and comes back it is rewarded with much praise and I do use small dog milk bone treats.

Now these sessions I call my ugly dog training sessions and I want to be alone. I do rough up the dog quite a bit - just enouhg - letting the dog know I am boss! I do not kick or punch but do grab the collar fiercely. The dog is scolded all teh way back to the very 1st spot I had called it from. Then from there we sart over. E-collars are great tools but the dog needs a good understanding of any ole command before it is used.


I do start calling puppies to me while I put a fist in the aircalling as I wave it. As the dog comes toward me- my hand is lowered and fist opend as in my palm it contains a treat. You would be surpirsed how quickly the dog responds to that. You may want to try that.

later in life I actulaly hold up my water bottle and call the dog in the same way.

with enogh sessions witht he dog coming to you take your hand and bring it up over the dogs head and you can add the word 'sit'

dog is sitting take your hand and bring it to the ground saying down.....

each time the pup reacts corrrectly it is praised and given the treat.

But there are time my H.E. double L sessions are needed.

JW

Update
 

Just a update on how the training is coming along....

Well, his sits and stays are getting much better!!!His coming when called is slacking really bad... I just cant figure out something that works for this.... Another thing is, when he gets distracted by other dogs or cats; he doesnt listen to me one bit!!!

I took him to a puppy obedience class when I first got him and the trainer said he would go thru a "adolecent" (spelling?) stage... Well if this is true, I believe he has started it because hehas beeen a really big S***T here latley!!!

After a good training session, I throw a bumber out about 10 feet and lethim get it..... I say get it because he wont come back unless I pull him back with the cord that is attached to him...... This is starting to worry me.... How can I get him to enjoy me throwing things and him coming back so I will do it again???

I will be a little upset if this dog wont retrieve for me!!! I have spent a lot of time with him thus far and I hope its not for nothing and I have to start with a new dog so I can go duck hunting next season!!!



Happy Holiday Everyone!!!

RE: Training Questions
 

Don't sweat it. Seven months is still real young. Yes, at around that age young dogs will rebel. If you are really concerned about his training at that age, my suggestion is to back off abit. Sounds like you are putting way too much pressure for a pup.

Go pick up a good training program and study it. Your pup is nearing real training age. I know some trainers won't accept a pup under a year old.

You have 4-5 months to study, so use the time wisely. Read through your training program before you start. BTW, I believe personally, the e-collar can be a life saver for your dog. It should be used to reinforce commands the dog already knows and used very sparely in only those situations where the dog absolutely needs to listen. I haven't used the collar since last month and that was the beeper (no shock). My dog's collar conditioned so she knows unless she listens, something else is going to happen. I may beep her an average of once every hunting trip maybe one low shock a season, no more. Off season, transmitter stays home. I started conditioning my dog at nine months of age and that was early only because I put on a bark collar at around 7-8 months.

RE: Training Questions
 

Too much pressure,you are in a rush for duck season. Just relax and take it one day at a time. Go get an e-collar, training dvd's, and a check cord.

Take that dog out, on the Check cord (cc), let him wander a little bit and say "here", squat down and open your arms to look more "friendly". Tug on the CC the whole way if you need to, when he gets to you, praise the crap out of him. The dog "wants" to be with you is the whole point of recall. Once he is pretty good with the CC, put on the e-collar (NOTE: Only after he is collar conditioned) and take the cc off, let him wander around and give the recall command, if no response... Give a "nick" or small stimulus. Dog should realize that he has no choice. The only way to turn off collar is to obey.

When that e-collar is strapped on, you will have a totally different animal.

I only have to reach for the transmitter with most of my dogs and they know whats coming next and will usually shape right up.