Anyone read this??

[IceyBlueSibes]

I just purchased a book the other day. It's "The Power of Positive Dog Trainign" by Pat Miller.

Has anyone read this before? I've read the beginning, and so far I like it. I'm just now getting to the excercises that you can do with your dog. But it sheds a whole new light on my view of dog training. I saw another book that looked really interesting called "Outwitting dogs: Revolutionary Techniques For Dog Training That Work" by Terry Ryan and Kirsten Mortensen

Just thought I'd see if anyone is reading the Pat Miller book. I'd also like to look into "The Culture Clash" which I've seen mentioned on the boards very often.

[Carrie]

I'd also like to look into "The Culture Clash" which I've seen mentioned on the boards very often

.
That's a phenomenal book....outstanding!

Yes, I'm reading Pat Miller's book right now....it's neat so far...very good. Enjoy!

[sammy]

I haven't read that one yet but it's on my "to read" list.

The Culture Clash is my fav dog book of all time. I think I've read it cover to cover three times (when I've got nothing to read I tend to pick it up and I feel like I get something new out of it everytime) and I refer back to it fairly often when different things come up. I've seen Jean Donaldson IRL and think she's brilliant.

[IceyBlueSibes]

Cool!

I want to further my reading and understanding of dog training, and definetly want to go for positive training. No more of that choke/prong collar stuff. The other day I wanted to see how Kelso would react to the prong collar (just curious)... he HATED it. The next day I got it out, he wouldn't come to me to have it put on. I didn't like that, so I'm just going to keep it for the others if we ever need it. But I think with reading these books, it will help me to understand ways to go about training and not using any other tools except for treats, and a clicker.

[Carrie]

The other day I wanted to see how Kelso would react to the prong collar (just curious)... he HATED it. The next day I got it out, he wouldn't come to me to have it put on.

That can happen and then sometimes a lot of people will say, "when I get out the prong collar, my dog is all excited so it's not bothering him." Well, of course, he gets excited. Taking a walk is better than not taking a walk. Dogs will put up with a lot in lieu of taking a walk.

I used one on Lyric when he was younger and not ready for huge distractions...when I had to take him into huge distractions. But I didn't feel very good about it. It looked so uncomfortable and when I took it off, his neck was all dandruffy and itchy. But he did still get excited when I got it out and he just put up.....pretty stoic about things like that.

I'm so glad that now, I can use a plain leather, flat collar and he is fine. Lots of practice with no leash really helped, then I'd put the leash on, then off, then on (back and forth) during one session. You see, he would tend to do better without the leash and when I put it back on, he'd pull a bit, so that's when I tried to show him that either way, leash or no leash, it was better if he stayed close to me. He got it. And I used a clicker. That really helped. But what I think is the most important tool of all, is the relationship with our dogs...that training is not drugery and unpleasantness, but fun and rewarding and that we can be counted on to provide everything they need while they give us what we want...a working partnership. And that they can trust us not to do nasty or forceful things to them.

I think it's great that you're going to do some reading. You'll enjoy it.

[sammy]

I'm not against using "tools' for short periods of training if you have a big dog and need a bit of leverage. My tool of choice is a esy walk harness or a GL. I agree though, if you are starting with a pup and really put the work in hopefully you won't need them.
I really like "choose to heel" as part of heeling training. If you have access to an enclosed space like a tennis court or hockey rink etc

[Carrie]

I wish I had known about the easy walk harness back then. I did start Lyric young. But he was so big and strong at an early age and was very ambitious about competing in the Ididerod. He wanted to meet O.C's huskies and go up against them. LOL.

What is "choose to heel?" You mean like we've been talking about.....come close and you get a phenomenal treat, (or c/t) ...lag or forge and you don't? It's your choice buddy. LOL.

[sammy]

Choose to heel....ummmm
you and the dog go somewhere preferably boring and enclosed. You start walking, briskly and business-like in a counter clockwise circle, completely ignoring the dog. The dog sniff around does whatever eventually the come and see what you're up to and since you are along the perimeter going counter clockwise they'll naturally come to approx. heel position. You mark it or click and toss the treat away and keep walking. They CHOOSE to be in heel position.
You gradually increase you criteria so that maybe they have to do 2 steps in heel postion , then three before they get the c/t. It doesn't take long before you have a dog who decided he wants to walk along side you for 10-15 steps. It's fun, easy and the dogs think it's great. Seeing the light bulb go in in their brains is cool. I did it with Sammy but not with Rosie and Sammy is more likely to decide to cruise along beside me even when he's off leash, than Rosie is. She's off exploring unless I call her to heel position.

[Carrie]

Well, that is similar to what I've done. But I did give encouragement to show him....by patting my thigh and making squeeky noises. The dog gets close, c/t.... then raise the criteria. But sometimes I've just walked without doing anything and again...if he gets into the position aprox. c/t. Then shaping the position into a more precise heel. It's so nice to see a dog using his head rather than just forcing him with a leash.

I read the analogy...I think in the Power of Pos. training....It's like a child working on a jig saw puzzle. You can take his hands and the right pieces and force the pieces into the right places. The puzzle gets put together, but the child doesn't learn as well how to figure it out for next time. If the child is working and thinking on his own, but needs a little help to keep from getting overly frustrated, that keeps his interest up but if he does most of the thinking, he'll learn how to put more puzzles together much better.

It doesn't matter if it's a human or a dog. Learning behavior is the same basically.

So, yes....I've noticed a huge difference in how quickly my dog picks up new things. He already knows that he has to think....nobody is going to do it all for him.