Dog Training And Boarding Recommendations

[Gunner85]

Hi everyone,

Any recommendations for Boarding and training? I have a 1 yr old male boxer.

Im in syd, but I dont mind travelling as far as central coast or sth coast. NOT HANROB, so pls dont suggest that place.

alternatively any 1 on 1 trainers in syd I am also open to.

Thanks from me :)

[corvus]

There are no board and train places in Sydney I would trust. I'm a private trainer/behaviourist in southern Sydney. Look me up (Creature Teacher). Depending on the problem. I am kind of specialised in behavioural problems with some complexity. I refer basic training to other trainers. If you let me know where in Sydney, I can give you some suggestions for who I and others I know refer to.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Gunner85

By boarding and training - do you want to send your dog away for a couple of weeks, and pick it up all obedient and trained?

I don't think there is much point in doing that if you don't get trained to train your dog. That's where the need really is. If you understand how to train your dog - then you can get your dog to behave how you want.

The problem with sending the dog away is it will be all obedient and trained for the staff at the boarding centre but not for you. My dog is highly trained but won't do anything my mum or my brother ask her to.

There are some "military style" places that have returned a happy dog as a quivering wreck - because they use a lot of aversives and punishment to train. And they will just say the dog was not a suitable candidate for the training. ARGH.

What is it you want your dog to do better than it currently does?

[VizslaMomma]

Gunner85

By boarding and training - do you want to send your dog away for a couple of weeks, and pick it up all obedient and trained?

I don't think there is much point in doing that if you don't get trained to train your dog. That's where the need really is. If you understand how to train your dog - then you can get your dog to behave how you want.

The problem with sending the dog away is it will be all obedient and trained for the staff at the boarding centre but not for you. My dog is highly trained but won't do anything my mum or my brother ask her to.

I think it preferble to take this choice on a case by case basis. I helped a friend who was not in good health establish a much happier AND healther relationship with her dog. It did involve boarding and training. It did mean the dog was well trained by the staff. BUT the best outcome has been that she now has a happy relationship with the dog. Her mobility was handicapped after a MVA. That coinsided with the dog reaching its teenhood. It did mean chaos.

Now, because she can deal with the boundaries needed, there is a good outcome.

I do not think it should ever be a blanket do not consider board and train.

:)

[Gunner85]

Hi all, thankyou for your feedback. I have found a place where I will be attending with Gunzy. its been highly recommended by a friend who had rescue 7 mth old dog and only found resulys from this trainer after going through 3 others as well as board and train, which didnt work.

Gunzy is highly affectionate.....jumping on everyone to greet them regardless of whether they belong to our family or not, destroying the yard, jumping up onto the glass doors to get my attantion if he has been put outside due to a visitor etc. he play bites (and now licking the laptop as I type, since my hands are busy NOT patting him.

he wont come, sit, stay. wont walk calmly on leash..... and on and on it goes.

I agree the training should not only be for the dog but for me too. This was my apprehension which board and train even though they said they would do handover at the ned with me. Still, I wasnt 100% and I had to follow my gut. I was feeling desperate and so was willing to overside my instinct a couple of weeks ago. Glad I chnaged my mind I think.

I will be with this trainer (as will husband!) as he has not wanted to participate with training thus far which has just given me the shits. We have 3 kids under 12 so its impossible for them to walk Gunzy and it has almost become impossible for me, but it has to be done. I have laccerated fingers from his pulling the lead, but i bought him, he is part of the family and he needs attention and love from us no matter how exhausting it is.

I hope we can get the same fab results for Gunzy that this friend did for her dog. I can only try my best and go on recommndations I guess. I think it will take time, but he is my buddy at home when everyone is out so it would be nice to go hang at the park and the coffee shop together, because he is beautiful, just OVER THE TOP, till we figure things out.

Keep your fingers crossed for us! I am new to this forum and appreciate feedback. i will let you all know how we go. Training is scheduled for end of May 2015. I while away, but I will hang in there with Gunzy. Thanks all!

[Nekhbet]

I was going to suggest Pet Resorts Australia for boarding and training if you need it

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

These are some suggestions for counters to these.

He's clearly easily distracted so any games you can play to improve his self control will help.

.....jumping on everyone to greet them regardless of whether they belong to our family or not,

There's stuff about these on youtube... Eg

crate games (DVD by Susan Garrett)

collar grab - paired with a treat - play five grabs and treats. and then play some other game. Do once or twice a day. You work up to you reach for his neck/collar and he puts his neck in your hand... this you can use to prevent jumping. Along with a really nice

sit stay. I train this in front of dinner and then I move to the back yard, and then I do everything I can to distract the dog out of the stay - build up little by little. If the dog is holding the stay for five attempts - you can increase the difficulty in one aspect eg duration or distance or waving flappy thing over there but not all those at once.

So if your dog loves the sit stay game - it's easier to stop him from jumping because you can't sit stay and jump...

destroying the yard

This comes from boredom, lack of exercise (or too much) and not enough mental work eg trick training is mental work and can wear a dog out more for less time commitment than a long fast walk. If the dog gets an hour of running next to a bike every day - you get a super fit bored dog which can excavate a back yard in a day...

jumping up onto the glass doors to get my attention

Ooh this was so my dog as a puppy when we visited my brother's place and she was supposed to stay outside when we were eating - no way. Unfortunately I had two choices here... put her somewhere safe she couldn't see me - like the car (in winter) or a crate under the verandah on the other side of the house. Ie the immediate consequence of jumping on the glass was going in the car or crate. Note I did crate train her first so she was pretty comfortable in the crate, she just couldn't jump on the glass. So her choice was be nice outside, or jump on glass = car time.

the main thing is not to reward the jumping on the glass with "attention'. Which is hard because I don't want the door broken. So crate/car it is. Ie remove the opportunity without giving the dog what it wants. No need to scold the dog either.

he play bites (and now licking the laptop as I type, since my hands are busy NOT patting him.

I'm copping a bit of this right now. Cos it's walk time - in her head (never mind daylight savings). Tricky. I could shut her outside for while but that would be hell for my neighbours. I can't be bothered setting up a crate and sticking her in it... she's now fetching one bit of walking equipment after another - shoes, socks... really only one answer. Even a walk around the block would be enough.

I could put a ball under a blanky and tell her to fetch (mental exercise).

Licking the keyboard and my hands - vicks vapour rub fixes that (has to be reapplied daily or as needed). So does a nice stay on the mat over there...

You also want to look up a self control game called "its yer choice" and anything by kikopup on youtube.

Hopefully that will give you a start. Main thing to be thinking about - for each behaviour you don't want - what would you like instead and how might you train that instead. Something that your dog can't do at the same time as the unwanted behaviour.

edit to fix quote tag

Edited April 7, 2015 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[persephone]

Boxers are very smart- and strong, and full of the joys of life ...

I hope you can find someone to show YOU how to understand what he is trying to tell you , and how to fulfil his needs :)

Just from your post, he sounds like a teenage boy who needs some responsibilities and interests . LOL

I agree 100 x on MENTAL stimulation .

feed him via a treat ball - provide him with cardboard boxes to wreck, a sandpit to dig in ..and some hefty rope toys to throw/chew ..

Your KIDS need to be taught, also . The energy kids often show around young dogs just mean you have a young dog with all the symptoms of a red cordial binge!!

Kids need to learn how to be calm, and settled and to not egg the pup/dog on ;) This is unfair on them all

you all would probably benefit from reading articles like THIS CLICK HERE :) or THIS :)Click here

I hope your training sessions are really helpful , and that we soon see photos of your bouncing boy boxer! :)

[Gunner85]

Thankyou everyone!!

I will indeed look at the youtube videos etc you have all uggested.

Yep I reckon the toys he has currently outstrip what the kids have! I have the treat balls and the tug o ropes and medicine type balls and and and and LOL!! Totally agree with the comment of kids not egging him on. Yep if you roll on the floor expect to be pounced on! Gunzy seems to destroy stuff when he isnt getting attention from me. He happily will put bum down and run at break neck speed around the yard to catch a ball! He is also crate trained, which is where I pop him when I have to have someone in the house. He sits fine in that and yes only way of stopping the glass jumping.

I rotate his toys so there is something new outthere every few days. he is fed lots of edible bones so those jaws get a good work out.totally teenage boy, totally distracted by anything from a fly to a leaf!

I will keep you all updated and hopefully present a trained up dog AND owner!!! Ill be the smiling one on 2 legs! :)

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I rotate his toys so there is something new outthere every few days. he is fed lots of edible bones so those jaws get a good work out.totally teenage boy, totally distracted by anything from a fly to a leaf!

Seems to me like you're on the right track.

I would try adding more trick training especially the impulse / self control games.

I have something I call the "hat" game - cos the reward is the hat off my head which my dog then whips in to shape... and if I'm really lucky (at the beach) carries out to sea and drops it in the water... It's a variation of "start line stays" for agility competition.

So I get the dog in a sit stay and then I try to fake her out any way I can. If she steps off the spot - I collar grab and put her back on the starting spot (or near enough) and try again. If she manages to keep her paws all in place - I release her to run after me and get the hat (or toy or ball).

Sometimes I run, sometimes I don't, sometimes, as she blasts past me with the hat, I run the other way... cos she really likes a game of chasey so that works as a reward. And it develops good self control while being excited at the same time. That's what you want, ultimately, a dog who can control themselves when they're excited.

But yours is a 1yo boxer - ie adolescent teenager, so be patient, build up slowly. Pay attention to what distracts him and use those as rewards or to fake him out as you need.

I'd never heard of HA NR OB before you mentioned. Did you try them or have you other reasons (best not mentioned here) for not wanting to try them?