Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts

Being a Tree

By Mrs. Sanchez


I am going to do my best to practice this today. Aside from Oso's incredible cuteness, he goes through random periods of jumping on us and tearing our clothes. The ENTIRE day will be dedicated to this.

I'm ready to wear some clothes that are able to get ripped. Actually, I"m preparing to wear shorts.

Here's a picture for the day: "Oso's Crazy Face" - he was much milder a week ago, but still had the crazy face!


UPDATE:

No need for shorts. Just another reminder, this is all about the parenting. Oso did great today. I simply yelled "ouch" VERY very loudly when he bit my shoes or clothes and he stopped and looked at me completely shocked. Every time I was a tree, he simply stopped jumping. We are using the clicker now and he is responding extremely well.

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Picking up the Poop

By Mrs. Sanchez



I write with you about this subject with a certain degree of shock. Am I really writing concerning picking up the poop?

Well, this was an epiphany for me when it came to living respectfully with a dog in an apartment complex.

Oso has not fulfilled his vaccination schedule yet and therefore needs to poop in the courtyard, versus outside the courtyard, a very dog busy zone. Since Oso is a puppy, the quality of his poop varies from dry to wet (sometimes in the course of a single day). At first, I was very concerned that poop residue was being left on the grass and would make our courtyard less enjoyable for the other residents. I brought water out every time after he went poop and flushed the area.

I then found, da da da daaaaa, the paper towel!! When Oso squats to go poop, I simply lay down the paper towel under his back legs and walah! I fold up the towel, toss it in the trash. No trying to get it all, no grabbing it, no flushing it with water!

The grosses of my posts (I hope), yet a wonderful epiphany I had in my experience at raising Oso.

That being said, Oso hasn't pooped inside since Day1. And he rings his bell regularly!

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Toys and Staying Sane

By Mrs. Sanchez

The first two days that Oso joined our family were rough. My husband and I thought he was very cute, but were astounded at how exhausted we were. Oso was only waking up once during then night and not crying at all to go to sleep (naps were different). We were exhausted from the constant high energy required to hold Oso's interest and keep him out of trouble.


We started with only a few chew toys. My mother came to visit over the weekend and immediately said he needed more toys. To my surprise, after we came back he entertained himself for quite a while with the new toys.

This had NEVER happened for such an extended period. My husband and I had to be on him 100% of the time when he was awake - training him, making up games for him and playing with him. Toys kept him out of trouble and kept us sane.

We could actually check the email with new toys or cook dinner. This is something I was not aware of as a new puppy parent.

While I do not advocate letting your puppy play solely with toys (as this would prevent important training and bonding time with his people), I feel independent play is vital to the health of the family.

Here is Oso with his new toy after my mom visited:


I just came back with new loot from Petsmart. It is like magic. :)

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Bedtime Story

By Mrs. Sanchez

I was surprised to find myself telling an Oso a bedtime story to go to sleep last night.


Oso typically wakes up in the middle of the night to go potty. After that, we let him snuggle in our bed a bit before putting him to bed in his crate. Well, night before last he was digging and keeping everyone awake, trying to play, etc.

I decided it may be not be the best decision to keep him in bed and last night we should just put him back in the crate. I threw a bunch of food in there (as his kong was soiled from a mid-day bm in crate disaster) and he kept himself busy for a few seconds before realizing what had happened.

Then came the whining. Although we do NOT like to hear the whining (it's a minor form of torture), my fear came from the next step after the whining - the yelp. It is so loud that he would possibly wake up neighbors on all side of us (we are apartment dwellers).

As I was telling my husband this concern, Oso stopped whining. "Your voice," my husband says. "He stops crying when he hears your voice." So off I go in a low tone talking about a pink magic dragon the size of a housefly.

I strangely enjoyed telling this story. Not only did I talk Oso to sleep, but myself as well. When did the story end? I'm not sure.

I never expected to be telling Oso a bedtime story - BUT, it worked like magic.

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Why Puppies Should Never Be Punished for Potty Mistakes

By Mrs. Sanchez

"Imagine this: You are an eight-year-old child. You reach to touch a doorknob (a completely normal thing to do in your world) and a family member runs up to you screaming. he takes your head and forces it toward the doorknob continuing to scold. He may smack you on your butt or give you a shake but at no time does he tell you what he wants from you.

Now since you have to touch a doorknob from time to time and you have no idea what the problem is, what do you start to do? How about wait for that person to be somewhere else before you touch the doorknob? Because clearly, he has a big problem with doorknob touching. So whenever he leaves the room, you use the doorknob. Now that person is probably calling you "sneaky," "stupid," "spiteful," and "stubborn." If they come into your room you may lower your head a bit or turn away. Now you'll be accused of "knowing what you did wrong."

This is a puppy's experience with housebreaking. If you yell at him, smack him, or rub his face in his mistake, it will teach him - that you are crazy around urine and feces. It will not teach your puppy to think: Gee, I need to go. I should probably ask the person to let me outside. It will teach your puppy to think, Gee, I need to go. Better get as far away as my person as possible. She has a weird aggression problem.

What can you do? Interrupt the behavior. If you catch your puppy in the act of squatting in the house, make one sudden, loud sound - slap a wall or table with the flat of your hand or make one loud clap - with the goal of startling him into stopping midstream. Then rush him outside, where he is praised for finishing the job. If you find a mistake after the fact? It's too late. Clean up and learn from it.

*This is an excerpt from My Smart Puppy: Fun, Effective and Easy Puppy Training by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. We bought the kindle version on amazon and downloaded the free Kindle PC program so we can read it on our computer. The book comes with a DVD, an you don't get that on Kindle, but the kindle version only costs $3 and that's worth it for us.


p. 220/320, Location: 2855 of 4510 on Kindle

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Just like with good parenting and teaching, we need to focus on what a child SHOULD do, not what he should NOT do. I would also add, that you should attempt (as best you can) to control your emotions while interrupting a pee, from what I read puppies are very aware of these. Cesar Millan recommends an assertive calm, i think that would be perfect for interruption and then praise good for outside.

I really liked Kilcommon and Wilson's personification and illustration of the effects punitive punishment can have.

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How to Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves

By Mrs. Sanchez


This book appears to be a must read. It is $20.00 and although that is not much, I am not sure we should be training our Vizsla to hunt in the first place. Since, however, it was bred to be a bird dog, I feel it is only right to encourage its natural instincts to take place.

I am highly interested in the steps encouraged for first-time owners to take place in the first year of the doggies life. I'm going to hunt around and see if I can find this at a local library or discount store. It is supposed to have excellent information.

Instead of a regimented training plan, it recommends exposing your Vizsla or dog to certain experiences which will support its growth as a hunter.

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The Importance of Teaching "Come"

By Mrs. Sanchez


http://trader.co.nz/dogtrain/come.htm


Well put, Jenny Peacocke.

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Advice from Cesar Millan

By Mrs. Sanchez


I am well aware of the controversy regarding Cesar Millan. When I began reading this book, however, I was not. Upon first reading, I found the book very informative and intended to use his recommended techniques when introducing Oso II to our house. I have already learned about some techniques of Millan's that I will never use, right now this advice seems ok to me.

Unless mentioned, this information is summarized from A Member of Your Family, Ch.3 The Homecoming. There is also some great information about choosing a puppy for your family. The way Millan speaks about realistically matching energy levels is the clearest way I have read. We had already put our deposit down on Osito before I rented the book. My only hope is that we are truly the athletic people I believe we are (and this is not only my ideal).

Puppy's First Day Home
GOAL = EARN PUPPIES TRUST

Getting into the Car

When you place the puppy in the car on your way home, don’t just place the puppy in the box and carry the box to the car. Take the puppy to the car, put the front two feet down and the brain will automatically want to put four feet wherever the other two landed. If you wait for that moment, the puppy will be able to figure out how to be on a human lap, in an automobile or in a new environment. By introducing a puppy to new places the way the mother would, the puppy instinctually understand, “Okay, this makes me feel the way I used to feel at home.” You become the puppy’s last link to this mom, or first pack.

*He will want to explore first with his body and then with his nose.

*If you want to transport him in his kennel, lure him in with food.


Getting into the House

Place the puppy just outside the apartment door and wait for him to follow you inside.

*Patience is key. (hesitancy is normal – don’t force the puppy)

*Keep calm and assertive energy.

Once inside, watch to see how the puppy adapts.

*Some will look around and begin to whine, they are saying, “I’m not familiar with this place!”

*Some may cautiously explore in a small space. (remember you MUST go first. If the puppy tries to go ahead of you, block him with your foot)

*Some puppies may come in and immediately shut down out of fear and confusion. Do NOT feel sorry for him, stand nearby, remain calm and assertive, and let the uppy go through the transition period on his own (this is how he builds self-confidence). If you pick him up right away to pet and comfort him, you are thwarting him from developing the necessary self-esteem he’ll need to be able to handle new situations in the future.

*Use scent and food to get him to follow you and to unlock the brain when it shuts down. Lead the upppy to where you want him to go both by your presence and by waving food in front of the nose. Once the puppy moves forward towards the scent, you give him the food, and quickly he will realize that if he follows that scent, he gets fed. You area lso making the association between moving forward and a safe, positive pleasant experience.


Introduce Him to the House

If he is confident and happy, lead him around the room with food until he gets tired. Then, introduce him to his kennel with food/treats. If he’s already tired, lure him into his kennel right away. DO NOT just pick him UP!


Advice for Happy Sleeping

Keep a strong pack leader in close physical proximity to the puppy.

Include scents of his litter mates, us (the new parents) and the cats.

Look into a beating heart toy or a clock to put in the bed.

Tire him out before bed

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Interactive Treat Dispensing Chew Toys

By Mrs. Sanchez

Ian Dunbar's amazing e-book, After You Get Your Puppy (I will most likely write a review later), recommends using chew toys to dispense your puppy's daily amount of food for the first few days at home. He wants your dog to become obsessed with chewing their toy (instead of your shoes, furniture, etc.)


What better way to reinforce his chewing than through intermittent reinforcement? Your puppy chews and food comes out. VERY reinforcing! This will also give your doggy a job and help with separation anxiety (if given when you leave for the store, work, etc.)

We plan to do this with Oso II (although, I am checking on the safety of leaving him/her with a toy when we are at work for a few hours).

Ian Dunbar, recommends stuffing a typical kong the following way in Before you Get your Puppy, p.80.

1) Squish a small piece of freeze-dried liver in the small hole in the tip of the Kong so your puppy will never be able to get it out.
2) Smear a little honey around the inside of the Kong.
3) Fill it up with kibble.
4) Then block the big hole with crossed dog biscuits."

On my shopping list:
The original Kong - some reviewers said heavy chewers went through it in a couple hours - but they said that for the extreme too. Since, we don't know if Oso II will be a big chewer or not, we'll try it. I think someone said you can send in your broken one for a replacement if it is destroyed right away.

Freeze Dried Liver - not sure how many oz this is, but Dunbar recommends it for potty training, meeting strangers and putting in the chew toys. It has good reviews.


Dr. Sophia Yin recommends "throw[ing] your dog's food bowl away." She says naturally dogs spend hours searching for food in the wild. She says to save food for training or treat-disbursement toys.

Kong Dental Dog Toy - This has less reviews, but also no reviews of doggies ripping it to shreds immediately. I really need to see Oso II before getting all these. He may be a candidate for some of the less durable ones.

Premier Busy Buddy Funny Bone - This one looks great! It's supposed to be safe for even the biggest chewers. I'm pretty sure we'll get this one for when we are at work.


I'm sure there are more, but it seems like a lot of them aren't good for strong chewers. I will have to continue this search later. Until then....


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