Extra special surprise for DK members!!!!

[Jess & Stewart]

Boy do I have treat for all of you! I was able to get a video of Stew's guarding. The dog butt hook I have his leash hanging on fell to the ground & of course our lovely Stew couldn't resist guarding it.

Ironically, it actually wasn't too bad. I ended up able to redirect him into a sit, he dropped it, then went nuts over it again. Was able to redirect him again away from it & out to go for a walk.

Will post the video when I am back at my computer.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I had a hard time doing the corrections with another collar attached to it. What do you use as a closure instead of pinching the prongs?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I had collars made by this site:
http://leashesbydesign.com/ProngCollars/ProngCollars.html
I have written about them on DK.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

F, Did you get the chrome or stainless steel collars?

[Jess & Stewart]

To all the posters in this link, I was never advised to use a prong on Stew. my trainer doesn't use them and said he wouldn't be the trainer to ask if I wanted to start using one. Since the guarding is unpredictable somewhat, I guess I'd have to use one with him all the time to insure it was on if he did guard something and I'm not sure I'd want to since he doesn't need it during walks etc. 

I do know how to use a prong collar. I've had training sessions with the collar on my mom's boxer mix, the only time her prong collar is used is during walks because she pulls so hard, that nothing has really helped. We think she has beagle in her and her prey drive is insane. They live in FL near a preserve and there are always rabbits, armadillos, squirels etc running around our development. It's just a regular stainless steel prong collar that we attach to a leather leash. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Stainless to avoid staining their fur.

[Stella]

I don't think a prong collar is a good idea for Jess. They need to be used skilfully, in the hands of an experienced and confidant handler. Not by someone who is uncertain, inexperienced and frustrated. In these hands the collar could do a lot more harm than good.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I don't know how they can do more harm than good, but it is good to be in the hands of a confident handler.  I have pronged collars and use them when I am walking more than one dog.  I put them on the dogs as we get out of the car and take them off as soon as we get back from the walk.  I would not leave them on the dogs, but some people do leave them on.  I walked three dogs with two on pronged collars and the little guy on a harness.  That was it was possible to walk three dogs at one time.  A quick correction is all they need to get their attention.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree with Stella 100%. 

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

Hi Jess, I know a few people have asked but when you give commands to Stew do you always converse with him or do you use simple commands? For example, when I want Oliver to leave something alone I say clearly and sternly "Oliver, LEAVE IT" not "Oliver, it's time to leave it." This is so that the commands are simple one to two word commands. The only command that I say routinely in an excited way is "Oliver, COME HERE." the reason being my trainer said that "come" should always sound really happy and exciting.

If Oliver is on a leash and isn't paying attention to "leave it," I just give him a firm tug and say "Oliver, RIGHT HERE" to get him to come to my side. I know he doesn't want to leave it, but I know he's only 30lbs and I'm the boss. I know you say that Stew might bite you if you did this but have you tried being firm, calm, and authoritative? Also, has Stew ever actually bit you or are you just scared that he might? Growling isn't the end of the world and doesn't always led to biting, and you might be reinforcing to Stew that his growling gets you scared and you'll give in out of fear. Stew should be praised when he stops growling and then give him back the object to show that you have no intention of stealing his item.   

[Jess & Stewart]

I don't always converse with him. I think it comes out when I get frustrated that he's just so focused on what he has. He bit me once when he was like 5 months old I think. He barely drew blood and still had those sharp puppy teeth. He's never actually come for me and gotten a hold and bitten down hard, but he has come at me, nipped like crazy, ripped holes in clothes etc. The last time it happened that way I ended up getting part of it on video, you could hear Stew but didn't see him go for my ankle. I had stepped in front of my fridge with my back to Stew and all the sudden he was growling, going crazy at my heels. I put my foot up to sort of get space between us & my shoe fell off my foot. He then guarded the shoe LOL. My trainer suggested that I don't turn my back to Stew after that. I used to turn my back to him like to ignore him when he had something, I mostly did this on walks and it seemed to set him off to want to go after my ankles. 

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

How many different trainers have you had? I'm just wondering if using too many different training approaches has confused Stew. It's important to be consistent, because even within positive training there's a lot of differences. You might even be combining approaches that are in opposition to each other.

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

Also, regarding the cab situation, have you tried using Uber? The drivers are pretty nice about taking dogs. Also, in Seattle, we take Oliver on public transportation all the time (light rail, bus, and ferry) without issue.