Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

Sometimes with dedicated pullers, simply changing direction means the dog will shoot out in front as soon as you turn. I often use an exercise where you put out a focus item for the dog (maybe a great treat or a favorite toy) and approach that. If the dog makes the lead tight, you stop, and take a ...

From an article I wrote on my website: http://positivelycanine.com/index.php?id=31 Of Alphas and Whisperers There's a whole school of training (recently popularized by some reality TV shows) which tell us that to teach our dogs, we need to make them think we ARE dogs. There are all sorts of supersti...

Noobs wrote:Just to add: the clickertraining.com website requires registering, but it's free and you get access to hundreds of great articles, from really basic commands to tricks.

Much of it doesn't require registering, but there's more available if you register.

A really simple and basic read is Karen Pryor's "Clicker Training for Dogs - Getting Started." Basically the click tells your dogs two things 1) I like what you are doing right now - think of it as taking a picture of the behavior you want - and 2) I am about to reward you for doing that! ...

I guess my point is that most things can be used fairly or unfairly, and be a reward, a punisher, or neutral, all depending on HOW they are used. I deliberately left the name off this quote because I am not having a go at the poster. This is the argument I have been seeing for years by trainers who...

She's supposed to smell the birds, point and then the hunter flushes out the birds and shoots them. Then the hunter will tell the pointer to 'fetch it up' and they are supposed to run out, find the bird and bring it back to the hunter. She should be able to retrieve and return the toy.... Oops, sor...

Well, instinct is a wonderful - and hard wired - thing. Does she need to learn to retrieve the bird to you or just point it? I have to admit , I'm a lot more familiar with herding than field work.

A true smile is when a dog is relaxed. I have some pictures on Paul's http://www.muttleydog.com website (posted with permission) that show what I think are real smiles: http://cygnus.smart.net/~pstech/Muttley/pictures/MHL10.jpg http://cygnus.smart.net/~pstech/Muttley/pictures/Woofstock033_MuttleyAn...

I love Viszlas! Such cool and intelligent dogs. I'd have two toys. While she's got the first one, play with the second one, make love to it. toss it in the air, talk to it. When she drops the first one, toss the second and repeat. Gradually wait for her to bring the first one a bit closer.

Waving "Hi" to Sarah and Rupert. Was all ready to suggest what I do to calm my dog after a seizure (his) which is a Breyers homemade vanilla bean ice cream and rescue remedy sundae. I don't have any really good advice on how to make Rupe more comfortable about your seizures. I'm sure it's...

See ... with some dogs they will hold it in, and not actually pee because of said item - but not because they have no need, nor because they have learned its better to do it else where because elsewhere is rewarding - because its uncomfy for them to do so. My dogs will hold it in, because they've b...

I know what you mean about crates, they are open to abuse and are in some places (seemingly more in the states than in the UK..) are fairly routinely used inappropriately... I think though most dogs offered a cosy crate with the door open, would choose to use it - its only when humans start using t...

Chillax folks! they are a slippery slope to people staying with the belly bands and not fixing the problem. Soo.. officially with my Mod Hat on.. I would rather belly bands were not advised. Got it. And as you are the moderator, I'll defer to your wishes, though I disagree. Do you also consider the...

That is what I meant, actually. I thought JacksDad said they were hiding behind a bush and was feeding treats while Jack still acted nervously. If he is actually ignoring the other dog, and being attentive and relatively calm, then that is something that may be rewarded. But it is tempting to give ...

It's a clever idea. I've found it requires quite a bit of desensitzation. Have had better luck with other measures (particularly body wraps when the dog is anxious). In general, I'd rather teach the dog to be able to look at - and look away from - stuff that's concerning than to block his vision.