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Australian Radio Host Uses "Hands Off" Method To Raise Perfect Puppy
June 8th, 2009 by Chet
I just got off the phone with a celebrity radio show host from Australia, Victoria Hansen.
Victoria hosts the radio show over their called Bite Size Cooking, and she’d recently used my “Hands Off Dog Training Course” to raise her dog perfectly, and wanted to share her story with me.
Of course I accepted, and have recorded the interview for you below:
If you’ve got a puppy or are thinking about getting a puppy and want to raise it right from the start, you need to listen to this.
Then make sure you hop on over to my site and pick up a copy of my Hands Off Dog training course.
You can get it here:
http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/tips
I really enjoy the emails that you send me, thank you very much! Where can I pick up a clicker so I can train Max, my 6 month old Black Lab? Thank you again. Chris
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Mike Reply:
September 7th, 2010 at 5:38 am
Chris, PetSmart stores give them away free if you ask for one…it’s just a basic one, doesn’t have a belt clip or anything else, but it works.
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Eric Opare Reply:
February 17th, 2011 at 12:58 am
I have a poodle(F) and want to cross with a different breed. What are some of the compactible breeds I can use. Thanks so much.
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Madeline Reply:
April 20th, 2011 at 7:33 am
I have a shihtzu/poodle mix. Very attractive,intelligent, well behaved and easily trained. He is 11 months old and weighs approx 13 lbs, we don’t expect him to get much bigger. Loves being with people and other dogs.
Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 8:40 am
Please don’t crossbreed. There are reports from soooo many vets about the genetic things that they see in their practices as a result. The cause is “recessive genes”. If you don’t know what is in the background of your dog (poodles are great dogs, but have a very long list of genetic concerns) and you breed your dog to a dog with the same recessive genes, even several generations back…whamo, you get the problem.
I also encourage you to visit your local shelter and see how many dogs are there. They are almost all crossbeeds who were for one reason or another no longer wanted. A large majority end up euthanized as there are way more dogs nationwide than there are homes to adopt them.
Are you willing to take the puppies you bring into the world back and rehome them at any time during the life of that puppy if at any time in the future the new owners no longer want the dog? Who will stand the cost financially if the puppies develope genetic “issues” in the future? These are things to think about, as bringing life into the world is a serious thing not to be done casually.
I encourage you to please reconsider. Breeders know their genetics for many generations back and do testing before breeding to ensure that the animals they are breeding are not “carriers” of their breed’s specific issues, which all breeds have. AGAIN, I encourage you to please reconsider.
Pam Reply:
August 23rd, 2011 at 4:22 am
In my opinion, and I’ve had 3 and my daughter has 2, I LOVE the Cockapoo. They are very smart and I’ve always had the good luck of getting the best qualities of both breeds! Love my Cockapoos!
lisa Reply:
September 20th, 2010 at 10:20 am
I got mine at petsmart for $1.50. Our store kept them at the cash registers, so ask there first.
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Bob Kelso Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Chris,
Petsmart has a metal clicker in a plastic case for $1.49.
My puppy (6 months old Lady – Jack Russell) pays close attention when she hears that clicker. It is a real aid in puppy training.
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Michael Stafford Reply:
April 19th, 2011 at 11:53 am
Bought one at pet store for around 4 biucks with band to put on wrist always at your hand. works great
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Darlene Reply:
November 30th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
I am thinking about purchasing the training videos but after listening to the webinar recently I am hesitating. I got bored and lost interest after about 10-15 minuets by the constant talking with little to no information and turned it off. Are the videos the same? Do I have to listen to 10 minutes of rambling before I get the information I need? Sorry to be so blunt. Comments anyone.
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Nancy Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 10:16 am
Darlene,
I felt the same way! I got bored listening to everything but what I really wanted to know.
Glad I’m not the only one!!
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Susan Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 6:07 am
I agree. I am on the fence about purchasing this. There seems to be some practical advice, but the author does ramble on too much in the beginning about himself and 80 minutes to listen to a video is way too long for me unless it was all informational about training your dog.
pam keenliiside Reply:
December 16th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
I agree! At 66, I have developed ADD, and did not want to liston to the whole history with the birds. I JUST WANT my puppy to quit biting and jumping up on folks.
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Dana Reply:
December 25th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
I agree, yes their were interesting thoughts on what could be the reason they don’t do this, or do that. but with the “give them something they want more “scale”" it would have been nice to know how.
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Just about any pet store will have a clicker that you can buy. Petco and Petsmart for sure. If not just search dog training clicker on google and you’ll find plenty of results.
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@ September 24th, 2009 at 13:58I really enjoy everything that you forward. My puppy, who is now four months, is doing great with the treat and clicker method. You have lots of good suggestions.
Thanks,
Peggy Lee
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@ December 17th, 2009 at 11:15Its really excellent, its very useful to train a dog of any character. Thank you very much for all mails i received from you. Mostly i may become successful Trainer in future.
Thanks again
With regards,
Kumara swamy,
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@ January 13th, 2010 at 04:07thanks.I REALLY ENJOYED IT.
FROM ASWIN.
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@ January 17th, 2010 at 18:14I enjoy everything you send to me. Please keep it up. I have a 4 year old Bishon and have successes with him. I also believe that it takes a lot of love of the animal to be successful with any animal. They can feel immediatley if you are a threat to them or not. Thats why your method is so great. I have had many dogs in my lifetime and never had a problem teaching them but your course has taught me a lot more on how to handle certain situations with my dog. Thank you.
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@ January 23rd, 2010 at 05:51hi i think your emails you send to me are brilliant, and give an insight to the workings of the doggy mind. However, I have 2 rescue dogs who obviously came with terrible behaviours already installed! one of them a little girl of 3 a dachshund, wirehaired, is absdolutly terrified of everything except me, but even then she’s constantly on the move, looking at stuff. I dont seem to be able to get her attention, can you help??
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Patrice Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 7:56 am
Hi there, our stories are very similar. I just adopted an 8 month old rescue terrier mix, he is TERRIFIED of EVERYTHING! Fans, bikes, people, his SHADOW, even! Birds, cars, you name it. But especially CHILDREN! He’s tried to bite 4 of them in the 3 weeks I’ve had him, he’s even lunged at a baby stroller passing by! I don’t know what to do. I bought the doggie phermone collar and room diffusor, I don’t know where to go from here. Suggestions? I want him to be happy.
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 8:51 am
Watch Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. Dog reactivity is not an instant fix. This is “dog psychology” and I suggest going on line and finding an CAPDT certified trianier as they are hightly qualified to work with fear-reactive dogs. You need to address this right away, and the phermone isn’t the solution.
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I just love the videos that you send me. I have got one English Springer Spaniel. She thinks that i am playing with her when i am trying to train her. She can be so so funny at times!!!!!! Please keep sending me the videos cause i just love them.
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Colleen Reply:
June 15th, 2011 at 4:04 pm
It works so well because it is a game to them. Just like with children, make learning fun and rewarding.
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I have a six year old australian sheperd. She needs training in the worst way. She doesn’t get enough exercise. She knows her commands but only obeys when there are no distractions. She doesn’t walk well. Can you help? Shelley Cleveland
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Sally Reply:
July 31st, 2011 at 8:42 am
I have a 15 year old Australian Shepard. She has hip problems, is losing her eye sight, was not very active and ate little. She was very stubborn and would not listen unless there wasn’t any distractions. I just recently got a 2 year Weimermarnier (rescue) and at the same time found Chet’s site, http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com. Sassy just fell into place once Jasmine started her training. Having a younger dog really helped. Sassy now follows commands, perhaps a little slower (Tortise and the Hare), acts much happier, and is eating well.
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my pug is 5 yrs old he used to play fetch but something went wrong and now he wont bring me the ball. Can you suggest anything i am so fustrated i wanna play with him, but being pregnant i cant chase after the ball after i throw it.
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Train the behavior in reverse…1st train9Or give it to me) drop the item, then, hold and drop, then take, hold and drop, then pick it up, hold and drop, then just increase the distance he has to go to “pick it up”. Always trade the ball for a treat when he gives it back to you, and you are always finshing on a positive.
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Kerry Reply:
November 24th, 2011 at 3:50 am
Hi Michelle, I am curious do you usually run a little youself
as part of your play?
Also, I had an American Staff that refused to play with me at all while i was preganant and for awhile after. And believe me
that girl LOVED to play. After awhile she stated again.
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I’m getting my first puppy in about a month or so, she’s a purebred Great Dane. I’ve never had my own dog before and she’s going to be a primrily inside dog. I was wondering how to train her to not lean or pull on a leash? Which is something that isn’t good for these dogs to do due to their vast size! Any tips would be awesome!
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Viv Reply:
July 4th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Please, please reconsider the breed. It’s not fair to keep a dog that size indoors most of the time. They need space to run . They need to socualize to be happy.
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Val Reply:
July 26th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Whitney, I don’t usually do this, but I wanted you to know you have chosen a wonderful breed in the Great Dane. I raised and trained them for 30 years and they do very very well in small areas, they love to be with their people and for a massive breed they don’t need any extra exercise than any other dog. They will fit into and enjoy whatever space you are comfortable in, their most important need is to be close to you. Its extremely easy to train them to not pull on the leash and not lean.. Ask Chet for a method. And enjoy one of the most beautiful dogs in the world in your puppy. I’m retired and live with a standard poodle at the moment, but miss my Danes and would have another one in a minute.
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Hi Chet,
I’ve had a few people email me after listening to our chat here. Of course I highly recommended your course and would be happy to chat with anyone else interested in purchasing, just so they can be sure I’m real. They can email me through the website at http://www.bitesizecooking.com/contact. LOve your videos too. Very helpfull, although Gracie is doing very well, she’s extremely obedient. Now whenever she wants a treat, she does a series of spins and a roll over. It’s very cute. Talk about twisting me around her paw!!!
Victoria Hansen
.-= Victoria Hansen´s last blog ..Registration with Free eBook =-.
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Chet Reply:
May 6th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
thanks victoria, glad to see your dog is doing well
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Roxanne Jasch Reply:
March 9th, 2011 at 7:13 am
Chet:
I did get your program and working with my pup he is only 8 months old. The problem is trying to get him to drop the ball. He likes playing ball when we throw it but we can not get him to understand how to drop it.He brings it back to us. I did get the clicker and taught him to sit but it takes a few times repeating myself.
I have a mix pup for breed. It is 1/4 Yorkie, 1/4 Poodle and 1/2 Shitzu so I don’t know if that is a problem he just doesn’t catch on.
Roxanne
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I have a 10 week old Collie puppy, have use some of your methods, leash traing I think is good, sitting and staying is coming along, however he seems to have a little barking problem, of couse I hear his voice at feeding time and in the house as he wasnts to play and a little nipping.
would appreciate a little help here.
Connie Logeman
California
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@ May 29th, 2010 at 05:32well please tell me wene your 10 week old collie puppy has babies oh and when you sell them please dont make them be over 80 dollars.
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@ June 10th, 2010 at 04:13Thanks a lot for this email, Sasha my G.shephered puppy 5.5 weeks old,
She does get enough exercise from me as I followed the instructions that I see on the videos on (www.how to train your puppy) (dog training secret), there is progress with Sasha and she starts to listen to the commands (if there is no distraction) as come, sit, stay, go, bring the ball, and the main issue she learned to -pee and poo- in one spot in the garden. The only problem with Sash is biting (hands, cloths, and ets). Need help to find a tip to make her stop biting.
Samo
Jordan- Amman
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Nancy Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 10:25 am
I also have new oing good excpt for the niping bitting stuff just like Samo’s puppy. Love my puppy but can’t get him to quit with the nipping & biting. I walk accross room I& he grabs my pantsleg or grabs my shirt . I have the “bruises” on my arm from him grabbing my shirtsleeve I& getting my skin alon with it! PLEASE HELP!!
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Adriana Reply:
December 16th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
I have a 2 month old mixed French poodle / Fox Terrier, and I share your biting problem at first I thought she was just playing but sometimes she seems to be aggresive she has already biten my 5 year old daughter,who was just running around the yard at the time and I was told this type of dog is not agressive . By the way I took her in when she was just 5 weeks since her mother rejected her and her siblings had already been adopted..
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I have a 3 and a half year old siberian husky. She is well trained but your videos have sure made traning a lot simpler. I love your videos, so keep sending them!! is there any advise you can give me for house training my husky? She has been an outside dog her whole life, i just want to be able to bring her in when there are big storms and not have to worry about a mess. Please help.
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JD Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 4:44 am
Morgan, I have two Husy\Timberwolf pups (three years old), and they were extremely easy to housetrain. You just have to be extremely careful at how you discipline after the fact. It’s not in what you do, it more depends on what you don’t do. Look at the personality of the dog first. How will he\she react to your form of punishment?
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Dogs don’t learn from discipline this way, and NEVER after the fact. They don’t connect those dots, but rather just get confused and see you as not only confusing but instable as a leader…they aren’t hard-wired to learn that way…that is a human thing. Oh, they might look “contrite”, but that is not about what they did but merely a reaction you your tone or actions in the moment. Remember…dogs live in the momoent. Read Karen Pryor “Don’t Shoot the Dog”.
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I love ur product soo much, and hope too buy it soon.
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Noel Petter Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I have an ongoing problem with two of my 7 month old, male Cavalier King Charles puppies and one 5 year old adult female given to me by the breeder, ( retired after 5 litters).
They all get a lot of love all day but at night when we are asleep, one of them routinely messes up our carpets and hardwood floors. We have finally identified which one is by far the worst offender. Our dinning room carpet is totally ruined. I tried spreading newspapers but that didn’t work. I can not scold or reprimand the culpert because I never see his act. They just jump off our bed, do their business and return to bed. I take them out early in the evening and use the clicker or click my tongue which tells them that they are doing right and when they finish, I give them a treat which relates immediately to their correct act, however when we are watching TV or asleep the message is lost.
The 5 year old female Is good and holds it all night but she goes on the pavement, everywhere in our big yard and i have to hunt to pick it all up, including the boys droppings because they all will eat their feces.
We also, have treated the carpets and hardwood floors with baking soda to remove the odors which seem to give the boys an approved spot to mess up. this has helped a little.
Additionally we have an older, rescued, female, golden Lab. who is completely housebroken, smart and well trained who disciplines and sets a
good example for the 3 Cavaliers. Please advise what we can do to correct our problem? I have learned a lot from your great, ” hands off program’ with success in other disciplines but this one has me stumped! If you wish to talk with me on the phone, My # is (818) 512-6635.
Yours truly, Noel Petter
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Kris F Reply:
February 9th, 2011 at 6:16 am
Dear Noel,
I know you are frustrated, keep in mind that most puppies do not have the feeling of going to the bathroom until they are 6 months or older. Some breds get their sensation earlier than others. I have found smaller dogs harder to train than larger ones.
We start with puppy pads and I have a Bell hanging on the back door so they learn to ring the bell.
The first 3-5 months, they are taught to use the puppy pad,
and I let them outside with the older dogs everytime they need to go. Yes, they ring the Bell.
I have an older dog that has a bladder the size of Lake Michigan and would die before he would go in the house.
Our Beagle took a little longer to train, because he was rescued and had developed bad habits that had to be changed.
Our Golden Retriever mix, learned immediately. Only a few accidents. We have very nice throw rugs and during bladder training, I roll them all up and put them away until the pup is trained. Spanking, or yelling does not work, it just makes the dog fearfull, because it really is not their fault until they are old enough know how to hold their urine.
Once they are totally puppy pad trained, and have only one or two accidents a day, I start removing the puppy pads. They always look at me like where am I suppose to go to the BR. All dogs go out as a group and if I have a problem area, Chili pepper or Sour apple spray works well.
Yes, we often take trips out during the night at least once or twice. Food and water are taken up at 10pm until the puppy is fully trained.
The Bell can become a annoying at times, but when you got to go, you got to respond to them immediately. Rewards, help, but back off when they are completely trained.
One more thing, I do keep one puppy pad down at all times, just incase they get sick and can’t hold it.
Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Kris
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I have an ongoing problem with two of my 7 month old, male Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies and one 5 year old adult female given to me by the breeder, ( retired after 5 litters).
They all get a lot of love all day but at night when we are asleep, one of them routinely messes up our carpets and hardwood floors. We have finally identified which one is by far the worst offender. Our dinning room carpet is totally ruined. I tried spreading newspapers but that didn’t work. I can not scold or reprimand the culpert because I never see his act. They just jump off our bed, do their business and return to bed. I take them out early in the evening and use the clicker or click my tongue which tells them that they are doing right and when they finish, I give them a treat which relates immediately to their correct act, however when we are watching TV or asleep the message is lost.
The 5 year old female Is good and holds it all night but she goes on the pavement, everywhere in our big yard and i have to hunt to pick it all up, including the boys droppings because they all will eat their feces.
We also, have treated the carpets and hardwood floors with baking soda to remove the odors which seem to give the boys an approved spot to mess up. this has helped a little.
Additionally we have an older, rescued, female, golden Lab. who is completely housebroken, smart and well trained who disciplines and sets a good example for the 3 Cavaliers.
Please advise what we can do to correct our problem? I have learned a lot from your great, ” hands off program’ with success in other disciplines but this one has me stumped! If you wish to talk with me on the phone, My # is (818) 512-6635.
Yours truly, Noel Petter
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 9:04 am
Management, management, management…that is what is needed, and get rid of the odors 100%, them manage them. Eliminate the freedom at night…you can’t manage what you don’t see happening. They aren’t “getting it” at all. This has nothing to do with getting love. They are animals, they have to go potty, so they do. No freedom until they are 100% reliable for weeks. All housetraining issues are management issues…it’s that simple.
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I have a4moth pug and 3moth chihuahua i try every thing to get the to pee&poop out side and in daper but they wont go and they dont lisen i need sugestion
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Karla Satz Reply:
March 16th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Hello Lidia,
I had that very problem with my 3 month old yorky, Lil Bit.so I asked my Vet and he told me to do this.{create three scheduled feedings for your dogs throughout the day, give them 5/10 mins. to finish eating then observe them closely until they need to go, then scoop them up and take them outside. after a few times of scooping them encourage them to walk to the door on there own, then go outside with them to do there business. when there done praise them on the spot by PETTING THEM EXCITEDLY/VERBALLY saying GOOD JOB!/GOOD PUPPY!, my puppy gets extremely excited when I do that cuz she knows mommy is very happy with her.I also put a pee pad down should she have to go peepee in between her feedings.I also keep her in a kennel at night they need a safe spot. if you use a wire kennel!! cover it up with a blanket and the puppy won’t cry all night.with you having two dogs you should a kennel for each dog and place them side by side that way they won’t feel lonely,and they’ll sleep better at night.keep in mind your puppy’s should be able to hold them selves for approximately 8hrs/then scoop them up/take em outside and do the praise thingy lol.I hope this helps you, please e-mail me and let me know how things work out ok. thanx Karla Satz{gramasgrandbabys@shaw.ca> PS.The one thing you should remember is{DOG EATS FOOD! DOG POOPS!POOPS!,POOPS! SO THE MORE YOU FEED YOUR DOGS THEY WILL POOOOOP!!! KEEP THEM ON A FEEDING SCHEDULE AND THEY WILL CATCH ON. T
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Hi Chet,
I would recommend you course to anyone who is interested in training their dog. I have a 18 month old chihuahua, since using you training program her general behaviour and obedience have improved dramatically. I had to laugh, when I fisrt started to conditon Cheeeky to the clicker, we had only done it a few short times, then I was watching your video on go to your mat. Each time sheheard the clicker on the video she would come running or respond, so I had to keep some treats handy for every time you clicked the clicker. I have really been enjoying the video’s you have been sending. Thankyou so much.
Kindest regards. Dianna Relf, Australia
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@ September 6th, 2010 at 06:38I have 2 rescued terrier-mixes with lots of little issues that we are working through rather well. I decided to try clicker training to help build confidence and more focused attention, especially from Maxie. Unfortunately, she has a MAJOR aversion to “popping” noises, ex.: fireworks, lightning, chewing gum, etc. and that immediately included the clicker. I tried a couple of different brands with the same aversive reaction. A wonderful trainer friend had the perfect solution – which I am passing on in case it helps someone else – I muffle the clicker by wrapping my fingers over it and pressing it with my middle finger instead of having it open and clicking with my thumb. Maxie responded wonderfully. The muffling in my hand takes the sharp edge off the sound and is much more pleasant for all of us. Hope this helps.
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@ October 25th, 2010 at 14:35Listening to the interview with Victoria has convinced me to buy the audio version. I’ve been viewing your website and enjoying the free tips, and even have my clicker, as I prepare for the arrival of my new puppy on 17 Dec. I feel I will now be fully prepared and ready to teach Cedric the correct behaviours so that we can live happily together. Thanks again for the tips and emails. Keep them coming.
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@ December 7th, 2010 at 14:25I am getting a baby German Shepherd tomorrow and knowing how dominant they are by nature, I’m afraid it will cause animosity in the village where I live if it’s challenged for alhpa dominance and responds by hurting one of their non pedigee, Hienzes variety, dogs … which most of them are… ANY SUGGESTIONS?
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Susan Reply:
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:24 am
Then don’t get a pure “pedigreed” Shepherd! Get a Heinze variety! They are better anyway!
Susan
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Not all german shepherds are dominate. These are all just dogs, and there are varieties in all breeds, and in “mutts”. I suggest you learn about dog communication and behavior and go to puppy classes from an CAPDT certified trainier. Also, get your AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate on your dog…then if anyone accuses your dog of causing a problem you have proof in your hand that your dog is NOT dog or people aggressive…a bit of insurance so to speak.
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chet your training is simple yet effective.tried it on my 3 months old dobie .he picks it up really fast .
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@ January 6th, 2011 at 04:48I so get Victoria in the interview.So So So important us humans need to be trained first.I have purchased your dog training programme 2 weeks ago and I don’t get my puppy for another fortnight.I have absorbed all the information and knowledge that is on the videos ,audios and lots lots more that gets sent to me in the emails and it all makes so much sense !
I can’t wait to get my puppy especially knowing I have the dog training secret under my belt.
CLICK! WELL DONE ON A GREAT PROGRAMME !
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@ January 31st, 2011 at 03:50Thanks for the emails – Brian and Stewie are getting better since I have read your emails – thanks – only problem I am frightened that they are going to hurt each other as they fight with each other then after so long they will lie down with each other as if butter would not melt in their mouth. They do know I mean it all I say is NO quite firmly and if they are good they both get praise – no treats all they need to get is a word of praise and they love it.
I will be trying a clicker this week and let you know how we go on
Once again thanks for the tips
janet
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@ February 10th, 2011 at 02:29I have a 15 month old yellow lab. He is almost a perfect dog. He obeys most of the time and we are presently in obedience training with him. He came from a Humane Society as he was a victim of a hoarder and physical abuse. My problem is this: when we put him to bed in his cage, after a few minutes, he starts barking and doesn’t quit. We try to werr him out with exercise for an hour before bed time and he lirerally falls asleep on his feet. However, when he gets into his kennel, he pops awake and starts barking. What can we do? Thank you.
Al
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Ashley Reply:
March 27th, 2011 at 10:55 am
Do you take him out or let him bark it out???
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Helena Reply:
June 28th, 2011 at 7:10 am
I think that he is scared of being left alone. Put his favorite toy in with him and see if that helps. Or put the cage closer to you so that he can see you. My 4 dogs sleep inside with my flatmate and only bark if they hear a noise outside.
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 9:18 am
He isn’t scared. He barks and you go to him (a reward from his point of view) or you yell at him ( a reward as even negative attention is better than no attention at all) and the more your vary your resonse (from every 2 minutes to 5 minutes to 3 minutes to 10 minutes) the stronger you are fixing the behavior. He has your number! Give him a chew bone he really lkes is case he wakes up and wantes something to do, a toy if her likes that, and put him to bed, put in ear plugs and miss sleep until he realized it isn’t working any more. You can also put him in at other times and consistently reward not barking for 1 min, let him out a cookie, etc, repeat reward for 3 min, work up to a longer time. Important: VARY THE TIME SCHEDULE OF REINFORCEMENT You have taught him barking works, now you have to teach him it doesn’t! Caution: if you punish the barking you will creat an aversion to the crate and perhaps increase the barking, he won’t connect it to the barking.
I could advise another method, but I won’t post it publicly as many people would not understand how to do it correctly.
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Kim Reply:
January 29th, 2012 at 11:25 am
I wrap a warm water bottle and set a ticking clock outside the cage this seems to mellow them and put a blanket over the cage .Hope this helps
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We just got our new golden retriever puppy. We are excited to start training him as soon as possible using your techniques. At what age should we begin training? We’ve noticed in your videos that you are training your 11 week old puppy. Our puppy is only 7 weeks old. Is this too young? Are we setting ourselves up for failure?
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@ February 20th, 2011 at 19:53Chet I’M having a hard time getting the leash on my 4month old pocket pittbull with out him bitteing it and then acting like were chokeing him?
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Leslie Reply:
July 5th, 2011 at 12:08 am
just reward him for the lead, start by showing him the lead and rewarding, get closer one step at a time, until eventually it’s clipped on, the lead is a positive thing for a dog, don’t rush it do it over a couple of day’s little and often, soon he’ll love it.
Hope this helps
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Chet I’M having a hard time getting the leash on my 4month old pocket pittbull with out him bitteing it and then acting like were chokeing him?It does’nt help that we can not walk him yet because he needs his last shot two months from now…thank u for the videos really big help.i got your program and been working with king everyday so far….
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@ February 21st, 2011 at 17:09Was enjoying the interview until the alpha / eating first comment both of which are out of date and are irrelevant when using the clicker to train skills or modify behaviour. Review David Mech’s comments re Alphas and the copious body of work about social structures in domestic and village dogs to update and also read the studies that measure the correlation between eating first, accessing doorways etc, etc and dominance or status issues. These comments, which imply confrontational relationships with dogs, are at odds with what appears to be your philosophy of positive cooperative clicker training? They soured the interview for me.
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@ March 28th, 2011 at 04:10This doesn’t really help me for my problem with my puppy. She is about 1 1/2 years old. She is Cocoachon so she is not very big. She came from a family that didn’t EVER bring her to the vet!! So she was a very on trained dog. My problem is that she is always peeing and pooping on the floor when we walk out of the room. Right now we are renovating our house and we cant let her run around so we need to train her so that she can be left alone without peeing or pooping until we come and walk her.
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@ April 11th, 2011 at 14:49hi,im having trouble with my blue nose pitbull,princess…shes 3 weeks old but is she old enough to get trained,and is she old enough for treats?i mean i wanna give her the best i can she had a rough past and i wanna make her life happy shes always sad,,,and im scared it might not be possible
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Minette Reply:
April 20th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
At three weeks she needs to spend most of her time with her mommy!! Very little time away from mom for some therapeutic touch exercises but mostly time with mom and her litter mates and YES she is too young for treats, she should be drinking milk!
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deltadawn758 Reply:
December 1st, 2011 at 9:36 am
Now I dsagree with this. My chi came to me at 7 weeks old, was weaned and already being housebroken. Breeders disagree with when a puppy should be pulled from the mother, but I have a chi that was 12 weeks when I got her and I thought I’d never get her housebroke nor trained in other ways and she and I never bonded like me and the little 7 week old chi bonded. So, I say you CAN start training a young puppy but you will have to show more persistance and not give up. I do agree about the treats though and did not start giving my 7 week-old chi treats until she was about 9-10 weeks and then only gave her pieces of treats. Before using treats I used positive training only. The best thing you can do for a young puppy like this if the mother isn’t around (and it sounds like she isn’t) is hold it a lot and spend a lot of time with it and YES! begin training.
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if this does not work then what do you do because i have tried these videos and these are really helpul but what i am trieng to say is what if this dosn”t work for other people
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 9:21 am
If it doesn’t work, call an CAPTD certified trainer.
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it works grate for me and lilly i’ve got a boxer and she is vary hyper!
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@ May 5th, 2011 at 15:47I love the free video, and I hope to get the complete offer soon!
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@ May 14th, 2011 at 07:14the free video was great inspiration, and a refresher to do the things I once knew, but was about to forget! some of the emails I have recieved since have also been of great importance to me and I have learned alot.
!!!
I wish to get all the videos and everything I can but not financially able, even more now that I have a pet and vet cost. I sincerely believe in your ways and would love to have the best dog ever. Not for any selfish reasons though (not that I dont like showing him off) but I work in a health care facility and I am trianing him to like to sit with people and let them pet him and be nice, and smart. I have been able to teach him some tricks, but I want him to do amazingly amazing stuff. He is 16 weeks old and with consistance and hard work I have, taught him to sit, stay, lay, roll over, and go pp outside, ocassionally we get the whole potty thing right and not always. He has been a great therapy dog so far, cause he is so cute and little, but when he is older… well … cute probably won’t be cuttin’it. I do have to say, he has been good about not jumping, on the sick and elderly people with such fraile skin.
I have to thank you for all of your help for a totally awesome therapy puppy so far.
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@ May 16th, 2011 at 18:53Hello,
I have a 2 month old German Sheperd puppy , she has been with me for 2 weeks now, but I am having problems in training her, first potty training and then another problem is that she barks alot, even when there is food for her and other toys. Sometimes, my wife beats her with news papers although not painful, but she is scared of it and becomes gentle. Please I need a proper lesson on how to train her so she can be a good guard for my family especially when we are expecting our first baby, she can help us.
Thanks
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Debi Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 9:30 am
STOP HITTIN HER WITH THE PAPER..IT IS ABUSIVE AND MAKES NO SENSE TO THE DOG!!!..she is barking for attention, which you are rewarding, tho very negatively. You are going to end up with a mentally messup up dog. She isn’t becoming gentle, she is afraid, and withdrawing inside herself in submission and fear. This could turn to aggression as a later date if it isi’t stopped immediately. At 2 months, she is not old enough to grasp the potty training idea…she is a baby! Housetraining is all about management. I suggest you really do some research on dog psycology and how to positively train a dog.
Food for though: if you (your dog) were sold to another country/culture (your house) and didn’t understand the customs, the language, and were missing your family (she is a baby), how would you feel if you didn’t know what was expected and you got smaked around, yelled at, and all you were doing was trying to communticate in the only way you knew how, and the more scared or frusraed you got the more you communicate and the more the unresonable confusing behavior directed at you gets. Not a pretty picture.
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Great to hear how the course has helped Victoria and others…
I can’t afford to get the full course but I love getting the e-mails
with all the tips…They really do help…
My big problem at the minute is my 10 month old retriever not hearing me when we are out in the park and he has decided to go play with another dog!
Thank you for all your help…
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Leslie Reply:
July 5th, 2011 at 12:02 am
easiest thing to use for this is recall training but to distract her in such an exiting situation it’ll have to be a fantastic treat like real cooked chicken, cheese or any real cooked meat, but don’t rush him, only call when you know he’s going to come, start small and work toward a more difficult situation,don’t keep repeating or it could de-sensitize him to the command, don’t chase him unless he’s putting himself in danger (you’ll be rewarding bad behaviour), instead try running the opposite direction exitedly or sitting down to grab his attention it’s easy but you can easily make so many mistakes teaching recall, just try not to react if he doesn’t come straight away, and make it the most exiting thing ever when he does., hope this helps.
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I need help calming my boxers around other dog’s they get so exited and most dog’s don’t know what to do so end up snapping at them, dog’s that can handle the intensity love them but there aren’t many that can. they get frustrated about not getting the chance to interact.
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@ July 5th, 2011 at 00:12Hi Chet, I have 3 dogs, a 12 year old chocolate lab, a 6 year old chocolate lab, and a 15 week old chocolate lab mix. The 6 year old, that we have had since a puppy, has recently discovered that when my neighbors garage door is open, she can run in a grab their frisbees. The problem is that their house is across the street and she just runs right across and now the puppy has been following her. They’ve run across with cars coming so it is quite scary. How can I train her to stop running across the street? Please help me before it is too late
-Emily
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Candice Reply:
July 19th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Is there an ordinance or a law that prohibits you from putting up a fence to keep your dogs in? Your dogs need to know that you have something (like a treat such as cheese) that they really want. When you call their name and they come to you, use the clicker and reward them with the treat. Everyone in the household needs to be consistent with this. Perhaps talking to the neighbor and having them put the frisbee in an unseen location may help too (like inside their house). Is there a remote possibility that the dog catcher can come by? Dogs not on their property are fair game. Do not give the dogs treats unless they come to you when their name is called. Start in a small space and work to a larger space. Good luck!
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Hello,
I was just wondering is a dog ever to old to be trained and taught new things?
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Minette Reply:
July 16th, 2011 at 7:10 am
NEVER too old!!
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I have taken on a 9 month old mixed breed speyed bitch. I have had her for 2 months now, She used to be left on her own all day when her previous owner was at work. So she had no proper training. I have now house trained her and she rarely has an accident, except for one problem, she pees when I bend down to put on her lead,or pet her, or when I tell her to sit or if I say NO! or if visitors come to the house, she crouches down and pees. I have tried ignoring her, tried saying no, putting her outside and praising her, What do I do, I think it is a nevouse thing, as she is especially nervous of men even tho she wasn,t brought up around men,. HELP Please !! Tricia
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@ August 2nd, 2011 at 01:30She is being soft, humble, submissive, and showing a bit of insecurity. Stop saying NO altogether. It is to harsh a word and she can’t handle it. Use a simple sound like “ehh” to mean that won’t get you anything positive, but don’t use it when she is peeing, she is already uncertain. Try getting down and allowing her to approach you from the side of you, and don’t make eye-contact right away. Pet her with your hand “palm-up” and let her approach and retreat if she wants, and climb up to you for attention at her comfort level. Reward that gently. If she comes to you and starts to take the “pee” posture, instantly turn and walk away (be neutral). If she pees when told to sit, it isn’t a positive thing for her, obedient maybe, but not positive. Learn about positive reinforcement trianing and give her “room” to learn at her comfort level. If we pressure too much they communicate they can’t handle it, she is telling you. You can’t just ignore the bad tho without rewarding when she comes to you and doesn’t pee. Set her up for success.
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@ August 8th, 2011 at 09:42Not sure if I can ask this question here but….
I have a daughtson female “Bella” just a little over 2 years. Well a few months ago my husband wanted to get another dog, so we end up getting a doberman puppy (now 4 1/2 months). I have been training “Norman” using Chets methods and everything has been working just grate. My ONLY BIG problem is that Bella and Norman go at it big time. They start off with just the simple dog playing. Nibble here nibble there, chasing each other around the house. Then after a few minutes they go at it, fighting, big time. You see the teeth (only on Bella) and the growling, snarling, and biting each other really hard. I have taught them “Be nice” and they listen to that but once I get them calmed down for a minute or two they start back up again. At this point the only time they are not doing this is if I seperate them or if they are alseep. Any advice or helpful tips is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!!!
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Sarahanne Reply:
October 9th, 2011 at 2:53 am
My 9 year old and 4 month old Maltese X shihtzu’s do that. They are biting one another to play, and it’s completely harmless. It doesn’t hurt them, considering they have a low pain threshold. Before my puppy Beau came along, 2 1/2 months ago, my 9 year old dog Mollie, she slept most of the days and he’s certainly sparked up her life. In conclusion, I think just let them be.
Hope I’ve helped
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Hi i have a 2month old duchshund puppy and he has separation anxiety. For example i have 2 other roommates at my home and when i leave my puppy in my bathroom with his crate and toys and water, my roommates said that he has been crying non-stop. Any methods i could use?
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@ October 19th, 2011 at 08:51what do you do when there is fireworks my dog is like marley tottally oooooooooh he is so scared , 2 nights i havent slept or him stupid guy fawkes
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@ November 6th, 2011 at 12:51I have recently adopted a 1 year old standard poodle from a shelter. It was very evident that the dog was kept confined and had no social skill whatsoever. He did not know any commands and did not know how to play with the simplist of toys. He learned very quickly to sit, no bark, come stay. The only problem we have is when he is outside off leash he runs circle around us like he is herding us, bark excessively and nips/bites us. I have finally got him where he will after a few minutes come to me and sit while I get his leash on him. Are there any suggestions as to how to correct this behavior.
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@ November 7th, 2011 at 05:58i have a 3 month old shitzhu. very loving and playful. only problem goes berserk at night time. flying all over the place , crying, barking and biting. tried everything to distract him to no avail. help what do i do. only way i can stop him is to put him in cage which i dont really want to do. any suggestions
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@ November 13th, 2011 at 00:58Where can I get clicker? I want the program but i need a place to buy the clicker
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@ December 16th, 2011 at 16:52Just wondering Chet, is there a certain age of a dog that will be harder to train? I mean, is an older dog stuck in there ways, or are they as easily trainable?
And thank you for your emails, I too enjoy recieving them and getting your tips!
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@ January 5th, 2012 at 10:02Help – We just got a wonderful Boarder Collie / English Shepherd mix. She is very smart. We have had her for 3 weeks and she already can sit, down and knock on the door to go outside. But….she has a nipping problem. Saying “NO” or popping her on the nose doesn’t work. She just comes at you again. She is really sweet but this is becoming a problem. Like the above note, she will grab your clothes as you are walking by. I work for an insurance company and would rather she not grab at my work clothes as I am walking by. I also have a concern about her eating bark or wood chips. We live in CO and have a wood burner so there is wood outside as well as inside. She can’t wait to find a piece she can chew on. I just want to make sure this won’t hurt her. We try to keep her away from it but it is impossible. How can we get her to leave it alone or shouldn’t we worry about it.
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@ January 5th, 2012 at 12:19if you want your dog to stop nipping you can go out and buy the kong.it is a toy where you put treats inside and the dogs will chew on it forever. the good part about the kong is that eventually your dogs teath will get tired and not feel the erge to nipp or bite.
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@ January 8th, 2012 at 06:38In answer to Debi’s comment on not cross breeding (8th August 2011).
Sorry but I think you need to do some more research on this subject. For instance do you know how many different breeds of dogs were used to create the Doberman Pinscher?. Do you also know about how the Saluki breed ended up with so many problems in just a decade or so of “purebred breeding practices”? This breed even has its own “sudden death syndrome” all caused by so called expert breeding practices. I’ve owned several purebred breeds over the past 50 years and ALL had problems, so I now only breed crossbred dogs which have far fewer issues (if any at all) and in all cases live longer and are less prone to illness. Serious consideration must be given to dog genetics if you consider breeding.
Here’s an article that may be of interest to breeders: “Dog Genetics
In dogs, we know how to test for specific problems such as hip dysplasia and eye abnormalities, but there are many other factors in a dog’s genetic makeup which are unknown, and which may only come to light several generations down the line. At the same time, we are selecting for other factors such as working ability, temperament, and, of course, show ring success. Show ring success has traditionally been easier to achieve by line-breeding and inbreeding, which accounts for its popularity with show breeders, and by extensive use of the top animals, especially stud dogs. According to geneticists, the effective population of a group of animals cannot be more than four times the number of different sires. Thus if four stud dogs are breed to a total of 100 bitches, resulting in 500 puppies, the effective population is only 16. See how easy it is to dramatically reduce the gene pool of a breed? In a numerically small breed, the popularity and extensive use of a few stud dogs can produce a genetic bottleneck.
It is impossible to test for every deleterious allele a dog may carry, and it can be assumed that every dog carries some, therefore several generations down the line we may find, when we start breeding a popular stud dog’s descendants to each other, that we have a genetic problem which has now been passed on to hundreds of individuals.
Overuse of a few dogs can also greatly reduce genetic variation, because of genetic drift. For example, take these 100 litters, and assume that the breeder in each case keeps the pick of litter for further breeding. Each of these puppies has received half its genes from its sire, and half from its dam. Thus, the other half of the dam’s genes, which she did not pass on to this puppy, are lost forever if that is her only offspring that is bred. To retain as many different genes as possible in a breed, it is necessary to breed from as many different animals as possible.
In Europe some breed clubs have imposed a limit on the number of litters a stud dog may sire in his lifetime, in order to prevent the reduction of the gene pool and ensure the genetic diversity and health of the breed. Europe is fortunate to have geneticists who specialize in the study of dogs, and who have kept up with the advances in population genetics, and who share their knowledge with breeders. The breed club here could appoint committees to search out this knowledge to share with its members, and should be prepared to make recommendations to breeders, enforceable through the code of ethics, to prevent overuse of stud dogs and other breeding practices which could cause long-term harm to the breed.
Owners of stud dogs could also assume this responsibility and, in the best interests of the breed, limit the number of litters a dog would sire. I believe that this is the most important issue facing breeders today, and I hope you will think seriously about your breeding programs and the future health and welfare of your breed”.
Source: This article appeared in the January/February 1996 issue of the Sighthound Review
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@ January 28th, 2012 at 19:12I have a 4 year old sheltie that is scared of every thing.. Cars are the worst and afraid of people how do I change her from being so scared. She was taken to puppy class and done agility I took her to the mall with me any time I could or any where there was lots of people after doing all this she is still afraid ..PLEASE HELP
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@ January 29th, 2012 at 11:37