What Kind Of "work" For The Dog

[jackienmutts]

I have a German Shepherd and often I feel like I don't give him a job.I have looked at the back packs but then I worry about using extra weight while walking on a breed prone to hip dysplasia and being overweight(same as carrying too much weight ) would put my guy at risk for developing this horrible problem. So I have been blessed with a very healthy GSD why risk it to add this job of carrying weight.

Isi I have two GSDs, both rescues, and my male already had horrid hips when I adopted him at 10 months old - he had apparently been hit by a car and allowed to heal on his own, his back end is crooked, etc. (this was the best guess by an ortho vet once he had gotten that far - he had been picked up as a stray, gone thru shelter system, on euth list, and picked up by rescue group, I fostered, then adopted). He's limited in his physical activity, so clearly could not carry a back-pack - but he LOVES jobs around the house. I've trained mine to pick up things from the floor and hand them to me (much as a service dog would do -- they aren't, but GSDs do need and love jobs, so why not?) and he LOVES his jobs!! Just a bit a go I dropped a pen on the floor, and without me even asking, he rushed over and picked it up and handed it to me. It keeps him on his toes (so to speak) and focused (which was such an issue with him for so long - he was a bit late in maturing, typical boy!) and now, he's like my little butler!

OMG I have never seen an episode Of Cesar like that with a shock collar!? Anyways I wanted to point out coming late in the thread that this seems to bring up a bigger picture, Know your dogs, breed or if you don't know for for sure because they are the best breed of all "TRUE 100% PUREBRED MUTT" get know them what drives them, their size, their instincts and work with that.

Yes, it's well-known Cesar uses shock collars - and in fact, there was one episode I remember where he used it openly. I was appalled, of course it was "for the dogs own good" blah blah blah. I wish he would have put it on himself. Anyway, enough of that. But - you're absolutely right. Get to know what drives your dog, and use that. If only more people understood that. If your dog is "wild and crazy" - is it an agility dog? A flyball dog? If your dog is always nosing around into everything, could it maybe love scentwork or nosework? (Mine do, and one is preparing for trials). You have one you've discovered LOVES tricks - that's endless - you'll probably go nuts trying to make up more and more tricks! Is your dog a nutty swimmer? Maybe dockdiving? It just goes on and on -- but when you think about it, the people with the most fulfilled and happy dogs, have the least amount of problems.

Just speaking from personal experience, I used to come home to stuff torn up (sometimes, not always) no matter how much I dog-proofed things (and yes, we exercised, played, walked, frozen kongs, toys, ........ all the stuff we all recommend .. before work each day). Since the dogs now have so many jobs and nosework, I haven't had an issue in a long time. Shoot, I think they think .. thank goodness, she's leaving, we can get some rest!

Dog jobs are a good thing!

 

[abby_someone]

I saw an episode where he was teaching a little black dog that I think chased cars and he used a shock collar. I was appalled as well. I can tell you, my opinion of him went down that day.

 

[sara]

I saw him use shock collars on several occasions, one with a GSP with severe seperation anxiety (he used a Scat Matt on that one too) and on an American Bulldog with resource guarding issues... I also saw him use a Scat MAt on a Boxer who hops fences... UGGH

A trainer isn't worth his salt if he resorts to shock devices, imo

 

[abby_someone]

Wow! I had to look up Scat Matt on Google. I had no idea there was such a thing. What a shame that such a product exists .


I agree with the shock collar thing. I knew a guy once that had a Weimaraner that would run away. He would shock it, and continue to shock it until the animal came home. That poor dog was in so much pain that he would be drooling and frothing. I hated him for that, and he was pretty lucky that I was not there.

 

[Isi Havanese]

Thank you all. For Jackie Mutts, I never thought of the Butler job thing for Kaden my GSD I am going to do that starting tomorrow, he will love it! My puppy is learning tricks faster than I can read the cards from the 101 dog trick book. She amazes me. The poor lil girl is going to be huge though if I don't figure out a way to give her the puppy food or something as a reward. I am asking her to do 2 tricks sometimes before treating now and trying the BIG praise or toy reward thing but I just don't get the same effort, so I am starting to mix it in using the treats for more difficult or new tricks. I have to modify a lot for size though. Does anyone else here use Kyra Sundance as a guide? She seems really good and only uses positive reinforcement. One thing I noticed about her is that she is a talker and unlike my trainer I take her to she repeats the command frequently with the philosophy that the dog will quickly learn that the sooner I do it the sooner I get the reward, so that you will not always be repeating and can eventually use just the hand commands if you wish. I got the work book for the ideas and the actual discipline for myself to keep training. What do you all think of her? or

 

[Jean Cote]

 

[fly30]

I have the same book in French. I must admit it helped to start with but I think it's a shame that so many tricks need special accessories. Apart from that, yes the explanations are good. I'm sure that, after a while, you'll get to know your dog better and you won't need any books to teach him new tricks. Teaching something to a dog is a question of communication. Once you know how to communicate with your dog, things become very natural and you know exactly how to teach him something and where to start.

 

[whipple]

I'm likely to get flamed, but I believe that these tools do has their uses. But I do agree that, in many, if not most, they are over used. I don't use them, and for someone who used to rely on using a dogs pack behavior and natural instincts, he sure uses them way more than necessary. Especially when he claims he is not a dog trainer.

 

[srdogtrainer]

The first 'job' that came to me for a King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle mix would be trick training! Possibly fetching a ball if your individual dog is interested in that!
If you like the idea of putting your dogs nose to work you could sign up for a nose work class.
Enjoy your training!

 

[srdogtrainer]

Jokes apart, sniffing is a good idea. We tried truffle sniffing with Fly and we could film her very first try, very impressive, that's using their very sense. The first dog on the video is Esmé 2 years old (a friend of mine's dog) and the second dog is Fly, 9 months old.

How did you get into truffle sniffing? It sounds pretty cool!

 

[fly30]

That was an opportunity that was given to us at a herding training. One person does practice this activity and shared with us for the afternoon. We may do it again in March. I really enjoyed it.