Little Dogs

The problem with barking dogs, little or big, is owners with little minds. Just read a few responses that essentially says "dogs bark, that's what they do, what do you expect me to do about it?" Therein lies the problem pure and simple. I've given up on neighbors with unruly dogs that bark constantly and refuse to do anything about it. I think it's sort of like music to their ears to hear their dogs acting bravely and protecting them and their property. I will not tolerate this anymore and now have an ultrasonic unit that "barks" back at the dogs until they stop their yapping.The unit works great. Dog barks, I bark back. Dog gets quiet. It's much,much better than trying to reason with unreasonable pet owners and get into a confrontation with them. I don't for one moment believe they don't know that their dog is barking. They don't give a hoot if it's bothering you or not. They just somehow think it's an inalienable right for their pooch to bark and yap incessantly. And yes, I do own a very well behaved and quiet dog.

I agree completely! :) As a side note, there are added benefits of kennel club obedience courses that might not be recognized early on:

Back in the 70's, my dad took his husky through the kennel club course. In the class was another dog named Indiana ... Yep, Sean Connery was telling the truth - Indiana Jones was named after the dog! Indiana belonged to George Lucas. My brother the dog went to school with THE Indiana of Indiana Jones fame.

toedtoes wrote:
...My point is that while all these things are common sense to us, to many dog owners, they aren't that common sense. Most people with dogs I know have no idea that there are AKC obedience training courses - they only know about the Petsmart puppy class. I know - I grew up in a dog showing family.

This isn't to excuse people from training their dogs, but to suggest that we (the knowledgeable) need to get this type of information out there to the general public.

Rescue groups and breeders need to require dog owners attend quality obedience courses; we need to spell out things like "enough one-on-one time for multiple dogs", etc. We can't just assume everyone knows this stuff.

X2
And that is why it is important WHERE these people get their dogs from. People who show do not just give someone a dog and walk away. They become the new owners mentor and provide them with all the information needed to raise a well adjusted dog.

Buying dogs off the Internet websites whether it be rescues or not most certainly do not offer any help. I think this is the reason why dog problems are so prevalent nowadays.

The ob classes that are held in every town by the local kennel club is NOT and I repeat NOT just for showing dogs.

It is a service that they offer. Yes some who show will show up one day to polish a dog before a show but it is largely attended by 'ordinary', 'average' dog owners from the surrounding towns. I know I train some of the classes and they are newbies BUT when the class is done the 'owners' are very proud and well educated. And wonder why they waited so long to do it.

I will add that the pitfalls of going anywhere else for classes by simply pulling an ad out of a paper or a website ad is that you will have someone who wants to make a few bucks starts a class and knows absolutely nothing about training a dog. Petco/Petsmart included.

Which just compounds a dog owners frustrations. Not to mention what it does to the dog being trained improperly. And they don't know why because they are not able to recognize an uneducated trainer.

That is why I always suggest owners look up the kennel club ob classes. That are run by professionals that know how to train a dog to be confident, obedient and most importantly happy while doing it!

Go Dogs wrote:
I also think you have to know when to throw in the towel. Proper dog ownership is not guaranteed simply because you have acquired a dog. Some people are just not mentally equipped to own a dog. Just as some people are never able to become competent drivers, parents, cooks, guitar players, etc. It's a wise person that knows their limitations.

I agree. Unfortunately, people aren't usually willing to acknowledge that the dog is a "bad fit" for them. They tend to see it as "the dog is bad" and get rid of it, or they ignore the problem because they don't know what to do (or are unwilling to do what is needed).

Add that in with inadequate adoption volunteers (who see the number of adoptions made as more important than the quality of the adoptions), backyard breeders and puppy mills (who only see $$), and even some "quality" breeders (who don't recognize a bad fit), etc. and you get people with dogs who have no clue. Those dogs get a bad rap as being a problem dog and put back into the system over and over.

I think we're getting caught up in semantics, etc. I'm not disagreeing with anything you are saying.

My point is that while all these things are common sense to us, to many dog owners, they aren't that common sense. Most people with dogs I know have no idea that there are AKC obedience training courses - they only know about the Petsmart puppy class. I know - I grew up in a dog showing family.

This isn't to excuse people from training their dogs, but to suggest that we (the knowledgeable) need to get this type of information out there to the general public. Rescue groups and breeders need to require dog owners attend quality obedience courses; we need to spell out things like "enough one-on-one time for multiple dogs", etc. We can't just assume everyone knows this stuff.

toedtoes wrote:
But teaching 2 dogs those house rules and manners takes longer than teaching 1 dog the same things.

Most people get one new dog at a time which will need to be taught the rules; few get multiple new dogs at the same time.
Where many people fail when they have 2 or more new dogs is not separating them enough for one-on-one time with the owners (something we learned quickly to do while raising our first set of littermates; we're on our 4th set).

BCSnob wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
when you've got more dogs than you have people, then it becomes very difficult.

Not very difficult to do; it just takes effort on the owner's part. Dogs don't learn "house rules" and "manners" with the owner sitting on the couch watching TV.

I also think you have to know when to throw in the towel. Proper dog ownership is not guaranteed simply because you have acquired a dog. Some people are just not mentally equipped to own a dog. Just as some people are never able to become competent drivers, parents, cooks, guitar players, etc. It's a wise person that knows their limitations.

Training multiple dogs may at once may come easy to someone who has spent years training, but for the

average person

, it's not that straightforward.

Ahh but it is! :B

When people have multiple dogs we can help them out by working each dog for half the class.

The owner gets to see what needs to be done at home each week during the entire class and each dog gets to be worked in the social setting of the class.

Your dog doesn't miraculously learn what he is supposed to do in just the class time. The learning is done at home each day while you do your homework with your dog with what you have been taught in class.

One day a week in class.
One hour a night at home practicing.

Yes I think any 'average' dog owner can handle that. :W

Remember, most folks have not had years of extensive dog experience like many on this board. Training multiple dogs may at once may come easy to someone who has spent years training, but for the average person, it's not that straightforward.

I have to respectively disagree with you on that.

One should not be intimidated in taking a local ob training class. They are for EVERYONE! 90% of the classes are made up on non professional dog people just wanting to learn more on how to train their dog.

Every town has a local Kennel Club. All you have to do is google it.
They all provide an ob training class. You do NOT have to be a member to go to their classes.

It is inexpensive and close to home. So no excuses there.

IMHO and in a perfect world if EVERY dog owner took their new pet to to something as simple as an ob training class? All the dog behavior problems we hear about would just about all be gone and dogs ending up as owner giveups would go down dramatically.

In forty years + in dogs I have had 2 litters.

The first litter I 'requested' that the owners take an ob class. Many did not and I was running around for years trying to help these owners with one problem after another all the way up until the dogs died.:(

The second litter I 'required' they take an ob class. I withheld the papers on the dogs until they finished the class.(and yes that is not ethical to do but I did)

ALL of THOSE dogs went on to live happy compatible lives with their owners without incidence of any problems.

My one small test for mankind that OB training DOES work.:C

OB trainings is for EVERYONE not just people who are dog hobbyists. OB classes are meant to 'instruct the owners' on how to train a dog to be a happy companion.

Dogs 'need' and 'want' direction that is provided by training.

Otherwise they are always in a state of confusion trying to figure out what you want them to be and do. And therein lies the reason for behavior problems.

BCSnob wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
when you've got more dogs than you have people, then it becomes very difficult.

Not very difficult to do; it just takes effort on the owner's part. Dogs don't learn "house rules" and "manners" with the owner sitting on the couch watching TV.

True. But teaching 2 dogs those house rules and manners takes longer than teaching 1 dog the same things. Remember, most folks have not had years of extensive dog experience like many on this board. Training multiple dogs may at once may come easy to someone who has spent years training, but for the average person, it's not that straightforward.