Maine Pets

Poco was found starving on the desert (3 months) and we just couldn't let her be put down. She's very used to doing her own thing -- loves us to pieces -- and the only thing that motivates her is food. We get stuck in the cycle of: bark, go to door and say, "come," she comes, get's a treat for coming (and for barking) -- and what then? We have a good sized yard and if we try to catch her, she thinks it's a game, and if we put her in her crate she's perfectly happy and doesn't seem to make a connection. If we try to go out and play with her she thinks she's "called" us. Sigh!!!!

Some quick tips, as I am behind in my work today. But these may give you pause for thought: 1. What you can't do on leash, you can't do off leash, generally speaking. So if you still need to "catch" her, then she needs training on something where you can guide her to where you want her when you want her:) It's a little more complex than that, but I will leave you with that thought for now. 2. Dogs that were feral need to be taught from the ground up:) So don't think your progress is too slow, it's going to take some time as you will need to teach her things that a shelter, breeder, or other home would have started her on. She may never have had the luxury of that earlier education. 3. Timing and when you reward is so crucial. It's so easy to teach a dog to speak by accident, when trying to teach them the command quiet. Having a long line on her when she goes running for the door could help you time a "come towards me" before she is able to get a bark out, and then treat her. 4. If a trainer isn't there to help you, don't be afraid to think outside the box! It sounds like play, for instance, is as good a motivator as food. So many times when clients even have the commands down, they forget that "down" can be used in the car to see outside the back window...it's not just something that happens in your kitchen on occaision. As a trainer, and before that an owner without a clue, I had to occaisionally feel around in the dark to find the solution. Like I said, you don't have any aggressive things happening, so it's not a life or death emergency. The things you are talking about are quite common in dogs, so don't panic LOL. It's hard, but be sure that you don't get frustrated during training. It can be fun to watch the progress. Dog training can add a lot of well need patience AND appreciation of life to your life!! Good luck, and let me know if any of that gives you any ideas.

An e-collar is a very effective training device, BUT if you use an e-collar, you need to go through a collar conditioning program with the dog before beginning its use... or the dog will be collar wise. It can't be something you put on and take off at the time of misbehavior. That being said, no one should use an e-collar without learning how it works (i.e. working with a professional trainer). Tritronics has great training seminars. It isn't about "burning" or otherwise hurting the dog, and it can be used humanely... don't buy a cheap one that can't be appropriately set for the individual dog. My husband's old Chesapeake would fetch his e-collar if he thought it was time for field training... he associated it with all things wonderful about birds and retrieving rather than with any sort of negative connotation because it was used correctly in his training along with positive reinforcement methods.

And remember that a "bark collar" is quite different than a remote electric collar. On a bark collar, YOU have no control over the correction. Also if you just strap it on a dog and go, it could cause all sorts of problems. It sounds like regular old low tech methods would work though.

We are making some progress with a trainer who is not as available as we would like. She will sit, lay down, come (mostly), and stay (improving with age). We know we need to be trained. Maybe we are the untrainables!!

LOL, at least you are trying. If it's not aggression that you are worrying about, you do have some time to figure things out, if there is no trainer out there in the booney docks!! I'll see if I can think of some quick things tomorrow for what you posted above.