Ever Thought About This

[Kavik]

Had an interesting discussion with someone at playgroup today. She wants to get a dog so the kids have the experience of growing up with a dog (she has 2 kids). She has never had dogs before, her husband has, but she would have to do all the work with this one. When I asked her what breed, she said the ones like the Guide Dogs - she wants a Labrador. Because her neighbour has one that is quiet and gentle and friendly. She was quite amazed when I told her they are not like that as pups! That they are big and strong and active and chew things and pull and need training to become well behaved. She thought you just send them away to be trained and they come back trained and perfect! So I am trying to let her know what is involved realistically, and maybe get her to consider a smaller breed if she decides to get a dog eventually.

[wuffles]

The thing that worries me about people with large breed dogs who don't seem to respond to the owners commands is that due to the size of the dog the owner can't physically control them so if they can't verbally control them either what happens if there's a problem? I've seen it at work with a couple of the giant breed dog's that I wash, like you said atanquin the owners will "ask" the dog to do something, like "come on baby please get in the bath" etc etc, dog ignores them and does what it feels like. Sometimes they can be lured in with food, one of the dogs, no chance so he gets washed outside the trailer as that's as close as he will go.

It's not a big deal for me washing them, or I suppose at home for the owners if the dog's behaviour doesn't bother them, but what if they're out somewhere and the dog decides to run off, or jump on a child, or retaliate against an annoying other dog, or chase another animal, or whatever the case may be.

I just feel like if you have a dog you couldn't physically control if you had to you have an even greater responsibility to your dog and everyone else to figure out how to train it effectively (not aiming this at the woman in atanquin's class or anyone else in particular, just my general thoughts).

I would have thought this too, if I didn't have one of my dogs

I would say that I am a reasonably good dog trainer, and I took him through the three levels at dog club which he passed first go each time. But by God it was a hard slog. He still doesn't have anything resembling a decent recall. In fact, yesterday he slipped out the door and took himself for a walk for 1km before we could catch him Getting him into a hydrobath is horrible, he's scared of the surface and needs to be lifted (he's 35kg).

I teach classes and it's really hard to give everyone individual attention plus fit in the syllabus in one measly hour

[huski]

It can be really hard to give everyone attention in a big class but if I spot someone struggling I make a point of finding time for them even if it's after class.

Classes that are too big can be a major downfall of club training IMO. Especially as you never know how many people will show up each week.

[dee lee]

I was in her shoes 4 years ago and I'm glad I was. Not nice at the time but spurred me on to much greater things. Don't think I'd have anywhere near the amount of knowledge I have today had I bought the 'right' breed.

That's a really good point! I think the same goes for me. I learnt an enormous amount with my inappropriate breed.

[SparkyTansy]

I haven't read all the other posts so just responding to the OP.

i think there are a lot of people who pick breeds based on their look, or that they sound nice on paper. I have also found, based on having to try and talk a few people out of my own breeds, that people only hear what they want to hear.

I, admittedly, picked the English Setter based on looks (but I was 8 years old at the time) and learned more about them later, however I was never prepared for some of their less than ideal personality quirks, and it was a big reality check after having Weimaraners for most of my life. I read and met as many as I could for over 10 years and I still wasn't prepared. I am one of those people that worked hard to learn how to deal with the breed because of how much I love them, but not everyone will do this.

I definitely understand where the post comes from, but I think that this sort of thing occurs more often than not, when it comes to choosing a dog breed. I also think that this person should be highly commended for actually attending obedience classes, and probably needs more help and guidance from people experienced in the training of this breed... and, if they are serious about owning and training this breed, then they will do that.

[WeimMe]

I think that sometimes, especially with first dogs, people don't really fully take in all of the negatives about their breed of choice. With my first, I imagined she'd be beautifully trained, and therefore her size and strength would not be an issue (hah!!). It's not until you have owned the dog for a while that the reality of it really sets in...that the gorgeous dog you have is also capable of pulling you over, refuses to listen to you and, in my case, lays down and refuses to get up if she's wearing a halti! Thankfully she did eventually learn some manners!

All you really CAN do is laugh...and be prepared to be patient and work as hard a necessary so that you eventually have a nicely trained dog. My little cross breed pup is proving to be more of a handful than I have anticipated also...but this time at least I know that with perseverance and work there is light at the end of the tunnel. I think that people like your husky owner really need those obedience classes - it's good that she is there :)

[Diva]

It can work the other way too - my very first dog was a male Borzoi. A 45 kg, entire (showdog), high prey drive, independent, breed with a reputation for being hard to train probably should have been a disaster.

Instead, it was a match made in heaven.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

i think some of the problem is that people think they need half an hour or more at one time to train a dog...

I ask them - do they watch telly? - they could train their dog during the commercials... ie 30 seconds and five rewards here and there - works...

Doing nothing because a person never has "enough" time in one hit, or only yelling at the dog when it's "naughty" - doesn't work.

I get worried when I hear people being told "it takes hard work and effort". It's more like it takes a little bit often, and being consistent. And being consistent is hard but you only need 4 out of 5 (80%) consistent. The dog will forgive 20% error on your part.

[hortfurball]

Clearly from the dog's behavour, both of you are in the beginners class. Perhaps she hasn't done a lot of training with the dog. Perhaps she has not had a spitz breed before (who sometimes require a different training style to more suggestible breeds). Perhaps she has never owned or trained a dog before.

Judging the woman for the dog's behaviour, especially one who is in a beginners class, is unhelpful at best. Hopefully, with time, she will either realise herself or be helped to realise that this style of training is not working for this individual dog, and she will find some better methods of training. Knowledge comes with help - self-education or education by others - and experience.

Perhaps you could offer the help she needs, rather than rant about and judge an inexperienced woman simply for her inexperience. Initiating a friendly chat before classes commence can lead to a light discussion of training methods. Support, even in sharing of exasperation at the frustrating things that dogs can do, is infinitely more useful.

Best of luck to her, and hopefully she'll soon develop some better handling skills and see some improvement!

Sometimes I really really want a 'like' button!

Anyway I dunno where some people got the idea I was

being rude, and judgement about the lady I was just wondering why some people choose dogs that really are not best suted to them.

And also who thought it would be a good idea to sell that type of dog to the lady who is a very shy and timid person and without informing them about perticular aspects of the breed. And what training would be required.

Is it looks that people mostly go on to choose their dog?

Or is there just too much miss information out there?

Or maybe both :)

THIS post is actually quite judgmental Atanquin. You have not only judged the lady again on whether or not she is a suitable owner for this dog, but have also judged the person who sold her the dog, and have assumed that they didn't inform her about the breed or its training requirements.

Perhaps she will learn a lot from her dog, and will enjoy every minute of it. After all, it's not only when they are perfect that we love them, but it is the imperfections that make them so special to us.

I have a dog who would on paper probably not suit me, and I certainly felt like tearing my hair out a number of times during the first four or so years, but we both adapted to fit each other and now that she's 10, my heart bursts at how well behaved she can be when she's not being a hypo nutter (and even when she is I just adore her - my crazy silly chicken.)

Ah Saxonpup - your first paragraph can apply equally to big and small dogs.

In my experience the majority of giant dog owners especially have their dogs very well under control and trained because they know the importance of control due to size and strength. It is actually the owners of the SWF brigade who, in my experience, are not usually under much control at all and also tend to all into the spoilt little brats category. I don't know what the answer is - maybe it is due to the type of owner wo go for big vs small and the less likely a dog will get mollycoddled.

Missing the 'like' button again!