Dog Walkers/Owners

good for you Mum. When I would walk with my guys on the long country road at heel, from time to time I would break the long straight walk and do a quick square, this keeps them alert that mom is not always going to just walk straight, I have to keep attention. And, my correction verbal sounds became a deep throat sound, and a look. And of course a praise followed. I believe is short correction and longer praises. One thing I would do, if one of my guys was just lying there on the carpet, I 'd walk by and just bend down giving him a pet saying good boy for just lying there. To me this would reinforce "your just lying there all calm" and you get an atta boy.

Also, at family meal time, my guys were taught to down stay at the threshold of the dinning room, we do not believe in dogs fussing at the table.

I would love to say to puppy owners of large breed, they are so cute now, but what you let them do now, it will be hard to break when they are huge. Like the couch. yuck.

 

Thank you for the guidance Redstar... I can never get enough... Abi and I are both still learning! I never realised that a GSD was such a tough breed. Here's a short video of my niece doing a bit of training with Abi:



And this is just a few seconds showing my friend teaching her agility:



And the recall training (I was so busy filming that I forgot to get her to position herself afterwards though):



I bought her a scenting dummy and my son took a film of my niece hiding it before Abi had to seek (film is a bit shaky):



She is one very energetic rascal!

 

Kazzie, you have a WONDERFUL dog. and doing a GREAT JOB.
Keep up the good work. Give her a hug for me and kisses.

One line from a GSD book, "they are always in motion". Remember, a working dog they are, they want and need a mission, a job. Even if it is fun for you, to them it is fun and a job. She will settle as she ages.

And thanks for the videos.

 

What a great line... always in motion... that about sums her up!

 

Was thinking about something brilliant my GSD did one time. Thompson (his name) loved the water sprinkler, the kind that fans back and forth, up high etc. Also, he knew, he is not allowed to go into any gardens, and he did that very well, running around them all the time.

One day, I set the sprinkler at the edge of one garden and set the water fan part to only go into the garden area, so it moved up high then to the right, up high and to the right only.

So I happened to look out the window to check on the water etc. And there stood Thompson on the lawn looking at the sprinkler, his paws still on the lawn at the edge of the garden. He reached with his neck and grabbed the sprinkler with is mouth backing it out into the lawn area, setting it down correctly, and proceeded to play in the water having a great time. Yep, not one paw went in the garden.

 

They never cease to amaze... what a lovely story. The one time I remember being totally shocked by Abi's obedience was when a mother duck brought her 7 ducklings into the house via the back door. They were all trapped in the hall with Abi going mental at them. I really thought there was going to be a blood bath, but I said 'leave it' and 'back'. Abi retreated to the kitchen and not one duckling had been touched by her.

 

kazzie - I've tried the "leave it" command when Ozzy wants to chase my ducks ... we're still working on it

 

Mum... I trained her using high value treats. I used a lesser value treat thrown on the floor, told her to leave it and rewarded her with a piece of chicken. Please don't think Abi is good all the time... she has a long way to go yet!

 

Problem is Kazzie ... Ozzy thinks my ducks *are* the high value treat

*Note to self: must make more liver cake*

 

Here is my suggestion ladies, and it works. You do know when the chase to anything begins it is done, until he is bored.

While we live on a very safe kid friendly street, Thompson loved to chase the kids on their bike. Well of course that is major no. But, Thompson had a wonderful down stay make sure this is intack before you start this.
I positioned him by the edge property on the street line in a down stay and had one of the kids start down the hill for me. Now this is the important part you must watch the face of your dog, the eyes, the ears etc. When you think the though process will JUST ABOUT start formulating in his head, at that point (and the bike was near) at that point a loud NO and slap your hands hard. That thought disapates. From then on he never even gave heed to the bikes coming around on the street. It's my theory if you cut off the thought you do not want before it generates to the legs you can just about modify any behavior.

 

By the way, I never treat trained, it was all about him pleasing me. And my love for him.

 

I think if Ozzy had come to me as a pup, I would agree. Unfortunately, treats are his way of learning.

I have noticed one thing about him: he has one command which he obeys without fail - even if the word is spoken purely in conversation and not even directed at him; this gives me a little insight into the command which must have been prevalent in his previous homes and without treats.

Bed!

I think that is quite sad. He obeys even when it is me saying to Mr Mum: "I'm off to bed now", or, "I'm making the bed", or, "Number 1 son is [still] in bed"

Anyway, I have now booked him in to a dog training class (begins in a week), so we'll see how we get on.

That is great advice about watching his face and distracting him before thought reaches paws!

 

I've really enjoyed reading all your doggy stories , we lost our lab Fudge a year and a half ago now and still miss him, we used to love our walks and yes everyone was so friendly, I still do go out walking, having a dog for 25 years and walking every day I missed it so did start again after a while, when people see you walking in the woods though they always seem to look for your dog, sad when you can't go out walking alone without getting strange looks, won't put me off though .
Fudge was quite well trained, eventually lol, I used one of the clickers for training, which did involve treats, well labs do love their food ,the things he ate over the years, half a squirrel is one that sticks in the mind ,he knew every spot on his walks where he'd get a treat(he was never an overweight lab though, only the smallest biscuit treats), sitting on the kerb to cross the road etc,the funniest one was at 10.30 every night he always wanted to go to bed then and would sit in front on the television to let you know it was his bedtime lol, of course he had to have a small bedtime bicky, he'd do everything he was told until he saw another dog then all training went out the window, he just wanted to play with every dog he met, not always good but he never learned not all dogs are friendly .
Well quite a nice day here so off for a walk

 

Simbad... unfortunately my heart always beats a little faster when I see a guy out walking alone in the woods... it is a great shame to feel like this. And the lone walker is probably thinking to himself 'oh no... a German Shepherd... I hope she has it controlled on a lead'.

Sometimes I use liver cake treats to train Abi, sometimes not. Unfortunately she is not really food motivated... it is all about the flipping ball in this house! At all the classes she has attended they use teats. However, Redstar you are right... the things where my expectations of her are non negotiable, she obeys well without any reward e.g. at my sister's over Christmas... the minute food was being placed on the table all I had to do was to point to a remote place in the room and Abi went and laid down there... no words, she just knew.

Mum... I hope you both enjoy classes.

 

Sinbad, I know what you mean, about not having a dog and walks, it is still strange for me. Maybe one day again I will get another one. It was even into two years after my last passed on that store owners would still say where is your dog, so familiar to see him attached to me when out and about.

Kazzie, "really" treats in the classes, hum, not over here, none did. I know in some shows, (not obedience shows) the owner will "mouth" a treat to get the dog to look at his face, (yuck).

Kazzie, I think Abi is wonderful, keep your expectations high, she will meet everyone of them.