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Do You Loose Your Temper While Training Your Dogs?


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I think I am a patient owner trainer.

Years ago, I admit due to ignorance I could feel my temperature rising, when my dog did not perform a correct response. I probably corrected, when I should have been correcting myself. Thank heavens my first dog, started my insanity, as she loved to work at anything and recovered with no issues.

Answering honestly, :rolleyes: , do you loose your temper while training? Do you quit, return home and ponder how to improve your training methods?

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Lose temper? No. Never. Only ever at myself.

Have gotten myself frustated once or twice during training, though. If I was not able to instantly turn the frustration on myself and change it to determination to figure out what I had to do to get around the problem I was having, I would pop the dog back and train an 'easier' dog. Would bring out the other dog later with a fresher approach and calmer mind.

ETA: I am quicker to lose my temper at people than I am with dogs.

Edited by Erny
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I always ponder how to improve but I really don't think I ever get cranky with the dogs. I think it would be better if I was a bit more serious but when they are so keen to work, even if it's wrong how could you get angry.

I have quit trying to do obedince trials with my Dobe as she is smarter than me, :rolleyes: but I love training her at home and dog club. I am having a moment of weakness and thought today I should trial her again. :laugh:

We must be bored tonight.

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We must be bored tonight.

Slow weekend, except for training the dog for me. Lovely!!!!!!!!!! My poor husband has to work tomorrow. Good, he is out of my hair.

Edited: Oh brother, I am tired.........dogs.....not dog. I find being the DOL very relaxing. Probably my posts are boring :rolleyes: Oh well, I have fun.

Edited by Lablover
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Slow weekend, except for training the dog for me. Lovely!!!!!!!!!! My poor husband has to work tomorrow. Good, he is out of my hair.

But I know that you will make use of that and stay home all day doing housework. :rolleyes:

As will I. :laugh:

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Guest Clover

I admit when i was younger i lost my temper on many occasions... a 17 year old training a head strong Rottie/ ACD x was not a great combo, we both survivied though and i learnt a hell of a lot. These days i just put the dog away and walk away to cool off.

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I lost my temper once years ago with my schipperke when training. I got bitten (she was very quick at telling me when i'd stuffed up lol) and learnt that if i was in a 'touchy' mood, or even slightly grumpy, steer clear of training.

i'd go read a book instead

nowadays, Nope. if im getting angry, its usually because ive stuffed up, so i change to a play session and then start again.

Jenna

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I was 'lucky' to have an extremely difficult horse a few years ago who taught me the very definition of the word patience! I have never lost my temper at my dogs as such- been frustrated but still remained calm. However, i do remember being very frustrated with a cat a few years ago- i was doing scent detection with my then pup- only 5-6 months old which was hard enough, i had another trainer come out to watch because i'd been talling him how well she'd been going and i wanted to see if she'd be ready for her assessment.

So she starts working and we weren't past the 2nd box before one of the resident cats came and curled itself around one of the boxes. It was the one distraction my girl couldn't work under at that point, she desperately wanted to play with the cat. We had been working so hard and it had been a real struggle with her to begin with- not just her age but she had excellent obedience that interfered terribly with the scent detection so it was a long hard road.

We had to abandon the training session as we couldn't get her back working again after that. I'm not sure if Erny recalls, but i went and sat down and cried (she came and gave me a few encouraging words) and as i was sitting there, the cat in question came and jumped into my lap. That is the closest i've been to 'losing my temper with an animal- as the cat purred and tried to snuggle on my lap! People on the other hand- thats a different story!

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I'm not sure if Erny recalls, but i went and sat down and cried (she came and gave me a few encouraging words) ...

I remember well. And having since achieved your goal and made it through the course with success, I bet it's something you can look back on and allow yourself a bit of a giggle.

Tough at the time, though.

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I have to admit, being a relatively new trainer that I have lost my temper before :love:

But i've never lost it AT the dog. I feel my temper rising so I call it quits, no matter if we are on a high or not.

Usually at home i'll be kicking myself coz i'll realise i've done something really obvious wrong to confuse the dog.

I am a lot better now, rarely loose my temper now, just sit back and realise there is something wrong with what i'm trying to communicate to the dog.

I DO still get frustrated with the dogs when they behave like pain in the butts in public at times though!!! :D

ETA - I think my definitions were wrong. Many are saying they get frustrated, which is really all i've done as i've never completely 'lost it' when training, just got frustrated, realised it isn't going anywhere and stopped the session :love:

Edited by leopuppy04
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I admit to having a temper to lose and have lost my temper when working one of my horses - he was a lot smarter than I was being at the time and he got me at every turn and trick I tried. He was lazy and didn't want to go. He found a way of making me extremely spooked whilst onhis back. He got his way and I lost out big style. I lost my confidence with him. I learnt alot.

I find it a lot easier to connect with and talk to my dogs and, as such, don't lose my temper with them. If we have a session where we're really bashing heads against a wall, I take it as a sign that its not happening and end the session on a good note.

Isn't it facinating the little things animals can teach you?

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Having a very soft dog for my first dog taught me alot. After paying for my mistakes the hard and time consuming way the first time has helped me no end with training my following dogs.

I'm lucky to have the same soft dog 'problem'. I have never lost my temper with Xena, but sometimes when she barks at me for not getting it 'right' I have to end the session or take it back to something we both know and then end it so that I can go away and think for a while. Sometimes the best thing to do is :D . Xena thinks it's funny and it resets the whole situation.

I have seen a guy training a crazy young dobey totally 'lose it' - poor dog broke on a stay and wouldn't come back. the way it was treated when he (actually I caught the dog and gave it back to him) caught it I wouldn't have come back either. :love:

temper + dog = bad

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Never. I'm pretty patient anyway but having trained a soft dog you learned the importance of keeping your tone and body language positive. The most she could cope with was neutral.

If I get that frustrated I stop and have a game..

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Never. I'm pretty patient anyway but having trained a soft dog you learned the importance of keeping your tone and body language positive. The most she could cope with was neutral.

If I get that frustrated I stop and have a game..

Yeah - Leo has taught me a lot as he will shut down with the slightest change in my temper. I am pretty good now at keeping myself under control, not that i've ever done anything bad.

My first dog would put up with anything and in a way that is worse as you don't learn much about controlling your temper/ emotions.

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Never lost my temper, I've been frustrated a few times but everyone has bad days, both dogs & humans. If it gets to that then its time to quit, have a game to finish on a good note and find something else to do for the day.

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I've been frustrated with Bob at times, especially when we first started training. Now I give myself an imaginary slap across the head, take a deep breath and instigate a game if we are at home, or take a brisk few steps if we are at training, as soon as I start to feel frustrated.

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