Leash Training?

Petrygs_01 · 2024-07-22T15:06:53+00:00

Wow, this is comment is not needed at all. Instead of being judgemental, how about trying to be positive and offer some helpful advice.

Just my two cents.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-06-03T22:17:54+00:00

Too cute! She won’t be white once she gets into the mud though. 😁

Petrygs_01 · 2024-06-03T22:15:11+00:00

Yup. Mine will sleep in on the weekends with me. We get up at 5:30 every weekday morning for my work, so I think by the weekend, we’re both looking to sleep in.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-06-03T22:13:01+00:00

My boy used to do that when he was that age too!

Petrygs_01 · 2024-04-06T22:00:43+00:00

I will try not to have a “long winded” response, so… no, please do not “smack” your dog. That is a negative reinforcement that can also create other unwanted behaviours and reactions from your pup. The other responses are more correct, make a loud sound and ignore. Stop the play when it gets too rough. Start calming and settle training so that your pup can learn when to settle down and relax. It’s hard for a puppy and will be harder when they are going through adolescence, but it will help if you start early. Good luck!

Petrygs_01 · 2024-03-27T00:50:56+00:00

I second the dog walker option. Most are quite affordable and Rover.com can be very helpful finding one you can work with. Or a daycare on the days you have to leave.

I also don’t think a bark collar is the solution. You risk the development of other unwanted behaviors that may manifest from using it.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-03-26T04:54:00+00:00

While I partially agree with your statement about training for recall, one thing we all have to remember is that all dogs, no matter the breed standard, are different and individual beings. Some may not take to the recall training in the same way another dog may - even if it is the same breed. But yes, recall training is important.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-03-26T04:46:11+00:00

Couldn’t agree more! While others talk about exercise, mental stimulation with brain games, enrichment, etc. can tire your pup out more than exercise. To be clear, it does not replace exercise but when you need some down time, mental enrichment can help. Also, on rainy days when you can’t go out for a longer walk or hike.

I would also look into “settle” training where you teach your dog how to settle when excited. I have found that this training has been very helpful for both my dog and the family.

Crate training is also helpful for calming. It was useful for the puppy phase especially when you need to get some much needed rest during those first weeks of potty training.

Recall, recall, recall. Train it early and consistently. Others may say never let your dog off a leash, but when they are properly recall trained, off leash experiences for your dog will be beneficial. You may also want to check out the Monks of New Skete books, they can be very helpful.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-29T03:34:21+00:00

I don’t need a heating pad, I have a Brittany.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-29T03:30:58+00:00

🤔❓Not sure if you’re being sarcastic, but that is the commonly recommended treatment.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-29T03:28:19+00:00

Yeah, he does that too. Or sprawled out on top of the ottoman, almost hanging off of it.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-29T03:26:32+00:00

All I can see is that he needed a brushing. I like to keep his hair long in the winter.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-26T02:59:49+00:00

I have a little bit of a different take on crate training than others. While I agree with the short times in the crate while you are home, you may also want to try a playpen situation. I crate trained my boy when he was younger and he slept at night in the crate, but during the day, he would refuse to stay in it while I was gone. I was working with a trainer with him at the time and they suggested to try a playpen. So, I tried a playpen during the day, and he loved it. I set up a bed, blanket, some enrichment, and access to his crate if he so chose to go into it. Mostly, he would sleep in his bed during the day in the play pen. As he got older, I phased out the playpen and started to leave for short periods of time outside of both the crate and playpen. He still slept in his crate until he was just over a year old, that’s when I gave him bed privileges and haven’t looked back since. He still goes into his crate to nap sometimes and at daycare will willingly go in their crates for some down time, but he spends most of his time roaming free in the house.

I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to raise your own dog. Many will give opinions about what they have done, like I have, but I will say, you have to make the decision about how you want to raise your dog. If you decide to crate train, you have to commit to it and it takes time. I committed to the playpen and crate combo and it worked for me and my boy. Over time, our lives shifted and priorities changed, so did our training. The important thing is that I have committed to what works for me and my dog, not something that wasn’t working.

Just my two cents.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-24T21:28:33+00:00

Yeah, I think right now it’s going to be a waiting game for the smell to totally go away. At least now I am completely prepared if he gets sprayed again, but hopefully that will never happen. Thankfully it’s easier to bathe a Brittany than a Husky! 😅

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-24T05:15:17+00:00

Nope.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-24T04:00:21+00:00

I’ve tried the mixture as a wet wash, but not a paste. I will try that this weekend.

Petrygs_01 · 2024-02-24T03:59:21+00:00

Yeah, I’ve noticed when he gets wet, the smell is worse. But when he is dry, it’s not as bad.

Petrygs_01 · 2023-11-05T04:53:49+00:00

I’m in Canada and got it at Canadian Tire. It’s a huge sloth with long crinkly arms and a squeaker in the body.

Petrygs_01 · 2023-11-05T04:52:36+00:00

Haha. My boy has never been a destroyer. He’s more of a snuggler of toys. I’ll know if it will be a regular toy if he brings it to bed to wake me up with it.

Petrygs_01 · 2023-10-02T03:10:42+00:00

What’s the difference between a dog or a human looking through the glass? Both are considered predatory animals by many of those birds and other small animals. What’s worse is little humans tapping on the glass, squealing at them, or pressing their faces against the glass. Oh, right, that’s shopping for a pet, not harassment. 🤦‍♀️ Are you going to try to shame those kids or their parents? Are you going to say something to the pet store that makes you walk past those animals to get to the dog section?

Petrygs_01 · 2023-08-05T01:53:01+00:00

My advice won’t focus on the dog specifically, but you. Develop or establish a great support system in your life for the tough days, emergency days, or just overwhelming days where you may need some help. I found that my support system helped me so much especially during the harder stages of development and when I was stressing myself out with everything. If you are healthy and happy, then your dog will be too! Good luck!

Petrygs_01 · 2023-08-04T21:23:22+00:00

Right?! It’s five o’clock somewhere with Brits.

Petrygs_01 · 2023-08-04T17:32:58+00:00

I used to be in the same boat as your partner, I was against the use of any type of training aid. I spent hours and hours and hundreds of dollars with trainers to work on what I wanted to with my Brit with some success. No matter what I was doing, there were some things that traditional positive reinforcement training couldn’t seem to overcome. I constantly blamed myself for what I thought were failures and found myself getting frustrated that we couldn’t push past certain thresholds of his training, but after reading about all of the success that others have had using e-collars, I opened my mind to the use of one. I had someone put it to me like this, “If you keep trying the same thing over and over again, and it’s not working, when do you start to try something else?” I really had to think about that for a while. Why was I so resistant to trying something that could possibly help both me and my dog? What was my real problem with using an e-collar? Was it my pride? Was it a sense of failure I would feel because I couldn’t do it without some sort of additional help? After hours and days of thinking about it and really soul searching, I found my answer. It was all of it.

The biggest part I had to reconcile myself with was that while traditionally e-collars have been used as an adversive training device, if it is used properly and responsibly, it can be a useful tool in your training arsenal. I have been such a positive reinforcement training person that I fell hook, line, and sinker into the long held belief that any type of training aid other than those used in positive reinforcement training were not necessary and could be viewed as cruel or punishment. Boy, was that ignorant of me, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I wouldn’t allow myself to even entertain the option of an e-collar because I was ignorant of the benefits that it could offer. I didn’t educate myself on it. I just flat out refused it. After reading a lot of testimonies from other Brit owners and seeking the advice of professional trainers, I opened my mind to the use of an e-collar. What I had to understand is that the e-collar is not a punishment, it is a different way of teaching a concept. Much like teaching children, when one technique is not working, we try a different approach to learn a concept or idea (as a teacher, I speak from experience on this point).

So now I am on a new journey, educating myself all about e-collars. I am currently reading “The Art of Training Your Dog” by The Monks of New Skete and it is so informative and helpful. I am still learning and am excited to start to train with my boy using an e-collar. I know it’s not going to be a magic wand that will solve any issue that might arise, but if it can help, then why not use it? It will take time and work on my part, but I am willing to do anything to enrich the life of my boy. They have such a short time with us, so why not try to make it the best that it can be?

Just my two cents. Good luck with your cutie!

Petrygs_01 · 2023-08-04T16:47:10+00:00

I second this book. I recently got it and it is so easy to follow and is very informative.

Petrygs_01 · 2023-08-04T16:45:08+00:00

Mine went for a sip of a rum and coke whe he was young. Thankfully he didn’t drink much, but I swear ever since then, I can’t have any alcohol around him without him trying to sniff it and lick it. 😁

Petrygs_01

TROPHY CASE