I know Caesar Milan's Way-but is all this really that important?

[Germanshepherdlova]

After reading several comments on various threads, I am a little confused. I do believe in a lot of what the Dog Whisperer says and teaches. However, there are many people on this forum who I also think make good points. I am trying to understand exactly what I need to work on with my GS. Maybe I have been fretting over teaching him things that aren't that important. And I am also interested in other training methods.

Here are some questions, and the answer to them will help me to determine what to worry about and what to let to.

1.Do you let your dog enter and exit doorways before you do?

2.Do you make your dog heel when out on a walk, or is just not pulling good enough?

3.Does your dog have a certain area in your home that he considers his "spot" such as a couch or chair, and do you frequently make him move-to remind him that it's YOUR couch?

4.How do you go about correcting your dog, if you feel he needs to be corrected?

[gsdraven]

Let me preface this by saying that my dogs don't have any major behavior problems or my answers may be different.

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

1.Do you let your dog enter and exit doorways before you do?
Yes. Sometimes I send them through doorways or up/down stairs before me on purpose. Like if my hands are full.

2.Do you make your dog heel when out on a walk, or is just not pulling good enough?
Heeling is not required. Loose leash is. They are free to sniff when they want as long as they move on when I say.

3.Does your dog have a certain area in your home that he considers his "spot" such as a couch or chair, and do you frequently make him move-to remind him that it's YOUR couch?
No, they don't have an area that is just theirs but are allowed on the furniture and bed. They get off when I say to but I don't do it just to show them I can make them. I do it because I want to sit/lay there.

4.How do you go about correcting your dog, if you feel he needs to be corrected?
Depends on the offense. Prong is used for walking but not currently used for training. Sometimes a simple verbal command. Sometimes, I grab them and make them sit and "have a talk" or do some obedience.

That said. How I approach dogs with behavior problems is different. I don't flex my muscles just because I can but I do control what they do in a fair way. I may make them sit and wait in doorways or for eating or require heeling for walking and control what they sniff while we work out the issues. It's part of showing them I am the leader in fair way, not about dominance.

[Greydusk]

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

1.Do you let your dog enter and exit doorways before you do?

2.Do you make your dog heel when out on a walk, or is just not pulling good enough?

3.Does your dog have a certain area in your home that he considers his "spot" such as a couch or chair, and do you frequently make him move-to remind him that it's YOUR couch?

4.How do you go about correcting your dog, if you feel he needs to be corrected?

1. I make him wait, for safety reasons more than anything. I don't want him running out the front door.
2. I also have him heeling on walks-personal preference. On off leash hikes he can either be next to me or behind me-but not in front. This is another preference/safety thing so that if I see something up ahead I can grab him or quickly call him to me.
3. He's allowed on the couch if he's invited. I don't make him move to show him it's MY couch. I make him move if I need him to move.
4. He wears a prong collar, but most of the corrections I give are verbal ie. "EH" or "HEY". Those seem to be sufficient enough to divert his attention.

[Germanshepherdlova]

Originally Posted by gsdraven

Let me preface this by saying that my dogs don't have any major behavior problems or my answers may be different.

That said. How I approach dogs with behavior problems is different. I don't flex my muscles just because I can but I do control what they do in a fair way. I may make them sit and wait in doorways or for eating or require heeling for walking and control what they sniff while we work out the issues. It's part of showing them I am the leader in fair way, not about dominance.

My dog had aggression problems that he has overcome, using the Alpha Roll. Although he no longer needs to be alpha rolled, should I continue to correct him for trying to be first all the time, and such. By correction I mean making an issue of it, and making him sit and wait and let me be in front at all times. I don't know if because of his past aggression issue toward me, if I need to be more vigilant with his training-or if I can back off a little.

[Emoore]

1. Sometimes, yes. What if I want him to go outside but I don't want to go outside? I do work on "wait at the door" often though.

2. Nope, not pulling is enough.

3. I don't frequently make him move just to "show him who's boss" --that's ridiculous-- but if he's on the couch and I want to sit there, I'll tell him to get down and he does.

4. Mostly verbal. If the verbal isn't getting through I'll do a light scruff shake while looking hard into his eyes and talking in a low, growly voice.

Make no mistake-- my dogs do recognize me as "pack leader" or whatever you want to call it. I prefer "mom" though. I loved, obeyed, and respected my mom growing up. I figure there are worse ways to see my relationship with my dogs. I'd rather nurture, teach, and discipline them and have them love, obey and respect me than behave like some kind of tyrannical bullying werewolf pack leader.

[Gretchen]

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

1.Do you let your dog enter and exit doorways before you do?

2.Do you make your dog heel when out on a walk, or is just not pulling good enough?

3.Does your dog have a certain area in your home that he considers his "spot" such as a couch or chair, and do you frequently make him move-to remind him that it's YOUR couch?

4.How do you go about correcting your dog, if you feel he needs to be corrected?

1. Yes. When I leave it would be impractical for me to exit then have my dog follow me, then me step back into the doorway to lock the door. However, we live in condos with a walkway near my front door, so I get my dog's full body outside, and then make her stay. Several times we've opened the door to small kids on bikes and other members walking their dogs a few feet away. When I enter, dog goes first, once in a while I will have her walk all over the house with me when I get home, checking every room, closet etc. Just in case a bad person has entered my house, she goes first.
2. Heeling when passing people, other dogs, otherwise just not pulling. I like how another member said they let their dogs stop and smell. We do too. It's important for her to know who is in the neighborhood.
3.We've allowed our dog to choose her own areas. Which are the sofa ( but she only goes on when we are off), an enclosed area under my daughter's desk, it's like a den, we put a bed there - that is "her" area, and the middle of the upstairs hallway at night.
4.Correcting the dog is hard - she feels no remorse. Popping the prong collar, or distractions with treats, favorite toys, frequent rewarding and praise.

[gsdraven]

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

My dog had aggression problems that he has overcome, using the Alpha Roll. Although he no longer needs to be alpha rolled, should I continue to correct him for trying to be first all the time, and such. By correction I mean making an issue of it, and making him sit and wait and let me be in front at all times. I don't know if because of his past aggression issue toward me, if I need to be more vigilant with his training-or if I can back off a little.

My current foster has had aggression with people and dogs in the past. It was a learned behavior. When I first got her home, I couldn't touch her without being shown teeth and getting a low growl and she even had me backed in a corner a couple of times. She also tried to attack Kaiser. So, she was on a very strict crate and rotate schedule. She had 5 walks a day with play time and various training sessions. She was hand fed meals and worked for every piece of kibble and was always on leash. That strict schedule lasted until I could pet her where and when I wanted and hadnt been growled at in a week and then I relaxed.

Almost 5 weeks later, I haven't been growled at in 2 weeks and she is fully integrated into my pack. She plays with Kaiser now and has earned the privilege to sleep out her crate for 3 nights now. There were no alpha rolls used, just clear, fair and consistent leadership. She was and is exercised and trained so her needs are met but she is treated just like my dogs.

So that's my long answer about how I would handle it. Leadership is an every day thing and is largely just a way of being and not about using doors or rolls to show 'em who's boss.

[selzer]

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

After reading several comments on various threads, I am a little confused. I do believe in a lot of what the Dog Whisperer says and teaches. However, there are many people on this forum who I also think make good points. I am trying to understand exactly what I need to work on with my GS. Maybe I have been fretting over teaching him things that aren't that important. And I am also interested in other training methods.

Here are some questions, and the answer to them will help me to determine what to worry about and what to let to.

1.Do you let your dog enter and exit doorways before you do? YES

2.Do you make your dog heel when out on a walk, or is just not pulling good enough? JUST NOT PULLING IS ENOUGH, UNLESS I ASK THEM TO HEEL -- ACROSS STREETS AND IN THE RING.

3.Does your dog have a certain area in your home that he considers his "spot" such as a couch or chair, and do you frequently make him move-to remind him that it's YOUR couch? NO.

4.How do you go about correcting your dog, if you feel he needs to be corrected? I USE MY VOICE, EH! AND THEN USUALLY SAY WHATEVER IT WAS LIKE, "DON'T JUMP ON THE SUSIE" OR "LEAVE IT."

It works for me. I am not a Cesar fan.

[k_sep]

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

1.Do you let your dog enter and exit doorways before you do?

2.Do you make your dog heel when out on a walk, or is just not pulling good enough?

3.Does your dog have a certain area in your home that he considers his "spot" such as a couch or chair, and do you frequently make him move-to remind him that it's YOUR couch?

4.How do you go about correcting your dog, if you feel he needs to be corrected?

1. It depends, really. When she's not on a leash and we're not out the door to go for a walk, or wherever, she's really good at waiting. She doesn't just bolt out the door when it's open and always waits for me, normally patiently sitting and waiting for a command. If the leash is on, she's normally the first one out the door and the first one to come back inside. I don't see it as a big thing and it's never a problem for me.

2. I make her heel when she's she's pulling badly, but most of the time she's fine. She's not exactly by my side and I don't like her there because I'm very clumsy; I don't want to trip over her!

3. She's not allowed on most of the furniture, only on my bed at night when I'm watching tv in there. Other than that, her "spot" is in the corner of the bathroom floor or in the kitchen since she likes tiled and wooded floors since it's cooler. The spaces are out of the way, so I see no need to move her. I certainly don't want to take her space on the floor in the corner of the bathroom, she's welcome to it!

4. I only use positive reinforcement. She's a fairly timid dog and submissive. For the most part, she doesn't have any huge behavioral problems and if she does, I feel like using anything but positive reinforcement would destroy the bit of confidence she has. Weak nerves aren't fun.

[Germanshepherdlova]

My dog's aggression was not a learned behavior, it was a genetic one. He doesn't and has never liked to be told what to do. Before, he would get mad at you for merely telling him no, or pointing a finger at him. He'd snap at you, and actually went as far as attacking me and my hubby (separate incidents-attacked DH twice and me 2X as well) and biting us so hard that he drew blood. After we got help with training him, he no longer attempts to bite us, and he will listen but he is just so pushy. If I don't make him sit and wait when I open the patio door to let him into the backyard, and I go with him to make sure that he doesn't eat poop-lol, but really, he will try to push me out of his way! Is this normal GSD behavior? My lab NEVER pushes me and always lets me go first, no training needed. I don't know if my GS is trying to act in a dominating way when he pushes me, I am strict with him, but because I sure don't want him to regress. Not sure if I should keep correcting this or not.