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How to train dogs for total dog noob?
12/22/2011 11:45:33 AM
So, I never had dogs growing up.
I got two blue heeler mixes several months ago as few week old puppies, for free off Craigslist. They are great dogs. I taught them to sit...but that's about it. They jump on people, they come when called, but I cant seem to teach them to lay or stay. I haven't started leash training yet either. They are very affectionate dogs and great with my son. The male is definitely alpha of the female....if I pet her, he growls at her to get her to go away from me....but he trips all over himself to get away and all but pisses himself if I "growl" back.
I got two blue heeler mixes several months ago as few week old puppies, for free off Craigslist. They are great dogs. I taught them to sit...but that's about it. They jump on people, they come when called, but I cant seem to teach them to lay or stay. I haven't started leash training yet either. They are very affectionate dogs and great with my son. The male is definitely alpha of the female....if I pet her, he growls at her to get her to go away from me....but he trips all over himself to get away and all but pisses himself if I "growl" back.
12/22/2011 12:04:25 PM
repetition & consistency are the keys. you just have to find a way to show them what u want them to do, then repeat until they get it. then keep em to it, if you or anyone else doesn't re-inforce the behavior, then obedience will start to decline.
if you don't like the jealous behavior of the male you can punish him when he does it to try & put a stop to that. if you don't scold & punish immediately following the behavior, your pet won't know why they're being punished & behavior will continue
if you don't like the jealous behavior of the male you can punish him when he does it to try & put a stop to that. if you don't scold & punish immediately following the behavior, your pet won't know why they're being punished & behavior will continue
12/22/2011 12:18:24 PM
I'd agree with the above, and add that dogs are pack animals. They respond well to a dominate, authoritative figure. In fact, they thrive. You have to assert yourself with your dogs and let them know that you control their behavior, not the other way around.
Be firm and be consistent, and don't let anything slip by. It may take some time and will be frustrating, but it will pay off before long and you will have very well mannered, obedient dogs.
As for laying down and staying, those can be tougher. Repetition with incentives usually work well; just a small treat. Blue Heeler's are smart dogs, and very loyal - you'll really enjoy them when they are trained up.
Be firm and be consistent, and don't let anything slip by. It may take some time and will be frustrating, but it will pay off before long and you will have very well mannered, obedient dogs.
As for laying down and staying, those can be tougher. Repetition with incentives usually work well; just a small treat. Blue Heeler's are smart dogs, and very loyal - you'll really enjoy them when they are trained up.
12/22/2011 12:34:38 PM
My goals with them are to have them be family dogs and not chew up everything we have indoors, all of my sons toys, everyones shoes, etc. (Why they are primarily outdoors doggies right now.) Secondary goal is as hiking companions up here in the mountains. I am a SAR volunteer, but I dont think I am skilled enough with dogs yet (by a LONG shot) to train them to do search, either live subject or cadaver dogs.
12/22/2011 12:36:51 PM
Enroll yourself in a training class with the dogs. I knew the basics, but that's what I did when I got my dog a year ago. One of the best things I did. I learned A LOT, and my dog won the most improved award! Lot's of good stuff. You said they have learned sit, but one of the things we learned for sit is to pull their collar up, not push on their butt like many people do. We also learned hand signals for sit, down, and stay. As for jumping, I always knee a dog in the chest and say "off". That's what the trainer taught too, and it worked really well with Max. He doesn't jump on anyone now unless playing or given the OK.
ETA: We were also taught to do everything in 3's. I don't know if that was our trainer's personal belief and a common training ideology. 3 sit's, reward and release. 3 down's, reward and release etc...
ETA: We were also taught to do everything in 3's. I don't know if that was our trainer's personal belief and a common training ideology. 3 sit's, reward and release. 3 down's, reward and release etc...
12/22/2011 2:30:50 PM
Blue Heelers can be very hyper, so training can be difficult, especially since you have two. On the other hand, they are incredibly smart as well.
Positive reinforcement is a great method for training dogs. Pavlov (google to learn more) trained a dog to run across a room, jump up on the wall and flip the light switch in short order with just a half pound of hamburger using positive reinforcement. If all you ever do is punish the dog when they do something bad, they really don't know when they're doing something good.
Positive reinforcement is a great method for training dogs. Pavlov (google to learn more) trained a dog to run across a room, jump up on the wall and flip the light switch in short order with just a half pound of hamburger using positive reinforcement. If all you ever do is punish the dog when they do something bad, they really don't know when they're doing something good.
12/22/2011 2:48:48 PM
Originally Posted By Tacticalbacon:
Blue Heelers can be very hyper, so training can be difficult, especially since you have two. On the other hand, they are incredibly smart as well.
Positive reinforcement is a great method for training dogs. Pavlov (google to learn more) trained a dog to run across a room, jump up on the wall and flip the light switch in short order with just a half pound of hamburger using positive reinforcement. If all you ever do is punish the dog when they do something bad, they really don't know when they're doing something good.
Blue Heelers can be very hyper, so training can be difficult, especially since you have two. On the other hand, they are incredibly smart as well.
Positive reinforcement is a great method for training dogs. Pavlov (google to learn more) trained a dog to run across a room, jump up on the wall and flip the light switch in short order with just a half pound of hamburger using positive reinforcement. If all you ever do is punish the dog when they do something bad, they really don't know when they're doing something good.
I constantly praise them when they are behaving or acting in a manner that pleases me. A big part of what I need to do is separate them when I having a training session. They definitely feed off each other and have the attention span of a gnat. One of them loves playing fetch, the other likes to run along with him and watch.
The female is significantly larger than the male –– she almost has opening the back door (lever type doorknob) down to a science. I gotta remind the wife to keep the deadbolt locked.
12/23/2011 1:08:00 PM
If they're only a few months old, relax. They're just babies. They will calm as they grow. However, that's not to say that you should not establish boundaries.
At this age, it's important that you avoid punishment. Instead, keep them out of trouble (e.g. keep them crated when you don't have time to monitor them) or redirect their attention to something more interesting than the trouble they are getting into.
Since you asked about "lay and stay", here's something easy you can do. Teach them "sit" and "down". In the working dog community, there isn't such a command as stay. When you either have the dog "sit"or "down", you should not need to tell them to "stay". They should fucking stay where you put them until you release them. There's "no sit or down until you feel like it" vs. "sit or down and stay". That said, take baby steps and be patient with the pups.
First, cut a hotdog lengthwise, then across into small pieces. You don't want them too big that the dog has to chew. They should be small enough for the dog to swallow them without breaking concentration. Make sure you do this in a place free of distractions. Get a few pieces of hotdog in your fist and place over the pups ear saying "Sit!" The pup look up and naturally sit. When it sits, immediately mark the behavior with a "yes" or a click and reward with a piece of hotdog. If he doesn't sit, keep your fist above his head until he does. He will try different things until he gets what's in your hand. Do about a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and I bet your dog will sit reliably in a week.
After they really learn the sit position, start teaching the down position. Do the same with hotdogs, but instead of placing them over the pup's head, place it in front of his snout and pull it down and toward yourself until your hand touches the ground. The dog will get low and reach forward which will place himself in the down position inadvertently. When he's fully down, mark the behavior with a "yes" or click and reward with a piece of dog. Do a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and you will be amazed how quick they get it.
This should keep you busy for a while.
At this age, it's important that you avoid punishment. Instead, keep them out of trouble (e.g. keep them crated when you don't have time to monitor them) or redirect their attention to something more interesting than the trouble they are getting into.
Since you asked about "lay and stay", here's something easy you can do. Teach them "sit" and "down". In the working dog community, there isn't such a command as stay. When you either have the dog "sit"or "down", you should not need to tell them to "stay". They should fucking stay where you put them until you release them. There's "no sit or down until you feel like it" vs. "sit or down and stay". That said, take baby steps and be patient with the pups.
First, cut a hotdog lengthwise, then across into small pieces. You don't want them too big that the dog has to chew. They should be small enough for the dog to swallow them without breaking concentration. Make sure you do this in a place free of distractions. Get a few pieces of hotdog in your fist and place over the pups ear saying "Sit!" The pup look up and naturally sit. When it sits, immediately mark the behavior with a "yes" or a click and reward with a piece of hotdog. If he doesn't sit, keep your fist above his head until he does. He will try different things until he gets what's in your hand. Do about a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and I bet your dog will sit reliably in a week.
After they really learn the sit position, start teaching the down position. Do the same with hotdogs, but instead of placing them over the pup's head, place it in front of his snout and pull it down and toward yourself until your hand touches the ground. The dog will get low and reach forward which will place himself in the down position inadvertently. When he's fully down, mark the behavior with a "yes" or click and reward with a piece of dog. Do a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and you will be amazed how quick they get it.
This should keep you busy for a while.
12/23/2011 1:16:58 PM
See if anybody you know has a copy of "Don't shoot the dog". It's a great training book and you can learn a lot from it.
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/0553380397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324664316&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/0553380397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324664316&sr=8-1
12/23/2011 2:50:22 PM
Originally Posted By abnk:
If they're only a few months old, relax. They're just babies. They will calm as they grow. However, that's not to say that you should not establish boundaries.
At this age, it's important that you avoid punishment. Instead, keep them out of trouble (e.g. keep them crated when you don't have time to monitor them) or redirect their attention to something more interesting than the trouble they are getting into.
Since you asked about "lay and stay", here's something easy you can do. Teach them "sit" and "down". In the working dog community, there isn't such a command as stay. When you either have the dog "sit"or "down", you should not need to tell them to "stay". They should fucking stay where you put them until you release them. There's "no sit or down until you feel like it" vs. "sit or down and stay". That said, take baby steps and be patient with the pups.
First, cut a hotdog lengthwise, then across into small pieces. You don't want them too big that the dog has to chew. They should be small enough for the dog to swallow them without breaking concentration. Make sure you do this in a place free of distractions. Get a few pieces of hotdog in your fist and place over the pups ear saying "Sit!" The pup look up and naturally sit. When it sits, immediately mark the behavior with a "yes" or a click and reward with a piece of hotdog. If he doesn't sit, keep your fist above his head until he does. He will try different things until he gets what's in your hand. Do about a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and I bet your dog will sit reliably in a week.
After they really learn the sit position, start teaching the down position. Do the same with hotdogs, but instead of placing them over the pup's head, place it in front of his snout and pull it down and toward yourself until your hand touches the ground. The dog will get low and reach forward which will place himself in the down position inadvertently. When he's fully down, mark the behavior with a "yes" or click and reward with a piece of dog. Do a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and you will be amazed how quick they get it.
This should keep you busy for a while.
That makes ABSOLUTE sense. Thanks for the advice!If they're only a few months old, relax. They're just babies. They will calm as they grow. However, that's not to say that you should not establish boundaries.
At this age, it's important that you avoid punishment. Instead, keep them out of trouble (e.g. keep them crated when you don't have time to monitor them) or redirect their attention to something more interesting than the trouble they are getting into.
Since you asked about "lay and stay", here's something easy you can do. Teach them "sit" and "down". In the working dog community, there isn't such a command as stay. When you either have the dog "sit"or "down", you should not need to tell them to "stay". They should fucking stay where you put them until you release them. There's "no sit or down until you feel like it" vs. "sit or down and stay". That said, take baby steps and be patient with the pups.
First, cut a hotdog lengthwise, then across into small pieces. You don't want them too big that the dog has to chew. They should be small enough for the dog to swallow them without breaking concentration. Make sure you do this in a place free of distractions. Get a few pieces of hotdog in your fist and place over the pups ear saying "Sit!" The pup look up and naturally sit. When it sits, immediately mark the behavior with a "yes" or a click and reward with a piece of hotdog. If he doesn't sit, keep your fist above his head until he does. He will try different things until he gets what's in your hand. Do about a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and I bet your dog will sit reliably in a week.
After they really learn the sit position, start teaching the down position. Do the same with hotdogs, but instead of placing them over the pup's head, place it in front of his snout and pull it down and toward yourself until your hand touches the ground. The dog will get low and reach forward which will place himself in the down position inadvertently. When he's fully down, mark the behavior with a "yes" or click and reward with a piece of dog. Do a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and you will be amazed how quick they get it.
This should keep you busy for a while.
1/8/2012 9:37:00 AM
Get "The Dog Listener" by Jan Fennell, it is a good place to start. Trainer that helped us out wouldn't even come to our house until we read it.
1/8/2012 9:38:17 AM
Get a book on clicker training, worked wonders for my dog.
1/8/2012 3:54:56 PM
Start watching the Dog Whisperer. Not kidding.
1/8/2012 8:55:33 PM
Originally Posted By bgeer:
Get a book on clicker training, worked wonders for my dog.
Get a book on clicker training, worked wonders for my dog.
Yes, clickers train people to mark dog behavior correctly.
1/8/2012 9:33:11 PM
Regardless of the details of training, the key to success, is repetition and consistency.
1/8/2012 10:06:39 PM
Originally Posted By Castillo:
Start watching the Dog Whisperer. Not kidding.
Start watching the Dog Whisperer. Not kidding.
This for sure. I learned that my state of mind commands what the dogs state of mind is. My dog training grew by leaps and bounds after I learned from Caesar.
1/9/2012 12:20:21 AM
Biggest thing, realize dogs are not humans and don't think logically. We actually expend a ton of 'resources' having our big complicated powerful brains. Dog brains often take shortcuts and leaps and also can frequently fail to connect the dots.
For instance a dog may have figured out you don't want trash on the floor. The dog smells something interesting in the trashcan and goes to get it. In the process of getting it the trash can spills and trash is all over the floor. You come home and find the trash and bring the dog to the 'scene of the crime' and yell at him. He fails to connect that there is trash on the floor because he was digging around in there after something that smelled interesting. In fact he may just think you are doing an alpha display and will show he is submissive, which you may interpret it as 'he is feeling guilty'
Unless you actually catch a dog in the act of misbehaving, any 'correction' will simply be confusing to him and ultimately fruitless.
Dogs may pick up something quickly, or they may need many many repetitions to understand what you want. Be patient and be consistent. Also realize that a dog may need a bit of time to think, so don't get excited if he doesn't immediately do what you want, give him at least a 5 count after any instruction.
Finally, go to your library and get some books on dog training and dog behavior. It isn't hard...but it isn't something you are going to pick up by reading a few pages on an internet forum
For instance a dog may have figured out you don't want trash on the floor. The dog smells something interesting in the trashcan and goes to get it. In the process of getting it the trash can spills and trash is all over the floor. You come home and find the trash and bring the dog to the 'scene of the crime' and yell at him. He fails to connect that there is trash on the floor because he was digging around in there after something that smelled interesting. In fact he may just think you are doing an alpha display and will show he is submissive, which you may interpret it as 'he is feeling guilty'
Unless you actually catch a dog in the act of misbehaving, any 'correction' will simply be confusing to him and ultimately fruitless.
Dogs may pick up something quickly, or they may need many many repetitions to understand what you want. Be patient and be consistent. Also realize that a dog may need a bit of time to think, so don't get excited if he doesn't immediately do what you want, give him at least a 5 count after any instruction.
Finally, go to your library and get some books on dog training and dog behavior. It isn't hard...but it isn't something you are going to pick up by reading a few pages on an internet forum
1/9/2012 4:24:14 PM
Originally Posted By JSteensen:
Originally Posted By abnk:
If they're only a few months old, relax. They're just babies. They will calm as they grow. However, that's not to say that you should not establish boundaries.
At this age, it's important that you avoid punishment. Instead, keep them out of trouble (e.g. keep them crated when you don't have time to monitor them) or redirect their attention to something more interesting than the trouble they are getting into.
Since you asked about "lay and stay", here's something easy you can do. Teach them "sit" and "down". In the working dog community, there isn't such a command as stay. When you either have the dog "sit"or "down", you should not need to tell them to "stay". They should fucking stay where you put them until you release them. There's "no sit or down until you feel like it" vs. "sit or down and stay". That said, take baby steps and be patient with the pups.
First, cut a hotdog lengthwise, then across into small pieces. You don't want them too big that the dog has to chew. They should be small enough for the dog to swallow them without breaking concentration. Make sure you do this in a place free of distractions. Get a few pieces of hotdog in your fist and place over the pups ear saying "Sit!" The pup look up and naturally sit. When it sits, immediately mark the behavior with a "yes" or a click and reward with a piece of hotdog. If he doesn't sit, keep your fist above his head until he does. He will try different things until he gets what's in your hand. Do about a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and I bet your dog will sit reliably in a week.
After they really learn the sit position, start teaching the down position. Do the same with hotdogs, but instead of placing them over the pup's head, place it in front of his snout and pull it down and toward yourself until your hand touches the ground. The dog will get low and reach forward which will place himself in the down position inadvertently. When he's fully down, mark the behavior with a "yes" or click and reward with a piece of dog. Do a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and you will be amazed how quick they get it.
This should keep you busy for a while.
That makes ABSOLUTE sense. Thanks for the advice!
If they're only a few months old, relax. They're just babies. They will calm as they grow. However, that's not to say that you should not establish boundaries.
At this age, it's important that you avoid punishment. Instead, keep them out of trouble (e.g. keep them crated when you don't have time to monitor them) or redirect their attention to something more interesting than the trouble they are getting into.
Since you asked about "lay and stay", here's something easy you can do. Teach them "sit" and "down". In the working dog community, there isn't such a command as stay. When you either have the dog "sit"or "down", you should not need to tell them to "stay". They should fucking stay where you put them until you release them. There's "no sit or down until you feel like it" vs. "sit or down and stay". That said, take baby steps and be patient with the pups.
First, cut a hotdog lengthwise, then across into small pieces. You don't want them too big that the dog has to chew. They should be small enough for the dog to swallow them without breaking concentration. Make sure you do this in a place free of distractions. Get a few pieces of hotdog in your fist and place over the pups ear saying "Sit!" The pup look up and naturally sit. When it sits, immediately mark the behavior with a "yes" or a click and reward with a piece of hotdog. If he doesn't sit, keep your fist above his head until he does. He will try different things until he gets what's in your hand. Do about a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and I bet your dog will sit reliably in a week.
After they really learn the sit position, start teaching the down position. Do the same with hotdogs, but instead of placing them over the pup's head, place it in front of his snout and pull it down and toward yourself until your hand touches the ground. The dog will get low and reach forward which will place himself in the down position inadvertently. When he's fully down, mark the behavior with a "yes" or click and reward with a piece of dog. Do a dozen repetitions of this once or twice a day and you will be amazed how quick they get it.
This should keep you busy for a while.
How did I miss that you are in AZ? IM inbound!
1/10/2012 2:52:13 PM
Having grown up on my uncles farm around Austrialian Cattle Dogs, (heelers, blue and red) which were mainly used to work stock with, they are some the most intelligent dogs I've seen.
I just got a blue heeler pup for myself in hopes of working stock with. He is by far the smartest, most loyal dog I've owned so far. At 6 months old, he's catching on to basic commands like sit, lay down, outside, get in the cage, etc. Hell, he's even trying to heel my horses, and never been worked with on that. He definately knows what he was bred for. When I'm out dicking around my small farm, he's right beside me. He also tends to know his "bounderies" of the farm by not running off or following other dogs off.
Some things I've learned about heelers is they are energetic dogs. They need some room to run. It also seems that they enjoy obeying their master. Kinda like the feel they have to have a job. Having spent some time just laying around watching TV loving up on my pup, you can definately tell whos' dog he is. They can aslo be extremely protective of their master and property. One of my relatives had a red heeler that would protect his master and truck with his life. Just ask the dipshit who tried to steal a chainsaw out of the back of his truck.
He got a hell of a suprise when he reached over to snatch it but failed to see "Max" laying there. Ole' Max held him on the ground till the cops got there. The best part was Max was an average sized heeler, but the theif pissed his pants in fear of the dog. The cop laughed his ass off at the theif, with theif screaming "Just get tha dawg awaise from me!!!" I think that story still runs around the local PD.
As far as training, (I'm not gonna call myself a dog trainer by any means) I feel it's important to gain their trust and respect early. Spend some time playing with and loving up on you pups. Reward them when they do well by praising and giving treats, scold when bad. Even a light swat with a rolled up newspaper never killed any dog. As far as chewing, buy LOTS of rawhide, bones, and other chew toys. When they are teething, they will chew. They will grow out of it.
I just got a blue heeler pup for myself in hopes of working stock with. He is by far the smartest, most loyal dog I've owned so far. At 6 months old, he's catching on to basic commands like sit, lay down, outside, get in the cage, etc. Hell, he's even trying to heel my horses, and never been worked with on that. He definately knows what he was bred for. When I'm out dicking around my small farm, he's right beside me. He also tends to know his "bounderies" of the farm by not running off or following other dogs off.
Some things I've learned about heelers is they are energetic dogs. They need some room to run. It also seems that they enjoy obeying their master. Kinda like the feel they have to have a job. Having spent some time just laying around watching TV loving up on my pup, you can definately tell whos' dog he is. They can aslo be extremely protective of their master and property. One of my relatives had a red heeler that would protect his master and truck with his life. Just ask the dipshit who tried to steal a chainsaw out of the back of his truck.
He got a hell of a suprise when he reached over to snatch it but failed to see "Max" laying there. Ole' Max held him on the ground till the cops got there. The best part was Max was an average sized heeler, but the theif pissed his pants in fear of the dog. The cop laughed his ass off at the theif, with theif screaming "Just get tha dawg awaise from me!!!" I think that story still runs around the local PD.
As far as training, (I'm not gonna call myself a dog trainer by any means) I feel it's important to gain their trust and respect early. Spend some time playing with and loving up on you pups. Reward them when they do well by praising and giving treats, scold when bad. Even a light swat with a rolled up newspaper never killed any dog. As far as chewing, buy LOTS of rawhide, bones, and other chew toys. When they are teething, they will chew. They will grow out of it.
1/10/2012 5:06:31 PM
The most important thing is to be consistent in training with any animal. I grew up working horses and dogs so it came kind of easy for me. Just a few days ago, I was outside and a neighbor had a young dog that didn't want caught in the yard, then when the guy caught him, he kicks the snot out of him. It wasn't really that he was being cruel, he was frustrated. I asked him in a nice way if he was wanting to train the dog to come or to never come back. He just looked at me and said I have a hell of a time catching him! I then told him to think about it, you call him, then when he finally obeys and comes to you, he gets smacked. What does that teach him? He looked down and said I guess it teaches him not to come back. I just said "yep" and left him to think about it. Animals just need consistency and repetition, they can't be punished for something they did a half hour ago, cause they don't have any idea what they are being punished for.
Start by teaching them to come on a long cord, sit, down, and stay, and how to walk on a leash without banging your legs. To keep a pup from jumping on you, lean towards them(think dominance) and put palm down and give them a solid no. Reflex is to turn away when a dog jumps at you, which they see as submissive so just encourages them, just like when they chase a little kid, the kid runs, dog chases them like they would a rabbit.
It is very important to use the same words, signals, etc every time. When you teach a dog DOWN, you can't yell for him to get down if he jumps on you, all he gets is confused since he doesn't know the nuances of the word. Sit means sit, down means down, come here means come here, stay means stay. Be consistent
Start by teaching them to come on a long cord, sit, down, and stay, and how to walk on a leash without banging your legs. To keep a pup from jumping on you, lean towards them(think dominance) and put palm down and give them a solid no. Reflex is to turn away when a dog jumps at you, which they see as submissive so just encourages them, just like when they chase a little kid, the kid runs, dog chases them like they would a rabbit.
It is very important to use the same words, signals, etc every time. When you teach a dog DOWN, you can't yell for him to get down if he jumps on you, all he gets is confused since he doesn't know the nuances of the word. Sit means sit, down means down, come here means come here, stay means stay. Be consistent
1/23/2012 1:25:40 AM
When you get them to do something you want praise the hell out of them, use voice inflection ( happy a high pitched when good, stern and sharp when bad) when bad tho follow up immediately with a correction. After a a dozen or so time they will associate your tone and command (no) with correction and you wont need the correction as much if at all. Reward with praise and at the end of a training session with them reward with a favorite toy. This way they will associate the training with something fun and make the whole experience better for all involved.
