What's the best advice you've ever gotten??

[rabidpecan]

This is along the same lines as the recent post about training issues and methods, but I thought I'd get a little more specific. It's kind-of nice to just have one post where people can put out some of the most useful things they have learned in training their dogs, and maybe we can still learn from each other.

For me personally, I think the best advice I've gotten so far was from Sue about feeding your dog in their crate so that they won't poop in there. I was having a lot of issues with Winnie, to the point that we wouldn't stay out with friends for very long because we knew if we did we'd come home to a dog and a crate in need of some serious cleaning. But ever since I fed her in her crate she has never once pooped in there again. Nor has she pooped in any other part of the house since I feed her in random places all the time.

I also have to add that the advice I recieved on here about feeding Winnie pumpkin when her stool is soft (or if she is consitpated) has been extremely helpful. And also the tip about freezing the pumpkin in an icecube tray to keep it longer.

So what's the best advice you've ever gotten??

[lmtoth2]

I don't know if this is the best...but it's the first advice that comes to mind

Kirby was a bit overly alpha when we got him - we were advised to make the doodles (both of them) sit and wait until we give them the OK to eat their food. This really helped us to get Kirby to see us as the alpha (and was just extra training for Dexter)

[Sandi&theBees]

Best Advice: A tired puppy (or dog) is a good puppy! Of course, some are easier to tire than others!

[gene]

Originally Posted by Sandi&theBees

Best Advice: A tired puppy (or dog) is a good puppy! Of course, some are easier to tire than others!

Ditto!!

[MySweetDoodle]

Best piece of advise?

Be consistent!

And have everybody in the house be consistent in whatever the *rules* of your training are. The dogs will learn so much more easily because they will know what is expected of them.

[annabelles mom]

you didnt specify best advise about dogs so I'll have to say best advise I ever got was from

my Daddy - "always be honest and true to yourself"

[blueteal]

The best for me was being told to go and get a gentle leader to teach Denver not to pull
It worked wonders and will be used for Ryder before he starts to pull...............

[Tink]

Puppies are cute and tiny... but only for a short while; so anything you won't want a 70 lb dog to do, don't let your puppy get used to doing. It's much harder to break a bad habit once it's developed than to prevent it from forming.

[Jac]

For us, the best advice was from this forum and it deals with dogs jumping up onto people. Take their paws in your hands, and hold their paws above their head so that they are not comfortable (not to hurt them) and when they are "begging" you to release them, put them down and praise them...giving all of the love and affection they craved when they jumped. Repeat as necessary...usually after 3 times, our dogs catch themselves before they jump, that is when they REALLY get praised!

The best command I ever learned, and I just stumbled onto it, is the "settle" command. Once they understand "settle" it can be used for just about anything.

[lindamarie]

I think it would be..............

Never give your dog a command that YOU can't follow through on.

So, if your dog is across the yard and you tell him/her to SIT, you need to have a way to immediately reinforce the command if the dog doesn't follow through.

[rabidpecan]

Ooooooooooooo......Jac! That's a good one! I was just wondering how on earth to stop Winnie from jumping on me, so I'll have to try that one. Does it work in the kitchen too? I had read in a book to keep her on a leash and step on it so she can't jump, but I did that one for weeks with no affect, and her paws are already on the counter. It has to stop before she can get her face up there.

[Jac]

Hmmm, I have never tried it for counter surfing...but I don't know if it would have the same effect. The reason, I believe, is that when they jump on us they are trying to get close to us and get our attention...when they get the attention and it is not the kind they want, nor the kind they like they won't keep trying...but counter surfing is for a totally different "reward", to find out what is good on the counter to eat...still, it just might do the trick and is certainly worth a try. If it does work, please let us know!!!

[seazr]

Originally Posted by Jac

For us, the best advice was from this forum and it deals with dogs jumping up onto people. Take their paws in your hands, and hold their paws above their head so that they are not comfortable (not to hurt them) and when they are "begging" you to release them, put them down and praise them...giving all of the love and affection they craved when they jumped. Repeat as necessary...usually after 3 times, our dogs catch themselves before they jump, that is when they REALLY get praised!

The best command I ever learned, and I just stumbled onto it, is the "settle" command. Once they understand "settle" it can be used for just about anything.

"Settle!!" works good on husbands too!!!

[PlainJane]

Say your command ONCE (make sure you have eye contact first)............ if you don't get the response you want, DON'T say "NO" -- and don't yell !!!

BE SILENT and just turn and WALK AWAY......... come back 2-3 min later and try it again ...... and again.........and again........until you get the reaction you want and BE QUICK to PRAISE, PRAISE and treat, treat, treat if it comes.

If it fails after 3 tries, it's your technique -- not your doodle -- CHANGE your technique.

It's truely amazing what happens when you take the boring word "NO" out of the human vocabulary.

[MaxandMe]

"what you don't want them doing tomorrow , don't let them do today" thus training daily comes into play
or if you don't want a dog to knock you over, teach them to sit and wait for OKAY or learn WAIT , etc.


AND
HUMOR goes a long ways!! is the other piece of advice i use daily.