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Post by scallywag on Aug 18, 2016 9:46:46 GMT
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Post by ruby26 on Aug 18, 2016 20:24:51 GMT
Hi, just a quick update for everyone. I visited my local pet shop earlier today to purchase a muzzle and it was suggested to me that I try putting stones in an empty bottle and shaking it at Zeus every time he barked or bit and so far it's worked a treat! He now seems quite wary of me (which I'm hoping is a good thing?) and I've only actually had to shake the bottle at him twice. Thanks again for all of your advice x
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Post by Pawsforthought on Aug 18, 2016 22:21:58 GMT
Hi, just a quick update for everyone. I visited my local pet shop earlier today to purchase a muzzle and it was suggested to me that I try putting stones in an empty bottle and shaking it at Zeus every time he barked or bit and so far it's worked a treat! He now seems quite wary of me (which I'm hoping is a good thing?) and I've only actually had to shake the bottle at him twice. Thanks again for all of your advice x I'd still get in touch with Peter Neville if you have the time; although shaking pebbles is working you say, it's not ideal. Positive means of shaping behaviour have been proven to be far more effective than negative (essentially what you're doing is shocking him out of biting.) I think it's fine short term, because you are probably at your wit's end and it's something that could cause you harm, but overall having a positive relationship with your dog should be the goal. We've moved past the days of believing you're supposed to be the "pack leader;" you don't need to boss and bully your way into getting what you want from your dog. I'm not criticising, just suggesting you still go ahead contacting him! And if you are interested enough and want to learn a bit about dogs, I strongly suggest you read the book "in defence of dogs" by Dr John Bradshaw. "The genius of dogs" by Dr Brian Hare is another excellent one. They both really helped me to understand how dogs actually learn. I used to follow Cesar Millan (aka "the dog whisperer") but I've come a LONG way since then. Dog training is a daunting topic: a bit like with dog food, there is so much to take in as well as so many different opinions on how to get what you want. I personally believe in a positive, force-free attitude (and so far it is the attitude that has worked best for us,) especially because science currently supports that way of training. The reason I recommended Peter Neville is it seems to me that he takes everything into account: lifestyle, food, how much exercise the dog gets, mental stimulation etc. And sometimes dog owners don't see what they're missing, and it takes a third party coming in and looking at the situation to point out what's going wrong. Peter writes for Dogs Today, and some of the dogs he has helped seem to have some really difficult problems until he figures out what's going wrong, and then it's simply a case of sticking to the plan that has been agreed on. Anyway, no harm can come from contacting him! In the meantime, do not blame yourself! I find that can actually make matters worse because you end up feeling frustrated and lashing out (with words perhaps.) The sooner you take the weight off your shoulders and realise that it may be beyond your control the better. Dogs have personalities just like humans, and sometimes a problem occurs not because you've done something wrong but maybe because you don't fully understand your dog and what drives him (what makes him excited, scared, sad and happy- these are important things to know!) I think it's fair to say you probably don't have the best relationship with your dog right now, and that's also something that needs to be worked on. Once you've contacted a behaviourist (whether Peter or someone else,) perhaps it would be an idea starting him at obedience, and when he's old enough maybe agility as well? He's too young for agility yet as his joints could be harmed, but I wonder if that may be a good thing for both of you once he's old enough. Anyway, good luck, keep us posted! And try to relax and not blame yourself
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Post by ruby26 on Aug 18, 2016 23:01:58 GMT
Hi, thanks for your reply Pawsforthought. I've actually got zeus booked in on Tuesday for a one on one session with a lady that trains police dogs so I'm hoping she'll be able to give me her opinion and some advice that may help. I contacted Peter via email and he replied a little while ago to say that he doesn't do consultations via email and to try and contact a dog behaviourist in my area. He also said I'd need a referall from my vet so I'm going to look into that too. I'll also find the reading material you recommended. Thanks again for your reply.
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Post by boxerluver30 on Aug 19, 2016 10:54:07 GMT
Hi ruby26 welcome . Just read through all the replies and I agree with everything said. Glad to hear you are getting one to one training with him and hope you find a way to resolve his biting issues . Love the name Zeus by the way, that was one of our name options when we got my dog as a puppy but we all agreed on Samson in the end (dog in avatar pic). Is that him in your avatar? If so hes gorgeous
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Post by ruby26 on Aug 19, 2016 11:30:52 GMT
Aww your doggy is lovely yes that's zeus on my avatar and thank you for your reply. Hopefully the one on one training will teach him some manners! 😀
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Post by cazypops on Aug 19, 2016 20:22:40 GMT
Good luck with the one to one on Tuesday ruby26, I really hope they can help you. Let us know how you get on.
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Post by ruby26 on Aug 19, 2016 20:31:38 GMT
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Post by jacksmum on Aug 19, 2016 20:42:55 GMT
Hi is there a good local dog training club you can join to help socialise your pup and you would get help and support from trainers ,when you got pup did you see mum and dad and other pups in the litter? just wondering what their temperament was like? xx
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Post by ruby26 on Aug 20, 2016 8:20:51 GMT
Thanks for your reply jacksmum, I saw mum when I collected zeus and a photo of dad. Mum seemed really friendly as did the rest of the litter. I'm not convinced that he's the breed that he was sold to me as though! I'm going to try the one on one training first and then maybe move onto puppy classes if all goes well.
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Post by Pawsforthought on Aug 20, 2016 16:07:04 GMT
Hi, thanks for your reply Pawsforthought. I've actually got zeus booked in on Tuesday for a one on one session with a lady that trains police dogs so I'm hoping she'll be able to give me her opinion and some advice that may help. I contacted Peter via email and he replied a little while ago to say that he doesn't do consultations via email and to try and contact a dog behaviourist in my area. He also said I'd need a referall from my vet so I'm going to look into that too. I'll also find the reading material you recommended. Thanks again for your reply. I'm glad you're getting things sorted and not just giving up on him Be careful with police dog trainers, they vary and some can be good, but others can be very harsh and not helpful at all. My mum took our dog to one and as a result of his ineffective methods (he simply allowed his dog to tell others off,) he (our dog) ended up getting attacked quite badly by another dog within the class :/ I think that guy fancied himself a "dog whisperer," and it didn't pay off. However, as I say there are good police dog trainers! If you feel at all uncomfortable being asked to do something, for example if you are asked to yank his lead, use a choke collar, pin him to the ground, spray him with water, shout at or hit him, you may wish to try a different trainer. A police dog trainer is likely to be just that- a trainer, and not so much a behaviourist who can bring balance to an unbalanced dog. It is sometimes necessary to visit several trainers/behaviourists and find the best fit for you and your dog rather than just settling for the first one you go to. We decided to leave our training club quite recently as it was too unorganised and chaotic for our two, who got bored and frustrated easily. Some of the trainers asked people to spray their dogs for barking, and overall it just had an unpleasant atmosphere. A training class should be a calm, positive place of learning and not feel like a Victorian classroom!
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Post by ruby26 on Aug 20, 2016 21:42:20 GMT
Hi, thanks for your reply Pawsforthought, I'll keep in mind what you've said about the trainer and I'll make sure I don't do anything with/to Zeus that I don't feel comfortable with. He's calmed down quite a bit these last couple of days and I feel like I'm starting to build a better 'relationship' with him which is good. He's not barking or biting anywhere near as much as he was and I think he's finally starting to see me as his 'owner' rather than someone he's 'above' which has made for a much happier home! I've been doing quite a bit of basic training with him too and already he's sitting, giving paw and 'waiting' which again is good thanks again for your reply x
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Post by Pawsforthought on Aug 20, 2016 22:30:26 GMT
He's not barking or biting anywhere near as much as he was and I think he's finally starting to see me as his 'owner' rather than someone he's 'above' which has made for a much happier home! x Or perhaps it's not about who is "above" who, and more a case of him starting to understand what it is you want from him. Dogs are far more complex than simply wanting to be dominant over everything all the time. When a dog is acting up, it's far more likely they are unhappy, anxious or confused. Hopefully a behaviourist will be able to help figure this out! If you decide to read In Defence of Dogs, I hope it will really open your eyes to the complexity and uniqueness of dogs, and to how the idea of dominance is invalid. It is a bit of a heavy read, but it changed my whole outlook on dogs and led to me building a much stronger relationship with our two.
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Post by boxerluver30 on Aug 21, 2016 13:00:55 GMT
I love In Defence Of Dogs, its so good and really interesting . Well worth a read. I also found Don't shoot the dog by Karen Pryor (who I think has done a book on clicker training as well) really good, that one goes into detail about the different methods of training and what they all mean. In defence of dogs is more about how dogs evolved and our relationship with them.
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Post by jacksmum on Aug 23, 2016 20:05:34 GMT
Thanks for your reply jacksmum , I saw mum when I collected zeus and a photo of dad. Mum seemed really friendly as did the rest of the litter. I'm not convinced that he's the breed that he was sold to me as though! I'm going to try the one on one training first and then maybe move onto puppy classes if all goes well. I will be honest he does not look like a full Staffie , but still adorable , hopefully with help from a good trainer you and your pup can work together , xxx
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