Training Sadness

[sassafras]

Oh god one week at Rally Squash FINALLY mastered the one where you put them in a stand, then walk away and have them down from a distance, and I stopped and had a huge party right there, just jumping around goofing off and YAYAYAYAYing. There were only like two signs left anyway and I didn't care.

The instructor said "Oh, I think you missed a couple signs... oh, wait. I get it. Carry on." lol. THAT'S my kind of trainer. <3

 

[yoko]

I hate statements like that :/

XD Whenever Yoshi learns something new I act like she just made the biggest discovery of dogkind. She gets pets, she gets high voice, she hears the word good a LOT.

 

[Finkie_Mom]

I will never understand that kind of thinking.

I, also, praise and still sometimes treat when they potty. Even on walks!

 

[Fran101]

That's sad
Training..working with your dog..isn't it supposed to be fun?

How do we expect dogs to enjoy it and WANT to work with us if it's a drag and they get no praise from us?

 

[BostonBanker]

THAT'S my kind of trainer. <3

My trainer has threatened to use a rubber band gun on people who forget to praise/reward. Which probably goes against positive training, but that might be the point!

My dogs get praised for being in the same room as me, looking at me, getting on the bed, breathing in an especially cute manner...they both kind of rock.

 

[Dekka]

Dekka must be on her last legs. I constantly tell her how awesome she is. And she takes everything as praise. Even BAD DOG.

Hmm I wonder what you do with a dog that takes ANY interaction as mild praise. But takes praise as her due and doesn't exactly work for it. Ie she finds her own praise.

The whippets would be crushed. If you don't give them some sort of feedback that they are doing well they shut down.

That said when training I am not huge on praise except for the whippets. They JRTs just don't give a darn. The are totally srs and just want the food/ball/toy etc. Praise is irrelevant.

In general I find dogs who work for praise are either those weirdo herding breed dogs p) or dogs who are trained harshly and praise is a no punishment marker.

 

[sassafras]

My trainer has threatened to use a rubber band gun on people who forget to praise/reward. Which probably goes against positive training, but that might be the point!

One night, a woman in class was getting really frustrated with her dog because the dog just wasn't really doing anything she asked. Really unenthusiastic, wandering off, taking 3-4 cues to sit at halts, stuff like that. But the woman wasn't giving the dog ANY positive feedback when she finally DID, for example, sit. First the trainer just said something like "you're not rewarding her for doing it right" and the woman said something like "she's not doing anything she should get a reward for."

Finally, about halfway through the second course, the trainer asked to take the dog through herself. And the dog was perfect. Flawless, and super enthusiastic. All because the trainer was giving her constant feedback, happy talk, praise, and treats for doing things correctly. I wish everyone could see something like that happen, because it's a real eye opener and really makes you feel like you're doing it right if you're that person who gives constant feedback, happy talk, and praise.

 

[MyHorseMyRules]

I usually tell Raja she's a complete heathen that will never be allowed outside of the house again. So I guess she's okay. My other two are poisoned and near death, I expect.

 

[Linds]

Yeah, it's not even that I'm against people using correction or whatever they choose the train, that doesn't bother me really. What bothers me is that kind of attitude. To go into owning and training a dog with the thought that you have to make sure not to give them to just praise and reward or they'll be ruined.

I throw a party for my dogs all the time. It's fun. This is why I have dogs, to have fun.

 

[Catsi]

I have to say that it does make me sad when you see a lovely effort (no matter how big or small relevant to the dog's experience level) from a dog and the owner says nothing.

I'm far from perfect with my timing sometimes, but I love having a party! I love the constant feedback loop. If I wasn't going to interact with my dog when training, I wouldn't bother training at all.

I have one dog that is a very serious individual (avatar girl), rather difficult to motivate and really happy to find something better to do unless I make the training fun, fast and worthwhile for her. There is no way I could just ask her to do something and then not have any reward or motivation system. She'd just give me the finger and that would be the end. I like to see her happily working with me, excited and keen. But I have to work for it. One of the best gifts she's given me IMO, some hands on experience at how dogs don't do it for the love at all (I'm laughing at the suggestion now!) and the importance of finding the fun in what we do. She has value for a lot of what we do now (for example, she loves any form of shaping/tricks) but it has taken an awfully long time to get to that point.

 

[monkeys23]

Haha, I like to let Elsie out and watch her, and that way as soon as she's done, I can pop out and be all SURPRISE! GOOD POTTY! HAVE A SNACK! and she's like HOLY CRAP WHERE DID YOU COME FROM EVEN.

Omg that is the funniest thing EVER! :rofl1: