Aug 20, 2009

Training Addie: Session #7 UPDATED

Since our lesson on Monday we have been reinforcing everything that she has learned. Addie does great in our yard and out in front of our house, but the distractions are few. 

Today we had our second lesson at the Fort Woof dog park. We brought Lucie with us so they could play before and after her training session. Not that Addie needed any additional distractions, but Lucie made a good one for her during her session. 

More dogs approached Addie during this session which made it more challenging. She did a considerable amount of barking and whining at us, not happy that she had to be in down, stays while we sat with Lucie. Matt said she did pretty well given all the distractions, but still when I have her in public at times doesn't listen to me at all. The choke chain gets her attention to a point but not good enough. Before we started training with Matt, we tried the gentle lead and it just did not work for Addie. 

 
Matt praising Addie for a good down and stay.


Heeling

Looking at the breeds in Addie, she has the drive of the Border Collie some times and has the stubbornness of the Great Pyrenees all the time. We want the best for Addie but need her to listen to us when we correct her so that she will learn from it. At this point it has been recommended that we consider an electronic training collar. The use of this will stop the pulling on her neck and allow us to make corrections with a vibrate feature. It would be strictly used as a training tool only and it would only be used properly after we would be trained how to use it. 

We are hoping that some of our readers have experience with an electronic training collar. We want to hear the good and the bad so please leave a comment if you have experience with using one for training purposes. I have heard of abuse cases where owners did not use these properly and the dog ended up in a rescue in terrible shape. Stories like that make me sick and if we would use one it would be for training purposes only.

After training it was time to get a drink.
Addie prefers flavored water...
 
  
Lucie did great for her first time at the dog park! 

 
Her favorite thing to do was to roll around on the ground!


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I am researching the pros and cons of using an electronic collar. I am not sold on the use of it at this point. From what I can see so far, either people see a benefit it or they are strongly against it. All I want is the best method for Addie.

6 comments:

  1. Addie, I know you are trying, keep up the good work, it will come I am sure. You are both so pretty.

    licks and sniffs, Sasha

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  2. Working with distractions takes time, lots of time. Personally I wouldn't use an electronic collar.

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  3. Wauwwwwwwwwwww love the dog park.
    Misty.

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  4. I agree with the PR gang. Training around distractions takes a lot of work and a lot of time. I would start by being outside the dog park so that Addie can see the other dogs, but none of them can come up to her. I would slowly work up to actually having Addie in the dog park with other dogs. Make sure that the positive reinforcements (good things happen when she is right) always outweigh the collar corrections (negative reinforcement). I personally would not use an electronic collar, especially for training basic dog obedience.

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  5. good training - great pics - and a tired dog

    does it get any better

    Woodrow - Sweetie - MJ

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