drdocaj asked:


I currently have my 5 month old in puppy class. I was going to go through all 4 classes at Petsmart, but now I’m thinking I could save about $300.00 and teach my dog the same things (and probably more), if I invest in a good book or DVD. Any suggestions? I’d prefer a DVD, but books are fine too. That way I can also apply the training to our other two dogs at the same time.
I do have a clicker… I was very impressed with how easy and quickly she responded to it. I take my dogs to the dog park so they do a lot of socializing there. I’m just not very impressed with the training I’m getting. Asking questions is hard, because I think the trainer is more distracted than the dogs.

Priscilla

Kat asked:


I am intrested in furthering my dogs training. They have mastered basic obedience and now I would like to take them further. I am not quit sure what I want to to teach them to do but they love learning(and so do I) so much that it would be a shame not to teach them all I can. I am not sure the names of the different types of training or what they include. Any and all info appricated. Thanks!

Dayanara

Ginbail © asked:


I remember a time when the “rolled up newspaper” method of dog training was the accepted norm. Back then, many trainers taught their dogs to do amazing things (and do them quite well) using methods that most folks today would consider “cruel”. I’m not advocating any particular school of training here, but I was wondering: What happened that most people changed their training habits? How did positive reinforcement start, and do you think it will continue to be the preferred method of dog training?
Does anybody here really believe that folks who trained their dogs using harsh methods actually loved their dogs any less?
Is it really so bad to learn out of fear? Once again, I’m not advocating a particular training method, but if it works is it such a bad thing?
St. Lady raises a good point … I too learned many things out of fear of my parents’ reactions to things I did when I was younger. I learned right from wrong because I knew that wrong behaviors had negative consequences. I think I turned out OK. Couldn’t a dog?
Anybody who wants to read a good article about how Ian Dinbar started positive reinforcement and how he compares to Caesar Milan’s methods should definately click DogJudge’s link.

Sylvia

heyk asked:


I’m thinking about getting a home dog trainer. How much does it usually cost? I know it depends and the price varies, but what does it generally cost?

I’m thinking about getting a trainer from barkbusters. Anyone heard of them? Are they successful at what they do? Also, in general, do these (dog training) lessons pay off. That is, are they even worth it/ beneficial?

If it helps at all, I live in California.

Julianna

tlblake84 asked:


I am considering using a training collar to teach my dog boundaries. I need to be able to keep her off leash, but she runs off if I let her off the leash. A fence, even an invisible fence, is out of the question as its not my house. I’ve tried teaching her boundaries for the last 5 months but it is not working well. She won’t respond to “come” unless she’s in the mood. I want to use a shock collar but I worry it may be inhumane. Are they effective and are they safe to use?

Heaven

zandrabob asked:


My dog is 4 months old and I want to make her a therapy dog. I live in ohio and I was wanting to know where a good place to take her and train her would be. If you know of any where to take her please help me out! Thank you!

Phoenix