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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
When not coordinating trainers for MAGDRL (Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League), Tressa Everts has been saving dog owners from their dogs for thirteen years.
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[Edit]
6/15/2004
Hi Tressa! I really like that you guys have an Ask a Trainer column! Here's my question:
My puppy is a little over 1 year old and hasn't spent much time around young children. How can
I make sure my puppy doesn't play too rough with the little guys? (smokey, Florida)
The important thing to know with kids and dogs is that it is as important to protect the dog
from the kid as it is to protect the kid from the dog. Make sure that your pet always has an
out, and when they've had enough remove them from the situation.
Has your puppy had
any formal obedience training? The best way to teach your dog how to act appropriately
around children is to have him spend lots and lots of time with them under your supervision
on a leash. If he has training - tell the children that he needs to sit and wait before he can
play with them, and have them give him the cue to do so and then reward him. If he learns
that sitting around kids = food, he'll start offering up that behavior.
Why does my dog insist on rolling all over any dead bugs she finds in the yard?
Does she want to smell like dead bugs? Is there a way to get her to stop? (dee-dee, Maryland)
Although I can't tell you for sure why dogs find this so appealing, I think it has
more to do with transferring their smell on to the item, rather than perfuming themselves
with it. Perhaps in the dog world eau d' dead animal is alluring.
First - be glad that it
isn't a deal squirrel or skunk. If you haven't all ready done so it's very important to teach
the take it/leave it command to your pet. When your pet starts to approach something
you want them to stay away from you can cue them to leave it, and if well
trained they
should walk away from it. Of course this does no good when you aren't present, so do your
best to keep all the dead things picked up and invest in some good dog shampoo.
I would like to work on off-leash training. Olivia has had basic obedience and CGC
classes (failed test). She does well with all of her commands, but is not dependable
100% of the time. What would you suggest to get her to be more dependable? She is a
21 mon old Great Dane with ADD.
Thanks (LDBrennan, Pennsylvania)
You do know that ADD stands for Any Dumb Dog - or in your case Any Dumb Dane right?
Getting a
dog to be reliable off leash is a wonderful goal and I think most dogs are capable of it. Having said
that I have a Dane (Isis) who will never be an off leash dog.
You mentioned that Olivia has been
through classes. How long ago was this? How many classes has she had? How often do you work
her? My honest belief is that a dog should be in classes pretty much full time the first year of their
life. Classes teach self control and how to work in distracting situations.
Then you need to commit
to training sessions at home at least 15 to 20 minutes per day, where you work the commands she's
not doing well with. From there you start adding more and more distractions when working away
from the home and not in class. A local pet store or outdoor mall is ideal.
When she's nailing
every cue on leash, then you start working with a long line at a distance and see how she does.
Once she nails that, you let go of the long line - or drape it over your shoulder and start again.
Keep working the dog, and hopefully by her next birthday you'll have the dog of your dreams
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