Recommend Dog Training Class

[Davetronz]

Hey guys,

I have a 15 month beagle that is completely out of control despite my best attempts to train her. I started training her myself right away and have been consistent in my training methods since she was a puppy. This is my first dog, but my fiance has had a few family dogs.

She is REALLY bad at jumping up on people. She's a small dog, but I don't want her to jump up on someone who is afraid of dogs, an elderly person or a child. She is constantly jumping, it doesn't matter what we're doing, we can just be walking around the house and she's always jumping.

When people aside from my fiance or myself are at our house, or when we're outside, she disregards all commands, even the most basic. She gets so excited to see anyone/anything. The excitement leads to her "mouthing" a fair bit when people try to interact with her. Again, I don't want her to bite or hurt someone by mistake.

The one thing we seem to have under control is barking, she is a VERY quiet dog, she will only bark for me, on command. Never any other time.

Her behavioral issues have led to us having to lock her up when people come over or tether her to the kitchen table with her leash. We can't take her places like family dinners, soccer games, etc. She can't be off-leash at all because of her breed and lack of obeying commands.

Can anyone recommend a really good obedience class that is suited for 1+ yr old dogs? Money is a bit tight in this recession, but I understand I need to fix this problem ASAP.

Thanks!

[5hift]

Especially if money is a concern, I wouldnt waste your time with obedience classes. Dogs are creatures of habit, going to a class once a week or whatever will not help that much. There is no Cesar Milan who will fix your dog in a few classes. They pretty much teach you what to apply and then you have to practice over and over again at home to have success, and you dont need a class to direct you at this.

Honestly everything you've described sounds easy to fix with some command and persistance. My newest dog is a Mini Schnuzer (known for stubborness) rescue who was locked in a cage his whole life. Because of that he was nuts running around, jumping, not listening etc. I havent had him for even half a year and just with persistence, every problem is gone, and he was older and well established in his bad habits. Yours is still a puppy and more responsive to learning. It sounds like every problem she has is based around having too much energy and not enough socialization.

Few Questions:
Does she get walked daily? How long?
What other exercise does she get during the day?
Stimulation (ie played with/petted for a few mins)?
Is she spayed?
What do you do when she jumps up on your or just starts jumping from excitement?
What training or methods are you using so far?
By mouthing, do you mean low growls or little barks?

[HondaKid]

I agree with 5hift and the questions asked.

This might help as well:

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips/issues_jumping.php

[bignerd]

You might be better off spending a few bucks for a few private lessons focusing specifically on your specific issues and ask for tips and techniques so you can continue your work and training at home.

Sometimes in big obedience classes you kind of get lost and the teacher has to help so many people you don't always get all the information you need or things are rushed.

Private lessons can be about $60 an hour, but for that price the lady I saw came to your house-which might also be a plus as she can see your dog doing what she does all the time in her environment.

If you want PM me and I can send you the info. This lady trained under someone really famous in the dog training workd (NOT Ceasar) in California I believe as there aren't really dog training accreditations out there...

You also have to make sure that you are not doing anything to re-enforce the behavior. Like sometimes when you come home and are happy to see your dog and they are jumping around and you are saying hello and petting them-this re-enforces those bad habits etc... You probably don't do this but some people don't realize it.

Our dog is also mouthy and we have had success with making him get a toy when he is really excited and he runs around with a toy in his mouth instead of mouthing hands etc...

Beagles are tough as they are a hound and all hounds are stubborn (Mom breeds Afghan hounds... was raised with them-got tired of their crap and got a Shepherd.)

[clem24]

http://www.clevercanines.ca/

[Speedy]

My two cents in regards to the other posters comments about saving your money, we took our last dog a 4 month old black lab from the SPCA to classes at our vet's office and its the best thing we ever did.

I have always had dogs going up but we always trained them ourselves. The classes are important not just for the lessons but for socializing your pet with other dogs. That being said how successfully it will be depends on how much of the "home" work your willing to do.

I have heard good things about sit happens as well.

[texasnick]

If you are up for it, Sit Happens is the training centre in Calgary that is always recommended to me. I'm planning on taking the puppy there once she has had her second round. It seems like they are big on socializing the dogs, which IMO is a very good thing.

If not, I would recommend

- giving her lots of exercise. It's amazing how much easier dogs are to train when they are a bit tired. Excessive energy can lead to them seeming out of control or under-stimulated and bored with your training.

- being very firm and consistent in letting the dog know that jumping up and mouthing people are unnacceptable behaviours. Correct them immediately and be consistent. Never correct them when you are angry. Dogs should know that jumping up is considered "rude". Also, when you first get home after work, or when people come to visit, ignore the dog for a while and just do your own thing. Let him/her know you are home but don't pay attention to them. Once you are ready, let the dog out and say hello calmly.

- challenge him/her mentally. Make them find things around the house (especially a hound) with a scent and sort of make a game out of it. They can get really good at it and eventually will be able to find a specific article of clothing or whatever from a specific family member. Plus it makes them concentrate and focus on what you are getting them to do and helps drain energy.

[kenny]

Originally posted by clem24
http://www.clevercanines.ca/

I've taken both our beagles there.

Hey Clem24, are you in club?

[Wrinkly]

Be very wary of classes that train using treats. All this does is teach the animal to do something for a reward - not out of respect for you!

You just have to show the dog that you're the boss, not the other way around.

I had a ton of problems with our mutt when he was young - so much so, I considered getting rid of him. I didn't want to give up on him too easily (far too many people do). So - I did some 'googling' about various methods of training and just worked with him at home. It does take time, effort and consistency, but it's well worth it in the long run. It's also very important that all members in the household work together and consistently treat the dog the same, using the same methods. One person behaving differently with her will undermine the efforts of others; and it is also very unfair to the dog.

For jumping up, try this:

The instant she jumps up, grab both her paws and firmly push her away whilst saying a very firm "Off!" Then turn and ignore her. Repeat as necessary. It may take a while, but it worked with mine. Now I only have to use the word "off" in any situation and he will back off of anything - even a piece of steak dropped on the floor by accident. He won't touch it with out permission.

The ignoring part is very important - they don't llike that at all and when they learn that jumping up (or any undesired behaviour) causes you to ignore them - they soon learn to change their ways.

Good luck

[atgilchrist]

Originally posted by clem24
http://www.clevercanines.ca/

The guys who run the store "Unleashed" know their stuff too.

[5hift]

you guys pay 800 bucks for training at clever canines?

fuck Im wasting my time in university

[Davetronz]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
Here are the answers to the main questions in the first reply:

Does she get walked daily? How long?
She will either get a 45min to 1 hour walk per day, or we will play fetch, chase a soccer ball, or go for a roller blade together.

What other exercise does she get during the day?
Unfortunately, she hasn't learned to control her bladder through the work-day and continually wets or craps in her crate/pen and therefore has to be kenneled during the day while my fiance and I are at work so that we don't come home to a messed house. Likely separation anxiety. I try to work from home as often as I can (once a week or so) so I can spend more time with her and keep her out of her kennel. It's not always possible to work from home though. Her exercise is mainly in the morning before work and in the evening after work. She gets a lot of interaction with us on the weekends.

Stimulation (ie played with/petted for a few mins)?
A lot. She's our only "child" and gets a lot of attention. Never if she's acting up though.

Is she spayed?
Yes

What do you do when she jumps up on your or just starts jumping from excitement?
I ignore her and go about my business. I only tend to cut in with a "NO" or a "DOWN" if she nips at my clothing, or starts "boxing". The fiance tends to do the same, with more audible discouragement.

What training or methods are you using so far?
I don't believe that reinforcing training with treats is right. I reward with playful interaction, fetch, games, and audible reinforcement.
She is to sit before her leash goes on, she isn't allowed on any carpeted surface in our house, she must lay down before she gets fed, she has to sit and stay by the back door when her paws are wet until she's dry. She manages all of the above with no issues. She recognizes me as the enforcer/pack leader in the house, she goes to my fiance for comfort and me for play-time.

By mouthing, do you mean low growls or little barks?
Nope, mouthing as in very light bites with licking and basically putting fingers and hands in her mouth. Never hard bites, never aggressive, no barking.


I agree that an in-home training might work better than going to a class. I just need to ensure that she gets to interact and learn to listen when others are around. For the most part she is a decent dog when it's just myself, her and my fiance. The problems start to occur when there's another animal, or another person present.

[clem24]

Originally posted by 5hift
you guys pay 800 bucks for training at clever canines?

fuck Im wasting my time in university

It's 10 weeks, 3 times a week. You also get a lot of exercise out of it. Personally I thought it was one of the best investments yet for my dog. Before, I paid something like $100 for 2 or 3 classes with Superdog Spectrum. It was reward/clicker based training (if you could even call it that -- more like teaching your dog tricks) and probably the most useless thing I've ever been to.

To OP: Clever Canines is right up your alley but you'll likely have to wait till next year..

[Ven]

Dave, I had very good results with SitHappens, but the onus is on you to continue with what you learned in class throughout the week, and work with the dog.

Rewarding with treats is the best way to go. Food to them is like pussy to us, we'll do damn near anything for it What you'll find is they teach food and verbal reward at the same time. Over time as the animal starts to "click in" you'll start to phase out the food. It works! After that the verbal reward is even phased out but the learned behavior remains.

[lelalong]

We took our first dog to sit happens and she did very well. I socialized her a lot as well by taking her for walks, to the pet store and visited people of all ages. She's great overall.

Our second dog, who is 9 months now, is still having issues. She did Sit Happens but she's still a bit of a freak. As the fiance said "she passed but she's a C student" She barks at eveything...trees, people, dogs, cars, the air, the ground...wtf? I found Sit Happens used to be a better course a couple years ago but now its too busy for the instructors to really help you out. There used to be time for the dogs to socialize with each other but not anymore. So you drag your dog in, sit there while she is super curious about all the other dogs there and she's not allowed to go near them...and repeat every week. Not that I'm expecting a lot of socialization but some would alleviate her anxiety and desire to go sniff that other dog.

I'm trying to take her out every day to get her used to everything. If that doesn't work then we're going to have to get more training. I might try the clever canines group. She's very dependent on our first dog. She has to know where she is at all times.

[5hift]

Warning of a super long reply….

Ok so your reply cleared up a lot Dave, and I honestly think with a bit of persistence everything you described can be fixed on your own. Even if you go to a class, they are only going to show you what to apply, and its up to you to continue on your own. Im not claiming to be an expert or anything, but I've been around dogs my entire life, and have turned around several screwed up resuces.

Its good that you are giving her a lot of exercise, draining her energy is important. Also when you do walk her, take different routes every time, exposing her to different situations, sounds, smells etc.

Dogs by nature sleep, eat, and defecate as far away as possible from each other. The fact that she’s going in her crate should be addressed first. Her crate/pen should have just enough space for her to turn around, stretch, and lie down comfortably. If that’s all the space she has, she will hold it for reasonable amounts of time as the alternative is sitting in crap. From past experiences, defecating in the crate is usually because the crate is too big for the dog. You should also try to establish that her crate is her den. It should be a safe, quiet place that she goes to, not only when you out or she will associate it with being alone. When you guys are home, put her in her crate for brief periods of time with toys, bunch of blankets/towels, and maybe give her a treat. Mainly you are trying to establish that the crate isn’t just somewhere she goes when she’s bad or you go out. When you come home after being out for a while, walk by the crate a few times doing things, but ignore her – trying to stress that you were gone isn’t a big deal. I’m not saying your doing this, but a lot of people when they come home immediately shower the dog with attention saying things like did you miss me with exited voices etc, making the situation worse, as if you going out was a big deal. Another trick I have found is dogs are used to a somewhat noisy house when your home, but when your gone its dead quiet and she can hear every noise inside and out. I found leaving a old crt tv on by the crate really eased my dog initially when left alone, something about the constant noise in the background, especially if the tv is on a lot when you are home.

What do you feed her, and when? Something as simple as the diet can play a role in your dog’s bladder problem. If you concentrate feeding in the evening when you return, dog will crap later that evening on the walk and be empty during the night and morning. Feed her only a small snack in the mornings so there isn’t much for her to poop out during the day if she does.

Its good that you give her a lot of attention and stimulation, but there is such a thing as too much as well. If you shower her with love when your home, she is obviously going to hate being alone. When you guys are home, try going through periods where you ignore her and let her do her own thing. This helps to establish independence.


The jumping now: don’t ignore it. But only reacting to her when she takes it to the extreme, you are telling her that it is somewhat allowed. As soon as she jumps up on you or starts boxing at you, say NO loud and clear while staring her down and step into her, forcing her to back away and get back on all fours. You are not trying to hurt her, but you are claiming that space while making it clear there is zero tolerance. When doing this, if you say too much it can confuse her, also do not say her name when scolding her. If shes super exicited and boxing and one step into doesn’t calm her, claim the entire room. Keep walking through her forcing her to back up and calm down. Your making it clear the entire space is yours. Dogs get more off non verbal communication than verbal. Make sure to project dominance, stare her down etc. Dogs are pack animals, since you guys haven’t clearly exerted yourself as pack leader, she is testing you guys.

You’re on the right path with avoiding treat-based training. It may help now, but your creating a bigger monster for later on. Dog has zero respect and just does what it knows will give it food. Making sure she is sitting and calm before the leash goes on is good. Making her wait for food is also good, but try putting the food in the bowl but making her wait, making it clear to her this is your food, and you are sharing it with her. It sounds mean but it will help establish dominance early on by interrupting her meal temporarily once in a while. She should wait; if she gets defensive or freaks out then she has food issues as well. The fact that she sees you as the enforcer and your fiancé as the comforter may not be helping, as she knows who to go to when. Both you and your fiancé have to be enforcer/pack leader, or your fiancés solo walks with her will turn into hell.

To say she’s a decent dog when it’s just you and your fiancé doesn’t mean anything. There is nothing there to test her, obviously she will be complacent. The things that bring out her problems are not there. Despite your efforts, it seems she is clearly not socialized enough, and doesn’t think she always has to listen to you. When you give her a command, give it once or twice tops, and then make her do what you want. Do not keep asking. Ie if you say “come” and she doesn’t immediately, you go get her and bring her so she knows it isn’t an option. It will be frustrating at first, but you have to start having people over and not crating her. Bring over a dog-loving friend to act and help as the distraction. Walk her though crowded areas and stress and work on her always staying focused on you.

Most importantly of all, find a friend with a balanced, trained dog. Hanging out with a balanced dog will do more for your dog than weeks of training. She will see how the other dog acts and is rewarded and will pick up on it. At the same time, she will get used to dogs. She is going to flip out when you bring ppl and dogs over initially, but there is no way around it, expose her to tons of people and dogs and eventually seeing a dog will not be a big deal for her.