What's the best dog related advice you've ever received?

BostonBanker

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#21
Well, one of the most helpful bits of advice I've ever gotten, in regards to Meg, was from this board. I can't remember if it was Doc, DoberLuv, or Sammy, all of whom were enormously helpful when dealing with Meg's fear issues, but someone basically said "reward confidence". I took it to heart and used that in so many situations, looking for any sign of decreased stress and increased confidence, and it did wonders for transforming her.
 

smkie

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#23
Always make sure they are having 50 percent of the fun
Always enforce a command that you give
Always leave them wanting more

Read your dog, you have all the time in the world before you send them. This was at field trials.
This advice my old boss gave me helped in just about everything from how I made my decisions to how I raised my children.
 

Emily

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#27
1.) Don't freak out over fear periods in puppies.
2.) Buy Control Unleashed (LOL)
3.) General tips on grooming from our very experience groomer at work. She's awesome! And has me wanting some kinda coated dog.
 

Teal

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#28
Not dog advice - horse advice, but it fits too: Never end on a bad note. If training (or anything similar) make sure you find something - anything good to finish up with, even if it is something super easy and already well known.


This is one of my favourites :)

 

Dogs6

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#29
Crates can be your friend. I seriously would probably have murdered Aura if it wasn't for crates. She's not the dog you just walk away from when you're frustrated. She will rip apart a room just for the fun of it and not even think about it. Crates and a secure yard to put her in has saved (what's left of) my sanity.

Don't expect perfection. No one is perfect. This is especially true of my relationship with Fudge. He is so good at everything that occasionally I forget that he isn't perfect and put too much pressure on him.
 

yoko

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#31
Pay attention to her when she's trying to tell you something.

This was the best advice I ever got. Yoshi is SUPER food motivated. It doesn't even have to be food it can just smell kinda like food and she'll be going crazy for it. When she bloated I thought something might be wrong. Her stomach was kinda big and she was acting off. I gave her a chicken strip to get her to eat something. She took it from me, made sure I was looking at her and then put it back down right in front of me.

That second I was like 'This is an emergency'. I called out of work and took her to the emergency vets and was fast enough to save her.
 

StillandSilent

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#32
"You won't make your dog in a day, you won't ruin him in a day either"

Or, as I have to remind myself sometimes

"Well, what did you expect? He's a dog!"
 

JessLough

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#33
If you spend your dogs life worrying about keeping them from what *may* make them sick, neither you nor the dog will enjoy the life.
 

ACooper

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#34
When I was a kid my gram told me consistency. She didn't use that word (probably 'cause I was about 7-8 ) but she explained how to be the same with my expectations and allowances of the dog every time. She said whatever I allow and expect today will be what the dog will do and expect tomorrow.

I have gotten lots of good advice through the years, whether it was food, health, or behavioral, but I believe that is the single most valuable thing..........it works for dogs AND kids! :lol-sign:
 

Kayota

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#35
Well... When I joined Chaz I was a Dog Stupid Kid, so I learned a lot from you guys.

My dad bought me a book about dog body language that taught me to pay attention to what my dog is saying--even the subtle things.

I learned that dogs aren't wolves and I don't need to alpha roll my dogs shortly after I decided I should be Cesar Milan and alpha roll my dogs (around 11-12). That was probably from Chaz :p

And my mother taught me that not all small dogs are hellions after she acquired a pair of Dachshunds... Leading to my adopting Roxie.

Also, I think that never repeating a command has helped my training a lot. And clicker training.

I swear half of this is advice I got from this forum LOL
 

corgipower

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#36
Hehe... While we were practicing formal obedience heeling - the advice given to me was "DON'T LOOK AT THE DOG!" lol
I was told to always look at the dog...do you wanna know how many things I ended up walking into?:p
 

Red.Apricot

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#37
I was told not to look at the dog while teaching her to heel. When I asked, "Then how will I know when to click?" the trainer said, "Click when she's in position."

BUT I CAN'T SEE HER! D:
 
K

Kaydee

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#38
When I was a kid my gram told me consistency. She didn't use that word (probably 'cause I was about 7-8 ) but she explained how to be the same with my expectations and allowances of the dog every time. She said whatever I allow and expect today will be what the dog will do and expect tomorrow.

I have gotten lots of good advice through the years, whether it was food, health, or behavioral, but I believe that is the single most valuable thing..........it works for dogs AND kids! :lol-sign:
...until the pod people come and leave you teenagers:eek::eek::eek:
 

SpringerLover

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#39
My best friend Elizabeth did rally with her Greyhound, Beckett. During training one day she said, "Sentiments of love and kibble never have the same currency as aged, moldy dairy product."

And then it ended up on Crystal's blog, because it is that awesome, to sit with quotes by Sue Ailsby and Albert Einstein!
http://reactivechampion.blogspot.com/p/quotes.html
 

Danefied

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#40
I was told not to look at the dog while teaching her to heel. When I asked, "Then how will I know when to click?" the trainer said, "Click when she's in position."

BUT I CAN'T SEE HER! D:
:rofl1::rofl1::rofl1::rofl1:

I watch my dog. And run in to things. I’m SO excited to do “real†obedience and be told when to turn and not have to read anymore darned signs.
 

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