kat wrote:

His brother was the same way so I'm wondering if it is genetic? Usually we
would just shut both dogs away in another room while the guys were here but
now that Shelby is gone Shadow whines incessantly while in the bedroom and
it breaks my heart. Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks?

Nope! As long as Shadow is living and breathing, he can learn.

I'd recommend looking for a good trainer who can do an in-home
visit. That will let them see exactly what's going on--something no
one here can do--and to advise you accordingly. There are several
approaches you could take to working with Shadow, but without being
able to see first-hand what's going on, it's impossible to guess why
he's behaving this way, and consequently, what the best course of
action is.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

kat wrote:
Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks? I've
never done any type of training (as you can tell!) so don't even know where
to begin. Any help would be appreciated


It is never too late to begin basic obedience.


One good place to start is to ask your veterinarian to recommend a trainer.


Another good place is to check the yellow pages for group classes.


The library is also a good resource. They should have a bunch of books
with different methods and theories. You can buy dog training books
from Amazon or from book stores too.


For a total beginner, though, I recommend some sort of in-person help
with the books and webpages as back up to help you understand the
theory. Remember that the in-person help is to teach you to train your
dog, not to train your dog for you.


I'm zeroing in on your statement that your dog's whining breaks you
heart. The first thing you have to learn about dog training is that
when it's done right, dogs should love it. Locking your dog in the
bedroom is managing a situation. That's better than allowing the
barking to go on, but it's not a great solution. Your dog barks at the
newcomers because he's never been taught not to. Training your dog not
to bark would be a better solution, and that would be a solution that
would make everyone, including your dog, happy.


Having the newcomers interact with your dog would help too. Your
son-in-laws could walk your dog and take part in the training.


The behavior could have a genetic element, but that doesn't mean it
can't be overcome with training. I find the question interesting, but
ultimately it isn't important to know.


--Lia

kat wrote:

That's a good suggestion. I just looked in the Yellow pages and there are a
total of three listings under pet & dog training (we aren't a large
community).

I'm betting that there are good trainers in your area who either
can't afford to advertise in the yellow pages (it's expensive!) or
can't handle the amount of business that would bring them. Ask
friends, your (new) vet, your boarding kennel, and local/nearby
shelters for referrals.

One is the kennel where we board the dogs while on vacation. I
really like the place (we've used several before settling on this one) but
my recollection is that they train hunting dogs only but I will check.

They might be able to help, and if not, they are likely to know the
trainers in the area and may be able to give you a recommendation.

We just got a PetSmart here? Do they do training?

I think most Petsmarts have trainers, but I don't think they offer
in-home help (at least, not through Petsmart). Also, Petsmart's
program tends to focus on basic obedience, socialization, etc. They
don't train their trainers in specialized behavior issues.

What should I ask/be looking for in evaluating a trainer?

If it were me, I'd start with recommendations from people I trust
(your boarding kennel will hopefully be a good place to start).
Keep in mind that training is a highly personal thing. The trainer
is going to evaluate the situation, then teach you how to work with
your dog, so it's got to be someone *you* can work with.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

kat wrote:
We just got a PetSmart
here? Do they do training? What should I ask/be looking for in evaluating
a trainer?


That's a huge question. I'm sure you'll get lots of answers.

Most PetSmarts have training. My problem with them is that they have a
one-size-fits-all approach. The PetSmart training might be perfect. It
might be all your dog needs. But if you run into trouble or anything
that's not in the handbook, there's a good chance that your trainer
won't know what to recommend.


On the other hand, not all PetSmart trainers are alike. You could run
into an excellent one with loads of ideas. You could also run into one
that's even worse than the handbook says they should be. It's like
asking if the salesclerks in a department store are any good. There's
going to be huge variation.


As for what to look for evaluating a trainer. Here's a list off the top
of my head:


Experience.
Testimonials.
Respect of others in the dog field.
Close to immediate success. A good dog trainer should be able to teach
you and your dog something in the first lesson. I should have been more
skeptical of the first trainer I ran into up here who said that I should
continue doing what she recommended though I was seeing no results and
who blamed all lack of results on not working with my dog enough.


And here's where going to the library to do some research comes in even
though I recommend in-person help. You should have some idea of the
different theories and methods that a trainer might use so you can be
thinking about what you think would work for you and your dog.


--Lia

My 9 year old Cocker/Dachshund mix is very protective. Not sure if that is
even the right word for it! The problem is that now we have a son-in-law
and future son-in-law who regularly visit and this dog goes nuts if they
move in the house. He is okay if they are sitting down but if they get up
to go in another room we have to hold him as he is barking furiously while
wagging his tail at the same time. He was neutered and it didn't make a bit
of difference. He was well socialized as a puppy. Our daughters were
younger at the time and they had him constantly out in the neighborhood
around other children.
His brother was the same way so I'm wondering if it is genetic? Usually we
would just shut both dogs away in another room while the guys were here but
now that Shelby is gone Shadow whines incessantly while in the bedroom and
it breaks my heart. Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks? I've
never done any type of training (as you can tell!) so don't even know where
to begin. Any help would be appreciated

Kathy

In article ,
Julia Altshuler wrote:
Most PetSmarts have training. My problem with them is that they have a
one-size-fits-all approach.

My problem with them is that the reason they have a
one-size-fits-all approach is that they hire inexperienced
trainers (or trainers with *no* experience) and give them
a basic training education out of a manual. The trainers
rarely have the experience to deal with real problems or
real training challenges. Their primary job is to sell
training classes - teaching them is secondary.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Shelly" wrote in message
...
kat wrote:

His brother was the same way so I'm wondering if it is genetic? Usually
we
would just shut both dogs away in another room while the guys were here
but
now that Shelby is gone Shadow whines incessantly while in the bedroom
and
it breaks my heart. Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks?

Nope! As long as Shadow is living and breathing, he can learn.

I'd recommend looking for a good trainer who can do an in-home
visit. That will let them see exactly what's going on--something no
one here can do--and to advise you accordingly. There are several
approaches you could take to working with Shadow, but without being
able to see first-hand what's going on, it's impossible to guess why
he's behaving this way, and consequently, what the best course of
action is.


He/She will be able to see as soon as he/she walks in the door

That's a good suggestion. I just looked in the Yellow pages and there are a
total of three listings under pet & dog training (we aren't a large
community). One is the kennel where we board the dogs while on vacation. I
really like the place (we've used several before settling on this one) but
my recollection is that they train hunting dogs only but I will check. I
think the same might be true for the other two also. We just got a PetSmart
here? Do they do training? What should I ask/be looking for in evaluating
a trainer?

Kathy

"Julia Altshuler" wrote in message
news
kat wrote:
Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks? I've
never done any type of training (as you can tell!) so don't even know
where
to begin. Any help would be appreciated


It is never too late to begin basic obedience.


One good place to start is to ask your veterinarian to recommend a
trainer.

After what happened with Shelby I wouldn't ask her what time of day it is
I'm looking into new vets. My plan is to take Shadow to one and Pooh (the
cat) to another and see which one I like. Or more if I don't like either
one.



Another good place is to check the yellow pages for group classes.

Just did that - I relayed the results in my post to Shelly



The library is also a good resource. They should have a bunch of books
with different methods and theories. You can buy dog training books
from Amazon or from book stores too.

I'll check those out. Any recommendations? I just spent a tidy sum on some
Veterinary & Human medicine references books with mixed results. I'm
thinking I should have asked around before ordering!



For a total beginner, though, I recommend some sort of in-person help
with the books and webpages as back up to help you understand the
theory. Remember that the in-person help is to teach you to train your
dog, not to train your dog for you.

Training for me is definitely needed! As I'm sure my DH would attest to



I'm zeroing in on your statement that your dog's whining breaks you
heart. The first thing you have to learn about dog training is that
when it's done right, dogs should love it. Locking your dog in the
bedroom is managing a situation. That's better than allowing the
barking to go on, but it's not a great solution.

Yep

Your dog barks at the
newcomers because he's never been taught not to. Training your dog not
to bark would be a better solution, and that would be a solution that
would make everyone, including your dog, happy.

Absolutely! It's well past the time I should have addressed this issue.



Having the newcomers interact with your dog would help too. Your
son-in-laws could walk your dog and take part in the training.

The have tried to interact somewhat with mixed results. Walking the dog
might help. It is doubtful he would turn around and nip them. If the
training involves feeding treats I might be a little leery.



The behavior could have a genetic element, but that doesn't mean it
can't be overcome with training. I find the question interesting, but
ultimately it isn't important to know.

True. Thankfully he didn't inherit his brother's penchant for chewing
electrical cords (which ultimately did him in). His brother stayed with the
mother dog (who had them at age 12!) at a former friend's house.


Kathy

"kat" wrote :
I'll check those out. Any recommendations?

Two off the top of my head:

Calming Signals, Turid Rugaas
The Cautious Canine, Patricia McConnell



--
Mary & the depleted Ames National Zoo
(Ranger, Duke, Rhia-cat)

On 2008-03-24 11:55:16 -0400, "kat" said:

One good place to start is to ask your veterinarian to recommend a
trainer.

After what happened with Shelby I wouldn't ask her what time of day it is
I'm looking into new vets. My plan is to take Shadow to one and Pooh (the
cat) to another and see which one I like. Or more if I don't like either
one.

Are there some local rescue groups? They'd be in my first round of calls...