First dog.

[yogidozer]

With a food motivated pup, treats are a perfect short-term training tool, especially when paired with immediate verbal praise.  Once a skill is learned, you wean them off the treat and only give treats if they work for them.  To get a treat, our doxie had to at the very least sit and lie down first.
 
My 'food isn't love' comment was regarding overfeeding and treating.  My dad was a 'feeder' and as a result, my childhood dobie was obese.  She had fatty tumors which required surgery and it aggravated her hip dysplasia horribly.  I made a promise to my future dogs that I would never allow them to suffer due to my issues.  Turns out, my husband is the same but he'd buy the treats, fed a few, then luckily forget they existed.




Bodie, my fursister.

You only THINK your husband forgot them.
They weren't bullysticks, they were slimjims, and he ate them !!! 
And I believe it's not the treat they react to (most dogs) it's that you are giving them something special like attention/recognition.
proof is, they will react the same if you give them a small kibble, or a bigger treat.
a scratch on the head, or whisper "I love you" in their ear works very well for most dogs.

Dogs like people have the same emotions as people, and each has their own personality.

People think that guy Caesar is a good trainer. I don't
Love and respect works better than his method, intimidation.
Maybe he has changed, I stopped watching his show

[Rough Edge racing]

  I don't have any dogs at this time....Many of my friends and neighbors do have them...Problems I see are annoying barking, jumping up on people and shitting all over the yard....These behaviors are easy to change in a manner not mean to the dog if a person is consistent in their approach.....
 Working with the animal control guy it was obvious too many people get dogs for all the wrong reasons...Then the dog become a burden and it winds up outside unattended being a neighborhood nuisance...And the worst part, these same dog owners don't notice or care..
 I bet you all take care of the dog like it's the family member that it is...
 

[Guzzistajohn]

I start my pups out at the local kennel club for puppy classes. And yes, they do use the "dreaded treat method" I think it's a good start and gets in some good socialization time and establishes who's the head of the pack. Later on voice tone and positive reinforcement is fine. And yes, they are family   

[yogidozer]

  I don't have any dogs at this time....Many of my friends and neighbors do have them...Problems I see are annoying barking, jumping up on people and shitting all over the yard....These behaviors are easy to change in a manner not mean to the dog if a person is consistent in their approach.....
 Working with the animal control guy it was obvious too many people get dogs for all the wrong reasons...Then the dog become a burden and it winds up outside unattended being a neighborhood nuisance...And the worst part, these same dog owners don't notice or care..
 I bet you all take care of the dog like it's the family member that it is...
 

this is true, that's why so many really good dogs wind up at Animal Control, ultimately loosing their lies.
as it's been said, there is a dog for every person, but not every person should have a dog.
that's why I urge people to volunteer at a shelter, animal control, or foster through a rescue

[Matt Story]

I would like to share something about corporal punishment in regards to house training.  I have now had 2 dogs in my adult life, and had 2 as a child.

On all the dogs except the current, the 'smack their ass, show them the offending spot and toss them outside' method was employed.  It worked, but with an unnecessary emotional cost to the dog.  I suppose it does firmly assert dominance.  The other way is better.  It's probably old news at this point.

For the current dog, I was encouraged to try positive reinforcement.  I was about to lose patience on the 'new' way when it came to fruition.  It seemed to be slow going.  I almost gave up on it.  Then one day I think a light went on for the dog.  Very minimal accidents from that point on. 

Beyond that, prevention of accidents by watching the dog and anticipating it's needs is the best policy.  After a meal, it is very predictable when they need to go.  Get in tune with their rhythms and be proactive.  Take them out frequently to urinate.  Associate a command with the action and heap praise every time they comply.  I believe I read that until a pup gets to a certain age (maybe 9mos?), they don't have full control of their faculties.  On my next dog, since I have a relatively small property, I will endeavor to train the dog to a certain area for potty breaks, which would be preferred to random places in the yard.  It's a good idea to get them used to going when on a leash which would help control the 'where' aspect.

I would second the idea of getting your pup used to having their teeth brushed from a young age.  It is difficult to condition an older animal to this kind of treatment.  Like ourselves, the benefits of healthy teeth will also represent a financial savings down the road.

Remove everything from the dogs reach that you don't want chewed.  Can't get it, can't ruin it.  Give them plenty of things it's OK to chew on.  Don't forget about leather coat sleeves dangling from a chair.  Anything of a similar texture is heaven to their growing gums and teeth.

Being a dog owner will

[Dave Swanson]

You will wonder how you ever got along without a dog from now on!

Here is our Ella right after we picked her up from Muley and his wife.



Here she is full grown next to her buddy, Riley

[Perazzimx14]

I would like to share something about corporal punishment in regards to house training.  I have now had 2 dogs in my adult life, and had 2 as a child.

On all the dogs except the current, the 'smack their ass, show them the offending spot and toss them outside' method was employed.  It worked, but with an unnecessary emotional cost to the dog.  I suppose it does firmly assert dominance.  The other way is better.  It's probably old news at this point.

For the current dog, I was encouraged to try positive reinforcement.  I was about to lose patience on the 'new' way when it came to fruition.  It seemed to be slow going.  I almost gave up on it.  Then one day I think a light went on for the dog.  Very minimal accidents from that point on. 

Beyond that, prevention of accidents by watching the dog and anticipating it's needs is the best policy.  After a meal, it is very predictable when they need to go.  Get in tune with their rhythms and be proactive.  Take them out frequently to urinate.  Associate a command with the action and heap praise every time they comply.  I believe I read that until a pup gets to a certain age (maybe 9mos?), they don't have full control of their faculties.  On my next dog, since I have a relatively small property, I will endeavor to train the dog to a certain area for potty breaks, which would be preferred to random places in the yard.  It's a good idea to get them used to going when on a leash which would help control the 'where' aspect.

I would second the idea of getting your pup used to having their teeth brushed from a young age.  It is difficult to condition an older animal to this kind of treatment.  Like ourselves, the benefits of healthy teeth will also represent a financial savings down the road.

Remove everything from the dogs reach that you don't want chewed.  Can't get it, can't ruin it.  Give them plenty of things it's OK to chew on.  Don't forget about leather coat sleeves dangling from a chair.  Anything of a similar texture is heaven to their growing gums and teeth.

Being a dog owner will

The day we licked up out 1st GSP the breeded said this dog has a good bladder. The 1st thing she did when we brought her inside was piss on the floor. The wife and I looked at eah other rolle our eyes and thought the breeder was full of it. That was the one and only accident Sadie had in the house in the 12+ years she was with us.


Our 2nd GSP took frever to house bread like almost a year. A fellow at works neighbor has Holly's brother and they expierenced the same thing. The breeded kept the pups in a the den and let them reieve thems selves on the carpet as the carpet was getting replaced once the litter was gone. So we think her and her litter mates thought that carpet as for pissing on.


Then one day she stopped and has been excellent. There was no raising a hand to her, no yelling no screaming it just took time and persistnece. Just like the other GSP as long as she's laying in bed she wont get up to pee she'll stay tucked away under the covers for 10, 12+ hours. I'll get up she stays in bed and about 10:30am she'll wonder out to the TV room and want to go out to pee.

[Rich A]

Well, it's taken me 60 years but we've finally collected our first dog today.

Stevex: Another thing--I'd encourage you to start working on the maintenance tasks--brushing, nail clipping, toothbrushing, etc.--from the beginning. For tooth brushing start out by putting a little doggy toothpaste (don't use the human stuff; it isn't good for dogs) on a q-tip and let the dog lick it. With time, start touching Stan's teeth; then progress to a small tooth brush.

https://www.facebook.com/rich.arimoto/videos/1783333595014193/

Doggy dental bills are very expensive!

Rich A

[oldbike54]

You will wonder how you ever got along without a dog from now on!

Here is our Ella right after we picked her up from Muley and his wife.



Here she is full grown next to her buddy, Riley

 Uh , Dave , that second shot , those two while looking all cute and innocent are actually plotting , keep a weather eye out or you will come home one day to find out there has been a coup 

 Dusty

[Sykestone8886]

My two favorite things. My two dogs. Scooter (black American lab) Lincoln (English fox hound) and riding my new stornello. Wish I could figure out how to post pics.

[Lannis]

Stevex: Another thing--I'd encourage you to start working on the maintenance tasks--brushing, nail clipping, toothbrushing, etc.--from the beginning. For tooth brushing start out by putting a little doggy toothpaste (don't use the human stuff; it isn't good for dogs) on a q-tip and let the dog lick it. With time, start touching Stan's teeth; then progress to a small tooth brush.

https://www.facebook.com/rich.arimoto/videos/1783333595014193/

Doggy dental bills are very expensive!

Rich A

There's another way, maybe.   Jack HATED getting his teeth brushed, it was aggravating for both of us.

Then we discovered Dentastix and knobbly Nylabones.    One Dentastix a day as a treat at lunchtime with us, and a couple of Nylabones in his toy box (he's a HARD and aggressive chewer), and Jack's teeth are all there, gleaming white and tartar-less at age 8-1/2; compliments from the vet at every yearly checkup and no tooth-brushing.   If he weren't such a hard chewer, I don't know if it would work, but it works for him ....

Lannis