Ragnar is home

[Ddski5]

Disclaimer: I do not want to portray that the ecollar is a fix-all.... Bonding and basic handling obedience is extremely beneficial before one chooses to go ecollar. Knowing what I know now, 7months old is pretty close to being too young and I can see the change he has undertaken. No more puppy innocence, he now knows there are consequences to his actions. But the big thing here is....does he know the actions being asked upon???

Also, I don’t know what the rule/policy of the board for posting brand names and trainers, so I won’t. Maybe a moderator will say okay to name or just keep it related to Ragnar.?.?.

Anyways, here it goes.
I was so anxious that I made my youngest, Tristen, get up at 0600 and go with me to the park to meet the trainer. The trainer worked with Ragnar and myself for two hours on do’s and don’ts of the ecollar. Sit, long sit, distance sit, down, distance down, place, touch and heel.

Ragnar was not a robot and did not adhere to every command I gave him. Actually, this was a good thing. It allowed me to ask questions and problem solve issues that I would have by myself at home.

The trainer was thorough and did not finish until I was questioned out.

Ragnar was soooo glad to be home. Man, he went absolutely nuts!!!! Running around the yard jumping and coming back to check on me. He was so happy that he came to me and sat between my legs and did not want to budge.

In the house, he is no longer “MACH12” hair on fire chasing cats, he is more reserved and looking to me for direction. He was going into the cat room to forage for food and I redirected him with ecollar. He has not looked back at cat room since. He calmly plays with the cats now.

Took him on three walks today. First, on loose leash, he was unsure. Unsure of how I was going to discipline? Is that the old dad? Do what I want dad? Will he correct like trainer? First walk was rough, have to admit.... figuring out controls of controller and where I want him to be. Second walk with leash was better. Third walk offleash was absolutely fricking awesome. I am in sync with him, know where I want him and he now knows there are consequences to NOT adhering to commands.

@Sir.duke865, you were right. I am very pleased. I am now in control and he listens. I don’t have to hold my finger on the button....just hit it now and then to direct him on what I want him to do. A BIG difference is noted in just one day. HE LISTENS.....

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

Sounds like you're on the right track....I'm happy for all.

 

[Sir.duke865]

@Ddski5 just wait til you start getting those awesome behavior comments from people when your out. Glad to hear your results are positive

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

I was at Pet Smart this week and a woman behind me said" If your dog can't be pet why do you bring him in here are you afraid she'll bite"?....I opened Grace's mouth as far as it would go and put my head in... I smiled and said oh no, she doesn't bite see...I just don't want her to get your germs!.... ...she turned and mumbled under her breath.

BTW...Grace wears DO NOT PET signs

 

[Sir.duke865]

@GOD'S GRACE i wish I could’ve been there my god I’m gonna use that one

 

[Kaiser2016]

That is awesome progress! Like I said before, I wish we would have done that.

He even looks different. I mean, I'm only seeing two different pics so maybe it's just the pose. Your previous avatar, he still looked like an immature puppy. The way he stands in your current avatar is like a confident adult

 

[JuleNDobie]

My first two dobies I trained with positive reinforcement/clicker. When I went to visit my parents in Vermont they chased a deer and it took a couple minutes for them to return. I sent them to e collar training when they were 3 and 4 years old. The collar only had to be on their necks and they come running, I don't even have to vibrate. It's only when they see animals they want to chase will I have to use it.
I will always train first and then have them trained on ecollars, it's a much more fun relaxing off leash adventure when I know they will come back to me in an emergency

 

[Sir.duke865]

@Kaiser2016 its not to late to send em at all. I didn’t use the boarding program and can pretty well say if your a hands on person you’ll love it if you jus wanna send em and pick up and let them do the hard part, I have no doubt you’ll be just as pleased as @Ddski5.

 

[Kaiser2016]

@Kaiser2016 its not to late to send em at all. I didn’t use the boarding program and can pretty well say if your a hands on person you’ll love it if you jus wanna send em and pick up and let them do the hard part, I have no doubt you’ll be just as pleased as @Ddski5.

I had looked into boarding and training back when another member was looking, but I left it because they appeared to be teaching just the basics when Kaiser knew all of them already. Now if they are teaching the basics WITH ecollar that changes things. And I'm pretty sure Ragnar knew the basics when @Ddski5 sent him, right?

 

[Ddski5]

@Kaiser2016

Yes, he knew the basics, door manners, food manners, cat manners, etc...

He would do the wrong, I would correct and he would look at me and say, Na-Na-Na-Na and do it anyway.

At the fields now and man....what a difference. He is a lot more calmer and looks to me for direction. He got loose twice and I stim’ed once each time and he stopped in his tracks and did what I wanted, loose leash and off leash.

With the two week board and train, I had mixed feelings. Really did not want to be away from him and who is the trainer, really? Had to put a lot of trust in this guy. Did a lot of research and talked to him a lot on the phone.

I think of things in Army terms: Ragnar went to Basic Training as a teenager and came home a disciplined young man.

Also, kinda had what I call Dog pound syndrome. When you get a dog from the pound that knows he is in the pound, they are extremely grateful to you and very so much eager to please because now they have a home. Ragnar came home sooo happy and in his eyes you could tell he had matured.

 

[Kaiser2016]

Also, kinda had what I call Dog pound syndrome. When you get a dog from the pound that knows he is in the pound, they are extremely grateful to you and very so much eager to please because now they have a home. Ragnar came home sooo happy and in his eyes you could tell he had matured.

I'm glad you recognized this component. I noticed everytime we sent Kaiser away (which was admittedly a lot by comparison to others here), that he would be happy to be home and always much better behaved for a period. I have no doubt the obedience will stick. But it will be interesting to see if the teenage behavior comes back as he gets more comfortable being at home. Either way, it sounds like the e-collar is already paying off.

 

[Sir.duke865]

@Kaiser2016 when I took duke he knew more then average and I still seen and am seeing mass improvement in areas and all the extra I learn at class is worth it here the ppd program is not advertised at ALL and if you don’t enroll and attend you’ll never know it existed. I basically use class to give duke someone to do bitework with and they allow me to put ANY scenario I can imagine together to work duke from house searches, car protection,personal protection, ipo/sch setups and scenarios you name it and it cost me nothing extra pretty much just let me know what I feel I need to work on or want to work on

 

[Kaiser2016]

Any more time at the fields? How is the ecollar coming along?

 

[Ddski5]

Issues I was having and worked on daily- would not follow commands consistently, chase and nip at cats, catch him eating cat food in cat room, would not come inside when called consistently, jump into back door when wanted in, not aggressive but very excited reactions to other dogs, started pulling on leash, etc...

Doesn’t matter where we are at, home, busy soccer fields, busy parking lot, pet store; he is absolutely spot on with the ecollar. No questions or hesitations. Take it off for 15 mins and he realizes it? He becomes his independent self doing what he wants to do.

Again, having some inconsistency issues with family and me being at work. Wife works from home and feeds, let’s him out during the day. Kids get home about 2:30. They don’t feel comfortable putting it on and don’t want to hurt him. You have to put it on pretty snug. So it does not go on him until I get home from work. And also, they are scared of all the buttons and knobs.

I ordered a snap on collar with a buckle adjuster for quick easy on/off so they won’t worry about the correct size. I will preset and they can just snap it on and go.

I told them they are getting a full class tomorrow, whether they want to or not. It is not scary or complicated but I can understand their hesitancy with controlling it. They just don’t know and are not familiar with it. I have to remember that the trainer spent a good two hours with me and I was still somewhat unsure when I got home and was on my own.

Signed up and went to AKC club advanced obedience class last night with ecollar on. I was nervous as was Ragnar but we both did fine. Have to say, I was very proud driving home.

Will make a new thread and share the experience when I get more time.

 

[Kaiser2016]

Fantastic

I am feeling the same hesitancy. Ever since my hb heard about your progress he's been pestering me about getting an ecollar lol. But all those buttons

Look forward to the new thread!