Had a private trainer come into my home... I wanted to have a trainer make an in-home visit to see Teddy. Although I understand that puppies bite, I wanted to find a way to teach him that it is not OK to bite or growl...well she offered to tap under the chin or grab him by the scruff of the neck and say no! when he bites. He quickly got the hint and stopped biting while she was here and even went to his crate with ears down to lie down. When she was leaving he came up to her to be pet by her and she left. She also suggested to do the pennies in a can bit if he is jumping or chewing on something inappropriate. Since she left yesterday, I've been trying to do what she says except for the first time Teddy is avidly growling at me...and now he even tries biting me when I put my hands in his cage....I don't feel as if I'm being effective because I feel bad grabbing him by the back of the neck or tapping him under the chin...it only seems to aggravate him more and its only making me upset...he's clearly not hurt by what I'm doing (he doesn't yelp or anything) but I don't know if I can continue to correct him this way? I don't feel comfortable and would really appreciate everyone's input on what to expect or what not to expect in dog trainers...:confused: |
I'm not comfortable with this kind of physical correction/contact. In my non-expert opinion, it leads to the kind of negative reaction you are getting from Teddy. I believe it destroys trust and sets a bad example, especially with a puppy. If you are physical, he is going to react physically. I prefer verbal corrections and withdrawing attention. If he nips, say "uh uh uh" as in "no no no" and get up and walk away from him. Another method, depending on the situation, is to replace the inappropriate object of chewing with a proper one. Trainers vary widely in their methods. I prefer positive reinforcement training. It is also important that the trainer has experience with small dogs, ideally Yorkies. |
I don't feel comfortable with it either...I feel as if it's stopping me from actually enjoying his puppyhood. I do not want to even "tap" him. |
You might be teaching him to fear your hands as they now they have negative results (grabbing him, or taping him). Have you tried removing yourself when he gets to bitey? Even if you lightly push him away, he could still interpret it as play. So be boring when he bites, he won't like it when you're boring. |
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Read the article linked in this post about teaching "bite inhibition":http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/tra...nhibition.html You are doing a great job jumping on training right away, but as I wrote to you in your other thread, make training fun and enjoyable. Be firm and consistent, but remember this is a puppy. |
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I'm am guessing that the puppy viewed the trainer as a pack leader because of her confidence and experience. He does not see you as a leader and is therefore challenging you. This is going to take some time. I suggest getting Cesar Milans books or CDs on how to be the pack leader. Here is a link to some exercises that you can try, to help you to estalish yourself as the leader. More Information This is an ongoing process and it will take time. Dont give up. As you become more confident the puppy wil begin to look at you differently. It is good that you are concerned about this an not viewing as a phase or 'oh isnt he cute". Good Luck |
Consider a beginners obedience class where you and your pup can bond and he can learn that he should mind you with no physical stuff on your part. |
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I'm looking for a different trainer...do you guys know if being certified by the CCPDT is a good thing? |
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This type of training is negative reinforcement and is not the greatest approach. You never want to physically reprimand your dog, they learn to associate you with bad things and fear you. They then do what you want because they are afraid and not because it makes you both happy and this can lead to worse problems down the road. Most dogs learn much better with positive reinforcement. You must replace the behavior you don't want with something you do want. For example, puppy is chewing on your favorite shoe- say "no" in a firm manner then give him a proper chew toy then give him a little treat and happy praise "good boy" for chewing on the toy. I took Chibi to petsmart training classes and liked them a lot. I would ask your next trainer if they do "positive reinforcement" training and if not go somewhere else. Your pup should have good expierences learning, not bad ones. |
I completely agree. Even though I've never had a puppy before- when it came to doing the "homework" my trainer assigned to me...I just CANNOT do it. I tried and felt terrible (even though it was just a "tap" under the chin). I cried yesterday because I felt as if I was not being the pet owner I wanted to be. I knew that training a puppy would require a lot of work and I am MORE than OKAY with putting in work...however feeling as if I'm doing something wrong made me feel absolutely terrible, and I refuse to ever put my furbaby or myself in that situation again. I contacted another trainer and she said ... " We offer private behavioral instruction and small group classes for dogs of all types and ages. Our training methods are humane and dog-friendly, and based in scientific learning theory. We do NOT use physical force, intimidation, or threats in our training. This should be an enjoyable activity for you and your dog -- not a power struggle or war of wills. " I think she sounds like a winner to me. She also has links to Dr. Sophia and a bunch of articles about positive reinforcement on her website. She even sent me a couple of things to read in her response e-mail. |
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