Training - Experiences, Challenges, and Mindsets

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Comment by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on June 12, 2014 at 2:36pm

Hi Cindy,

I don't know if you saw the discussion that Adina and Clark put out a couple weeks ago on Training with a Webinar conducted by Clark and "Doggy Dan".  I thought it was really great information and so I subscribed to the website for a month to really understand this training approach.  I think it's a balance approach with very specific examples included in the videos.  There is also an ebook available to order that looks excellent.  There is also a "puppy trainer" who I think does a wonderful job with Doodle puppies.  She has several excellent videos on YouTube...search Alyson Rodges.  I totally agree that dogs should learn to "work" for affection and I think there are great benefits to tethering a puppy.

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on June 12, 2014 at 2:36pm

I guess I just don't understand the point of bells. In order for a dog to "use the bell to tell me he had to go outside to go potty", he first has to understand that he needs to go potty outside, not inside. A bell can't teach that. A well-bred and well-raised puppy may have learned the basics of "potty outside" from his mother or his breeder, yet all puppies don't come from those kinds of backgrounds. There is a clear difference between learning to do potty outside and learning to tell someone that you need to do that.

My dogs are never that far away from me that they need to ring a bell to summon me from another part of the house, lol. 

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on June 12, 2014 at 2:29pm

So what did you do when you left the house, if he was only crated at bedtime and dinnertime?

Comment by Gwyndolyn Morasko on June 12, 2014 at 2:20pm

I guess that I was very lucky with Kona being a quick learner about using the bell to tell me that he had to go outside  to go potty.  He got the basic concept in just a few days at 10 weeks old when I started him on the bell and was using it 100% of the time within about 10 days after starting him on it.  He did understand that he needed to potty outside, and the bell was his way of getting me to open the door for him.   

As for crating...I really only crated him for bedtime and my dinner time (so he learned to rest quietly while I ate dinner)  with very few "timeouts" in the crate.  So I didn't feel a need for tethering. I can count on one hand the number of "accidents" in the house and that was in the first two weeks before I got serious about the bell training.  It was a bit exhausting keeping such a watchful eye on him, so maybe that's why some people tether so they don't have to be as worried and watchful.  I just never thought about doing it.  

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on June 12, 2014 at 2:04pm

As for training methods, different dogs require different approaches. Most training methods will work for most dogs if you are patient and consistent. Certain individuals may need a softer or "tougher" approach. 

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on June 12, 2014 at 2:02pm

The point of tethering is that a pup cannot be confined 24 hours a day, yet cannot be allowed to be loose and unsupervised, so by tethering, the pup has some freedom when you cannot watch him. It allows the puppy to be near you, too, which he can't be when you are busy and he is crated or gated in some other part of the house. The only way to reliably housebreak a dog is to catch him in the act of making a mistake so that you can correct him immediately and show him where he should have gone. Every missed "accident" reinforces the behavior you don't want. It also prevents chewing or ingesting inappropriate objects.

Regarding bells, first the dog has to understand that he is supposed to do his business outdoors. Once he understands that, bells may give him a way to let you know that he needs to go outdoors, but they really have nothing to do with teaching the basic idea of doing your business outdoors and not indoors. I've always had reliably housebroken puppies by the age of 4 months and never used bells. 

Comment by Gwyndolyn Morasko on June 12, 2014 at 1:33pm

The private trainer I used for 6 weeks after my rescue joined the family taught  me to be consistent with growling my disapproval of whatever was a negative behavior.  It does help.  Kona is quick to know I'm not pleased with his behavior when I growl. Maggie (my rescue girl) is so obedient, that I never have to growl at her.  But I do have to remind Kona every now and then still that I'm alpha by standing up and growling when I need him to quit barking or begging.  (He gets ZERO table food and never has in 20 months, so I don't know why he bothers to continue asking for it...silly boy)

Comment by Gwyndolyn Morasko on June 12, 2014 at 1:29pm

I've only trained one puppy from baby puppyhood, so I'm not an expert, but I'm soooooooo happy that I went with teaching him to ring the bell at the back door to go potty! I got Kona at 8 weeks and by 10 weeks he was pretty consistent with always ringing the bell for potty, and by 12 weeks it was 100% of the time.  When I got my second puppy (she was a 10 month old rescue), she learned how to use the bell in less than 24 hours.  Between me showing her once, and Kona (also 10 months old at that time) showing her a few times that first day, she had it down pat.  LOVE it!!!!  They are 20 months old now.  

I did use treats for very early training with Kona and then weaned him off to just praise and "Yes!" followed by a kiss and petting by the time he was about 4 months old.  The clicker worked very well but I couldn't count on myself to have it with me every single time, but I could count on me to be able to say"Yes!" every time, so I switched to that within a week of trying the clicker.  I never tried tethering him, so I can't comment on that one.  I just could never really understand what the point was about tethering.....is it to make sure they aren't peeing in another room?  

Comment by Cindy and Olive (Ollie) on June 12, 2014 at 10:18am

Hi training group, i am a confused new puppy owner. With so many different schools of thought on training (treat rewards, no treat reward, clicker, etc.) I am unsure and overwhelmed on how to proceed with the lil guy. We are in puppy kindergarten, which is very treat reward based, but the private trainer i hired says it is better to make them work for praise and then tug on leash when negative behavior. Despite all confusion, he is doing well with potty training and behaviors. We are mostly tethered (exhausting!) It is our first family dog, so any reassurances and suggestions are appreciated, thx.

Comment by Stephanie and Ragley on May 27, 2014 at 9:56am

YAY! I suspected that might be the big news you were talking about! Well done! I also love doing classes with Ragley! It creates such an amazing bond!

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