First dog since I was a kid, what do I do now? Training? Crate? (1 Viewer)

[lombardi]

I put it off long enough, my wife and kids have finally worn me down and we're getting a dog.

We went around to the local pounds and rescues the last couple of weeks to find a dog that seemed to be the right fit. We have a 2 year old Australian Cattle Dog mix (seems like some spaniel or something else) coming home tomorrow. She had a litter and all the pups have been adopted out. We had to wait until she was recovered and could be spayed (happening today) and she is coming home tomorrow. Kids have been by a couple times to visit her, they have a big outdoor area in the back. Really friendly dog, doesn't jump up on people, loves chasing the ball, but also likes sitting calmly and being pet. Tail is always wagging, not aggressive around other dogs, seems house broken. So far so good.

So tomorrow we bring her home. I haven't had a dog in over 30 years and that wasn't really mine. Not sure what to do.

I've seen some dog whisperer stuff, watched some youtube videos, but there is so much conflicting info out there. A bunch of people say to crate train then some say not to. Cesar says I'm supposed to be alpha then guy at pound says dominance training is bad. Just wondering what the best options are. Any links I should read or experience you can offer would be great. I really want this to be a good experience for the kids and we want to do it right. I would like a dog who listens when it's told to sit and stay or not jump on people, who can walk alongside when we're out hiking without running off like crazy after other animals and critters, and if we're really lucky who might actually be able to teach to catch a frisbee (apparently a good breed for this kind of thing).

What do y'all think?

 

[Bucky86]

I put it off long enough, my wife and kids have finally worn me down and we're getting a dog.

We went around to the local pounds and rescues the last couple of weeks to find a dog that seemed to be the right fit. We have a 2 year old Australian Cattle Dog mix (seems like some spaniel or something else) coming home tomorrow. She had a litter and all the pups have been adopted out. We had to wait until she was recovered and could be spayed (happening today) and she is coming home tomorrow. Kids have been by a couple times to visit her, they have a big outdoor area in the back. Really friendly dog, doesn't jump up on people, loves chasing the ball, but also likes sitting calmly and being pet. Tail is always wagging, not aggressive around other dogs, seems house broken. So far so good.

So tomorrow we bring her home. I haven't had a dog in over 30 years and that wasn't really mine. Not sure what to do.

I've seen some dog whisperer stuff, watched some youtube videos, but there is so much conflicting info out there. A bunch of people say to crate train then some say not to. Cesar says I'm supposed to be alpha then guy at pound says dominance training is bad. Just wondering what the best options are. Any links I should read or experience you can offer would be great. I really want this to be a good experience for the kids and we want to do it right. I would like a dog who listens when it's told to sit and stay or not jump on people, who can walk alongside when we're out hiking without running off like crazy after other animals and critters, and if we're really lucky who might actually be able to teach to catch a frisbee (apparently a good breed for this kind of thing).

What do y'all think?

Take them to a puppy Kindergarten class, so they can learn the basics and also meet other dogs. Make sure you let him/her experience all sorts of sights and smells before it's 4 months old. This is part of the imprinting stage.

Nevermind. I mis-read and thought you were getting one of the puppies. It still doesn't hurt to take it to some kind of intermediate dog training. This way you learn the proper way to teach certain things with the help of a trainer that can work through things that are more difficult.

 

[Fennis]

buy some cattle

 

[Cliff Clavin]

-Ignore Cesar. Outdated garbage.

-Definitely crate train

-Youtube channels to watch: tab289, kikopup, zsianz1

-Susan Garrett (Clickerdogs.com)

 

[jon_mx]

Maybe take the dog home first and see if there are any behavior issues before you try to correct stuff.

 

[rustycolts]

If the dog is older and has not been crate trained you may have a little problem at first,crate training is a little easier when they are pups.Try keeping crate in your room at first so dog knows your there with her,maybe put some treats in with her.Congrats on the dog you will not regret it they are wonderful companions and will soon be a part of your family.I have five 4 Shih Tzus and a Bloodhound love em to death.The alpha dog thing is really just letting the dog know who is boss you can do that by just correcting with a stern no.With females it usually is easy to establish who the boss is right away and in a lot of cases easier to train.

 

[matttyl]

Aussie Cattle Dogs are the best. That's mine in my picture <---

 

[glock]

Never had a dog growing up. Raccoon. Monkey. No dog.

The kids are almost all grown up now (one fifteen year old left) and we finally pull the trigger in February- taking in a two month old Alabama rescue Lab mix from Bideawee NYC. And a 5 month old kitten. Same day.



Would have kicked off a thread on this, but I've been so busy with the babies I've hardly even been in here. Both animals are amazing. We are truly very lucky in my estimation, considering what I imagine could be going on in our home.

Definitely do the crate thing and work in some form of obedience training. We did it at Petco for starters and will be pursuing a true obedience school in a bit.

Cliff- thanks for the Youtube channels.

 

[rustycolts]

One thing is if you have small kids you might want to keep an eye out at first. Australian cattle dogs are great dogs but their natural instinct is to herd so if the kids are running around she may try to herd them.

 

[matttyl]

One thing is if you have small kids you might want to keep an eye out at first. Australian cattle dogs are great dogs but their natural instinct is to heard so if the kids are running around she may try to heard them.

Yes, I concur with this. My border collies are worse, but my cattle dog can be "snippy".

 

[sublimeone]

Crate training is a good idea because I think dogs actually prefer it. It's like a security blanket, a secure little place for them to sleep until their family gets home. The absolute max you should leave her in there is 8 hours. If she is not used to being in a crate, put her in there for shorter periods when you are home. We give our dogs a training treat everytime they go in and they never resist.

As far as chasing critters... you can't train instinct out of a dog. Either they'll do it or they won't. I don't think training will make a difference.

A good friend gave me advice when I got my first dog. The most important command is "NO." Don't yell at the dog, but say it with force and point at the dog. Maintain eye contact and let her know you mean business. This is the only time you have to act "alpha." Once the dog know what not to do you are 95% of the way there.

Any dog that is shown a decent amount of attention and is regularly walked will be a great dog.

Don't go over the top listening to advice from experts. Dogs are like kids, they are all a little different and respond to different things. Your family dynamic and living situation is unique... just use common sense and you'll figure it out.

 

[zeamax]

Herding dogs are usually very intelligent with lots of energy. It probably helps that your dog is older and not quite so energetic.

I found it helpful to give the command when the dog does an action you want to train. If the dog sits say sit. I like to use hand gestures along with a verbal command. Enjoy, they are man's best friend. And don't beat it.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Hand feed

 

[lombardi]

Been reading some of the posts and watching some of the videos. This whole positive reinforcement vs dominance thing is kind of crazy, makes the global warming debate seem kind of like a polite discussion over afternoon tea. Dog people be crazy! Like most everything else it seems like the nut jobs are all screaming at each other and the truth is somewhere in the middle. Why wouldn't I tell my dog No! and let him know who is boss and also reward him with praise and treats when he does well? Seems like everyone on the internet believes you have to swear allegiance to one camp or the other for life and be cursed by the other as an animal beater or "cookie pusher", that phrase makes me laugh. I think I'll aim for the middle. Don't think I need to wrestle my dog to the ground and bite his throat but letting him know who is in charge seems like a good idea. Also, rewarding good behavior also seems like a good idea, not sure why this is such a huge thing for people.

Crate training seems like the way to go, we're looking for a crate now (checking craigslist before heading off to walmart or petco).

I didn't know monkeys and squirrels were an option, if I let my kids read this I could be in trouble. Monkeys sound fun.

The kids are older so herding shouldn't be a problem, at least for our kids. Maybe my nephews who are younger and darters.

Fennis, I was going to get some cattle but the crates to crate train them are just too expensive and I don't really have a good place to put them. But cattle herding sounds like even more fun than frisbee.

Hand Feeding? Doesn't that get tedious after a while? I mean it's not a lion, I'll probably stick to a bowl.

 

[matttyl]

If you want to really enjoy a show, take the dog to a sheep farm. Hours of entertainment there.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Been reading some of the posts and watching some of the videos. This whole positive reinforcement vs dominance thing is kind of crazy, makes the global warming debate seem kind of like a polite discussion over afternoon tea. Dog people be crazy! Like most everything else it seems like the nut jobs are all screaming at each other and the truth is somewhere in the middle. Why wouldn't I tell my dog No! and let him know who is boss and also reward him with praise and treats when he does well? Seems like everyone on the internet believes you have to swear allegiance to one camp or the other for life and be cursed by the other as an animal beater or "cookie pusher", that phrase makes me laugh. I think I'll aim for the middle. Don't think I need to wrestle my dog to the ground and bite his throat but letting him know who is in charge seems like a good idea. Also, rewarding good behavior also seems like a good idea, not sure why this is such a huge thing for people.

Crate training seems like the way to go, we're looking for a crate now (checking craigslist before heading off to walmart or petco).

I didn't know monkeys and squirrels were an option, if I let my kids read this I could be in trouble. Monkeys sound fun.

The kids are older so herding shouldn't be a problem, at least for our kids. Maybe my nephews who are younger and darters.

Fennis, I was going to get some cattle but the crates to crate train them are just too expensive and I don't really have a good place to put them. But cattle herding sounds like even more fun than frisbee.

Hand Feeding? Doesn't that get tedious after a while? I mean it's not a lion, I'll probably stick to a bowl.

There is nothing wrong with being firm when the situation calls for it. Dumb stuff like rubbing their nose in pee, whacking them with a newspaper, smacking them every time they do something wrong, etc. is archaic.

The majority of the time a dog does something "wrong" it is your fault for not teaching it what to do "right".

 

[Ned]

Crate training is a good idea because I think dogs actually prefer it. It's like a security blanket, a secure little place for them to sleep until their family gets home. The absolute max you should leave her in there is 8 hours. If she is not used to being in a crate, put her in there for shorter periods when you are home. We give our dogs a training treat everytime they go in and they never resist.

As far as chasing critters... you can't train instinct out of a dog. Either they'll do it or they won't. I don't think training will make a difference.

A good friend gave me advice when I got my first dog. The most important command is "NO." Don't yell at the dog, but say it with force and point at the dog. Maintain eye contact and let her know you mean business. This is the only time you have to act "alpha." Once the dog know what not to do you are 95% of the way there.

Any dog that is shown a decent amount of attention and is regularly walked will be a great dog.

Don't go over the top listening to advice from experts. Dogs are like kids, they are all a little different and respond to different things. Your family dynamic and living situation is unique... just use common sense and you'll figure it out.

To add to the "NO" thing - don't use their name and NO. They should associate their name with positive things.

I also agree with the pointing and eye contact. Dogs are much more about body language than vocal. Being consistent with your body language will go a long way with your dog listening.

 

[hotdogcollars]

at the risk of oversimplifying things...do what works. Your dog has a personality, history, and relationship with your family that is unique. So you may find that some techniques and types of training work while others don't.

Other than that be sure to set boundaries, create a routine (dogs LOVE routine), be consistent, make sure everyone in the household maintains that consistency, and have fun. Play with the dog, give it a lot of attention, make sure it has time around people and other dogs (socializing them), and get a good vet.

As far as supplies go, obviously food, bedding, and control (collar, harness, leash, etc) are primary. But also be sure to pick up toys, ID products (tags, collars, chips), grooming and bathing supplies, FLEA & TICK (must have), and some fun stuff. You can go as far down the pathway of dress up as you would like, or you can just get a jersey for gameday. Trust me, it's fun and your family will love it when the dog gets into the holiday, party, event, etc.

PM me if you want and I can get a little care package out to you

 

[larch]

Crate train. Just make sure the crate isn't too big for the dog or it won't work.

Also, don't make the crate the place to go if the dog is bad. They won't want to go in there to bed at night if it is a bad place. Our dog knows that if she doesn't want to get touched at all, she goes into her crate. That is off limits for everyone and she cannot be touched.

 

[omahawildcat25]

read this book

http://www.amazon.com/How-Your-Dogs-Best-Friend/dp/0316610003/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_y

 

[rustycolts]

This is my buddy Bo the bloodhound and his arch enemy the back porch screen door.

http://youtu.be/oKhMco5rQCY

 

[ShamrockPride]

This is my buddy Bo the bloodhound and his arch enemy the back porch screen door.

http://youtu.be/oKhMco5rQCY

Screen doors are weird. I've had some dogs where they stop and wait for someone to open it and I've had some who ram their head right through it.

 

[Judge Smails]

We crate trained our dog for the first year or so. Now he crashes in one of his multiple Costco dog beds, up in our room. I do have a friend who has a smaller lab than ours and she has a perma limp - they think she was crated too long.

Louie went to a 4 days/week, 4 week training program a few months ago. Wish we would have done it a year ago.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I put it off long enough, my wife and kids have finally worn me down and we're getting a dog.

We went around to the local pounds and rescues the last couple of weeks to find a dog that seemed to be the right fit. We have a 2 year old Australian Cattle Dog mix (seems like some spaniel or something else) coming home tomorrow. She had a litter and all the pups have been adopted out. We had to wait until she was recovered and could be spayed (happening today) and she is coming home tomorrow. Kids have been by a couple times to visit her, they have a big outdoor area in the back. Really friendly dog, doesn't jump up on people, loves chasing the ball, but also likes sitting calmly and being pet. Tail is always wagging, not aggressive around other dogs, seems house broken. So far so good.

So tomorrow we bring her home. I haven't had a dog in over 30 years and that wasn't really mine. Not sure what to do.

I've seen some dog whisperer stuff, watched some youtube videos, but there is so much conflicting info out there. A bunch of people say to crate train then some say not to. Cesar says I'm supposed to be alpha then guy at pound says dominance training is bad. Just wondering what the best options are. Any links I should read or experience you can offer would be great. I really want this to be a good experience for the kids and we want to do it right. I would like a dog who listens when it's told to sit and stay or not jump on people, who can walk alongside when we're out hiking without running off like crazy after other animals and critters, and if we're really lucky who might actually be able to teach to catch a frisbee (apparently a good breed for this kind of thing).

What do y'all think?

Take them to a puppy Kindergarten class, so they can learn the basics and also meet other dogs. Make sure you let him/her experience all sorts of sights and smells before it's 4 months old. This is part of the imprinting stage.

Nevermind. I mis-read and thought you were getting one of the puppies. It still doesn't hurt to take it to some kind of intermediate dog training. This way you learn the proper way to teach certain things with the help of a trainer that can work through things that are more difficult.

be wary of teeth barring mexicans........

 

[DA RAIDERS]

One thing is if you have small kids you might want to keep an eye out at first. Australian cattle dogs are great dogs but their natural instinct is to heard so if the kids are running around she may try to heard them.

that's a lot of listening for a dog

 

[matttyl]

This is my buddy Bo the bloodhound and his arch enemy the back porch screen door.

http://youtu.be/oKhMco5rQCY

Screen doors are weird. I've had some dogs where they stop and wait for someone to open it and I've had some who ram their head right through it.

I've got a sliding screen door which goes out to the deck, which is where we typically let our dogs out. The oldest border collie has no idea it's there, and has rammed it a good dozen times, which kicks it out of it's track and shoots it across the deck. Beau (the dog) is completely unaware of what he's done.

 

[rustycolts]

One thing is if you have small kids you might want to keep an eye out at first. Australian cattle dogs are great dogs but their natural instinct is to heard so if the kids are running around she may try to heard them.

that's a lot of listening for a dog

ha ha gotcha.My front porch light burns a little dim sometimes.