Update: we had a great training session. She said to go to the park for a short time like 20mins so he’s not so tired that there’s no interaction. I need to use high value treats to help him with his fears (people, sounds, etc). She also said to go to the vet for Sileo, it’s medication for dogs with noise sensitivity. I feel much better and look forward for his training to continue.
-
Disclaimer: Hello Guest, Doberman Chat Forums presents the opinions and material on these pages as a service to its membership and to the general public but does not endorse those materials, nor does it guarantee the accuracy of any opinions or information contained therein. The opinions expressed in the materials are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not represent the opinion of, nor are they endorsed by, Doberman Chat Forums. Health and medical articles are intended as an aid to those seeking health information and are not intended to replace the informed opinion of a qualified Veterinarian.”
Human emotional support and behavior help please
- Thread starter Lii
- Start date
Thanks for updating - sorry, what is a 3 in 1 harness?
Not sure I know what this means? Go to the Dog Park, or just a people park where he's on leash? Why would he be "not so tired" and is the interaction referring to people or dogs?
Sorry for my confusion, I'm glad you had a great training session. Looking forward to hearing more about it.
PetSafe 3 in 1 Dog Harness - No Pull Solution for Dogs - Reflective Dog Harness - Front D-Ring Clip Helps Stop Pulling - Comfortable Padded Straps - Top Handle Enhances Control - Black - Medium Amazon.com
She said I can go to the dog park for about 20mins so he can get his energy out. But we will still be able to interact after because he won’t be so tired. She also showed me how to teach him to walk nicely on leash but the major thing was to pair treats with his fears. I have to use different treats for different things like hot dog for potty, cheese for fear and normal training treats for tricks.
I'm not a fan of harnesses of any kind to stop pulling. The front clip pulls them around if they pull, but doesn't really provide control with forward movement. Trying new things with the guidance of an instructor is good though. I tried a lot of things with my dog and the worst mistake I made was not moving on when something was clearly not working. So keep that in mind if you don't get results you're looking for.
My opinion of dog parks still stands, and if you were able to use a fenced dog-less park for off leash running that's fabulous. But I'd do it after training sessions, not before. Do the training first when he's looking forward to doing something/anything and he thinks you are the only choice so you make your training sessions fun and very inclusive between the two of you. How can you be the highlight of his day if he does the park first? What's fun about eating veggies if you already had dessert?
I think the harness is just for getting him comfortable outside without killing our arms. Then switch to leash training with collar.
Thank you. That’s a great point. I will do training first.
Kswoodssue
Hot Topics Subscriber
Our experience with a harness like that was experiencing a loss of money. I hope it works for you. Your biggest concern in public is having control. Our prong collar allows me that control. The trainer hates it, but I cannot protect her in any other way effectively in public. She walks very well with us, but if she did take off after a squirrel, I would be drug on my belly across the parking lot.
I feel like she recommended it instead of a prong because he is already fearful outside. If he’s suddenly feeling pain, it’s possible he’ll relate that to being outside. I’ll give it a try and see what happens.
I don't want to diminish your faith in your trainer, I'd just like you to keep an open mind, which I think you are. I wouldn't describe a prong collar as painful, but rather a clear message. The dog controls the pressure. If they lean or lunge into it, they learn quickly it was their action not yours. Yes you can pop it to get their attention, but 99% of the time, they don't need that. A strong dog needs clear, concise, no-nonsense messages to quickly understand the boundaries of what is OK. An unsure dog who is fearful needs this as much or MORE than an aggressive dog. Fearful dogs need to feel safe and secure. It sounds like an oxymoron to say a correction makes them feel safe, but it does. They finally understand that they are not in charge of their safety, YOU are. They can look to you to take charge and that means they can relinquish the burden of making decisions. I can't tell you how much relief this is to a fearful dog once they get it. Most fearful dogs are aggressive because that's how dogs react, especially when they have to face something (traffic, noise, strange people, dogs etc.) with no choice to run away. You have taken them out on a leash, they can't escape, they have to face these things - so they show fear/aggression then fear/aggression and all they really want is for you to take charge. "Come on, let's go, that car is nothing." Pop the leash and lead him on. "Come on, let's go, that dog staring at you is nothing, and if it comes our way, I'll take care of it. Leave it to me". Pop the leash and lead him on. That is leadership whether your dog is fearful or aggressive or a combination of both, you show your leadership so he has somebody to look up to and rely on.
I would have fired that trainer on the spot for suggesting medication for noises with respect to Dobermans.
And then fired her again for being against pinch collars.
Was walking outside of a Petco parking lot one day with my girls when they were little when a dog jumped out the open window of a passing car and ran up on us in an aggressive way.
That crap got handled by my boot several times before the owner collected his mutt and put in back in his car!
I shoulda charged that guy for helping him 'train' his dog.
I'll give the harness a try to see how it works but keep the prong in mind if things aren't working. Trainer said I have to change his mindset that every time he's in the presence of something he thinks is scary (like people walking by), he gets cheese (or something good). If he's on prong, would he still receive treats in the presence of something he thinks is scary?
I didn't think it was a bad idea since he's overwhelmed at the slightest sound. She didn't say anything about pinch collars, just recommended the harness.
Yes of course! Rewards for wanted behavior are always a good thing! Be mindful of trying to reward good behavior without appearing (to the dog) to be rewarding his fear. Try to reward or distract with your food before he reacts if at all possible. The prong collar is for control of unwanted behavior (lunging or barking or pulling on you). It has zero to do with anything else.
I take care of a dog in my neighborhood occasionally and she's a very timid dog, came from a shelter as a puppy. She was afraid of EVERYthing. She would hide if they turned the ceiling fan on. The people were overly coddling, cooing and tiptoeing around her constantly so she wouldn't be afraid. I finally told them what I thought: Just turn on the ceiling fan and go on about your business, she won't hide in the crate forever. I suggested that anytime she acted afraid of something to completely ignore her. Now the dog is 3 years old and very well rounded. She is still shy at heart and has a timid personality in general, but they are active outdoors people and she goes camping with them and has been to reunions with 50 people and 10 + dogs for a week-long camp, they learned to use a prong collar on her for pulling and learned how to use an e-collar for control so she could have off-leash fun with the other dogs. I'm only saying this to reassure you that strong tools used correctly will never make a dog fearful. This is a dog that as puppy would pee on herself when someone approached and now she ls wonderfully social and can go off leash amongst 50 strangers & a bunch of new dogs. So many people would say that she would be ruined by firm control (prong/e-collar), but she is now thriving with confidence.
Kaiser2016
Well-Known Member
This is the worst thing people do. They think they're helping, but it's really only making things worse for the dog.
It's true, and truth is, it's easier to change the dog than the people.
Thank you for your advice. I think he’s doing well with the harness. I received it on Sunday and we went for an hour walk with it. He doesn’t pull at all. We went to the park yesterday. I decided that I’ll only go if I know there’s a dog he likes and plays with. I usually go because I thought it was the best way to get his energy out. But during the later hours, I realized there’s not one dog he can play with and I’m stuck walking and talking with the regulars that he won’t approach me. Every other time he’s going on a long leashed walk. I noticed he only starts pulling when he knows the house is close by. When we’re walking, we both have no idea where we’re going
Thanks again for all your advice.
Josette
New Member
I don't have a lot of advice because I'm definitely a novice at training my dog. However, I will share that I was super hesitant about a prong collar because they look painful and it just seemed mean. My doberman puppy was hurting me though by how hard she was pulling and she is/was (getting some better) very reactive/fearful of humans and cars. The prong collar has helped tremendously and I see that it doesn't really seem to hurt her. It is uncomfortable when she pulls, but she controls that. As soon as she stops pulling, it releases. This has greatly changed our walks. I didn't initially even correct her with the leash, I just let her correct herself. I'm a huge softie, I would never have thought I would consider a prong collar but it was necessary in our case for my safety and hers. I went for a private training session to learn to use the prong collar safely and correctly. This trainer , who isn't quick to recommend a prong collar for every dog, saw the need in our case. She recommended a specific one and even though my dog's neck size would have indicated a larger prong size, she told me to stick with the regular, shorter size.
It isn't needed for every dog, but it can a very helpful tool. My dog was scared of everything but using the prong collar didn't make her fear me. It didn't solve all our problems but it allowed me to stay in charge (her not pulling me into traffic) and her somewhat forced obedience did increase her confidence in me as the leader. If you decide you need to consider it, I just want to encourage you that you don't have to fear it (I did.)
I wish you the best of luck with your pup! Dogs make the best friends
There is a lot of good advice from experienced Doberman owners here. I hope you'll stick around and that I'll read how fantastic he is doing Oh, and YES, he would still receive treats!
This is the very best kind of advice that we need more of: coming from those who really did not want to use the tools available because they look or seem scary or harsh and the fear of being judged for having to use such a tool, but learning that it was life changing for the better for you & the dog both and you have no regrets. A big thank you for speaking up, admitting your fears and how you and your dog benefited.
Similar threads
