lol this site is so full of it

[smkie]

Wag Reflex: Ten Things Every Dog Owner Should Know
Why was I not surprised when I found it was from Barkbusters.

I disagree with a great deal here. In fact I didn't finish reading it. I couldn't get past the first few paragraphs. How in the world can a business be built on this? I despise Bark Busters

For the record, Victor understands more English than any dog I have ever had. Say birds he looks at the sky. say Squirrels his head will shoot around to the trees. Say night squirrels and he will run around the room or base of the building looking for mice and that is just the beginning.
Bronki was as spiteful as could be the day he urinated (the one and only time indoors in 7 years) on Garg's bed. Garg was Bronki's pia roomate and the two dogs despised each other. On this day Garg had been particularly ugly. Bronki had not done this before in 5 months and he never did it again. He made his statement and he was done.

Victor tore up my bed the day I put Butch in VICTOR'S car and drove him a block home. They are not spiteful my arse.

I give dogs a lot more credit than this site does.
Do you agree or disagree?
Maybe we need to come up with our own top 10.

 

[bubbatd]

I disagree with most of it !!! Ollie sure knows English !

 

[Blue_Dog]

That's sad. You can post comments though, I did just to point out the issues in the article.

 

[smkie]

So what would be your top ten...of even number one?

Keep it fair and appropriate to age i think would be my first. Don't ask what a dog is too young for...dont' expect success in a month..don't ever dominate..someone on here posted it best but I dont' remember who said it..so Chazhound sorta qoute.."you dominate by fact that you cue them to sit, down and so on. You don't have to do a bit more than be their leader...I will add Fairly to that. Treat them the way you would want to be treated. THat is exactly how i reached into Pepper's distrust of all that stood on 2 legs. I dont' think she had experienced that before and that is why she quit the human race altogether.
I don't know how to say what I want to say. My boss had three rules that I said to every puppy owner that left our kennel...maybe this says it best.

1. Make sure they are having 50 percent of the fun.
2. Never give a command you do not enforce.
3. Always leave them wanting more.

maybe that is just enough. ....kinda nice to post it on here in memory of all that he taught me. I can hear his old man cackle in my head at the stuff that was written. He would have scoffed, laughed at the thought of it, and lit his pipe.

 

[mrose_s]

Sophie always knew english. After 3 years of not moving faster than a shlow amble, my stepdad sugested "go on Soph, take a running leap" she did to, took off as fast as she could and tried for the back of the ute.
Anotether time Mum was coming up from the back paddocks, she was taking the dogs for a run and had forgotten her phone, just as she headed back to the house she said "stay down here, I'm only getting my phone" the other dogs followed her but Sophie just sat down and waited. Not really like her, if Soph thought we were heading inside she'd be right on our heals. She was special.

 

[mrose_s]

1. Set your dog up for success.
Don't wait for a fail so they can teach whats "wrong"

2. Be patient.
You dog is learning a new language, be fair

3. Be consistent.
If you change the rules all the time its confusing.

I think if your fair, consitent and make the time your on the right road.

 

[Snark]

Is it just me or did I detect a bit of CM in that list?

Riley is only 8 months old and he's already learning, "Not in the bushes!" means stop herding your jolly ball into the woods (and poison oak). He also knows, "Go get wet." means stop running around the gardens like a crazy dog, go jump in your pool and cool off. His pool is about 50 yards from the gardens, so it's not some random action on his part.

 

[Maxy24]

I don't think the site was that bad. The dominance thing is stupid and annoying as always. In the "how to discipline" they talk about never using your hands to correct which I agree with, of course it's funny because they use shock collars instead, I think they care more about the dog not associating the punishment with you then about how much pain they inflict on the animal. They say to set the dog up to fail so that you can punish him, I think that is disgusting.

I don't believe dogs are spiteful, they can get upset and upset dogs often do "bad" behaviors to relieve stress (chewing, digging, urinating, barking, etc.). Dogs can also learn, if they learn certain behaviors get you to do certain things (that they want you to do more of) then they'll do it more. But to be spiteful the dog must be angry with you, must be aware of your feelings when he does certain behaviors, enjoy when you feel angry, then use the behavior that he knows makes you angry when he's angry with you to make himself feel better. I don't buy it personally. I don't believe a dog can KNOW what someone else feels. They may know what behavior you do when you are angry and may not like those behaviors (why they may try to comfort us when we are sad/angry), he may understand that something is wrong with you and try to stop it, but I don't believe he actually understands what you feel, can feel what you are feeling and empathize. But who knows, I could very well be wrong, can't read their minds after all.

Dogs are not born knowing English of course, but I think they learn more words than we actually put effort into teaching. However nothing bothers me more than when people come up to our dogs at the shelter and start shouting at them to "sit!!" when they clearly have no idea what that means.

 

[corgipower]

How in the world can a business be built on this?

Built on what exactly? On saying that dogs don't understand English and aren't spiteful? As a dog trainer, somehow I just can't imagine being able to build a business if I were to tell people their dog can understand English...

A dog understanding "bird" "squirrel" "night squirrel" really isn't any more complex than a dog understanding "come" "down" "with me".

I have seen some amazing abilities to understand English that really have no explanation other than either dogs can understand everything we say (doubtful) or there can very well be an understanding on a different level -- psychic perhaps. The latter I do give some believability to, but that's not exactly something I can tell to clients and it's not teachable and it either is or it isn't.

As for spite, I think Maxy explained it much better than I could.

I do not however agree with their use of punishment and setting the dog up to fail.

 

[smkie]

I think they understand so much more than English it isn't funny. I think that they understand our body language, our smells, and if it were Mary, my thoughts. I think this site dumbs dogs up and that to me is annoying. That's just my opinion.

As to English..how exactly did you learn that a bird was a bird or a squirrel was a squirrel without someone telling you, and does that word make you think of a specific animal? It does me, and I think that speaking English.

 

[ihartgonzo]

9. What is the right way to discipline a dog?
Since dogs cannot reason like humans, they are not deliberately naughty, despite what many people might think. Instead, their behavior is always determined by either instinct or experience. A dog will do only what comes naturally or what it has learned through association; therefore, it is not productive (or even logical) for humans to get angry with a dog. Moreover, physical force is both inappropriate and counterproductive. This includes using your hands for correcting. Since dogs do not have hands, they find that form of discipline to be provocative and threatening. For this reason, dog owners should use their hands as little as possible when training, and when you do, dogs must always associate your hands with gentleness and pleasure. Because dogs learn from association, they will comprehend your message only if it is delivered in a timely manner. A correction must be issued at the precise moment the dog is either contemplating or actually doing something wrong. Sometimes it may be difficult to catch your dog in the act, but you can create situations that will cause a dog to misbehave and then correct it on the spot.

I find this paragraph amazing... as the BB trainers I know are allll about corrections, biteyhands, and so fourth. It's super hypocritical in and of itself. "Dogs shouldn't view your hands as a bad thing - but if you use your hands to give them a harsh collar correction, no biggy. Dogs aren't smart enough to associate your motion with the correction they get each time." D: duhhh

My top three would be:

1. Be the most pleasant, fun, trustworthy thing in your dog's universe. I want my dogs to love other people/dogs/things... and that is not obtainable if my dog fears me. I feel that corrections violate their trust in me; if they cannot trust me, who can they trust?
2. Recognize your dog's thresholds, and respect them. A shut down dog is not a happy dog or an obedient dog.
3. Cherish the little things. Don't sweat the small stuff. Don't even TRY to work with your dog if you're frustrated or pissy. So many people get too caught up in being the alpha, or training, or feeling in control, and they forget why they have a dog. Enjoy them! Have a sense of humor.

 

[Saeleofu]

Built on what exactly? On saying that dogs don't understand English and aren't spiteful? As a dog trainer, somehow I just can't imagine being able to build a business if I were to tell people their dog can understand English...

A dog understanding "bird" "squirrel" "night squirrel" really isn't any more complex than a dog understanding "come" "down" "with me".

:hail:

 

[Paige]

Im pretty sure my dog has human like intelligence. I catch him doing things all the time when he thinks I am asleep on the couch that are just NOT dog like. Like jumping onto the counter, removing the lid off of a pot of rice and chicken, removing the chicken, silently inhailing it, putting the lid back on the pot and hoping down as quietly as possible. He may not understand English but that boy can problem solve. He observes everything and teaches himself to mimick it. It's frightening.