PAX

That clip is great but I think what the OP wants is loose lead walking not comp heeling. I believe it is very unreasonable to expect that level of heeling in general walking. Check out these clips. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ8pEsEae4Y...ated&search= Not bad for reward based training.

If you are worried at all take the dog back to the vet for a check up, even if it's just to reassure you that everything is fine. I'm sure the vet wont mind.

Hi Am.

If they were my dogs there is no way they would get to go down the stairs if they pulled, you could end up seriously injured and they wont be able to go on any walks. The second they pull turn around and go back inside, don't worry if they don't get walked, they will quickly work it out. Right now they think pulling is getting them there faster, you need to teach them pulling ends the walk. You will need to train one dog at a time, when they a 100% reliable at going down the stairs calmly you can try the two together. Good luck.

Bret, I use a non reward marker when they try but give an incorrect response. I say 'oops', I don't say it with a bad tone just a really neutral voice. I think it gives them some information to try again without discouraging them. If you are starting to train something new make sure you break it down really small so you can c/t lots so they keep trying and have sucsess. If you lump it together it becomes to hard for them to understand and they may stop trying. When they understand what you want you can c/t the fastest, straightest or whatever you want to improve. You could easily C/T her to lay on her own bed, after all she is a super smart BC.

Gina has a book called 'Open and UD problem solving' and it should be available at her seminar.

Ness, shall we take on a business venture of publishing the guru emails? :rolleyes: If you attend one (or more like us addicted souls) of the gurus seminars they happily give you email support.

Ness, you know I love you and I have unblocked you so :rolleyes: I am sending you a pm now just so you feel special.

Well if we both get our books back maybe we can swap for a while. :rolleyes:

I like Sheila Booths 'Schultzund Obedience'. sp? because Myszka has my book. You should find your Morgan Spector book, Do you know how much they are? I would be looking for it everywhere before buying another. :rolleyes:

I have also switched to Advance and am very happy. I used to be a total RAW feeder but lately I have been a bit slack and feed Advance for probably half of the dogs meals. Before Advanced I tried Eaglepack and their stools looked like they were full of sand. :p The dogs love Advance and it seems to come out the other end just as well as RAW foods. Sorry that sounds disgusting but I have noticed with some Dry foods that the dogs stools change dramatically.

CTD, Someone saying she is an 'Insecure little shit' does not help you.

No idea but with horses they say 'when they are licking they are thinking'. Do you pair praise with food so they think food might be coming. Also I am no expert but I didn't want you to feel lonely.

LL, that's priceless.

Yes, then make him get up and wait for it again. Also at home if he is backing up use a wall and have him on lead to help you get what you want. When he understands, you will get it anywhere.

As a Dobermann owner this is very upsetting to me. Can you print this topic and get them to read it? If they are not prepared to keep visitors safe I would be ditching the boyfriend and explaining why. I wish you could meet my Dobe, they are not normally like this dog.

I would c/t the 'bow' position so the dog gets some reward and trys to figure out how to get more. The 'bow' is a step towards the 'drop'. I would also have a lead on him so he can't run off.

We will all join just need a more central location. Maybe we could make it a DOL franchise.

Wouldn't it be great if we could have this club and I love the name. Funny thing is one of my club members has broached the idea of a new club and now I have the name.

To me I would like the club to embrace different styles of training. I would like club members to have the choice to try an option of methods and find what suits them and their dog. I would like other instructors to be accepting of different methods and ideas, even when it is something that they personally would not use but be open minded and accepting. I want the members to feel welcome and appreciated. I want positive reinforcement more for the handlers then for the dogs. I don't want members leaving because they feel hopeless. I want dog training to be fun for the dogs and the handlers. Gosh I want a lot.

Maybe it's because nobody else has a dog as smart as me, Myszka and LP, kidding of course. All my dogs have been taught to drop from a sit being lured with food but I quickly move on to dropping from stand and dropping while playing etc.

Ruthless's dog couldn't be much shorter than mine Myszka. Make sure you use a high value food that the dog is willing to move around to get. You might need to do this down on your knees so you can see where the food is going. Sometimes it also helps to teach stand on a step or table (if the dog is not too big) so the dog can't creep forward. I think the dog will learn it faster if your not holding or positioning the dog, do whatever you're comfortable with. :D

If your dogs know how to do a hand touch it is really easy to teach stand form sit. Hold your left hand slightly in front and above them while sitting at heel and say 'touch' (this is hoping they know touch), when they get to know what you want, change your verbal cue to 'stand'. If you do this you will need to change your hand signal, I use my left hand held horizontally above but slightly in front of my dogs head. When your dog knows the verbal you could change your signal to whatever you want. With your dog sitting in front of you as in a sit for exam, give your dog a treat but hold the treat under his/her mouth and back towards her throat. The idea is the dog will pop up into a stand to move back to get the treat. It also is a good way to teach a good kick back stand. When the dog is doing it well name it 'stand'. I use the same hand signal as above for the stand in front.