Aidan

Bite sleeve.

Deprivation isn't a word I have seen used much in animal training or scientific literature. The more rigorous or demanding the application (e.g customs dogs or pigeons in 8 hour auto-shaping procedures), the more the resources are controlled as you would expect. At the end of the day all we really want to be able to do is reinforce the responses we are looking for on a schedule, and sometimes it takes a bit more to establish operations for that than just training before dinner. I think this might be one reason why e-collars have become so popular in certain circles - you don't have to establish operations for an e-collar, you don't need to control the resources in the dog's environment so much.

He's a clever boy! Good that he put it together early on, and that you didn't rely on it - which is what a lot of people are hoping for when they want to use bells to help with house-training. You still need to house-train.

Just a note, bell training is really for dogs who are already house-trained. It may have some small value in house-training a pup but in my experience it's best left for after you have house-trained pup and he is already reliable and you are ready to stop sticking to a strict schedule.

Excellent idea, also note what happens after he barks (if anything).

Hmmm, is it his job to guard the chooks and is it possible that he is being overstimulated by regular fox raids? A collar could be used as a discriminative stimulus that says "no barking now", to do this you skip the bit where you condition the dog to ignore the collar. Turn it on every time he wears it (at first), which would be at the times you have specified. Be aware that he will not be able to bark at anything during these periods (without an aversive consequence), including foxes, visitors and crazed lunatics. For the sake of efficacy just put it on him for short periods at first where you are not expecting visitors (or crazed lunatics). A completely different approach would be to teach him to alert to foxes, visitors etc but not other things in the environment. This starts to get a bit more specialised and it may be worth getting some professional help.

Did you use a clicker? You go to the window or door, cue "shush!" then click and toss the treat as soon as he orients to you. It's worth teaching even if you do use a collar. Could you elaborate on this a little bit please so I can be better informed before I make a decision? ETA: He barks when inside too - wether he is free inside or in his crate or on his bed makes no difference. Can you be more specific about what you want? What would you like him to bark at? When would you like him not to bark? What sorts of times, situations, days of the week are we talking about?

You're very likely reinforcing barking. Teach him a "quiet" cue, then call him inside when he's been quiet for a moment. Build up the time using an 80% success rate; in other words, if he is quiet for 5 seconds 4/5 trials that you use it, increase the time to 10 seconds, when he is quiet 4/5 trials, increase the time to 15 seconds, etc Success means quiet for that long on the first cue, if you have to cue twice or he barks before the time you have set, then that trial is not a success. If you get less than 4/5 trials decrease the time for another 5 trials then try again. Personally I would just bring him inside during the times where he is likely to bark, but if you have a reason not to the above plan should be appropriate. If you do decide to use a collar and you do not want to suppress barking at appropriate times, you could deliberately make him "collar-wise" so that he knows not to bark when he is wearing the collar, but there are other things to think about if you still want to do this.

But tools, when used appropriately, are not cruel and are often used in conjunction with methods like the stop or change of direction - neither of which are cruel methods, but are hardly positive reinforcement. The +R component is being allowed to move forwards, go sniff things etc. "Be a Tree" or "Penalty Yards" approaches remove that reinforcer, and give it back when the dog is on a loose leash.

Now if anyone comes on here and says a GR sheds more than a Husky I'll know they're taking the mickey out of me ;)

My article is the "belt and braces" approach that seeks to eliminate all the problems people have reported with using a bell this way (such as nuisance bell ringing, or failure to get the dog to ring the bell audibly or reliably). It isn't necessary to follow it to the tee for most dogs but it's worth reading if you get stuck with any of the other approaches.

One exercise I like is a "long down" trained with a tether. You tether your dog near his bed. Walk away a little bit, have him drop. Come back to him. Give him some attention, ask him to drop again, walk away a little further. If he's still in the drop, come back and give him some attention. Only ever pay him attention or return to him if he's down. Build up distance, duration and distractions. Don't use food or toys. Don't insist on a formal down, in fact work towards a very relaxed, lazy, sleepy down. Shape it if you have to. If he falls asleep, even better. I haven't got to the point where I am able to vacuum around my dogs yet, but I can vacuum in the same room while they doze.

Classical Conditioning.

That could be the difference, mine is an older style gold and not at all fluffy (except his tummy).

Are you serious??? I have two GSD's (one longhair) and one GR and the GR on his own shed's TWICE as much hair as the other two combined!!! And both breeds require effort :D It's a surprisingly common combination (a yin and yang thing?) and you're the first to ever tell me the Golden sheds more than the GSD! I thought it was just because I have an entire bitch, but the boys aren't much better. If I'm not mistaken, coated GSDs shed less. A friend who has field-bred Goldens in Canada reckons his dogs hardly shed at all, don't stay wet for long, and don't hold a lot of mud either. That I would have to see to believe. All the Goldens I've met are mud magnets, but I will say I rarely groom mine even when he's been out in the mud.

Controlled set-ups where you have the liberty of some extra distance up your sleeve are the best way to teach focus and loose leash walking. One idea might be to find somewhere kids are likely to be riding skateboards but you can get yourself a good distance from them (say, a skate park). The distance needs to be enough that you don't get a reaction, then you work on your loose-leash walking and focus with lots of reinforcement. When it is excellent, move a little closer and repeat. Obedience clubs are usually a reliable source of other dogs. Working across the street can be a good introduction to other loose leash walking around other dogs. P.S If a front-attaching harness is causing discomfort it is almost certainly not fitted correctly. Depending on the design, the part around the body should be snug but not restrictive. The part around the front should be adjustable, try putting it up a bit higher on her shoulders. A sleeve can be made from polar-fleece which will stop any chafing. If you use a double-ended leash you might find it a bit easier to transition from harness to collar.

Either will make you happy for about 10-14 years, then inconsolable when gone. GSDs take a bit more effort and shed more, but if you love 'em, you love 'em.

Thanks Erny, CBT does indeed stand for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Whilst I wouldn't suggest that a dog trainer should ever hang up a shingle and offer CBT as part of the service, the principles are worth paying attention to. Encouraging positive thoughts and behaviours and drawing attention to the good things that a person does can make a difference. Look objectively for what increases the responses. Tag Teach might be a good proxy for dog trainers.

There is now strong evidence (which you may already be aware of?) that giving a conditioned safety signal can have an anti-depressant effect. So you might be able to now give the safety signal when you arrive, then reinforce any pro-social operants by giving it again, then leaving.

CBT?

Or the dogs. Mine can "herd" a soccer ball for 6 hours at a time, then come for an hour's run with me and still want more. She's 8.5 years old, going blind and missing half her insides.

No, they did it because the researchers were calm and assertive

No. But it is, however, likely to happen.

Have you tried an approach/retreat protocol? You retreat if he stays put, use successive approximation to decrease proximity. You could even used a conditioned "safety signal" every time you leave.