Dog Training

R

ronk

Lifer
 Durham
From previous posts, Im sure there are a lot of dog people on the Forum and I would like to pick from your wisdom.

My daughter has just bought a Boxer puppy, its a brindle bitch. house training is going ok (but I hope its perfect before she brings it to my house!) My question is, should she train it to the whistle? Ive seen a lot of Gun dogs worked to the whistle and wondered if she should go down this route. The dog is a family pet

Any advice would be appreciated :thumbsup:
 
Well ive never trained any dogs to whistles surely thats just for working dogs.. mind you I've only ever had well behaved mutts :D for family pets a very small tasty treat is usually enough to bring most dogs round to simple training
 
The important thing in training a dog is consistency. Whatever route you choose all family members should try to use the same words/rewards etc. We have have trained quite a few dogs over the years. If you can find some local dog training classes to attend that will help a lot and also encourage the dog to socialise. Good luck with it. Some dogs are easier to train than others but when you have some success it is really rewarding. :thumbsup:
 
I found this book to be really good:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Puppy-Take-Britains-Number/dp/060061722X/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=59072065331&dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2O39BRBjEiwApB2Iku0ZLyKTkUWC5J3WmELBijluZlElcpT4z5lomUU49Wq5_lq_dH2UlRoCPA4QAvD_BwE&hvadid=259091723014&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9046212&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3885077873551544582&hvtargid=kwd-298980832540&hydadcr=28152_1752810&keywords=the+perfect+puppy&qid=1606165367&sr=8-1&tag=googhydr-21
 
I thought about a whistle as my daughter has the dog during the day while my son in law is at work - he tends to work long days and wondered if the one pitch whistle would be better than two different voices of command?

I will have a look for the book gG72 - maybe a good stocking filler!

The puppy classes would have been high on the list had it not been for C19 :thumbsdown:

The dog seems to be quite intelligent and seems to respond quite well - Its only 20 weeks old so early days yet.
 
Most dogs are keen to please If it is food orientated and responds well to treats that does make life easier too. Hopefully, if the vaccine roll out is efficient your daughter won’t have to wait too long before finding some training classes. :thumbsup:
 
Routine and consistency provides a dog with Security but they do need to know that you are the Alpha of the pack which comes with a balance of love & firmness but fairness.

Also respect their bed as their space and somewhere they can go for peace & quiet.

It’s always worked with mine.

Good luck with yours
 
As others have said... practice and consistency and then practice some more. Try and expose the puppy to as many new things as possible. Sights and sounds all help the, become a well adjusted dog. I know that’s not so easy at the moment but hopefully will be soon.

A whistle can work and it’s not always for gun dogs but it’s what stimulates the dog. Some are more food focussed, some toy focussed. It’s what’s best to shape the behaviour. Reward the good and ignore the bad. There’s no point in keep saying no, no, no a
L the time. It doesn’t mean anything after a while.
 
Good luck. Good choice tho. We have a 2 and a half year old and he's pretty good with recall and off lead etc. Ours responds to short whistles most of the time but they are quite a stubborn breed and if they see something they find interesting no amount of whistles will see them come back. Great fun breed the tho. Screenshot_2020-11-24-07-32-51-98.jpg
 
Well we've had ours for 18 months now and training has gone well.
She now has us exactly where she wants us. :roll:
IMG_1007.JPG
 
Regarding getting the puppy used to sounds...I bought something on Apple Music called "Sounds for Hounds". It's just a collection of noises (traffic, fireworks, machinery) that I played in the background when playing with my dog when he was a puppy. I'd like to think this is the reason he's not scared of fireworks.

Edit: Actually I may have bought the CD/MP3s and loaded them onto Apple Music

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sounds-Hounds-Noise-Therapy-Nervous/dp/B0079A7HDC
 
enuff_zed said:
Well we've had ours for 18 months now and training has gone well.
She now has us exactly where she wants us. :roll:
IMG_1007.JPG
Click to expand...

Love that photo, :lol: :thumbsup:
 
enuff_zed said:
Well we've had ours for 18 months now and training has gone well.
She now has us exactly where she wants us. :roll:
IMG_1007.JPG
Click to expand...

They’re both planning the perfect spot for disposing of your body the next time you give the OH too much cheek :rofl:
 
Argyll Andy said:
enuff_zed said:
Well we've had ours for 18 months now and training has gone well.
She now has us exactly where she wants us. :roll:
IMG_1007.JPG
Click to expand...

They’re both planning the perfect spot for disposing of your body the next time you give the OH too much cheek :rofl:
Click to expand...

More a case of "Do something Dad, I buried a pig's ear there! It needs to marinade for at least another day before I drag it all round the house!"
 
I've been keeping dogs since the mid 1960s and it seems to me that many dog owners these days don't teach their dogs basic discipline. Dogs should be taught to walk at heel on a short lead and should learn to sit or stand quietly. The use of retractable leads do not help at all.
 
ronk said:
exdos said:
The use of retractable leads do not help at all.
Click to expand...

One of the worst ever inventions in my opinion!
Click to expand...

Even worse are the harnesses. Just give the dog something to lean into with their shoulders and pull.
I was brought up with police Alsatians (before they got all pretentious and became German Shepherds), and the basic choke chain was the perfect tool. A quick tug to remind them and then as soon as you ease off it goes slack again.
 
Choke chain :thumbsup:
When I had a boxer dog in my teenage years that’s what I used - my dog would happily walk to heal with a slack leash.
 
ronk said:
Choke chain :thumbsup:
When I had a boxer dog in my teenage years that’s what I used - my dog would happily walk to heal with a slack leash.
Click to expand...

Works a treat on an Alsatian. Quick snap to remind them then it goes slack again.
On a miniature dachshund however, I have a feeling I'd be left with a body on a lead and the head about 20 ft behind me :D
 
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