Pet Care: Care and Training - Questions?

[Turtleheadfred]

Do you have any questions regarding the care or training of your pet? I'm trying to do some threads that might interest everyone - but I know we have member with pets other than dogs and cats.

I'm sure we have some bird parents, some hermit crab mommy's, and I think some rodent families as well as fish folk!

I may not have the answer immediately - but if there something you'd like to know - please ask it here - and I'll find out an answer for you and post it in a thread under the appropriate title as soon as I feel I've found the best answer for you!

:crossed: Ask away!

[yonksgirl]

I am getting my Min Pin on April 1st. I have been reading a book about training it said that you should only use the treat method where when ever they do something they get a treat. My best friend who has three dog and has paid outragious (sp?) amounts of money to get them trained said that only the choker method works. Do you have any experiance with this? I am so afraid to use the choker I do not want my puppy to be scared af me!

[Turtleheadfred]

We have used a combination of both with our dogs.

I can tell you that it is determined by the temprament of your dog and breed. Let me explain....

German Shepherds and strong herding dogs of that nature tend to NEED more agressive training. I'm not saying that you "abuse" the dogs in any way, but you do have the chain collars so that you can tighten up on them to get their attention - and with those types - you may have to be more firm.

However, with Labradors, Setters, etc. - those breeds are very "soft hearted" breeds - and if you handle them too rough, they will completely shut down on you and refuse to work... they get their feelings hurt! With them, you have to use more voice tone commands, rewards and the chain choke collars to get their attention when they're really not listening.

In reading about your breed, you should be able to find out what is best for that type, and then with your particular dog, you'll be able to tell what's working best.

If you can spend time each day with your dog, you'll find that your results are going to be better. They LOVE to please you - so the more you work with them and they learn to do what you want, the happier they are going to be.

We do have choke collars on both of our pups, but again, they are used judiciously and more during the "training phase" when they're just NOT listening and doing as they're told. My husband does best with the collar - I do better with just tone of voice. Together - the two work pretty well, but I will admit, my babies behave MUCH BETTER for my husband than they do for me!

Oh, and when I say "choke collar", I'm talking about just the chain link collars that link through themselves... NOT the collars with those barbs that go into the pups neck! I've NEVER seen anyone use those - NOT EVEN at K9 for the police department - and that's where we learned to train our dogs.

Does that help any? Would you like me to see if I can find out more about MinPins?

[rdy2rac with]

I used a choker-esque technique with Winston (English Bulldog). I used a regular collar & a short leash (so that he could go no farther than right by my side). With such an intimidating dog I knew it was in everyone's best interest to train him to walk at my side instead of in front of me. I used a regular collar fitted tightly but without choking him (probably a notch tighter than is recommended). With the short leash he was restricted to staying at my side & if he tried to go farther or faster it resulted in a slight choke action until he slowed back down. In a way he sort-of trained himself. He learned to stay at my side & walk at the pace I was using. Now (8 years later) there are times when I don't have to hold onto his leash tightly (if at all). Even at the track this past race when I was walking him I basically let the leash hang on my wrist (so I could grab it easily if needed). I do still have to hold the leash tightly when I notice other dogs because he is not the most social with other dogs (my little meany).