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Sorry I'm not meaning to bump my thread, but I am sooooo excited!!!!! Cassie did GREAT!!!!!!!! I didn't include treats on this walk, she still did great!!! Fingers crossed she only gets better from here on out. My neighbor even congratulated me or her?
Sorry I'm not meaning to bump my thread, but I am sooooo excited!!!!! Cassie did GREAT!!!!!!!! I didn't include treats on this walk, she still did great!!! Fingers crossed she only gets better from here on out. My neighbor even congratulated me or her?
I was learning a lot on this thread, and hoping to hear what worked for you. I'm so happy you shared your success! You must have a real smart one there to learn so quickly. You haven't had her very long at all!
I haven't had these same issues with Jackie, my 25 pound rat terrier. I live in a hotel, and even though she's not an excessive barker, I wanted her to bark a couple of times, as I think that's her job, but then to stop when I give her the command "that's enough."
"That's enough" works for other things, too. Jackie is an excessive licker, if anyone lets her get near their faces. I warn them, but some people think they'll like it - until she goes obsessive on them LOL! Then I have to tell her "that's enough."
So, just another thought - to use a command to stop the barking. Can be used inside or outside. "That's enough" is working pretty well for us.
I do admit, at one point I resorted to using a water spray bottle. She's usually sitting right next to me on my chair (where she is now), so I'd put the water bottle on the little side table next to my chair. Just 2 days of occasional squirts after saying "that's enough" with her looking at me and continuing to bark (she's such a terrier lol!). Then, I'd just have to start my hand toward the bottle and she'd stop. And that's all it took. Now 9 times out of 10, anyway, she'll stop when I say "that's enough."
And, of course, treats work well with her, too. But, occasionally, she gets that terrier stubborn streak and I need a little negative consequence, then reward.
I was learning a lot on this thread, and hoping to hear what worked for you. I'm so happy you shared your success! You must have a real smart one there to learn so quickly. You haven't had her very long at all!
I haven't had these same issues with Jackie, my 25 pound rat terrier. I live in a hotel, and even though she's not an excessive barker, I wanted her to bark a couple of times, as I think that's her job, but then to stop when I give her the command "that's enough."
"That's enough" works for other things, too. Jackie is an excessive licker, if anyone lets her get near their faces. I warn them, but some people think they'll like it - until she goes obsessive on them LOL! Then I have to tell her "that's enough."
So, just another thought - to use a command to stop the barking. Can be used inside or outside. "That's enough" is working pretty well for us.
I do admit, at one point I resorted to using a water spray bottle. She's usually sitting right next to me on my chair (where she is now), so I'd put the water bottle on the little side table next to my chair. Just 2 days of occasional squirts after saying "that's enough" with her looking at me and continuing to bark (she's such a terrier lol!). Then, I'd just have to start my hand toward the bottle and she'd stop. And that's all it took. Now 9 times out of 10, anyway, she'll stop when I say "that's enough."
And, of course, treats work well with her, too. But, occasionally, she gets that terrier stubborn streak and I need a little negative consequence, then reward.
Thanks NoMoreSnow!
Hahahaha! Just like my Zeus, he likes to yell at me when I'm on the computer or he wants treats, attention, etc. My key word is "I'll get the paper!" Zeus responds to that quickly (Cassie is just now figuring it out) even though he or she has ever been hit with the rolled up paper :shrug:
Yes, Cassie is a very fast learner as is Zeus. I always say that terriers are really quick learners and stubborn too!
Zeus was much easier to train, I adopted him when he was 17 months old. Cassie is a little tougher because she is younger. She doesn't like the Gentle Leader but it works great.
I told her that she no longer controls the walks (which was making me, Zeus and my neighbors miserable and uncomfortable) and since she was so out of control she has to suffer a little discomfort so we all can have a pleasant walk and make her a better dog. She seems to agree so far.
I guess my next question to anyone familiar with the Gentle Leader is how long do you use it? I don't want to use it indefinitely and I'm hoping eventually I can wean her off of it.
Jackie was a terrible puller and it made walking her a misery. I didn't try the Gentle Leader, but tried a bunch of other techniques, and finally paid a trainer for one session. Again, what worked for her was a little negative consequence. He showed me to snap the lead when she gets ahead of me. It doesn't hurt her, but makes a racket with her tags, and she doesn't like it one bit.
So, now, "heel" means "heel," though she still walks up just a little further than she should (so she's in my way if I make a quick left turn), but at least is on a loose leash and next to me. I don't always require her to heel, but as soon as she starts pulling, she's made to heel.
I think being a very smart terrier, I need to remind her who's boss once in a while. If I do everything the nice way, she pushes the boundaries. Like I said, I don't hurt her, but I let her know who's boss. But, once she knows I'll reprimand her, she doesn't need it anymore. If that makes sense.
Anyway, that was probably of no value to you whatsoever, regarding the Gentle Leader LOL! Just a thought, in case being "gentle" doesn't work for Cassie.
Cassie is behaving much better, she does relapse into her barking frenzy at times, but not as often. She is a dream at the dog park, so I know it's the leash that causes her anxiety. Her new thing is chasing squirrels and lizards of which there are an abundance of in Florida.
I only used the gentle head halter for a short time, I really should have returned it I could've use the $18 on their food. It was a good tool. The double hooked leash is great, I hook it into her collar and harness which gives me more control over her. Sometimes I hook it to both dog's harnesses at the same time, pretty sweet!
We recently took a staycation to Cedar Key and she loved the hotel staff (thank gawd!), it made for a pleasant trip. Zeus will now take walks with us although sometimes he acts up a little (pulling in the opposite direction on spite lol).
She gets too excited for a shock collar, the only thing that would do is hurt her! Patience and commands are working just fine.
It doesn't hurt her, it corrects her. If you continue to project human feelings onto a dog you'll never train her. She needs to be corrected for that behavior, nothing works better than a shock collar.
It doesn't hurt her, it corrects her. If you continue to project human feelings onto a dog you'll never train her. She needs to be corrected for that behavior, nothing works better than a shock collar.
Choosing to use positive reinforcement, patience, and clear verbal commands isn't "projecting human feelings" - it is HUMANE training, as opposed to fear-based training. And I beg to differ, there are many things that work better than a shock collar.
It doesn't hurt her, it corrects her. If you continue to project human feelings onto a dog you'll never train her. She needs to be corrected for that behavior, nothing works better than a shock collar.
Physical discomfort is not a human emotion. And shock collars come with the potential for unintended fallout. For example, if a dog is repeatedly shocked whenever she lunges or barks at another dog, she may come to associate other dogs with the feeling of being shocked. Other dogs become a predictor of physical discomfort, and this escalates the defensive lunging and barking behavior. On the other hand, if a treat is associated with other dogs passing by, she'll quickly make the connection that other dogs = look at mom for a reward, instead of fixating on the other dog.
Shock collars can sometimes suppress "bad" behavior. But they do not address the underlying cause of a bad behavior. Training that way can have some very weird unintended consequences. People who have had "success" training with electric shock have often achieved their desired results in spite of their methods, not because of them.
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that she no longer controls the walks (which was making me, Zeus and my neighbors miserable and uncomfortable) and since she was so out of control she has to suffer a little discomfort so we all can have a pleasant walk and make her a better dog. 
I could've use the $18 on their food. 
It was a good tool. The double hooked leash is great, I hook it into her collar and harness which gives me more control over her. Sometimes I hook it to both dog's harnesses at the same time, pretty sweet!
