When To Start & What Type Of Training Should I Be Looking At?

[deboosh]

We adopted our Bonnie on Dec. 20/12. She had some house-breaking issues but has been accident-free now for over a week (touch wood). I would like to know whether I should be looking at some sort of training yet. Or am I wondering about it too soon? I spend a lot of time playing with her and we take a fairly long walk at least twice a day. It would be nice if she could walk well on leash though, as she's a real puller, and tends to walk all over the sidewalk. I'm sure my neighbours think I've had a few, as I weave my way down the street. She also gets overly excited when we come upon someone walking from the opposite direction and pulls to meet them. Sometimes these people are less than enthusiastic about meeting my social butterfly, though. Our adoption co-ordinator highly recommends clicker training. What method do you like? Do you recommend classes or did you read a training manual and practice on your own?

[Brandiandwe]

You can be training from the start, I think, and you already are. We waited a while before going to formal obedience because Vrandi was quite timid and Paige was high prey, two things we wanted to work on alone. But leash manners we worked on from the start and also ghe jumping at people.

 

For pulling, I've used a front clip harness so every time Paige pulled, she got spun around to face me. We've also come to a dead stop every time she starts pulling. It took time but she's much better now though she still loves rocketing along.

[Guest EvanstonGrey]

I'd definitely recommend reward-based training, some folks like the clicker and some don't. One thing I learned from GT is not to underestimate how important it is to go slow and bond with your hound! Make sure you're enjoying each other and learning will be way easier. I got carried away too quickly with Ferris and pushed him into too much training too quick and it made me crabby and frustrated him.

 

If you do want to take classes, I'd suggest working with someone who is sensitive to greyhounds and/or has worked with them before.

 

Have fun and congrats on your girl!

[GeorgeofNE]

I would have started the day I got her! With my dog, I had to! He was awful on a leash!

 

I use standard training methods. A lot of people like the clicker, but I found it didn't work for ME (not George, me) because I so often needed both hands while I was training him, and there were no hands left to click! I just use praise and treats.

[Feisty49]

My Annie Bella wasn't the best leash walker for the first couple of weeks. It took me that long to realize I had to take control... that she needed direction from me. She had no idea of what I desired when she was on a leash unless I demanded it.

 

If Bonnie is wandering all over the sidewalk, shorten up the length of the leash by putting more in your hand. She can't wander if there are only a few inches of leash rather than 4 or 5 feet. Every dog wants to wander, but it's often not acceptable or safe. When you approach or are approached by another dog, stop .. literally stop and do not let Bonnie get near the other dog. She'll want to. She'll probably pull to do so, but she's the dog and you're the mom. Keep her close and keep her under control.

 

Clicker training has worked with Annie on a few things. As GeorgeofNE said above, sometimes there is too much to do to have Annie do what I want, click and then treat. Honestly, if a clicker in a hand works, I found that a double click with my tongue, which sounds similar, also worked.

 

Some things take a lot of time. I mean a lot. Maybe weeks or months. I'm still working on Annie going down anywhere I say to go down. She'll go down if her bed is available but that's all.

 

Bonding is real important. Annie will do things for me now (18 months post adoption) that she would not do a year ago. Trust, bonding and love sometimes build slowly but when it comes, it's Greyt!

Edited January 30, 2013 by Feisty49

[OwnedBySummer]

I would be training already. Nothing too intensive but most certainly teaching her how you want her to walk on the leash. I never let my dogs get away with squat. Ever. They walk at my side, loose leash or short leash. When they are allowed to sniff and wander, I have a command for that (mine is "be free", but you could use whatever you want). Bonnie will learn quickly. If you aren't using a front-clip harness, then when she pulls, go the other way. After a few strides, you can turn around and carry on in the right direction.

 

Personally, I wouldn't get into a bunch of trick training yet, though. Just what is needful.

[RedHead]

I also started "training" right off the bat...the more you let your dog do things you don't want, the more it will become ingrained in them. I start right away with my rules and expectations. Much easier for us both that way!

 

I use clicker training to work on fun things indoors. It takes a loooot of patience in the beginning, I actually gave up once or twice, but have started again and he is really starting to get things and have fun.

[a_daerr]

I agree, it's not too soon for you to start some fundamental training at home. It is probably a little soon for any type of formal obedience training. You usually want to give them a few months before starting a class as not to overwhelm them with too much, too fast. But don't get me wrong, obedience training is wonderful. We saw a ton of improvements with both dogs after doing training classes.

[Guest Giselle]

I wonder what type of descriptions people think of when they refer to "types" of training To me, there are no "types" of training. I do not use the phrases "clicker training" or "traditional training/method/whatever" because, to me, they don't mean anything. Used correctly, a clicker is a tool that means the same thing to an animal as a verbal "Yes!". It means the same thing as a flashing light or a loud beep or a high-pitched whistle. It is simply a marker to indicate that an animal has done a behavior correctly. To me, there is no "clicker training" just as there is no "standard" or "traditional" training or "positive reinforcement training". Inaccurate terminology is one of my pet peeves...

 

The point is: Animals learn via learning theory. Behaviors that get a reward will increase. Behaviors that get an aversive stimuli (i.e. physical pain) will decrease. Behaviors that AREN'T rewarded will decrease. Behaviors will increase if it stops a noxious stimuli (i.e. your mom nagging you to clean up your room). This is: positive reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment, and negative reinforcement. <-- These are inherent in every training "type" you see or hear of. Use of a clicker almost necessarily means that you'll be using a lot of positive reinforcement and negative punishment. In the past, people used a lot of physical coercion to train dogs = they mostly used positive punishment and negative reinforcement.

 

These four quadrants of learning theory are happening every time you interact with your dog, whether you notice it or not. So, should you start training your pup? You already are!! Should you begin formal classes? That's really up to you. If you don't have a solid background in training or behavior, yes, I would recommend getting a headstart with a professional. If you want to learn new techniques, yes, join a class held by a professional. If you'd like to give your dog mental exercises, yes, join a class held by a professional. In my opinion, if you are training with skill and expertise, it is never too early to begin "formal" training because... goodness, you already ARE training in every interaction with your dog!

[philospher77]

If you are going to go with classes, make sure you can watch a class or two and get a feel for the trainer before you sign up. I love my trainer! She makes classes fun, and comes up with neat socialization exercises (the next one Katie is in is a field trip out to a "pick your own" farm, with real farm animals!). If the people and dogs in the class seem to be having a good time, that's a good sign. If the trainer knows how to work with problematic dogs (reactive, etc.), even better.

 

But yes, you are always training your dog, from the moment you get them. So establish rules for your dog to follow now, since it's a lot easier to prevent than it is to stop a behavior. It's a lot easier to teach a dog not to get on a sofa, for example, than it is to convince them that they can't come up after they've been doing that for a year! And keep in mind that it's easier, and more fun, to reward your dog for doing what you want than it is to punish them for not doing it. Yes! should come out of your mouth a lot more often than No! For your current issue with trouble on walks, one thing that will help is to picture a box near your side where you want the dog to be. When the dog is in that area, good things happen. When they are outside that area, good things don't happen. So, if they are walking nicely on leash by your side, treat, praise, getting to actually move forward, etc, all are rewards that you can use to let the dog know "this is where you should be". One trick that my trainer teaches is to drop a treat near your feet, and then turn and walk the other direction. The dog comes and gets the treat, looks up, and sees that you are in front, leading the way. Do that often enough, and the dog figures out that "treats fall out of your butt", and they stop pulling ahead because they have been reinforced for being behind you. How to handle other dogs and people is a bit trickier, and I would have to see the actual situation to give advice.

 

Good luck!

[Sambuca]

It's never to early to start at home. As for classes, it depends on the dog. I tried classes with Bu when I'd had him for 6 months and it was much much to soon for him. A more confident dog would probably have been fine.

[deboosh]

Thanks everyone, I'll go slow and concentrate on the leash pulling for now, and after a few months' of building trust and bonding, look for obedience classes with someone knowledgeable/experienced with greys. Hope that won't be too tall of an order.

[Brandiandwe]

Thanks everyone, I'll go slow and concentrate on the leash pulling for now, and after a few months' of building trust and bonding, look for obedience classes with someone knowledgeable/experienced with greys. Hope that won't be too tall of an order.

 

You'll get there. I don't know where you are located but I live somewhere where there are no grey-savvy dog trainers around. What I have found are classes full of experienced dog people who have gone out of their way to educate themselves about sighthounds in general and greys in particular, will come up with alternative strategies for me and my princesses and who support me along my way. I don't have brilliant obedience dogs but thanks to those classes I habve more confident dogs who are less leash reactive and more socialised than they would have been otherwise.