FFS you've both got a dog/dogs. You each have differing views on how a dog should be trained and developed. Can't you just agree not to look after each others' dogs and move on?

No I'm suggesting a dog follows a command because in P+ it knows its going to get rewarded for that behviour. Explain this then; my behviourist came down to my house the other week and within 5 minutes she had taught them a new clicker move. Did my dogs follow that command because they think she is their new "master" who must be obeyed or did they follow that command because they will be getting a reward??

Anyway, Coddys right, I will continue to read and educate myself on the updated methods and you continue in your belief. One thing we agree on, p+ is the way to go

ps As long as he doesn't have a great dane or a mastiff I would gladly look after Rock Gods dog (s) if the need arise

No, we don't. I have never once disagreed with her assertion that positive training is best.

Fucksake. Your dog obeys commands because they see themselves as being subservient to (certain) humans. Your 'behaviourist' will be included in this because they know how to deal with dogs and because, presumably, they have taken commands from her before. Yes, they know they're going to be rewarded, but (and try to read this very slowly so that you understand) the very process of saying 'do what I say and I'll give you a tit bit' is very much a part of establishing/reinforcing the fact that you hold the authority.



You seem to be incapable of reading anything, much less understanding it. For the final time, I have never once disputed the methods.

And I have not said that you dispute positive reward base methods have I, in in fact I have agreed and acknowledged that we both use these methods. You seem to be missing my point that there are new beliefs out there that disagree with your method of "being the boss" and why dogs behave in certain ways. No where in my posts have I disputed you are against +R.

We are going around in circles here. We both believe in positive reward based methods, agreed? We both disagree on why dogs behave in a certain way for humans, agreed? I have put my point across on why I disagree with your "showing whos boss", you have put your point across on why you think you need to "show them who's boss", agreed? I respect your opinion and why you think that way (I used to until I read many different articles by many different trainers), but I like to think a different way. Many others believe your way, many others believe my way. Do we need to carry this on?

Got a rescue Staff Weimaraner cross a couple of months ago (reckon the dad must have been the Weimaraner unless the Staffy managed to get hold of some stilts. Anyway he was dumped by his previous owner around two years old, guess he got a bit too much for them to handle and he spent most of his life in a back yard or a crate. In his favour he's crate trained and not aggressive as well as being a sucker for a bit of attention. On the downside if you ignore him for any length of time he suddenly appears with either a shoe or cushion in his mouth and tries to start a game of chase with it. He's also pushing the boundaries by climbing on the furniture and then cowering but ignoring any instructions to get off. He then goes into passive aggressive mode and growls when you try and shift him. If there's any sin bin behaviourists about a bit of advice would be appreciated lol.

You could try using a long house line on him. When he jumps on the sofa, gently grab the line and bring him down, using a cue word like "off" and once he is down treating and plenty of praise. I let my two on my sofa, but they know they have to be on their own "cushions", likewise with my bed, I have a throw which they lay on. I don't think he's pushing the boundaries, this is probably a learned and acceptable behaviour in a previous life and you want to now change the behaviour, which is ok, just going to take some work and patience with him and plenty of practise.

As with the shoe or cushion, is it that you want him to play but not with those items? If thats the case and you want him to play with an acceptable toy you need to get that toy when he comes to you and ask him to drop the unwanted item in favour of the acceptable toy. If he is more food orientated you could start with teaching him the "drop" using a treat first and when he gets this change the treat for his favourite toy. I wouldn't discourage play unless its not acceptable or the right time for you ie you are on the way out, to bed etc.

If you feel he has too much energy check the protein level in his food. For example feeding Bakers with all the e numbers (sunset yellow is banned in the UK for children) is like giving kids McDonalds for breakfast, dinner and tea 7 days a week. I use a working dog food but its only branded as that to get around the VAT. James Wellbeloved, Burns or Chappie are good commercial foods.

Be careful when choosing a new pet food to make sure that it's ethically produced. Some pet food manufacturers actually keep animals caged to use them for taste testing. The more ethical ones do testing on family pets kept in the home.

The 'uncaged' website used to have a list of foods to avoid, with Purina, Pedigree, James Wellbeloved and Iams being amongst those featured as being particularly poor. The website has been archived now, so I'm not sure if that info is still current.

There's a link rlhererl to another website with a list of manufacturers and an ethical rating out of 20. The organic ones are really expensive, but there are plenty in the 8/9/10 rating range that are not too costly.

Quote: Rock God X "Be careful when choosing a new pet food to make sure that it's ethically produced. Some pet food manufacturers actually keep animals caged to use them for taste testing. The more ethical ones do testing on family pets kept in the home. The 'uncaged' website used to have a list of foods to avoid, with Purina, Pedigree, James Wellbeloved and Iams being amongst those featured as being particularly poor. The website has been archived now, so I'm not sure if that info is still current. There's a link rlhererl to another website with a list of manufacturers and an ethical rating out of 20. The organic ones are really expensive, but there are plenty in the 8/9/10 rating range that are not too costly.'" We feed CSJ www.csjk9.com/ They keep the costs down by plain packaging, not advertising and marketing the products as working dog food to get around the VAT.

Quote: Rock God X "Be careful when choosing a new pet food to make sure that it's ethically produced. Some pet food manufacturers actually keep animals caged to use them for taste testing. The more ethical ones do testing on family pets kept in the home. The 'uncaged' website used to have a list of foods to avoid, with Purina, Pedigree, James Wellbeloved and Iams being amongst those featured as being particularly poor. The website has been archived now, so I'm not sure if that info is still current. There's a link rlhererl to another website with a list of manufacturers and an ethical rating out of 20. The organic ones are really expensive, but there are plenty in the 8/9/10 rating range that are not too costly.'" We feed CSJ www.csjk9.com/ They keep the costs down by plain packaging, not advertising and marketing the products as working dog food to get around the VAT.