(Part 2) Best animal & pet care books according to redditors
We found 3,420 Reddit comments discussing the best animal & pet care books. We ranked the 893 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
YTA. YTA. YTA. This post is 5 hours old but I have to comment because you and your family are such gigantic assholes, I literally want to cry right now. Puppies need near constant attention and affection. They should not be left alone for long periods of time, they should never be hit, and their tails should never be pulled. A 2-year-old might make that mistake, but a 10 year old???? Fucking unacceptable.
I can't believe you disrespected your wife so completely thoroughly and let your family treat her (and her puppy) this way.
You need to:
a) Apologize to your wife like you have never in your life apologized before. Here would be a good script:
"I'm so sorry I was such an asshole and pushed you to leave the puppy with my family when I should have listened to you and left the puppy at an experienced kennel. I'm also sorry that I sided with my family when they condoned the neglect and abuse of an animal. You were right to be upset that my brother was being too rough with the little guy, and my mom should never have called you names. Not only am I going to learn more about puppy care, I'm going to call my mom and tell her that it was unacceptable that she disrespected you. Again, I'm so sorry and I hope you can forgive me."
b) CALL YOUR MOTHER AND TELL HER THAT IF SHE EVER CALLS YOUR WIFE A BITCH AGAIN YOU WILL NEVER VISIT AGAIN. MEAN IT. (Also tell her that she needs to teach your brother that animals are living creatures and should be treated as such.)
c) Educate yourself about puppies. Purchase this book and enroll in a puppy training class with your dog. Pay for it all yourself. You owe this to your wife and your puppy.
Seriously. If my MIL ever called me a selfish bitch, and my husband didn't defend me right there on the spot, I'd divorce him within a week. YTA. YTA. Your mom is TA. And your brother is TA. Your wife did literally nothing wrong. NOTHING.
At this point you're still building a trusting relationship, not really training. Follow a daily routine. The better he's able to predict what comes next, the faster he'll settle in.
Assuming he's comfortable being physically close to people (which I hope is the case, if he's on your lap) then keep him on leash indoors to totally prevent the doggy parkour. He goes outside to a quiet spot (and hopefully pees...) then he comes back inside still on leash. He's either crated or leashed any time he's inside until he's more used to living indoors.
Add a second crate in the living room area so he has a safe resting/hiding spot without needing to walk down the scary hallway. Look for free/cheap secondhand crates on craigslist if price is an issue.
Practice feeding him by hand every day. If he only eats in the crate, that's fine--don't force anything. It's important that he feels safe. Just toss the food into the crate for him one piece at a time. After a few days of practicing that, he might be more comfortable with eating food from the ground near the crate, and then maybe eating from your hand. Let him set the pace. If you're nearby while he eats in his crate, take care not to use your body language to make him feel trapped. Sit off to the side, don't face him directly, and give him space.
Provide him a steady stream of sturdy chew toys. Chewing relieves stress. If you don't have a kong (hollow rubber beehive shape chew toy) yet, get one of those and stuff it with a portion of his daily food every day.
Pay attention to his body language, especially calming signals. Pay attention to your own body language (don't stare at him, bend over him, corner him. Do turn to the side, sit or stand calmly, ignore him, and let him come to you).
Play white noise indoors and limit (avoid if possible) loud startling noises or booming bass.
Try playing with non-squeaking plush furry animal toys. Ignore him (pretend he's not even there so he can watch you without pressure) and play with the toy yourself. Make it pause and move erratically on the floor like wounded prey. Pounce on it softly with your hands. Avoid big body movements, but use your hands to make the toy move, jump, scurry before you "catch" it. After a couple of minutes, walk away and ignore the toy. That gives your pup the opportunity to watch it and sniff it without pressure from you. After he has the chance to sniff it if he wants to (he doesn't have to) put the toy away. Repeat that process at the same time of day every day (build it into your daily schedule!) and he'll start to show gradually more interest in the toy.
With the hand feeding and toy play, the goal is to build up rewards that you can use as reinforcement during training later. First step is for him to be more comfortable just living with you, and then later the food/play will actually be useful in training. Right now you're still at that trust building level, don't have the typical arsenal of training rewards at your disposal yet.
Useful resources:
Books:
Related past threads (I bet you can find more; this is just a start):
> Ignore bad behaviour.
(Just clarifying for the OP, because I imagine that /u/livmaj already knows what follows:) "Ignoring the bad" isn't referring to allowing the bad behaviour to happen and then just not doing anything to stop it when it happens. Actually, I much prefer how Kathy Sdao talks about this in her book Plenty In Life is Free: Reward the behaviours you want, prevent access to reinforcement for the behaviours you don't. A lot of "bad dog" behaviours are in themselves rewarding to the dog (think of all the yummy things that are in the trash!), so it's important to set up the environment in a way that prevents the dog from doing it in the first place. Put trash cans in cupboards or behind closed doors where he can't reach them, keep your shoes in a closed closet, etc.
And if the dog is in the middle of destroying your shoe, you don't just let him keep destroying it - but don't scold or punish for it either. Identify how he got the shoe, and work to rectify that gap in your management. I also found it helpful to play trading games and teach my puppy a "Can I see it cue?" so that rather than me taking things away from her, she happily carries them over them and gives them to me in exchange for a treat. Sometimes she has something that's totally fine for her to have, so I give it back to her and this is really important so that the dog learns that it won't always be taken away when they "share" with you. I also prefer this method because, once the trade behaviour is solid, it prevents the dog from either turning it into a game of keep-away or from dropping it at a distance and picking it up again unlike teaching a straight "drop it" (which was more difficult for me to train and proof than a trade anyway).
Ye ask and ye shall receive. Here are some good resources to learn more about leash/barrier reactivity:
Books
Websites
Videos (These are mostly to techniques to help with reactivity)
Edit for formatting
You have a frustration/excitement reactive dog. I have a dog with the same issue. Don't let your dog greet whilst showing that kind of behaviour. It is self rewarding. I use PREMACK for this. She starts showing the behaviour, we u-turn and walk a few paces, then u-turn again. It takes awhile, but eventually Tesla figured out that the only way to get to what she wants (the dog), is to do what I want which is to not do the lunging, barking, etc. I also found the engage, disengage game helpful. Remember if your dog won't take a food or toy reward, you are too close and need to move away.
Some other resources:
Enjoy the benefits of conversion, including purrs, happy kneading, head butts, all sorts of amusing forms of playing, etc. Cats make great pets, and kittens are literally "aww-inspiring" with their adorableness.
If you don't have a lot of cat experience and plan on keeping this kitty permanently, I'd recommend reading the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson Bennett. It's comprehensive, easy-to-read, and gives you advice for pretty much every possible scenario--including learning how to keep your cat from waking you up at night.
You've done a fecal, right? Not just what the vet sees in office but sending it out to the lab to check for things like giardia which can be impossible to see in the vet's office. You've also done a blood panel, yes?
 
How long have you had her? It can take a while for a depressed dog to cheer up in a new home. The best thing is to not push yourself on the dog, don't force hugs or snuggles. Let the dog come up to you. When she's under your bed, just sit down on the floor next to the bed with a book and read. Have some dog treats and give her one every so often, and definitely reward her if she moves closer. Does she move away from you when you sit down or does she just stay in the same place? If she doesn't move, reading out loud can help. If she moves away, you need to work on her trust. PM me for advice on that, I'm not going to write it all here if there's no need.
 
It can take 6 months for a dog from a shelter to get used to new circumstances. This book might help https://www.amazon.com/dp/1891767143?tag=vs-pets-convert-amazon-20
 
Cheaper at amazon but the book description is better here http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/store/Love-Has-No-Age-Limit.html You can email her at that site, she's an amazing behaviorist. She's got a doctorate in behavior (or psychology or whatever the degree is that she learned behavior in) and she's not like Cesar Milan who uses outdated theories on dog behavior. She is usually good about writing back. Starting with "I've bought your book but my newly adopted dog is depressed and I need help" in the subject line can't hurt ;-)
 
Does she accept walks? Does she shy away or struggle? If she accepts walks, take her on one daily, and include time for her to just sniff and explore. It can't hurt to make sure she gets some exercise but again, don't force her to be lovey dovey with you, dont force her out from that safe spot she's found under the bed.
Welcome to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Breed. Everything you have described as good and bad qualities of the corgi is a standard for the breed. If you are unfamiliar with training, this will be a challenge! But highly manageable if you put in the time and effort.
"bad" behaviors have nothing to do with dominance - it has everything to do with instinct butting up against what humans tend to want. If you want to learn more about canine behavior, some good books to pick up are Don't Shoot the Dog and The Culture Clash.
Figuring out how to redirect a problem behavior depends on the specific problem. Have you done training classes with your corgi at a reputable training club focused on positive reinforcement? If you have not, that would be a good first step.
In addition, making sure the puppy is well exercised and has a good mix of physical and mental activities throughout the day will help reduce how much they find outlets for their energy through undesired means. Pembrokes are working dogs, high energy and highly intelligent.
Now lets look at the behaviors you have listed:
In addition, these training methodologies may prove helpful for your working breed puppy:
It is important to remember a few things about training, in general:
Why is Dominance Theory no longer used?
Dominance theory was rooted in what we thought we knew about wolves forming strict hierarchical packs and has since been debunked. Dominance does not exist in wolves in the way it was originally believed to - you can learn more here.
This is, of course, WOLVES not dogs. Using dominance theory frames up your relationship with your dog in a negative and harmful light and can make it very difficult to be successful in training. You are not a dog, your dog knows you are not a dog - they are not fighting you for power. Surprisingly, some of the theories within dominance theory also exist in Positive Reinforcement / Modern training, but in a different light. In a way, it is very much about how you understand and approach problem behaviors that really differentiates 'dominance' from modern training.
Simply using punishment in training has NOTHING to do with dominance theory - punishment (as outlined above) is used in different degrees in MOST training programs. The books I listed at the beginning of this post are really worth picking up and go in depth into how modern training is framed up, a deeper dive into what we know to be true about dog behavior and how to use all this knowledge to make your training plan the best it can be.
My bff swears by this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not-ebook/dp/B005ERIIRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492975987&sr=8-1&keywords=Think+Like+a+Cat
Her cat was waking them up in the middle of the night for food, being a general pain in the ass, etc. She's now stopped. One thing they do is they play hunting games with her before bed and make sure to feed her a few treats so she gets that hunting instinct out of her system and feels fed.
I have two book suggestions.
The first is Perfect Puppy in Seven Days – it is geared more toward owners of young puppies, but for housetraining issues like what you describe, the solution IS to just treat the dog like a young puppy until they are house trained.
The second book is How to Behave so Your Dog Behave, by the same author. I think it’ll be a helpful read as you continue on your adventure in pet ownership!
One, she's probably going through a teen phase of seeing how far she can push, mine did at around that age. Two, it doesn't sound like you've been consistent enough - my GSD and I didn't 'walk' during her pulling phase. We basically moved two meters, she'd pull, I'd u-turn and we'd start again. We moved all of oh, 2-10m from my door for days. What tools are you using to make this easier for yourself? Easy walk harness? Gentle leader? Are you clicking and treating for check-ins? I frustrated the utter crap out of myself teaching it, but it worked. How often are you training? Are you letting your GSD work for food?
You also sound like your GSD has leash reactivity, which the breed seems to lean towards a little. Have you read into the CARE Protocol and worked on thresholds?
Focus wise, you have to train it. Work on focus by rewarding check ins throughout the day. Also work on focus as a training endeavour like this, and this.
Impulse control - it's yer choice and crate games, and of course impulse control games with tug/toys.
Other resources: Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt, Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Fiesty Fiedo by Patricia B. McConnell, and Fenzi Classes.
TL;DR: This is pretty normal GSD behaviour, and may be part of a teen phase. Keep chugging.
What a little cutie! I have 2 cats, and this book has helped me immensely.
You may want to consider building an outdoor cat shelter. It's easy and fairly inexpensive. If you're looking to adopt this kitty, place an article of clothing belonging to you or your fiance in the shelter; this will help the kitty get used to you.
Best of luck, and keep the rest of us in the loop!
He's seen the human do it, and the human seems to get praise and attention for doing it. So he wants to do it.
After food, shelter and warmth, praise and attention are what pretty much all creatures want.
In fact, Alex the Parrot, was trained using a method wherein a human "model" would give the right answers to questions, and be praised for it; because Alex wanted the praise, he learned to give the right answers as well.
(Alex was also kind of a dick, particularly to the other parrots - in her book, Pepperberg recounts the story of a time when she was training another parrot and Alex kept on yelling out the wrong answers to confuse him)
That's absolutely untrue, Pepperberg's experiments with Alex were quite systematic and rigorous. It's not a light read, but if you want to learn more about the methodology of her work and the data gained, read The Alex Studies.
Additionally, the lab is having similar success with the other birds in the program, so while Alex is a heck of a story, I don't think he can be considered a fluke.
 
 
(Bonus: if you want a less academic and fluffier read, pick up a copy of Alex & Me)
Good luck to you!
If your parents allow you to keep the cat I would highly encourage you to check out some resources on cat behavior and cat care, as many people new to cats don’t really know as much as they think they know.
Basic important information you need to know off the bat:
My recommendations for more info on cats:
Huskies, especially when young - require a lot of engagement to avoid the behaviors that people would associate with a bad dog/badly trained dog (chewing, using the bathroom inside, barking/howling incessantly, and other attitude problems). It's important that you give them things to do every day both physically and mentally, sticking to a schedule will help everyone involved - the dog will know something is coming and can wait instead of flipping out.
They're very smart dogs, work on obedience training (if you've never done this before, look for a local trainer and take some classes or buy a book - Training the Best Dog Ever is a decent little book by the person who trained Obama's dog among others - it focuses entirely on positive reinforcement, and then there are things like 101 dog tricks.)
Get them toys, use a puzzle feeder for meals, take them on as many walks as you feel like you can and reinforce the proper behaviors you want on every walk.
Huskies are working dogs, and like working dogs (and most all dogs) they want to know their job/role in the pack, trust you and your decisions, and do things that make you happy. They are your number one fan, and always down to ride or die.
^^^dog ^^^tax
tl;dr take it on walks a lot, play with it, positive reinforcement for behaviors you want it to continue, don't hit it or yell at it for 'bad' behaviors, make sure it has physical/mental things to engage it every day and it'll be your best friend for the rest of its life.
You sound well-prepared! Going with a rescue group you know and trust is a great idea.
Good luck!
My White Shitlord Grandmother got me this book for the Patriarchal Holiday of Christmas one year because I am Native American.
Maybe she is Grandmotherkin!
Yep. Check out this book on the subject. The shelter is such a weird and stressful environment. Some dogs get wound up and hyper, some get scared and withdrawn. It can take months for your shelter dog's real personality to emerge.
Yes. They do. If you want some good resources that get sciency with it:
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process: Dr. Irene Pepperberg's studies on language and cognitive theory with African Greys. Alex could do complex abstract conversions with things like number and counting, for instance he knew what "5" is as a symbol and could equate it to a representation for a number of objects like x, x, x, x, x means there are "five" "x"s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXoTaZotdHg
Conversations with Cosmo: At Home with an African Grey Parrot University of Georgia PHD who shares her life with her CAG, and has created a language for conversing with him she calls "Cosmish" which incluses tenses (future, past, future possible, etc.) and an number of other advanced linguistic constructs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyWYzuV6WYk
Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans: A fascinating and highly entertaining book about cognition in corvid populations. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE AUDIOBOOK if you've got a 6-hour road trip, it is GREAT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0OAWFn02Lg
I've seen my birds pick up spontaneous conversational associations. The original Dr. Doolittle was fabled to "talk with animals" because he kept an African Grey and for grey owners, it's just accepted as "the norm" and taken for granted. It wasn't until I got Ollie, my "new" bird after losing "Smokey" the bird I'd had for most of my life that I saw the process develop again.
One striking example was "whoops". The second day Ollie was home, he broke a toe. He temporarily became clumsy as a result, so if I dropped or startled anything near him or he stumbled, I was very careful to say "Whoops, you're all right." Over time, it just became "Whoops". His toe healed and he regained his footing and I'd long since forgotten about it. At about 9 months old, he had his first molt of flight feathers. When I'd gotten him he had a HORRIBLE clipping, so his wings were useless. After his flight feathers came back in and he began fledging, I noticed him using "Whoops" whenever he had a shaky landing.
He was doing this on his own. Additionally, any time anything is dropped in his vicinity, he exclaims "whoops", if he's on me and I do something he's not expected "Whoops". The cat falls off the couch "Whoops". So I'm pretty certain, he knows that there are appropriate contexts for saying "Whoops" and he in those contexts he predictably says "whoops"...
This is one of probably dozens of examples, but, yes, based on both reading and practical experience with greys, I fully believe that they both TALK and cognitively use language.
Sheesh...
I have to say, I think people thus far are being kind to you. Please read the entirety of my post and the other comments and seriously reconsider if you are up to the task of owning this dog.
I know you feel bad about this incident, but it really is worth looking at virtually everything you've described to us and realizing that basically all of it is not-great. You need to find better ways to treat this dog. If you can't afford it, or if you aren't willing to take it upon yourself, please reconsider it.
Here is a book to think about - it may help.
http://www.amazon.com/Training-Best-Dog-Ever-Reinforcement/dp/0761168850/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371916092&sr=8-2&keywords=positive+reinforcement+dog+training
edits throughout, some are important
Looks like you may have used a training acronym. For those unfamiliar, here's some of the common ones:
BAT is Behavior Adjustment Training - a method from Grisha Stewart that involves allowing the dog to investigate the trigger on their own terms. There's a book on it.
CC is Counter Conditioning - creating a positive association with something by rewarding when your dog sees something. Think Pavlov.
DS is Desensitization - similar to counter conditioning in that you expose your dog to the trigger (while your dog is under threshold) so they can get used to it.
LAD is Look and Dismiss - Marking and rewarding when your dog sees a trigger and dismisses it.
LAT is Look at That - Marking and rewarding when your dog sees a trigger and does not react.
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Just a minor point here, but just because your rescue dog is fearful of men doesn't mean she was abused by a man. From Patricia McConnell's book on bringing home your rescue dog (Love has no Age Limit: Welcoming an Adopted Dog into Your Home)
"Many people believe that their dogs have been abused by men in the past becasue the dogs are now afraid of men. But as we noted above, the fear of strangers can be inherited. No matter what their history, shy dogs, with very few exceptions, are more afraid of men than women. We don't know why that is true, but speculate that deeper voices, bigger jaws, bigger chests, larger size, and a different way of moving through space might have something to do with it. [...] Thus, don't assume that in the past some nasty man beat your dog; it's far more likely that your dog was born a bit shy, and was not well socialized when he was younger." (emphasis added)
You cannot safely have them out together until they are assessed by a trained behaviorist. Ideally a vet behaviorist (a person who has basically double credentials - not some tool who calls themselves a 'dog whisperer' after a year of 'working with dogs'. Someone who went to school to be a vet and also study animal behavior.), but a professional force free trainer who is experienced in aggression would work.
Remind you girlfriend of the vet bill you've already paid and ask her how many more just like that she wants to experience. Also, the blood and stress of more fights. If you try to just put them back together that will happen again. Guaranteed. Even if they seem fine when separated, if you won't know how to see the warning signs (and the bark/snap your lab did was probably the 10th or so signal...) and how to deescalate the situation (6 minute fight, water hose, human bitten, huge gashes...) then you should absolutely 100% not try to put them together at all.
Ok, done with scolding. Here's some constructive help.
Taking them to the vet was the right thing to do. Your catahoula x limping is likely because of bruising, and the vet couldn't have done anything about that. Treat her like you would if you got a bad leg bruise - rest, ice (if she'll let you), light exercise the next few days, and if the vet gave you any pain meds for her go ahead and use those as recommended. (NEVER use aspirin or tylenol, or any other OTC human medication on a dog unless your vet has specifically cleared it for the dog you are considering dosing right then.)
Ok, why this happened. Some people have mentioned possible dog aggression, IMO that's not likely. When I have seen cases like this (which I unfortunately have, and not uncommonly) it's often same sex dogs, although not always, and the younger dog is at or nearly a year old.
This happens because your older girl has been playing queen of the house and being a bit bossy. The pup has been a bit rude, but has gotten a 'puppy license' (aka - toddlers don't have to follow the same rules as adults). Now, her puppy license has run out and the older dog is saying "No. Stop that. You're an adult, you know the rules and this is MINE."
That doesn't make either girl right. In fact, they're both a bit wrong, IMO. Your younger girl was probably being a real PITA for a while before she got a serious warning, but your lab escalated things too far.
To have any chance of fixing things a few concrete steps need to be taken.
If you can get some of those things started then you can buy yourselves some time to save up for a behaviorist or experienced trainer to work with. The biggest thing is not allowing a repeat event to happen. Behavior is like a big rock on top of a hill, the more it rolls the more it will roll, so if you are very careful and don't allow another fight it'll be easier to fix in the long term. The more fights they have the harder it will be to eventually have them together and loose.
I know this will be a lot of work and stress for both you and your SO, but if you really focus on this and work through it you could be in a much better place in as short a time as a year. Both dogs with you, happier, healthier, and with you having a much stronger understanding of their behavior.
If you don't put that time and effort in then you could easily end up rehoming your catahoula.
Here's some reading and videos to get you started on working with your girls:
https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Terms-Dogs-Calming-Signals/dp/1929242360/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496795912&sr=8-1&keywords=calming+signals+on+talking+terms+with+dogs
https://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Leash-What-Around/dp/034544678X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=034544678X&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=SAA8r&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Cautious-Canine-How-Conquer-Their-Fears/dp/1891767003/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1891767003&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Canine-Body-Language-Photographic-Interpreting/dp/1929242352/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1929242352&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Feisty-Fido-Help-Leash-Reactive-Dog/dp/1891767070/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1891767070&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Fired-Up-Frantic-Freaked-Out/dp/0985934921/ref=pd_sim_14_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0985934921&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1890948209&pd_rd_r=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205&pd_rd_w=A0y3X&pd_rd_wg=HP5o5&psc=1&refRID=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205
https://www.amazon.com/Behavior-Adjustment-Training-2-0-Frustration/dp/1617811742/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1617811742&pd_rd_r=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205&pd_rd_w=A0y3X&pd_rd_wg=HP5o5&psc=1&refRID=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205
https://www.amazon.com/Control-Unleashed-Creating-Focused-Confident/dp/B000UCF53A/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000UCF53A&pd_rd_r=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205&pd_rd_w=A0y3X&pd_rd_wg=HP5o5&psc=1&refRID=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205
https://saveabull.com/crate-and-rotate/
https://imperfectdog.com/2016/01/12/imperfect-dog-introductions-crate-rotate/
http://www.thedoggeek.com/2014/08/crate-and-rotate.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDeAKj2etMs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJgod6CO8jU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nyt2WLdQGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU-WolM6cgg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnBPlub1Jgs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=255hotAlI5o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6De7kEmOV1Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cGDYI-s-cQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_7dl4c-IrM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bg_gGguwzg
Contact a veterinary behaviorist. There's simply too much going on here for you to tackle without professional help.
If you would like a better understanding of what's going on with the dog aggression, I would recommend Jean Donaldson's book Fight!
So, the trainer is not being terribly helpful! Now, being a mix of two higher energy breeds, one being possibly prone to reactivity (the BC), you may have a bit more a project on your hands than others might. But it's something you can totally manage!
I'd suggest reading this book: Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out. It's $6 on amazon kindle, so totally affordable.
Another good book to look at, although this book comes at this through a lens of dog sports, is Control Unleashed This book is more expensive and not available digitally, but also VERY good!
I have been contributing to The Alex Foundation for years, ever since I read "Alex and Me". Dr. Pepperberg has worked for years to understand the intelligence levels of Parrots, and her dedication is phenomenal, though her funding has been uncertain, at best, and I would like her to be able to continue to learn about these amazing little characters.
they probably read the cheap book "how to housebreak your dog in 7 days" which works, though small puppies will have more "accidents"
not barking can be taught, but everyone needs to be consistent it training him/her. watch "it's me or the dog" victoria is pretty cool.
A question for you to consider before I go into some recs for you: Have you considered the size of the dog relative to your flat? Small/medium dogs can be easier to manage in a smaller living space, and it’s important to consider personality as well (calm v. high-energy will help if you have to leave).
The solution my partner and I have come up with:
Another option that we did not care for, but many people recommended: hire a professional, trustworthy dog-walker to come by once or twice a day to give the dog emotional and physical stimulation, and let the dog relieve itself.
I highly recommend a training guide (books or videos) if you do decide to adopt a new friend—partner, myself, and dog really benefited from Zak George’s “Dog Training Revolution” and he has many supplementary videos on YouTube as well.
Tl;dr: I am a talkative dog person with lots of advice for managing a furry friend that you will either love or hate.
Without seeing her, it's hard to say if it's just nipping due to wanting to play, or actual aggression. If it's actual aggression--this is extremely concerning. It's far from normal for a 4 month puppy to be biting due to aggression and it would be best for you to get professional help ASAP. It's the type of thing that needs to get nipped in the bud now. A puppy this young showing aggression usually means the puppy is going to grow up with extreme aggression issues, and no one wants a dog that is going to attack people or other dogs.
If it's nipping due to play, you just need better management and you need to find a trainer that can show you what to do. Dogs will learn what they are allowed to do. If you let her jump on you, she will learn to jump on you. If you let her chew on the furniture, she will learn to chew on the furniture. You have to stop her before she even starts. Usually that means crate training, never leaving her unsupervised, or using tethers and baby gates to keep her confined.
Do not use the kennel as a punishment for bad behavior--it's not meant to be a place for time out. That's why shes running from it. Feed her her meals and throw cookies in it instead to get her to go in.
Have you taken her to any training classes? What breed is she? She sounds like she could be bored too. Dogs will also start biting and becoming destructive if they are bored.
go to /r/puppy101
You want the first book here AND at least one of the ones below it.
Find a professional trainer.
read these books
https://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Leash-What-Around/dp/034544678X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493118755&sr=8-1&keywords=the+other+end+of+the+leash
https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-Primer-Patricia-B-McConnell/dp/1891767135/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1891767135&pd_rd_r=7N0P07Z9RS4ZMC1V66HN&pd_rd_w=xNvL7&pd_rd_wg=SBke8&psc=1&refRID=7N0P07Z9RS4ZMC1V66HN
https://www.amazon.com/How-Behave-Your-Dog-Behaves/dp/0793806445/ref=pd_sim_14_17?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0793806445&pd_rd_r=3KP15JN1XZES6G1V3P2X&pd_rd_w=Q4t6t&pd_rd_wg=l6l7o&psc=1&refRID=3KP15JN1XZES6G1V3P2X
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Puppy-Days-Start-Right/dp/0964151871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493118982&sr=1-1&keywords=perfect+puppy
I would recommend reading a lot, as there are some things you should have before the dog comes home and you should be prepared for the first day. This book is often recommended. Too often people have the mindset of "just wait and see what happens" and that can create a lot of problems down the road.
Is somebody going to be home with the puppy? He will need to pee every two or so hours, so if you both work full time I would recommend hiring someone to come let him out so housebreaking is less difficult of a process.
People are in your situation and post about it all the time so I'm going to copy something I said to someone recently:
"If I had to pick three things: be consistent, be patient, and socialize her.
Elaborating:
Be consistent. Don't let her get away with anything you wouldn't let an adult dog do (sleep on the bed, jump on you, bite at your hands). Don't let her up on the couch once and expect to be able to tell her "no" the next time without her being confused.
Be patient. The hardest thing for me to do was to accept the fact that the way you communicate normally often doesn't work for dogs. Yelling doesn't convey your meaning better. Saying "no!" over and over again doesn't help them understand. Remind yourself she has only been alive for three months, it's no surprise she doesn't understand how the world works!
Socialize her. Puppies need to be out exploring the world while they're young, so they don't become fearful or aggressive. This doesn't mean you take her to a dog park and plop her down in a group of dogs. It means slowly going out and meeting new people and animals and getting used to all sorts of sights and sounds - but all at her pace. Letting her get overwhelmed and fearful isn't socializing. A great way to start is in a puppy class. She's old enough to be enrolled in one. If you can, do one at a local trainer, not one of the big stores like Petsmart or Petco. If you can't find a local trainer, one of those stores is better than nothing but sometimes the trainers are really not that experienced.
I also recommend going to /r/puppy101 or /r/dogtraining and reading their sidebars and wikis."
But again, read a book written by a professional. There's no way a comment can cover everything you should know before you bring a dog home, or really, even before you buy a dog. If you plan on having your dog join you in therapy work, I hope you told this to the breeder and had them select the pup that had the best temperament for this.
Not trying to be nitpicky, but it's Beagle, not beagel.
I’d like to recommend the book The Other End of the Leash. It’s a well-written insightful look into dog behavior, communication- particularly between humans and dogs, as well as advice for dealing with the fearful and anxious ones.
I think it would give you a better understanding of your dog and give you some ideas on how to help him feel more comfortable around you.
> I say possibly good news because Ive read ALOT that companion animals definitley help with Separation Anxiety dogs.
This is only true for a very small percent of SA dogs. It might mask some of the outward signs, but it is by no means a cure for SA. Further, if your dog is uncomfortable with the other dogs, I highly doubt that it would help. And even if it does seem to mask some of this dog's symptoms, what if your roommates decide to take their dogs on a walk/vacation/to the vet, and your dog needs to be left alone? He still has SA.
As far as "success stories," we've been working on desensitizing my dog to being home alone for 6 months. We're currently at 35 min max time home alone. This doesn't sound like success story unless you've lived it, but it's a pretty typical trajectory for separation anxiety treatment. I think our success story is really that I haven't gone completely insane yet...Our dog goes to daycare daily while we work, and it's not cheap. His SA has put a huge damper on my social life, we take the dog with us everywhere, and he spends a lot of time in the car.
I'm not saying that you should or shouldn't get this dog, but I would definitely think about whether or not you have the time, patience, sanity, and finances needed to help a dog with SA. If you do adopt, or even prior to adoption, I would immediately pick up a copy of Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs, I'll Be Home Soon, and Don't leave me!
Reactivity is its own beast, and u/ASleepandAForgetting tackled that issue well in their (edited to remove gender, I apologize!) comment.
So, why is reducing the prozac necessary?
Seriously?
If his anxiety is lowered to the point that hes not ruining fences, jumping out windows, jumping down from the second story...all I'm seeing is a very strong argument for not weaning him off. At least not yet.
When did you adopt him? I'm getting the impression hes pretty new to you still?
If hes still within his first year then hes still very much settling in. If hes within the first few weeks or months then...he doesn't know hes staying yet. Honestly.
Waiting until hes settled would be a much better plan. Not least of which because you could be stacking stress on stress: new home, new rules, being alone (this is serious separation anxiety), AND weaning meds is a LOT to manage all at once.
In a year, when hes calmer overall and feels safe, knows the rules, knows the house, etc, you are more likely to have good luck with weaning drugs.
If THIS is him a year in and weaning drugs then you need to talk to a vet behaviorist who specializes in separation anxiety.
Also, no matter what, call your vet and tell them what weaning off the drugs is causing. This isnt normal or ok and you're extremely lucky he wasnt seriously injured or killed during this panic. If they recommend still reducing the meds you need a different vet.
I'd start with the one the rescue was using who originally prescribed the prozac, as theyll have his history and be familiar with his case.
Also, I'd seriously recommend this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Treating-Separation-Anxiety-Malena-Demartini-Price/dp/1617811432/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=separation+anxiety+dog&qid=1570335464&sprefix=separation+anxiety+&sr=8-3
Congratulations! It will be exciting and tiring and overwhelming and so much fun. Don't feel bad if you ever get stressed or overwhelmed, it happens to many people and does not mean you will be a crappy owner.
For videos, I love kikopup and lots of people here watch Zak George as well.
A few overall things - physical stimulation (exercise and playtime) is important but so is mental stimulation! Things like classes, puzzles, trick training, etc... are really beneficial and can also tire out a dog. A properly exercised and stimulated dog is much likely to behave better and be easier to work with and train. Just be careful to take lots of breaks and not over exercise a puppy as it can affect their joints and development. Also, patience and consistency really is key. Be firm and consistent with your pup and as /u/mushroom_fae says, think about the kind of adult dog you want to have.
I also suggest keeping a good supply of an enzymatic cleaner such as Natures Miracle or Anti Icky Poo. Many cleaners don't really do a good job of getting rid of the mark or scent and enzymatic cleaners will deep clean pet messes so that your dog can no longer smell the residue and won't go to the same spot to mark repeatedly. Great for potty training and just to have around in general.
edit: also if you're interested in reading some books, I love Patricial McConnell! I've not read the puppy one but she has several that are great.
Hahaha, thanks for the support. I get it though. Wanna make a dog owner mad? Tell them their dog doesn't feel guilt. Its been tested and proven but some owners absolutely refuse to believe it. My own SO and I almost got into a big argument over it!
Its a difficult concept for people. Emotional attachment and all that. It comes for a place of love and I try not to fault people for it unless the belief becomes harmful to the dog.
For anyone interested, I would highly recommend reading either of these books, especially the first. It really changed my view of my dogs and has made me and them so much happier! I'm reading the second right now and so far it's great too.
The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs
Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know
I'm by no means an expert - and I think that the behaviorist you are seeing is a great start. We did that with my pup, and while expensive, was worth every cent!
My Catahoula sounds similar to your dogs. She reacts to every dog we see on walks, sometimes people too. And there has been a few times she has been in fights with other dogs that were in her territory.
First, I would recommend getting a break stick to keep near by if you do get to the point of introducing to a new dog. Pit Bulls and other dogs tend to clamp down and not open their jaws for anything. The break stick helps you to "twist" their jaw open from the back. The ear injury is pretty common in these types of fights, especially if people are trying to pull dogs apart. I unfortunately have experience in that just like you.
Second look into Behavior Adjustment Training. It has really helped our dog. Positive reinforcement and redirection have worked wonders too. Learn how to best get your dog to redirect their attention to you- or know how to do a quick "u-turn" on a walk to avoid a potentially bad situation. Are your dogs treat motivated? Find the most delicious treat you can and always be sure to have it with you on walks! I use string cheese, personally.
We have semi-successfully introduced our dog to new dogs. We always start at a neutral place, like an empty dog park or empty tennis courts and keep the dogs on leash. Then we walk around our neighborhood together and finally into our back yard if all has gone well. But I usually always keep my dog's harness on and won't leave them unsupervised. There's always lots of treats, praise and monitoring my dog for her "warning signs" such as acting extra protective of me or stealing the toy from the other dog.
Finally, you're not alone in your anxiety. It's taken me a long time to feel comfortable and confident walking our dog and sometimes we'll have an encounter that brings all the anxiety back. Don't just train your dog but work on training yourself too. The more confident you feel the more success you will have.
Good luck and keep coming here for support!
The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Scidmore is a nice book. Each chapter includes new exercises, in a nonrandom sequence.
Congratulations on your new kitten! I'm also a relatively new cat owner (about 8 months), but have learned there are plenty of things you can do to keep an indoor cat entertained.
A good place to start is looking into cat towers, climbers, and window perches – according to cat experts like Jackson Galaxy, cats build confidence by being able to traverse a room freely in their own spaces. Cat tunnels and even cardboard boxes can provide provide fun hiding spots if your cat is more of a "bush dweller." Cats are natural explorers, so try to picture your apartment or home from your cat's point of view (think both vertically and horizantally) and provide plenty of points of interest.
Examples: My cat loves watching the neighborhood from the window on this perch. You could even hang a bird feeder outside to provide extra stimulation. Mutlilevel cat towers and climbers also increase a cat's engagement with his envirnonment (you can also install DIY cat shelves).
It's important to play interactively with your new cat to bond, but make sure he has some toys to keep him occupied when you're not around as well. My cat loves this toy and there are plenty of other independent cat-puzzle toys out there. The more stimulated a cat is, the less behavioral issues you will have.
I hope this helps! I would reccomend that any new cat owner look into the TV show "My Cat From Hell" by Jackson Galaxy and/or read the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennet.
Personally I would stay away from Scottish Folds, the "fold" in their ear is a deformity that has been breed into them and can be painful for the cat and lead to other health problems. Some countries are even considering banning the breeding of them because its cruel to the animal.
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It sounds like you are going to be getting the kitten from a breeder (its the only way to know for sure what breed of cat you are getting since they have papers, cats from a shelter are going to be considered domestic short or long hair since they don't have papers). Please make sure that you do your research on the breeder, you don't want to use a back yard breeder. Questions to ask; are the kittens/cattery registered with TICA, are the kittens raised under foot, what diseases and genetic conditions do you test for, what is the health warranty? A respectable breeder would never let a kitten go home before 14 weeks old, anyone that says the kitten can go home before that should not be trusted.
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If the kitten is going to be left alone for that amount of time expect it to get into everything and cause trouble while you are gone. The kitten can be left alone and end up fine but you have to leave it with a range of toys to play with and make sure that you are spending a lot of time with it when you are home.
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For litter, use Dr Elseys Ultra, it cost more but you will never have a problem with smell as long as you are cleaning it ever day. I use a simple litter box I got at the Dollar Store, you don't need anything fancy.
https://www.chewy.com/dr-elseys-precious-cat-ultra/dp/32362?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Dr.%20Elsey%27s&utm_campaign=hg
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Nails should be trimmed every two weeks or so, you can tell when they start to get really sharp again and need it. I hold my cat on my lap with her belly up and do one paw at a time. If she is fighting me I will wrap her in a blanket and remove one paw at a time. Make sure that you are getting your kitten used to her paws and nails being touched and it will make the process a lot easier as she gets older. When you are holding her just gently rub her paws every so often.
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Make sure you are brushing regularly, especially if you get a long hair breed like a Ragdoll, matts suck and are hard to remove.
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Items you will defiantly need, cat tree, scratching post, a horizontal cardboard scratch pad and a mix of toys.
This is a great scratching post, its large, hard to knock over and you can get the optional seat to attach to the top of it.
https://www.amazon.com/SmartCat-3832-Ultimate-Scratching-Post/dp/B000634MH8/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=cat+post&qid=1549895273&s=gateway&sr=8-16
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Dry food is horrible for cats, its like eating fast food for every meal. It causes dehydration, kidney and bladder problems, obesity and diabetes. Please feed the highest quality wet food that you can afford.
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Please make sure that you get the kitten nurtured and keep it inside at all times (unless you are going to train it to walk on a leash). Cats that are let outside have a dramatically lower life expectancy.
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Do not declaw, not only is it cruel but it causes a lot of behavior problems, you can teach the kitten to not scratch the furniture by using treats. When it is scratching something its not supposed to pick them up and place them by the post/scratch pad and use your fingers to show them what to do. When they use the post/pad give then a treat right away.
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For a first time cat owner I highly recommend reading this book, it goes over everything that you need to know.
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=how+to+raise+a+well+adjusted+cat&qid=1549894696&s=gateway&sr=8-1
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I’d recommend Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution It’s a book but I got the audiobook and it only takes a couple hours to get through but it tells you everything you need to know
The Genius of Dogs by Brian Hare is an excellent book that will explain this in detail.
The tl:dr version is dogs have been with man as a domesticated animal used for hunting far longer than any other animal. This refinement of hunting instinct has over time lead to a more intelligent dog. So intelligent in fact that Hare argues dogs are far smarter than any other animal.
maybe take a look at https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524653488&sr=8-3&keywords=pam+johnson-bennett+books
this book has solutions for all kinda kitty problems.
Pam Johnson-Bennett has written several books about feline behavior. Most of them are for dealing with problematic behavior, but Think Like a Cat is her general care guide. I highly recommend her books; I've had cats all my life and her books are the best I've read.
We recently adopted a puppy in and live in a condo as well and feel your pain! This book helped us out initially Training the best dog ever
To date we've specifically found the following helped:
To get our puppy to like her crate and think of it as her home we spent time using treats to lure her in, hand feeding while she was in it and giving her special toys/treats while in it. She definitely whined a lot at first if the crate door was closed and we were in sight. So we went back to basics and used treats to reward her when the door was closed, then took steps back and eventually were able to walk away (book explains this well). Now she just goes in there whenever she's tried or if we stand next to it and point, she really likes it!
Others have mentioned this before. Our puppy is a Great Dane so our crate is already massive, but has a divider so we can expand it.
We have a flexible one around the crate so we can play with her in a small area and it's where we spend most of our time. Very very rarely does she pee in this area and when she does at least it's contained to an easy to clean up spot vs whole condo. It also forces us to be near her which is easier to pick-up on her cues and can whisk her outside easier.
We had a journal the first couple of weeks and noted the time of every meal, nap and pee/poo. It really helped us learn her schedule and set a routine that worked for both of us. I know they say to take them out every hour when you first get them, the more you learn their routine the longer you can stretch those durations. She'll actually sleep 8 hrs straight if we take her out right before she goes to bed and of course immediately in the morning.
After a month with the puppy we signed up for a basics class to make sure we were doing what we could correctly. I thought we were treating her a lot, but I was so wrong. The trainer used so many treats in one session! Every tiny movement that got closer to the behavior we wanted she would treat. It helps take the guess work out of hoping they pick-up on what you want them to do. The vet also confirmed we shouldn't worry too much about over treating them, since they are growing.
Stella and Chewy are like crack to them and the trainer used the Vital Essentials Freeze-dried Duck Nibs she really likes those and it's the same protein she eats. Treat them after they go outside.
We have a small condo with only a couple of units. The other dog owners gave us advice on good spots to take them. All were pretty understanding of our growing pains and I think felt reassured when they heard the effort we put into training, so they know this less than ideal behavior is just temporary. But who knows we live in the Midwest where everyone is passive aggressive.
Anyways I hope that helps! Do share if you find anything else that works. Our puppy isn't perfect, but that first week was the hardest and can tell you it gets better!
I can't imagine why she would publish false information, but I guess maybe-possibly-potentially she did this to further an agenda of some sort? I haven't read much of her work as I'm not Wiccan, but it's enough to know she and people like Koetting (A grim-dark edgy emo occult author who charges like 800$ for his books) are to be avoided like the plague.
Any other books I could suggest?
I have other suggestions as well, but they're much more specified to trad craft, like Liber Nox, The Visions of Isobel Gowdie, Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits, or New World Witchery's Blog, but I think you've got a good handle so far!
Good luck on your path. :)
Teaching him to settle on a mat may help. Here is a video that shows one approach. He directs the dog toward the mat, whereas I used the approach in the book Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out (definitely describes my dog) which involves letting the dog go to the mat at his own pace. It's helped my jumping, barking asshole be much less of an asshole when we have guests over. Doing some impulse control and focus work can also help because it will teach him to be calm when he wants something and to pay attention to you.
Sophia Yin has some good books:
Perfect Puppy
How to behave so your dog behaves
Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas
Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
Subscribe to Kikopup (and her website dogmantics), and Tab289 on YouTube to cover a lot of clicker training basics and basic behavior modification exercises.
Sue Ailsby's training levels website for a puppy training to-do list.
malena demartini's treating separation anxiety in dogs is written for dog professionals but has a couple treatment plans in the back that i've (sort of) implemented with my dogs (their issues aren't nearly as great as yours--my heart goes out to you & your pup). ideally someone is with the dog at all times (daycare, dog sitter or walker, family or neighbors, etc) while you work through the plan--that takes some finagling. she also recommends a treat & train or pet tutor (i can't remember which). there's also MIA the robot -- it doesn't solve your problem right now because it's currently gathering funding via kickstarter, but part of its function is to detect when your dog is vocalizing & then begin moving around the room while dropping treats.
if you're not seeing any positive changes (or not to a great enough degree) using the adaptil, i would also encourage you to talk with your vet about meds. when this was something i wanted to discuss with my vet, i had no idea where to begin. the overview on debbie jacobs's fearful dogs website was really helpful to me.
edit: it occurred to me after i posted my reply that you were looking for something that might lessen the severity of the separation anxiety immediately, so i don't think my reply is that helpful--sorry. :\
Your best option is to train the dog to stay inside and do everything you can to encourage the dog to sleep while you are out. Dogs rarely entertain themselves by playing with toys when they are alone. Destructive behaviours, barking and whining are more common forms of entertainment...
Is there a bathroom / laundry area or room of the house that you can dog proof? Use baby gates to close it off. Before you leave the dog, spend at least an hour on the dog's mental and physical exercise. Walk is not sufficient. Active games such as fetch AND training or brain work is essential. Leave the dog with breakfast in kongs or similar - ideally the dog will work through the kongs and then be tired out and sleep for a few hours. Build up the time left alone gradually.
Get a video camera so you can consistently record his behaviour. This will help you work out whether he's bored or suffering separation anxiety. If the latter, the 'gold standard' for addressing this problem is Malena DeMartini's approach. There's an online course, and a book: https://www.amazon.com/Treating-Separation-Anxiety-Malena-Demartini-Price/dp/1617811432
>Last week was the first week we left our dog alone again
I'm hoping the dog is used to being without you both (& the other dog) for a few hours at least? If not you will need to build it up gradually.
I know the dogs are both older but it wouldn’t hurt to take them to a basic training class that uses positive reinforcement. I would maybe suggest that you take your wife’s dog and she take yours. The idea isn’t to train the dogs so much as it is to condition them to listen better, which it sounds like your wife’s dog needs, but it will help both of you learn how to handle the dogs better and improve their bonds with the person doing the training.
It’ll also give them something to do together that’s positive & that’s really the goal. Right now they have negative interactions with negative consequences. This needs to shift to positive interactions with positive consequences.
Punishment when something bad happens is hard for dogs to understand. They don’t know that the bite was wrong or the growl was wrong or the way they looked at something was wrong and so it becomes hard to remove a bad behaviour because instead of stopping an aggression they just hide or adjust how it’s displayed. This is dangerous, because you may think they’re ok when in truth they’re just showing the aggression differently.
Positive reinforcement doesn’t teach dogs to hide their reactions. Instead you reward the actions you want to see and build positive connections between action / your reaction. It takes time, especially after an attack, but with the right training and tools I think you’ll get there.
I’d also recommend seeking a registered behaviourist if it’s within your budget, and recommend the following books:
Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0
Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs
Since you have trazadone I'm going to assume you have already talked to your veterinarian about your dog's anxiety. If that is not the case, please discuss it with your vet.
The behaviorists are pricy, but they're an excellent resource and worth the money. I'd definitely stick with either a Veterinary Behaviorist or an Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist over a regular trainer, anybody can call themselves a trainer while CAABs and VBs have tons of education and experience. They can tailor advice to your specific dog and your specific household in a way a book or video cannot.
I am by no means an expert (I'm a vet tech at a general-practice clinic) but my go-to recommendations for behavior books are Decoding Your Dog by the American College of Veterinary behaviorists, (it has a chapter on house training and a chapter on separation anxiety) and The Other End of the Leash (it's about understanding dogs and how they think rather than specific issues) by Patricia McConnell. Patricia McConnell also has books (booklets? they're short) about anxiety and separation anxiety. I've never read the booklets, but she's a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with a Ph.D, so they're probably a better resource than random internet sites even if they're not as helpful as an in-person consultation with a behaviorist.
Highly recommend Pepperberg's book, Alex & Me. Great read of what they went through together.
In that particular case, I think you would need to figure out which action (pooping or bringing the leash) is a higher priority, and address that one. I think pooping is more important, so I would immediately put the dog in time out. Time is, of course, very important with operant conditioning, so you need to act right away in order for the dog to make the connection between pooping and time out.
You will have plenty of opportunities in the future to rehearse the action you want (bringing the leash) with practice and drills, but you have very few opportunities (hopefully!) to punish pooping on the rug.
In the interest of being thorough, hypothetically, I don't think an indoor time-out is really the best course of action to discourage pooping. That means giving the dog an opportunity to do it again! Instead, I would whisk the dog outside and give a potty cue, and reward profusely for success. This is redirection rather than punishment, which I think is a better approach in this case.
If you're interested in dog cognition, Brian Hare's book is really good primer.
Crate train the puggle. I used this book from Amazon: How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days
Basically: Crate train your dog. Put it on a feeding and watering schedule. Learn when it needs to go potty based on the feeding schedule. If the dog does not go potty within 15 minutes of being out of the crate and put in the "potty spot", put back into crate.
When dog goes potty in the right spot shower with praise and treats. Repeat.
Took our dog a couple of weeks to learn that (as a puppy, however). The book has some great examples of how to work their "method" in to different types of work schedules.
You must be disciplined. Good luck!
Warning: very little good news ahead (sorry, going through some stuff right now which has me pretty fucking jaded on the subject, and while I do think my information is helpful, it is a bit more doomsdayish than really necessary--apolgies for that.)
Honestly a lot of shelter dogs will not show their problem behaviors right away. This is most likely not sudden, and probably the reason he was at the shelter. This behavior is not something that you caused, it is a behavior that he has learned a long time before you and is now displaying because of his level of comfort around you. It takes a LONG time to rehab a dog like that, considering his age, and sometimes it's not really successful, depending on the underlying causes of the aggression...so you must ask yourself are you really in this for the long haul or do you want to get a different dog that will be easier?
I would definitely recommend seeing a behaviorist not just a trainer for at least one or two sessions to get some practice under your belt for how to manage and treat this situation. The main techniques will be counter-conditioning to the presence of other dogs and redirection. Timing is KEY when doing this kind of training and if you do it yourself without being really shown how, you risk fucking the dog up more.
I rescued a dog from the shelter who seemed perfectly fine (although a bit unruly) at first. He started showing aggression to other dogs AND people after about 3 weeks. I took the DIY approach for about a year, decided I needed help, now 2 and a half years and roughly $15,000 in books, dvds, seminars, workshops, behaviorists, trainers, vet bills, training camp, training classes, etc I have decided to have him humanely euthanized for his own benefit, that of society at large, and also my own mental health. He is a super smart and amazing dog who I love dearly (hence why I have tried so hard), but to be honest he is dangerous.
I don't mean to scare you, and honestly, I ended up with a REALLY bad dog, way worse than most people would from a shelter. Dog aggression is quite manageable if you are willing to accept that you may not ever "cure" your dog, and make sure that he is kept away from other dogs at all times so as not to practice this behavior further. The fact that he has redirected at you is quite concerning, however, and should definitely be discussed with a professional if you do decide to keep this dog.
While you are looking for your behaviorist I would recommend the following books:
http://www.amazon.com/Behavior-Adjustment-Training-Frustration-Aggression/dp/1617810509
http://www.amazon.com/Fight-Practical-Treatment-Dog-dog-Aggression/dp/0970562969
http://www.amazon.com/Control-Unleashed-Creating-Focused-Confident/dp/B000UCF53A
These are the books that helped me the most dealing with my problem dog.
I can't really say anything that won't be an echo of what everyone else here has already said, but I do have a book recommendation as well: The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. I don't really know what to say... I hope you can get your husband to watch the videos and read the books that have been suggested here. I can understand if he still thinks he needs to be the "leader" of your dog, but by god if he can't understand that hitting is wrong, then... I'm apt to side with the folks who say take the puppy back until you can agree on a training method (or rather, change his mind about the training method). It's not fair to subject a puppy to that kind of abuse, or even the confusion of two people using two different training methods. If you really want to keep the dog then maybe you can tell him that he needs to take a break from training while he does some research about training methods and after that he can have another chance.
I've also heard a story here of someone who was in a similar situation. She and her partner had a similar discrepancy in training methods, and her solution was to tell her partner that they were going to try her training method for 6 weeks, and if it didn't work they could change it. Obviously her (positive) training methods worked, and she was able to get her partner to change their mind. So maybe you could try that.
Edit: I also have to add: training can be a very emotional experience. It shouldn't be. Sometimes when people hit or yell at their dogs it is because they are frustrated that the dog is misbehaving and they take out that emotion on the dog by punishing it. Another exercise you might want to try is to have your husband take a time out whenever the puppy has an accident or does something he feels is punishment-worthy. While he's in time out, you "discipline" the dog (clean up the mess, or have a productive training session with it). After his time out, if he still feels like punishment is the right answer... Well, hopefully he won't. And you will get him to see that he is punishing because it's heat of the moment frustration. Also, if you can afford a trainer or behaviorist, I would highly recommend it. They could be a mediator between you and your husband on this issue.
Good luck.
Dog aggressive... Right off the top of my head I would suggest taking a look at BAT 2.0. Jean Donaldson has Fight!
/u/mysled is right that a good behaviorist will be able to help you. Check the wiki and sidebars of /r/dogs and /r/dogtraining for links like this one, and feel free to ask. Lots of folks deal with reactive dogs, and I think there's a support thread that floats around on /r/dogs.
I wish you luck with this; I know loving and dealing with a reactive dog is a difficult path.
When I first started my hobby, I picked up a copy of Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies. I found it to be MUCH more useful than The New Marine Aquarium. (If you're just getting into the hobby). I've always enjoyed The Pocket Expert Guide to Marine Fishes and the Marine Invertebrates as well. With the pocket experts, I find their information to be different from other sources that I use to research a fish before I make a decision to buy or not. A book that I can't seem to finish but always find myself skimming through is the Plankton Culture Manual. It can be a difficult read at times (for me anyways) but it's very helpful when you want to culture something.
I'm really looking for a book to help identify hitchhikers, but I can't seem to find one. Hopefully this thread turns a leaf. I've picked up the Reef Creature Identification books in hopes they would be what I was looking for, but they weren't.
The Nano-Reef Handbook Was a fun read as well. Gives you many ideas for the nano aquarium.
Last but not least, Algae: A problem Solver Guide has really helped when it came to figuring out how to battle algae or which algae would be awesome to have in a tank for decorative purposes.
Stop. Please do some research before diving into this.
This is a step by step book. It will help.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Michael-Paletta/dp/1890087521/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=michael+paletta&qid=1569031273&s=gateway&sr=8-2
I also recommend Martin A. Moe’s Marine Aquarium handbook. https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Aquarium-Handbook-Beginner-Breeder/dp/0982026218
Doing some research will be a lot better than me telling you that you are going at it wrong.
I also recommend keeping fresh water for at least a year beforehand to get use to the little things like testing, feeding, and water changes.
It would be adequate, but not ideal. Get as big a tank as you can afford, both price-wise and size-wise. More volume means more stability, the ability to select larger fish specimens, and, overall, less headaches. Sumps are great and if you can afford the extra expense/setup time, you will never regret getting one. You can get another tank, maybe 15 gallon, and put your skimmer/heaters in there, as well as more rock. It's a great place to add supplements and increase your water volume.
Read and research all you can now. It's much harder to change things after you've got creatures living in your tank. Two great, essential books: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-By-Step/dp/1890087521 and http://www.amazon.com/The-Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Professional/dp/1890087998
To hold you over until you get those books: http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm
The key here is patience. Yes, it's hard work, but most of the hard work is only at the beginning if you plan it right and don't rush it. Good luck! Feel free to ask me more questions.
I'd highly recommend you read this book before you commit to doing/buying anything. It is by no means inclusive but will give you a feel for how the whole system should or will work.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1890087521
Once you've read that, I'd recommend reading the following article from Reef Keeping ezine. This will save you time and money on junk or unnecessary supplements.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/
Edit: spelling.
Most shelters have an open play area for introducing other dogs to each other.
You can get an idea of their interaction.
If you are doing introductions, and your dog is on a leash, leave lots of slack. Just relax and let them greet each other i.e. "butt sniffing" but always keep the leash slack.
Love Has No Age Limit-Welcoming an Adopted Dog into Your Home by Patricia McConnell is a great book.
Cats have a natural cycle that isn't often encouraged when they live indoors:
If you play with your kitty 10-30 minutes before you feed her at night (right before you go to bed), she's more likely to spend a good amount of time grooming and then settle down to sleep. This can help keep her from waking you up in the mornings.
Every time you feed her before you're ready to get up, you're telling her that her actions give the desired response, and she should keep doing what she's doing.
While the vacuum method can be effective, it can also be highly disruptive to everyone in the household and may cause anxiety and stress in your cat, causing her to act out in other ways.
She will learn the hard way after your surgery that waking you up doesn't feed her, but you'll also need to make sure that you're not waking your sister up to feed her to get her to leave you alone. It may take an entire month for kitty to catch on.
This book is excellent for learning cat behavior, and ways to deal with problems like yours.
Good luck!
Separation anxiety can be brutal -- I'm sorry that you have to deal with it.
This book is the answer. Malena DeMartini is the industry expert in treating separation anxiety in dogs. It's not easy, and for dogs who are severely impacted, the process of helping them cope with being alone can literally take months of dedicated time. Nevertheless, DeMartini's methods are said to work wonders if you stick to the technique. She also has classes available.
Read the book!
http://www.amazon.com/Alex-Me-Scientist-Discovered-Intelligence--/dp/0061673986/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348597233&sr=8-1&keywords=book+alex+and+me
If you're interested in Alex the Parrot, there's a book about him, called Alex and Me, by Dr Pepperberg: http://www.amazon.com/Alex-Me-Scientist-Discovered-Intelligence/dp/0061673986 It's pretty interesting, and not very long. I recommend it.
My kitten is 8 months old, and I move her constantly (partially out of necessity, partially to train her into it). I got her at 4 months, she spent a week at my apartment, and then I went to see my family for the holidays. My parents are divorced so I was shuffling between two houses the entire time. She was so young that this was not stressful at the time, and now she is used to it. I think she also sees her carrier as "home". This weekend I took her to my SO's new apartment, she spent maybe half an hour investigating everything and then settled in and started treating it like her home (still very curious though).
A couple of side notes:
I agree with others' advice about getting a kitten. Normally I'd say get an older cat as a student, they are less time-consuming and expensive, but if you have the resources get a kitten for sure. You will be able to train your cat so they are comfortable with your lifestyle. I also highly recommend Think Like a Cat, I read through it before picking up my kitten and it helped me with strategies for training her. I have owned cats before, but she is my first baby.
Shadow is probably very stressed out right now. Moving houses is a nightmare for cats because they depend on everything being the same from day to day. There are four things I would recommend looking into.
First is, if I'm understanding correctly, she has free access to the entire house, but only hisses in your bedroom? If that's the case, have there ever been any other cats or dogs kept in that bedroom? Could there be another cat's scent in there, maybe from a cat spraying or having litter box problems? A black light flashlight can help you find these spots on the carpet and walls if they're there, and then you can use an enzymatic cleaning product called Nature's Miracle to remove the scent. Remember, cats can smell things that we can't.
One of the pheremonal calming products people have been mentioning is Feliway. I think you could really benefit from a diffuser for your room. I know it says it's for scratching and urine marking, but it works for stress in general. It does also come in sprays which you can spray on certain things like cat carriers, furniture, etc. but supposedly it does need pretty frequent application, just so you know. Don't be discouraged if the diffuser doesn't seem to work right away. It can take a week or more but I've seen a definite improvement for my cats.
You might also want to pick up a book called Think Like a Cat, or something similar. There are so many things we as humans do that cats find threatening, startling, upsetting, etc. and we don't even know it. The truth is that she is hissing at you for a reason, whether it's the way you're approaching her, something she now associates with you, who knows. I bet you could figure it out with some insight from a good source.
One final thing that's pretty important. Cats who hiss, growl, or jump when touched sometimes are doing so because they're in pain. Pay attention to how exactly she's reacting to you. Especially since you say she has a heart problem, it's possible that she is physically uncomfortable. You may want to explain what's happening to your vet and see if they can find a physical cause.
And of course... a little sprinkling of fairy dust for luck ;)
I always recommend getting this book, you don’t have to read it cover to cover it has a great index for different topics and stages in life.
Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143119796/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SBqxCb0QCT0KV
Yeah, that should be fine. I use this crap and it works great (and smells good too!). You can probably find a less insanely sized bottle at a pet store, or maybe elsewhere on the site.
If you're serious about getting your dog into shape, let me recommend this book. Everyone I've ever spoken to about it has nothing but good things to say and it was quite revolutionary 25 years ago, but it's not a bit dated and really ought to help you train your dog and give you some more insight into how they thing. The Monks have a puppy book too, which might be useful for you to skim the housebreaking and crate training chapters (at a book store!).
Also: no problem for the advice; it's meant for sharing :)
Cheesy looking, but it works...get this book and follow it exactly.
You need to find out what your mom is using on them. A good flea medication should take care of this issue but it needs to be used preventively in the future. A bad one will do nothing or even possibly hurt the dogs. To kill the ones currently in the house a combination of ditimatious earth and vigorous vaccumming should get them along with a good liquid treatment.
Also there isn't any real reason you can't try to train the dogs without a class. Seriously a decent book, some treats and a clicker and you are good to go. I personally am a fan of Training the Best Dog Ever but anything with positive reinforcement will work. The youtube channel Kikopup also has great training resources.
I'm no shaman but I do have this book the whole first half is pretty much how to become in touch with your spirit animal, so that's a pretty involved question. But I'll review what it says about the heron if you're curious!
>Heron
>
>Keynote: Aggressive Self-Determination and Self-Reliance
>
>Cycle of power:Spring
>
>Herons are part of a group of birds called "waders." It is a bird of the marshlands and shallow waters. All waders have similar physical characteristics-long, thin legs, long necks, and sharp bills. These characteristics are important to understand for those who have a heron as a totem.
>
>Legs enable animals and people to move about on the earth. They are the symbols of balance, and they represent an ability to progress and evolve.....The long thin legs of the heron reflect that you don't need great massive pillars to remain stable, but you must be able to stand on your own. This is especially significant for those with a totem of the great blue heron, as it is a lone hunter.
>
>...It is important for for anyone with a heron totem to explore various activities and dimensions on earth life. On the surface, this may seem a form of dabbling, but those with heron totems are wonderfully successful at being the traditional "jack of all trades."
>
>This ability enables them to follow their own path...The way you live is not a structured way, and does not seem to have a stability and security to it. It is though, just a matter of perspective....If one way doesn't work, then another will. This heron people seem to inherently know.
>
>Heron do not seem to need a lot of people in their life, nor do they feel pressure to "keep up withe the Joneses" or be traditional in their life roles.
>
>The great blue heron is considered the king of the marsh, although the short-eared owl has been known to readjust a heron's viewpoint....innate wisdom of being able to maneuver through life and control its life circumstances...a need for those with this totem to follow their own innate wisdom and path of self-determination. You know what is best for you and should follow it, rather than the promptings of others.
>
>The irises of the eyes will turn from yellowish to bright orange, as will the legs. Meditation on this color will provide a lot of insight as to its role in your life
If this resonates with you I suggest getting that book I linked. It's got tons more info.
Source (page 191 - Amazon lets you search for it when you "Look Inside")
http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Speak-Spiritual-Magical-Powers-Creatures/dp/0875420281
Her theory could not be more false! You can totally train with treats and wean off them, but really I don’t see why. If trained correctly you can get fanatic responses without always needing treats. Not just for “tricks”. However, you can use other rewards too like a short game of tug (but this can amp up overly excited dogs more).
Dog park could be ok, but I would go on off times when there are only a few dogs and see how she responds. If it seems like too much, maybe hang out across the parking lot from a pet store or groomers, less action and pretty predictable routes for the dogs.
Edit: As a side thought, the "treat dependency" she's talking about may be more in the line with luring (I still disagree with her whole heartily - all professional training programs and schools use treats/reward based). Luring is showing the treat before the behavior and prompting/leading them into it. This CAN lead to a treat dependency, which is why the cue and behavior should come first, before the treat. Police dogs can be trained with rewards, then perform in the field without or even ignoring treats, so saying that treats always cause dependancy is hogwash.
Check out the wiki for how to find a good trainer, and look for someone who uses positive reinforcement and has some sort of certification (Cpdt-ka,KPA-CTP). Anyone can call themselves a trainer, and I've met so many people who are not qualified. Also get a copy of the book Fired up, frantic and freaked out. Great book, easy to follow and inexpensive.
I have read and highly recommend BAT 2.0 by Grisha Stewart. If you'd like more information about this training ideology, I can find some free sources online!
Please don't follow Ceasar Millan's advice. He follows dominance theory which has been disproved for many years. If you want a book on dog training check out Don't Shoot The Dog by Karen Pryor. It also goes into explaining how you would train other animals, your roommates, your parents, spouse, etc. Positive reinforcement training is scientifically proven to be the most effective way to train a dog. (or a turtle, or a bird, or a human) Or you could check out The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.
Also /r/dogtraining is great if you need advice about anything specific your dog is doing.
edit: Specifically, with your hair, you want to set up training games where you teach her when you move your hair around in exciting ways, the correct thing for her to do is not bite it, and reward her for doing so. If you follow the rolling onto their back advice, it can take a very long time for many dogs to make the connection, and be very frustrating for the dog and you. Also, it can cause her to hate being on her back and hate when you touch her muzzle, which you do not want. It will make vet visits much more stressful. This is a good video on how to stop biting and mouthing. It doesn't talk specifically about hair, but you can apply the same idea. At about 2:00 when she is shuffling her feet, that's what you want to do with your hair. Move it around and reward for not biting. It's not about being stern, it's about being consistent and showing your dog what you DO want them to do instead.
source: I am a dog trainer.
Irene Pepperman wrote a great book Alex and Me about her training of Alex. It is a good read, sad ending.
I'm sorry you had such a short time with your friend. Parrots are awesome.
I don't know if the timing is right, but Alex and Me tells an amazing story. One of the kind that makes one wonder about the nature of the soul.
Peace
The Genius of Dogs by Brian Hare.
https://www.amazon.com/Genius-Dogs-Smarter-Than-Think/dp/0142180467
On a related note, consider Dognition - simple games you play with your dog that help you learn how your dog thinks:
https://www.dognition.com/
this is a book
We just recently took in a new kitten (Turbo) who is a couple of weeks older than yours. We were initially having very similar problems with constant biting.
The good news? It seems to be totally normal. From what I’ve read, there’s a ton of developmental stuff that happens between 7 to 12 weeks of age—specifically regarding kittens learning a restrained bite from play-fighting with their litter mates. Unfortunately our little balls of teeth and fury didn’t get those experiences, and thus are working through that phase on our hands, arms, and legs.
The bad news? It’s going to take a lot of patience and consistency from you and your family over the next few weeks, but this behavior can (and absolutely must) be trained out of them. Here’s what we’ve been doing that seems to be working thus far:
If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett. When we got our first cat, it helped me understand so much about their behavior and how to communicate effectively. I highly recommend it!
Good luck!
These two books written by Monks of New Skete, The Art of Raising a Puppy and Be Your Dogs Best Friend are worth their weight in gold. They cover what to buy as well as training methods for your dog.
Kong toys are brilliant. We use ours for training and have another that we fill with peanut butter and freeze. I consider this a frugal tip because it's the only toy our dog can't destroy.
Socializing your dog at the dog park costs only time.
In most major cities there are "clubs" for each breed and likely another club for rescue dogs. We took our mastiff to hang out with other mastiffs each Saturday. It was free.
You also need a good short walking/traffic lead and a longer park/hiking leash.
Good luck and thanks for rescuing a pup. It's a noble thing.
For training, my favorite:
How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend by the Monks of New Skete. They have another book about puppies and some DVDs too. Can't recommend them highly enough.
For an enjoyable, basic intro to dog perception/cognition:
Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know
Virtually any dog in the universe can fit the criteria of what you described, but all breeds have their little variations.
For example, my favorite breed is the German Shepherd. And there are German Shepherds that do really well in apartment life, and others that don't. If you go to a breeder for your dog, you're going to want to find a breeder that emphasizes pet quality, safe, sane dogs. The difference between a Labrador from hunting lines and lines bred for therapy and service dog work is night and day. If you go to a shelter to adopt a dog, I would recommend taking a qualified trainer with you that's well-read on selection testing dogs, and most of all, use the resources at your disposal. Talk to the people who run the shelter and/or the rescue. They have the most experience with the dog. They will be able to help you the best.
With the two breeds you mentioned (Golden Retrievers, specifically) keep in mind the shedding issue. Labs shed too, but Golden's are just about as bad as Shepherd's (which are both, very bad.) If you have carpet, be prepared to vacuum everyday. If you intend to let your dog sleep with you on the bed, or chill on the sofa, be ready to clean your furniture daily. Your clothes will be covered in hair if you do not. Your boss will not like you showing up to work wearing your dog.
Also, please, if you haven't already, look into your apartments restrictions for pets and dog breeds, and keep in mind that if you intend on moving, you will be taking your dog with you. I love all breeds of dogs, but apartments do not. Rottweilers, German Shepherd's, Doberman's, Pitbulls (and mixes) come under notorious scrutiny when moving. For your future dogs sake, pick a breed or mixed breed that your landlords are cool with.
Some of my favorite books include:
Dog Training for Dummies which is a very basic introduction to how dogs learn, and explains the different methods available to you in an unbiased manner.
Some of my personal favorite books include:
How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend by the Monks of New Skete.
The Art of Raising A Puppy by the Monks of New Skete
The Divine Canine by the Monks of New Skete
If you haven't already guessed, I'm a huge fan of the Monks of New Skete. The put huge emphasis on calm, structured leadership and positive method obedience that works in real life situations. Plus, they're German Shepherd people. Double points.
Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin.
Dr. Temple Grandin is a high-functioning autistic that teaches at Colorado State University's veterinary science department. I've taken several classes with her, and her understanding of animals is absolutely impossible to challenge. This book is more about genetic theory and science-backed training methods. It's good reading material if you want to know more about animals (she discusses dogs and livestock in detail) but is not a training guide. She also has a lot of technical articles available on her website here.
Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Harowitz. This is a cursory introduction to canine ethology. It is not a guide, but if you want to know about how dogs think (how dogs can "smell time" for example) this is where you start.
How to Speak Dog by Stanley Coren emphasizes communication with dogs, backed in animal biology and evolution.
Canine Body Language: A photographic guide by Brenda Aloff describes in vivid detail what dogs are "saying." It's not a training guide, but will help you understand your dog much better.
Katz on Dogs by Jon Katz, a great common sense training guide to working with dogs in the home, and outdoors.
Soul of a Dog also by Jon Katz, which goes into greater detail on the personal side of working with dogs, with very helpful examples.
Imagine Life With a Well Behaved Dog by Julie Bjelland. Great book on structure and positive method dog training.
Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Dr. Pitcairn was one of my college textbooks and it's a great start for dog nutrition and chemical-free health care for dogs. This is not a training guide, but nutrition and health are just as important (if not more) than training, so I figured I'd share.
With the exception of the first book on the list, all of these books are fairly detailed. I would highly recommend the Monks of New Skete books before any of the others. But they're all very good.
Additionally, you can read many of the articles on the AKC.org website regarding dog training, and Leerburg has some great comprehensive advice on training the working dog, which can also be applied to training family pets. He also sells a variety of videos and ebooks on the same subject matter.
TL;DR How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend & The Art of Raising A Puppy explain everything you ever need to know about training a dog, ever.
Have you read How to be your dog's best friend?
It was the combination and some advice from my sister who trains w/ Cesar Milan that I got my 'dog game' on point. You're correct with the training though, my dog could have trained himself.
Smart as fuck, sometimes too smart...
This book is super helpful.
She is beautiful!
Like someone said, they play hard and sleep hard.
For positive reinforcement training at home, you could start with something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Training-Best-Dog-Ever-Reinforcement/dp/0761168850/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Training+the+Best+Dog+Ever%3A+A+5-Week+Program+Using+the+Power+of+Positive+Reinforcement&qid=1563823551&s=books&sr=1-1
You could try using a front clip harness which will tend to turn the dog around when he pulls. I've heard that Canny Collars can be effective, but I've always worried my dog could hurt her neck if she sprinted for a squirrel while wearing one.
You might also need to try two different types of walks:
A few books that might be helpful:
You could also check around and see if there is a dog trainer nearby that could do an hour training / consultation session (We did this to learn tips to help with our dogs separation anxiety and I think it helped)
I use this in combination with an approach from Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz. Key is obviously to keep pups attention on you, so doing eye contact exercises and cuing to sit and verbalizing sit are all really good throughout the walk. I don't expect him to have his attention on me 100% of the time at a perfect heel but I do want him to know to look back at me and stop when he pulls ahead of me. As soon as he pulls ahead and starts pulling on leash, I stop, hold leash to my chest and don't move. I let him sniff or look around and as soon as he looks back at me, I say "good boy!" and lure him back to my knee with a treat while taking two steps backwards - concluding in a cued sit (no verbalizing the "sit" - want him to learn that he gets rewarded for sitting at my feet). If there's something going on that's grabbing his interest I use Zak's method of acknowledging it and reassuring him and then reward calm behavior and eye contact. Then I proceed with the walk trying to maintain eye contact and slack leash for as long as I can!! I've had issues with getting my pup to walk in the first place, but when he does, this method seems to work and whether he's right next to me or a step ahead, he is constantly looking back at me.
Love this book for dog training. We used the methods in it for our new pup and she is SO well behaved. Such a good doggo.
Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761168850/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qg-ZzbWJHG91S
Sort of, not really, is the best answer? I love doing readings for people as a party trick rarely, I have a general fascination with the occult and symbology and reading into things. But I’m not very spiritual as a person and it holds no real significance for me other than being something I love the aesthetics of, if that makes sense? So I’d hate to say that I am, when I’m not much of a practicer.
If you’re into exploring your spirituality though, and are open to all sorts of influences, I high recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Speak-Spiritual-Magical-Powers-Creatures/dp/0875420281
It’s about the symbology of all animals and what nature might be saying to you through it’s wild. I really love the book. Especially for self-reflection. Like, say I see a bluebird out of season. This book would tell me what that might mean based on what the bird represents, and you interpret meaning through it, it can really guide my mind at times.
Definitely just stay patient. I feel you’ll find the most meaning in tarot doing readings on yourself and learning to interpret that way. Thanks for humoring me!
If you want to put a lot of significance into your 'sona, maybe go pick up a book similar to this one- I think it's the same one I used a long time ago.
https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Speak-Spiritual-Magical-Powers-Creatures/dp/0875420281
these kind of books go really in-depth about what characteristics are attributed to a given species, and you can use that to either pick one that matches your current personality, OR go for an animal with lots of qualities that you don't have, but want to develop.
As others said, you don't need to have just one or stay with the same 'sona forever. Whatever suits you. I've had about half a dozen fursonas over the last fifteen years.
And if you mostly are into it for the drawing, it's ok to just pick something you WANT to draw! Don't be a gryphon centaur with 3 sets of wings and 5 tails if that is going to be too frustrating to recreate on paper.
Have fun!
Fight! by Jean Donaldson is also a helpful book in a case like this.
Keeping them separated is the right start. Be sure there is nothing to resource-guard while they are together. You want to make sure each dog feels secure, that his food/toy/spot on the bed isn't threatened. You also want to prevent incidents because aggression may cause fear which can cause aggression which is harder to treat.
I'd try to chance the emotional associations they have with each other. So only good things happen when they are in each other's presence (you may want a gate or at least space between them.) When they are reliably calm you can supervise the younger dog on leash while you give the other dog a treat. Reward the younger dog for any behavior other than barking/lunging/growling. So looking at the dog with the treat earns a treat. Ignoring the other dog with the treat earns a treat. You may not want to start with the highest value treat you can think of if that's too stressful. You may have to reverse this precedure, I'm not exactly sure who you are saying is the instigator.
I recommend the book, Fight! by Jean Donaldson.
The most common way, at least in my experience (please chime in with other ways/paths that you've taken) is exposure and mentoring.
Exposure is just work with as many dogs as you possible can. For me, I worked at a dog daycare/boarding/training/grooming place as a dog handler (officially Animal Care Technician but whatever.) I thought I knew a lot about dogs before going in. My close family had had several growing up, I'd helped raise for service puppy organizations, etc. I did not. I did not know nearly enough about dogs in general. There's nothing like being in a playroom with 30 dogs every day to rapidly teach you about dog body language, communication, habits, warning signs, the works. I worked there for a couple years and I was constantly learning. The biggest hurdle in getting to be a dog trainer is just exposure to lots and lots of different dogs, different breeds, different temperaments, different learning styles, different stimulus, different everything.
Next usually comes mentoring with an experienced trainer. I lucked out in that the trainer who started working at the daycare facility about year after I did was awesome. Totally positive and we clicked. We became really good friends fast. I officially mentored with her for just over a year. I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and I can't really speak on more arduous methods of finding a mentor.
Read. Find groups like this one and find their recommended literature. Training is important both in theory and practice. My first books were Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out, Ahimsa, and When Pigs Fly and they were the beginning of my positive-only approach as well as my drive to become a trainer. But there are tons and tons of books to really dive into.
Check out the sidebar for info on APDT, and look into getting your CPDT-KA. The training industry isn't really regulated, but this is kind of The Certification.
As far as career, both myself and my training mentor left that facility. We started our own training business together. She works that full time, though her SO has a nice cushy job to fall back on in times of famine, so the two of them do alright. While I might do alright working it fulltime, I am crazy stupid anxious about being totally on commission. I have another full time job (night shift manufacturing. Cog-in-a-machine type work, but it isn't mentally taxing leaving me mostly focused mentally on training. Also benefits are awesome.)
While starting your own business isn't common or uncommon, there's other routes too. You can work in a big box store (think petsmart, petco, etc) as a trainer. Though you'll see on this sub we kind of have a hesitant view on them. It's either hit or miss. You end up with an awesome trainer who is working there on the path to bigger and better things, or.... you don't. You could work at a facility like the dog daycare place I worked. From my experience pay is meh but not terrible. The biggest problem was ideology differences and goal differences (what's best for the dog vs what's best for the business.) Though I tend to have a negative bias about it so take that with a grain of salt. You could work at a training facility that brings together a bunch of trainers. You could work at a humane society. There's a lot of options, some commission, some hourly, some a mix. It all kind of depends on your experience, your connections, and honestly, your luck.
This... kind of rambles on a bit, but feel free to ask away! A lot of my career came just from being in the right place at the right time so I realize that's not much help, but I can try.
First, check out /r/puppy101
Otherwise great resources on youtube include: Zak George and Kikopup
Books/Resources that haven't been mentioned yet: Zak George's Dog Training ReVolution and Victoria Stillwell's Books, Blogs, and videos.
Is it possible to scale it back and just focus on your guys relationship with her first? It sounds like you are working really hard to socialize her in all aspects, but it may be overwhelming.
Kudos on the work you've done. Going from food possessive to being able to handle her food is huge! It sounds like you were very patient and respectful to get that sort of a result with her. That's what she needs right now.
Can you scale your socialization back for a bit? Maybe eliminate etra stress from other dogs and men until she feels bonded to you guys? She needs to be comfortable with you first before she can trust you enough to work on those issues.
An eample would be, if you are walking and see a man or another dog, turn away from them before she becomes nervous (starts staring). Don't wait for her to raise her hackles, cower, growl, whine, etc.
By moving her away from what she is fearing, she gains trust in your ability to protect her. It also teaches her to move away rather than feel the need to defend herself.
I highly recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Behavior-Adjustment-Training-Frustration-Aggression/dp/1617810509
Also, talk to a trainer. Just like u/edgepatrol said. These are difficult issues, especially for new dog owners. Yikes.
What exactly did you do when you "reacted wrongly and aggressively"? If you beat him or otherwise punished him physically, it might be that his conclusion was that if provoked he needed to disable you so you couldn't do that again.
Seeing a behaviourist is really your best bet. On top of that, so not as an alternative, try to read as much as you can on dog literature, for instance this extremely helpful book : "Behavior Adjustment Training: BAT for Fear, Frustration, and Aggression in DogsBehavior Adjustment Training: BAT for Fear, Frustration, and Aggression in Dogs" by Grisha Stewart, see here.
Euthanizing your dog is absolutely not the greatest solution at the moment, though it does seem to me like you've so far allowed your dog to sort of do anything he pleases. Of course he's upset now that he doesn't get his way, so the way to teach him is with kindness. See a behaviourist and read that book. Also show it to your mum if you can, she will be glad to know there IS a way to handle any kind of aggression. That said, don't think you can do it by yourselves. Biting is a really slippery slope for a dog, and it takes expert advice to know how to handle it.
I'm new to this thread. Smelly is a 50lb mixed breed whom I adopted as a young adult one year ago. His main reason for reactivity is fear and he will bark, growl and lunge at unfamiliar dogs and people.
His trainer introduced us to behavior adjustment training. This book was a great resource for me. His reactivity is much improved. I can walk him 90% of the time without an episode.
Currently he still will lunge and growl if an unfamiliar dog gets within his comfort zone(~12 feet radius). His other triggers are people in narrow hallways and people who are not in motion. His hallway/elevator lunging has improved with clicker-training with ultra high-value treats.
My dream would be for him to have good dog manners and be comfortable in unfamiliar settings. It would be so wonderful to watch him romp in the dog park like I used to with my previous dogs. I would love to do some sort of dog sport with him.. but I can't imagine if he ever would be comfortable with all that!
The person behind the biggest changes in Dog training and uncovering the myths behind the old school of thought is Dr. Ian Dunbar. He really changed the entire landscape of training. This is the book I get new puppy owners: http://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Getting-Your-Puppy/dp/1577314557
Anything else by him will also rock I'm sure. I also recommend
http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Clash-Jean-Donaldson/dp/1617811122/ref=pd_sim_b_8?ie=UTF8&refRID=05B0YMSXJHAPV8HKYE03
I would break it down and from a plan, maybe by priority or ease of training:
a. dogs
b. strangers (walking, biking, etc?)
I would check the books part in the wiki but I'll specifically mention this for the aggression/reactivity:
https://www.amazon.com/Behavior-Adjustment-Training-2-0-Frustration/dp/1617811742
Check out these videos, they should give you some hope. He uses BAT:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHG3NYUNiEMiMlNy56VuAqjFK2I9uR3YU
For storms that sounds classical conditioning can help with where you want to change your dogs emotional response. Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2vx2q5RDRI
I didn't find distracted dog, but reactive dog is similar and available at the two places I provided links to above. By the way, what you need for your dog is behavior modification or behavior adjustment as opposed to just standard training, which is a little tougher because he has been practicing this behavior for a while, and it is self rewarding like when we eat a quart of ice cream when we feel bad or chew our finger nails, etc. There's a book that might be helpful buy Grisha Stewert https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1617811742/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VYE75PHA6VYZ8QQVAEFW and you could also try a pheromone collar or diffuser to help calm your dog....
First and foremost you need to either find a really good store that will support you through it, a good book, and/or a good local reef club. If there are no local clubs, there is a wealth of information at Reef Central online, though those guys are kinda jerks to new people.
A great first S/W book: http://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-Step/dp/1890087521
A more thorough, but a little dense to start with: http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Commonsense-Successful/dp/1890087025
The one thing they seem to leave out of marine biology is captive husbandry. I'm sure you get a little exposure to it, but it's not like doing it yourself.
Yeah, the diatom bloom started in the first couple of days so I immediately put it in the dark and they cleared up.
A couple of LFS experts, one of the books I'm reading, and a couple of online sources that I can't seem to find again recommended not adding sand until the cycle is complete. It's also clear that a lot of people don't wait, but I figure there must be a reason those people suggest waiting, right?
This is great advice OP. I foster so have new dogs in the home all the time. Best to make the first week or two low key, get your schedule down so the dog has time to get used to it before you throw surprises in the mix. I also recommend starting off with whatever "rules of the house" you want from day one. ie if you don't want the dog in the kitchen or on the furniture, start that from the beginning so it's not confusing later.
Also, this is a great book if interested. https://www.amazon.com/Love-Limit-Welcoming-Adopted-into-Your/dp/1891767143
I haven't found any. Anything in print is basically guaranteed to be full of outdated information.
What work are you looking to do with your GSD?
Start there, talk to your breeder, and hopefully you'll find a lot of good info to work with.
EDIT: As for actual books, there are some really solid reads with applicability to all breeds. GSDs are "spicier" than your average dog, but they're still just dogs at the end of the day.
> One of the most frequent complaints of pet parents is that their dogs “just won’t listen.” But put yourself in your dog’s shoes for a moment. If someone was constantly chattering away in a foreign language that you’d never heard before, how long would you pay attention? Probably not for very long—because you simply wouldn’t be able to understand what the foreign speaker was trying to communicate.
> To communicate clearly and consistently with your dog, you need to understand how she learns. Dogs learn through the immediate consequences of their behavior. The nature of those consequences determines how they’ll behave in the future. Dogs, like other animals (people included), work to get good things and avoid bad things in life. If a behavior results in something rewarding—like food, a good belly rub, playtime with dog buddies or a game of fetch with her pet parent—your dog will do that behavior more often. On the other hand, if a behavior results in an unpleasant consequence—like being ignored or losing things she finds rewarding—she’ll do that behavior less often.
I highly recommend this book. It's a really fun and quick read, full of interesting stories to well presented science.
> An applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell looks at humans as just another interesting species, and muses about why we behave the way we do around our dogs, how dogs might interpret our behavior, and how to interact with our dogs in ways that bring out the best in our four-legged friends.
> After all, although humans and dogs share a remarkable relationship that is unique in the animal world, we are still two entirely different species, each shaped by our individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (like wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation.
I'm sorry that this happened. It's very scary, and while it seemed unexpected, dogs will behave inappropriately if they are not trained to behave appropriately.
Do not "put him down".
If you've noticed him being protective over objects (even at all) you should recognize that while you've thought it was a small problem, he thinks it's very serious. This is absolutely your family not taking manners training seriously. Every single puppy needs to be trained as to how to live appropriately with humans. Not every dog needs tons of training on every single possible thing, but every dog needs training on lots of things.
Your family should absolutely read books like Sophia Yin's How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves and call a local trainer to begin to learn how to teach your dog proper manners.
Also, unless you are professional dog breeders, have your puppy neutered.
So, the answer is both training and neutering.
If your family can't commit to training him properly, again...don't put him to sleep. At least take him to a proper no-kill shelter to be rehomed to a family who is more interested in training.
Puppy school (eg, at Petsmart) to teach him to "come" on command, etc. No puppy pads. cuz they encourage peeing indoors. Ours will potty outside, in any weather. NEVER punish for potty mistakes, but quickly whisk them outside to SHOW him where he should go, and then offer High-Value-Treat (meat, cheese, etc) the MILLI-SECOND they do it correctly. Praise at the right instant teaches them what behaviors you want them to repeat. Crate training is very important. It's a den, make it a happy place, not a prison. Read Dachshunds for Dummies, and other training books such as this excellent book. Watch Kikopup on youtube for training tips. Learn how to read dog body language, also known as calming signals. Learn the many benefits of raw feeding. Above all, give him love, and he will give you joy.
Edit: if you can, adopt another. Dachsies do better in pairs.
I recommend reading "Think Like a Cat" as this will fill you in with all your questions and continue to be a great reference down the line. Also check out littlebigcat.com and Jackson Galaxy's youtube channel, as well as some episodes of My Cat From Hell (many are available online) to get more insight into cat behavior. In short though, some highlights:
Good luck to you and your new kitty friend!
It's been 2 years, and you have been very patient! Only a bit more to go!
Dealing with cats is as much of a skill as drawing, for example. You can look at people who have been drawing for years and think "I keep seeing people working miracles with a pencil on paper and here I am, barely able to draw a straight line". But that's not constructive, anyone can learn to draw. Talent is a part of it, but only a small one. The rest is learning and practice.
I have been reading a ton on cat behavior over the past few years. The first cat I had (when I was 6) was really mean, he would scratch me and bite me, and barely let me pet him, and I didn't understand what was going on, and my parents made me give him away. I always wanted a cat though, and wanted to understand what happened. My current cat also came with some behavior issues, but surprisingly, all this learning paid off. He is the sweetest cat and I am clicker training him to sit and give kissies. I still have much to learn, and I am trying to share what I've learned with other people in the meanwhile.
I found Pam Johnson-Bennett's books to be great. I found "Think Like a Cat" in particular to really help me understand cats. I also found My Cat From Hell to be an interesting series, and it helps in seeing interaction directly, although be aware that Jackson Galaxy is not a certified behaviorist as far as I know, and he believes in homeopathic medicine woo, so take everything he says with a grain of salt.
While I agree with the others here that you should treat around children, I disagree regarding criteria: I don't think you should expect any particular reaction from her in order to treat.
Treating based on a behavioural criteria is operant conditioning. The purpose of operant conditioning is to teach your dog to undertake a certain behaviour based on a certain cue or context. For example, teaching your dog to sit nicely whenever she sees a kid would be great if she tended to be overly excitable and happy around kids and had a tendency to knock them over accidentally.
Treating in the context of a trigger, without expecting any particular behaviour from your dog, is counterconditioning. The purpose of counterconditioning is to change your dog's automatic emotional reaction to the trigger. You treat every time your dog sees a child, regardless of whether your dog is growling or ignoring, because you want your dog to associate "child=something good!". Over time, your dog should start to feel good about children because they predict good things.
Depending on what your goals with your dog are, you may be happy to stop at counterconditioning -- say, you don't particularly care whether your dog sits next to you, sniffs the floor, politely says hello to the child, as long as the dog isn't being aggressive to the child. Just improving the dog's emotional reaction to children would be sufficient for that. On the other hand, if you want to see a specific behaviour from your dog around children, then after you have successfully counterconditioned your dog, you can work on operant conditioning.
You will not have much success with operant conditioning your dog when she is experiencing fear around children. Fear inhibits learning, and your dog is unlikely to even bother listening to you if it feels threatened. "Pleasing mum" takes a backseat to "defending my life!" any day for a dog, so it will ignore cues from you until it feels like the trigger has retreated.
Another tool for working with fearful reactive dogs is Behavioural Adjustment Training (BAT). It is similar to operant conditioning in that you reward your dog for appropriate "de-escalation" behaviour (e.g., turning away from the trigger, sniffing the ground, etc.) but instead of giving a treat or a toy, you reward the dog by allowing it to put more space between it and the trigger. Grisha Stewart developed the technique, and has written a couple books on how to do it, the most recent being [Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0] (https://www.amazon.ca/Behavior-Adjustment-Training-2-0-Frustration/dp/1617811742/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474135094&sr=8-1&keywords=grisha+stewart). It requires that you have willing children to volunteer to stand around in a field or something while you do the training set-ups -- maybe find a helpful parent and offer to buy the kid an ice cream cone?
I'm going to recommend The Culture Clash, by Jean Donaldson.
https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Clash-Jean-Donaldson/dp/1617811122/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=EB90Z6TWT7WO&coliid=I11ONUF37YZUPX
There is also a list on the side bar.
>the nicest person I've been in touch with
Thanks :) You've been pretty reasonable and interesting to talk to also (sometimes thats really hard when you're passionate about something).
So, if anything I've said so far seemed to make sense to you, I'd recommend you get and read a few books that talk about how dogs (and animals in general) "work". They're all fairly cheap, interesting / easy to read, and are written by really qualified animal behaviorists / trainers:
Patricia B. McConnell
Donaldson
(They're in /r/dogtraining's book list, but I think these 3 are a really good place to start)
They aren't going to turn you into a behaviorist just from reading those 3 books, but they'll give you a good background / base of knowledge to build on. Your girlfriend will probably think they're interesting too, and think you're pretty cool for researching / being interested in what she thinks is the best way to train / change behavior.
> every now and then she has some dominance trip
Something I would strongly recommend before you address the problems your dog is having is to research the concept of "dominance" in dogs and the role it plays in their behaviour. The idea that common misbehaviour among dogs arises as a result of their desire to be "dominant" over you has been widely discredited by modern behavioural science and research into dog psychology. Here are some links to get you started:
http://www.apdt.com/petowners/choose/dominance.aspx
http://www.apbc.org.uk/articles/why-wont-dominance-die
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm
For further information, these books are excellent:
Don't Shoot The Dog by Karen Pryor
Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
It is unlikely to be a dominance issue with your dog. As for your problems, it is hard to say exactly what is happening without watching your dog's interactions. You say when she bites at the other dog's neck when she is running/playing with them as a way of "correcting" their behaviour. Are you sure this isn't simply an instance of overenthusiastic mouthing as a result of excitement/lack of boundaries? For example, if you watch this video from the 11:20 mark, you will see the dog exhibiting biting/mouthing behaviour as a result of excitement: http://youtu.be/2wm_cWySHA4?t=11m20s
The trainer uses vocal interruption and the removal of stimulus (stopping play) to indicate to the dog that mouthing/biting is not acceptable behaviour for play. Perhaps you could apply similar methods to your dog by using a long leash and controlling her play with other dogs, interrupting play when poor behaviour is demonstrated. But as I said, I can't tell exactly how your dog is acting, and would strongly recommend getting in touch with a local positive-method trainer if she is exhibiting signs of unchecked aggression.
As to her guarding you, this is again unlikely a "dominance" issue. Her desire to protect you more likely stems from feelings of fear/insecurity, and could be addressed in the same way that food or toy resource guarding would be addressed. You need to guide your dog into realising that other dog pose no threat to you or her and she does not have to exhibit aggressiveness. You can do this through desensitisation and counterconditioning. Information on these methods can be found in the sidebar and in the training books I linked to above.
Definitely speak to management and provide direct quotes. Ask to use the other trainer, or your money back immediately so you can go elsewhere.
Look up kikopup on YouTube for some good positive training videos.
I am also a huge fan of Culture Clash by Jean Donaldaon. If looking for some good info and perspective.
You need to find a good behaviourist to work with you, this is a common, but very challenging condition to treat.
This is by far the best book on the subject, and explains how complex these cases are to manage.
What country are you in? You are probably best to find a veterinary behaviourist, and if I know where you're from I can help point you in the right direction to find one.
Is she the only dog? She's never been alone before.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/wiki/separationanxiety
Your placement rep should have some very good advice for you as well as other resource people in you adoption group.
This book by Patricia McConnell is often recommended for separation anxiety.
This one by Malena Demartini-Price is also often recommended.
If this is actual anxiety, it isn't just about the right toys and exercise (those things help, however) it's about desensitization. I highly recommend this book.
I found a book that I read last night by a dog trainer for dog trainers:
https://www.amazon.com/Treating-Separation-Anxiety-Malena-Demartini-Price/dp/1617811432
In addition to working on Place commands, it suggest use a remote treat dispenser, a game of find it, and a gradual desensitization to being out of sight. I am kind of cash poor, so I appreciated finding some sort of plan to tackle this and thought others might too :)
100% this. There's a great book on how we put human emotions onto dogs that they just don't feel. They don't understand "right" and "wrong" the way they think we do. They don't feel guilt. They also aren't able to connect past actions with current actions, so if they got into the trash an hour ago and you point at it now, they make zero connection between THEM getting in the trash and you pointing at it now. There's a great book that discusses this more: Culture Clash.
You're doing okay!
My adult dog had some accidents, lots of separation anxiety and affection issues, and took a while to adjust (maybe is still adjusting)
Remind yourself that you care and have the time and patience to help this little guy. You're already doing so many things right.
And then start reading (though you sound like you have been). Read to inform yourself and read to stay motivated.
Try some Cesar Milan books for communication tips
Look up T-touch massage
This kindle book
Really great memoirs about the whole starting of this study by Dr. Irene Pepperberg
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061673986/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rlGIybGJC4J5W
I guess it might not count as "in nature", but in the book Alex and Me the author claims the bird could answer questions like "how many blue" things are there. This was from a parrot who was trained over many years though, not sure if parrots can do stuff like that in the wild.
Sure - but a couple things. Nobody is worked up over this or has a real personal stake in the matter - it's just scientists debating different hypothesis. Right now, most researchers are leading towards the one presented in that opinion piece. It cites just one book, but the book is filled with solid primary literature and gives us a general overview of the field right now. The man you're referring to is not just some assistant research grad & journalist wife, here he is a Harvard Ph.D who - nevermind just read the first paragraph of his bio. Attack ad hominem if you like, but he's the top of the field.
I included sources that backed up my claims (and left out anything I couldn't quickly find a source for) since I'm not in the social sciences and am just regurgitating what I've read. A lot of the accepted knowledge ten+ years ago (as far as dog cognition) seemed so wrong, and some of the studies seemed so obviously flawed, that it just became a personal interest of mine.
If you want some good reading on the subject, I highly recommend
in The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think, written by an evolutionary anthropologist with a particular interest our relationship with dogs and how it came to be. The studies highlighted in the book are fascinating, and it really gives an expert's view of how they all fit together.
Anyway, the sources I posted include a few different small studies. The tests using a sniff test and a mirror for solving problems specified that the dogs were not trained for the tasks. The NYT article is an op-ed piece, but it's written by a neurologist who used MRI scans to show dogs' brain activity in response to various stimuli. His results indicate that dogs are sentient, emotional animals. In the NPR article, dogs were trained to perform a task but the test was whether they would continue to perform that task if they weren't being rewarded (and another dog was). The Scientific American article is pointing out flaws in the mirror test, especially as it relates to other cultures and animals.
The Genius of Dogs
These two are general guides on cats. Both are very good:
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014200281X
This is a book on clicker training, I haven't tried the techniques, but the book seems good:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890948144
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468512743&sr=8-2&keywords=Cat+training
This book has great reviews
Let me recommend a good book.
It's called THINK LIKE A CAT.
I don't agree with everything the author says, but mostly she gives a lot of good practical advice.
congrats on deciding to kennel train, we will never have a dog that isn't. all dogs are naturally drawn to the kennel as it resembles their den in nature. the biggest thing to remember (IMHO) is that the kennel should NEVER be used as a disciplinary tool. you want the kennel to be a happy place for the dog (treats help with this). second, a dog should only be in the crate for about one hour of time for every six weeks of age, consequently, the dog really shouldn't be left in the crate for an 8 hour work day until about 1 year old. an appropriately sized crate is the difference between crate training success and failure when the dog is young. a dog has a natural desire to NOT want to soil it's den - to utilize this in the crate training, the crate needs to be big enough for the dog to comfortably move around and lay down in, but not so large as the dog could pee/poop in one end of the crate and lay in the other end away from it. a full sized dobe will need a pretty large crate - you can either buy different sized crates as the dog grows or buy the adult sized crate now and use a divider or various sized cardboard boxes to take up the extra space until the dog grows into it.
i would expect that peeing on the patio instead of the yard is a confidence issue with the young pup and the dog will grow out of it in a couple weeks/months. the dog's natural instinct is to go to the bathroom in the grass, this will come. if you want to encourage it faster, put the dog on a leash while still in the house, open the door and walk the dog directly to the grass - do not stop on the patio. then walk the dog around in the grass until she uses the restroom and praise her for doing so in the appropriate spot. she'll learn quickly where it's ok to and not to go to the restroom.
to keep her off the sofa, first, she must be corrected every time she attempts to get on it, even with a single paw. second, any time she walks up to the sofa but does NOT attempt to get up on it you need to praise her for doing the right thing. our dogs are allowed to put their chin on the sofa but nothing more - i have friends that the chin is not allowed either. dobes are very smart; consistency on your part is key.
if you're so inclined, this is awesome.
Read one of the Monks books on puppy/dog raising.
[read](How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners (Revised & Updated Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316610003/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FfLhzbGE7BR2S)
http://www.amazon.com/How-Your-Dogs-Best-Friend/dp/0316610003
Thanks for the info. I bought a couple Sophia Yin books on kindle. Do you have any experience with How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend? It seems to be a "classic" manual. Just wondering if the info or techniques are outdated at all.
We got our 7/almost 8 month Yorkie about 9ish days ago. Luckily, he came to us used to the crate at night—not so much during the day (he was on an apartment balcony for 8+ hours a day, with water and a grass pad/yoga mat for pottying. We just decided to start from scratch.)
What I would recommend is the book ‘How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days’. Honestly, the 7 days is a bit of a misnomer but this book has great, easy to follow adaptable steps. (No worries if it’s not done in 7 ACTUAL DAYS). It does involve having to crate for longer periods but I’ve seen it work really well so far with our dog, especially getting him to take enforced naps. We do crate him in a separate room when we’re at home just because he can’t relax/settle well if he sees us. We also purposefully watch him like a hawk when he’s out and about on his own as we’ve still had a few accidents.
Crating feels super confined but as long as you entertain them/exercise them well outside of the crate, we don’t are issues. Gradually, we’ll try an expen with him at home alone but we’re nowhere near that stage yet.
Edit: also, for the record, we’re still having accidents every few days. But, the book I recommended as been a god send, especially with the sample schedules that are included.
Read this book. It is very regimented but very effective. Though Jacks are always harder to train than others.
If you have a Kindle I should be able to loan it you...though I don't know how just yet :D
book
Check out 7 Day Dog Training. My border collie puppy was housebroken in less than a week doing this. It's a method that uses the crate.
Your poor dog for being crated 24/7 at the puppy mill. Crates should be their comfort zone and happy place. :(
I absolutely loved Training the Best Dog Ever - lots of really good details and not just training the puppy, but preparing.
The other one I read and thought useful was After You Get Your Puppy (which is also a free pdf which you can order a hard copy of I believe)
I always grew up with dogs on a farm, and got my first puppy this spring, an 8 week old Cane Corso. I feel like the reading I did in both of these books greatly helped to set me up for success, and I would highly recommend. If you have a local library, you may also be able to borrow these from there.
Hey there! Congrats on the new pup. We just got ours, and we're using the book How to Train the Best Dog Ever. Training is going well so far on day 5 (she's 8 weeks old). She is really smart and a bit strong-willed, but man: she catches on fast.
Last night she slept through the night for the first time (yay!).
Do: prep your house by hiding shoes and anything below knee level. She is mouthing (light chewing) on about 75% of what she can reach. My girlfriend or I are with her at all times right now, so we quickly give her a toy when we see her biting anything. She REALLY likes running right by our feet, and it looks a lot like she's trying to herd us all ready.
She really likes the crate, as well. We got a blanket from the breeder that was in the enclosure with her and her siblings, and that's in her crate, which we feed her treats and snacks in and around. I think when they first come from the breeder, they're already used to some sort of barrier, so I think it's probably a great time to reinforce that the crate is a good place where fun things happen. We don't give her treats when she comes out--she shouldn't expect rewards when crate time ends, or she'll make a positive association with leaving the crate (learned that from the book!).
She really is pretty wonderful, and I wish you luck with your pup! I just posted a pic of Hazel aka Hazelnut aka Purple Haze in the main subreddit.
Hope this helps!
Edit: a word
There's nothing odd about having multiple power animals.
If you're interested in learning more, I would recommend books by the late great Ted Andrews.
Animal-Speak: https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Speak-Spiritual-Magical-Powers-Creatures/dp/0875420281
Animal-Wise: https://www.amazon.com/Animal-wise-Understanding-Messengers-Companions-Anniversary/dp/1888767634
I'd like to think snow leopard... but I don't know. I have too many "relatable animals" to make it official I suppose. I try to read up on them and their spirit guidance-ness from my two books and I would say snow leopards most of the time, sometimes others like raven/crow, magpie or otter or some other random animal.
I like these books 1, 2. They're pretty good books from what I've read, lots of animals in them and not just North American wildlife or strictly mammals. Foxloft has some good mini descriptions.
Sensitivity, camouflage, agility. Snow leopard people tend to be introverted, quiet, observant, and independent. They tend to live partly in their own world, calmly perched above the small things that can easily consume day to day life. Snow leopard as a totem can teach us to overcome obstacles and navigate our lives with an agile, flexible step. (Foxloft)
It's pretty much me, spot on. I'm the quiet, 100% introverted one. I tend to keep to myself and just watch everything/one else do their thing.
Then of course raven, raccoon, kangaroo, red panda, wolverine, crow... bunch of other animals. Not always the whole thing like snow leopard though. I don't feel like digging out my books and reading snow mew parts right now... it is past midnight and I have work in the morning haha
I have no idea.. but for animal totems I like this book..
http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Speak-Spiritual-Magical-Powers-Creatures/dp/0875420281
Yeah Wicca isn't for everyone. If animism is what you're most interested in so far, that's a great start. You could look into Native American tribal cultures.
My favorite book in this field is Animal Speak by Ted Andrews. My dad had it in his collection and it was one of the most fascinating reads when I was a kid.
The answer relies upon personal belief.
Many, myself included, don't believe the animal kingdom is making the same journey that humans are. They are our teachers not our students, and don't need our guidance getting home. It's not they who left, not they who are confused.
To consider otherwise can be seen as a huge miscalculation, or arrogance.
Please consider reading up on the animal symbology of the world's shamanic traditions. The book Animal Speaks by Ted Andrews is a good place to start. On-line resources (so far) all lack the depth the books have. EDIT: They're holding back some knowledge to help encourage people to go deeper, buy books, study.
YMMV.
I haven't tried any of her training videos, but this one looks appropriate and is a decent price. Just remember any money you spend is money taken away from hiring a good trainer. Hiring a live person can really help because all of their advice is tailored to you, your dog, and your specific situation.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0991495349
I would also recommend Jean Donaldson's book "Fight!: A Practical Guide to the Treatment of Dog-dog Aggression"
http://www.amazon.com/Fight-Practical-Treatment-Dog-dog-Aggression/dp/0970562969/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452694400&sr=1-1&keywords=fight%21+jean+donaldson
http://www.amazon.com/Fired-Up-Frantic-Freaked-Out/dp/0985934921
Train them to use a mat as a relaxation spot and train them the MOMENT they see eachother to hit the map for super high value MEAT.
If they learn that laying down in eachothers view is more rewarding then you can slowly begin to move the mats closer. Eventually you will have them layind next to each other for rewards and they learn to self calm around each other.
I would recommend picking up a copy of the book, Fired up, Frantic, and Freaked Out. It teaches a technique for dealing with reactive dogs, but is a technique that I think any dog owner should have up their sleeve.
The basic idea is that you have a 'security' blanket or item that the dog learns to relax on. Once you have the basic relaxation down you start to present sounds/items/actions that would otherwise put the dog on alert while the dog is relaxed on the mat. The idea is to teach the dog that they can make a choice not to freak out, and to stay relaxed.
I've been using this technique with my extremely reactive Basenji/Pit mix for the past two months. With my dog it is very slow progress, but with a dog that is otherwise well behaved and non-reactive I could imagine this taking only a few weeks to work. Eventually with this technique the dog should start responding to stimulus by relaxing rather than going on alert. In turn, by being relaxed he/she should be able to respond to command much more readily.
Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with Love
This is my absolute favorite dog book and it connects with his videos as well. The book is written in a more general sense that can be used with any dog of any age and it is really easy to follow.
If you decide to go this route, this is a great resource (I just finished reading it last night and it is an excellent book about positive training techniques that also delves into and uses research to discuss why negative (and abusive) training methods don't work. The author also has a ton of youtube videos showing how to positively teach different types of behavior in difference scenarios.
Yes. Treats are a reward. Rewards come in various forms. You can make what you want the dog to do a way to get what it really wants. Reinforce good behavior using rewards - treats, play, belly rubs, letting the dog off leash etc.
​
I read Zac George's book and checked out some of his vids on Youtube for general behavior training. Grisha Stewart's video on BAT is what we mostly followed.
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Title | Teaching Your Dog to 'Go Pee' on Command
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Length | 0:04:30
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Get this book now.
Zak George's Dog Training Revolution https://www.amazon.com/dp/1607748916/
And when old enough, socialize, socialize, and socialize with other dogs!
I really liked Zak George's Dog Training Revolution. Here's the Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com.br/Zak-Georges-Dog-Training-Revolution/dp/1607748916
I trained my pup through Zak George with his youtube channel and book and it worked brilliantly. He's 11 months now and he heels, plays fetch, comes when called, house trained in a couple of months. Can't recommend enough.
Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZzFRKsgVMhGTxffpzgTJlQ
Book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zak-Georges-Dog-Training-Revolution/dp/1607748916
Have you looked into Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT)? I only started reading it but it seems like it might help. From what I gather, you figure out what the threshold is for your dog's reactivity and work from there. Like I said, I'm only about halfway through it but it seems like it would be helpful, plus it was a recommendation in the wiki.
I don't use corrections either. I would rather show the dog what to do rather than what not to do. My dog isn't perfect, but he is a great dog and I am very happy with the results I have gotten from using only positive reinforcement training. My dog and I do agility, rally, nose-work, parkour, and a ton of trick training. Positive reinforcement works it just takes effort and time from the trainer. The best example I can give for what positive reinforcement is to look up Sara Carson and her Super Collies. She only uses positive reinforcement and all of her dogs are amazing and she has a reactive/aggressive dog as well.
My dog has both fear and frustration based reactivity, although they start out looking different, they end in the same result of barking, lunging, etc.
I would refrain from using punishment/corrections to modify a dogs frustration based reactive dogs behavior because you don't want it to turn into fear. Your dog might not make the association that they are getting the punishment because of their behavior and may associate the punishment to seeing other dogs and this can turn into them thinking dogs=punishment so keep away from me!
Look into B.A.T and L.A.T training if you haven't already.
BAT training book by Grisha Stewart is a really good read for BAT training and she has some really good diagrams.
> eager to please
The Eager to Please Fallacy:
by Jean Donaldson in 'The Culture Crash'
http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Clash-Jean-Donaldson/dp/1617811122/
The anthropomorphic spin on dog behaviour is not limited to exaggerations of their intelligence. We also misinterpret their regard for us. When are we going to put to bed once and for all the concept that dogs have a "desire to please"? What a vacuous, dangerous idea. I'm still waiting to meet this dog who wants to please his owner. Indeed, where is this dog who is interested at all in the internal state of his owner except with regard to how manifestations of this state impact events of relevance to the dog? Actually, let's start by tracking down a dog who can form representations of another being's internal states at all. Although praise works as a reinforcer for some individuals in the total absence of any competing motivation, this effect is limited, and casts some pretty extreme doubt on a "desire to please" module.
Closer scrutiny makes the case even weaker. Rule out, for starters, that the praise functions as a safety cue--a predictor of extremely low likelihood of aversives. This is evident in traditional obedience classes. The primary motivation is said to be praise. The primary motivation is actually avoidance of aversives, called "leash corrections". If the trainer is any good, the dog learns that if a response is praised, a correction has been avoided, and so the praise acquires meaning and relevance. But does this mean the dog is employing this sound as evidence of some internal state of the maker of the sound? This is unlikely.
Praise can also acquire some "charge" as a secondary reinforce in the day-to-day life of a dog. People tend to praise dogs more before doling out cookies, attention, walkies and games. This all is more evidence of what we already knew and should be exploiting with a tad more sophistication: dogs learn by the immediate results of their actions, and by tip-offs to important events in their lives.
And yet the use of food in training meets moralistic resistance among a staggering number of owners. I Once spoke to a traditional trainer who poured scorn on the use of food as a motivator. The line he trotted out, and which still makes me retch even to this day, was: "If you use food to train, the dog is doing it for the food and not for you." This man's dog, trained by avoidance with a strangle collar, was supposedly doing it for him because the only positive reinforcer was praise. Trainers who make claims about dogs working "to please" or strictly for praise seem oblivious to the main motivator they employ: pain. The first task in training any animal is finding out what motivates it. No motivation, no training. All animals are motivated by food, water, sex, and avoiding aversives. If they are not motivated by these at all, they die. A lot of animals can be motivated by play, attention, and the opportunity to socialize with or investigate other dogs and interesting smells. All animals can be motivated by signals that represent one of these primary reinforcers, provided the relationship between the signal and the primary is kept adequately strong. This is mostly where praise comes in, as sort of a imprecise marker that tells the animal the probability of a primary has improved. If you opt not to use positive reinforcement, you end up, like they all do, using aversives and announcing that your dog is doing it for you. Pathetic.
None of this is to say praise isn't good or important. I personally praise my dogs an embarassing amount because I like them and I like doing it. They like it when I'm in a good mood because Good Things Happen for Dogs when She's in a Good Mood. I personally love it when someone like my Kung Fu instructor, who has power over me, is in a good mood, but not because I'm genetically wired with a desire to please him. My interest in my teacher's mood is pretty selfish, and I;m supposed to be a morally advanced human. Any interest you dog has in your mood is based on what he has learned it means for him. And that's okay.
Praise does work as a primary reinforcer for some dogs. They like it enough to work for it, especially when it's the only game in town, but this is weak grounds on which to marginalize those dogs for whom praise does not work as a primary reinforcer. It is also weak grounds to support the hypothesis of an underlying mechanism of desire to please. A lot of dogs seem to kind of life praise but won't reliably work for it. This is fine. There's a difference between expressing affection to the dog, for what it's definitely worth to the human and for whatever it may be worth to the dog, and relying on praise as a principal means of motivating an animal in training or behaviour modification. In other words, don't confuse bonding activities with training and behaviour mod. For the latter, heavier artillery is usually needed.
Some people feel disappointed to discover the necessity of using heavier artillery like food and access to fund and games and other primary reinforcers in order to condition their animal. They feel like their particular dog is a lemon because "he listens when he wants to," "only does it when I have a cookie" and has in short little or no desire to please. Generations of dogs have been labeled lemons for requiring actual motivation when all along they were normal. In fact, many people are actually put off by the intensity with which dogs will work for strong primary reinforcers such as food. It too directly assaults any cherished belief they might have in the desire-to-please myth, and makes them feel less important to the dog. ("Wow, is this what motivation looks like?") I'm still waiting to meet a real dog with desire to please. If he shows up, I'll send him for therapy.
The desire to please thing has been fed, largely, by the misreading of certain dog behaviours. Dogs get excited when we come home, solicit attention and patting from us, and lick us. They are very compulsive about their greeting rituals. They often shadow us around when we're available and become gloomier or even anxious when we leave. They are highly social and genetically unprepared for the degree of absence from family members they experience in a human environment. They also bounce back amazingly well, to a point, from the immense amount of punishment we mete out at them. They monitor our every movement. I can see how this could be interpreted as worship, but it's important not to get a big ego about it: they are monitoring our every movement for signs that something might happen for dogs.
My dogs' brains are continuously and expertly checking out the behaviour of humans, working out to eight decimal places the probability at any given second of cookies, walks, attention, Frisbee and endless hours of deliriously orgasmic games with the latex hedgehog. They appear devoted to me because I throw a mean frisbee and have opposable thumbs that open cans. Not to say we don't have a bond. We both are a bonding species. But they don't worship me. I'm not sure they have a concept of worship. Their love is also not grounds for doing whatever I say. It is, in fact, irrelevant to training. To control their behaviour, I must constantly manipulate the consequences of their actions and the order and intensity of important stimuli. Interestingly, some of the most sophisticated training jobs are done where no love and little bond is present. THis is not to say that training is not one of the best ways around to foster a bond. It is. But it's not a prerequisite of training.
If you're really committed to training, you gotta sort of take a broader look at canine psychology and behavior instead of having a more narrow focus on breed characteristics. I would strongly recommend reading "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson.
>why is a 20g high a bad place to start?
I originally thought that a 20g-high tank was 20" wide; but a 20g-high is 24" wide, while a extra-high has a 20" width. When buying lights, you'll have a much easier time finding fixtures in increments of 12".
My first reef tank was a 29g, which I think is a perfect starting size, but a finding 30" lights at the time was a pain.
>Im not looking to go BIG. i already have big for fresh water, and thats where im sticking since i have this tank as an extra and want to make use of it.
Just pushing the concept that the larger the tank is, the more stable it is. Go with largest tank your available space and finances allow.
>I plan on educating myself as much before i start, so i know where to start as well, so all opinions are great, thanks!
Awesome starter book: The New Marine Aquarium: Step-By-Step Setup & Stocking Guide
>And as far as patient, yes i plan on it. Looking for something that will slowly become a beauty, and something i can just sit back and watch life take over really. I plan on maybe 2 or 3 fish if that, small, a few shrimp or a star fish, and some coral, but i realize there are fish that destroy coral so im learning which are good which arent.
One of my beliefs is if you want a fish tank, build a fish tank. If you want a reef tank, build a reef tank. Try to pick fish based on how they can help maintain your reef, not just look cool. I love me some gobies and blennies.
Think about starting with soft corals. Zoonathids, Green Star Polyps, leathers and mushrooms are all great starting corrals.
>Why do you say bare bottom to start with also? I also want to have this as a self filtration tank also, that requires less maintenance once its stable and set.
I like bare bottoms because they're very easy to clean. If you really want to have substrate, I would still recommend going bare until after your rock is fully cured.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Michael-Paletta/dp/1890087521/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452143680&sr=8-1&keywords=the+new+marine+aquarium I think this is probably the best book, even after having multiple other books and 10+ years of saltwater aquariums I still find myself going back to it for minor refreshes.
Bigger the aquarium the smaller fluctautions so despite thinking smaller will be easier, thats actually wrong. When it comes to filtration Live Rock (I think rule is a # per gallon) also live rock. I wanna say on lighting you want 2-3 watt per gallon. I suggest you start off with some hardy fish (Nemo) and do a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) then when you feel more comfortable add some of the easier corals (Mushrooms, Some Zooanthoids, Leathers, Zenia)
goto www.reefcentral.com and research FOWLR also get multiple opinions
Patricia McConnell is an animal behaviorist who has written many great training books. Here’s one for puppies
Dr. McConnell has owned and trained many BCs herself. I recommend her methods highly - they have gotten my husband and I through 4 border collies.
Here’s a link to her blog: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/
Check out /r/goldenretrievers
Goldens can be hell as puppies. They will chew everything and anything they can. There's a lot of different theories, but this is what worked for me: Set a puppy portion of the house and a non-puppy portion. You can do this with baby gates or stacking boxes, or what have you. Make sure that only puppy chewable things are in the puppy part of the house. Be prepared for puppy bites- they don't mean anything by it, but their little teeth are like daggers.
Consider crate training as well. In a couple of months, find a puppy level obedience class and go to it.
Reinforce the training at home. Focus on loose-leash walking and simple commands. This will take a couple of years for the pup to perfect.
Wear the puppy out every day. Easiest way to do this is with fetch or "puppy ping-pong" in which you and someone else take a stack of treats each and take turns calling the puppy from larger distances, or different places in the house. This gets the pup used to coming when called.
Read books. I like The Puppy Primer for general purpose stuff. Learn about dog psychology. Remember this is a lifelong investment that will take time, money, and lots of energy- but you'll get more back than you put into it.
Goldens, at their core, really really really want to make their masters happy. It's your job to teach the pup what makes you happy through steady limits and training.
Good luck.
Also, yes... I admit I didn't read your whole post and I'm really bad about that. But I hope my advice is useful anyway. For a really great, short, concise training book try The Puppy Primer.
Dogs are not good surprise gifts. If you're going to adopt a dog for the whole family, bring the whole family to meet it and bring the whole family to train it. One thing they don't talk about much in books is finding a dog that genuinely likes people and other dogs and finding a dog for first timers. Make sure you spend a good half hour with the dog and ask tons of questions about the dog's temperament from someone more experienced - if you have friends that own well adjusted dogs (probably not the one you mention in the post), bring them with you. Touch him all over to see how he deals with being handled, run with him walk with him one at a time, move slowly and confidently and look for signs of stress: http://www.maplewooddog.com/MDT/Articles/Communication-Handling-Articles/DogBodyLanguagePoster.jpg
You do not need to adopt the first sad eyes you see.
As for preventing behavioral issues like nipping, licking being a pest. You may want to start with a younger dog (10-24 months) who is less set in his ways and beginning to mature; more of a blank slate and willing to learn what is expected of him. It goes both ways, you must constantly train him what is expected in your household and how to distract him from doing things you dislike.
Keywords like this can point to a balanced dog: turnkey, easy going, relaxed, outgoing, happy, confident, playful, loves car rides, friendly, biddable, keen, young, good with people, good with kids, good with other dogs and cats, smart, spayed, aims to please, settles nicely, crate trained, house broken, watches tv :).
Stay away from dogs with keywords like these until you have more experience to care for their needs: special needs, shy, medical issues or allergies, reactive, fearful, may become aggressive, no kids, no cats, separation anxiety, needs lots of room, active homes only, growls, was a chained outdoor dog, not for apartments, suffered from parvo when young, epilepsy, intact, not for dog parks, not for off leash, needs lots of love, came from another country, strong prey drive, thinks he's smarter than humans.
For the more concrete questions: what to buy, what to do before the big day, how to introduce the dog to your home. Start with this book. It helped me SO much as a first timer.
http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1891767143
Invest in some good positive training courses a month later and make sure the whole household knows they need to provide activity/food/walks for the dog. You might want to do some breed research and find what agrees with your lifestyle. Many shelter dogs are mixes, but it's good to at least know the breeds so you don't end up with a Husky, feral dog, wolf hybrid or sighthound as your first dog. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but they can be a handful for people with no dog experience.
Read a basic dog training book if you haven't yet? I like 'The Power of Positive Dog Training' by Pat Miller or 'Dog Friendly Dog Training' by Andrea Arden. They are just very basic training books, there are a lot of more specific books for behavioral issues.
Patricia McConnell (my favorite dog behaviorists) has a short book on adopting a dog and a second one on getting a puppy.
So, yea, check out the library. More productive than just the random excitement.
Get Patricia McConnell's book Love Has No Age Limit. I promise it will help.
Patricia advocates POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT training. as /u/Splunken says, you should start REWARDING independence. Patricia McConnell's book will help you do this in all aspects of your puppy's life. Walks, leaving him alone, feeding time, chill at home time. For example, give your dog spontaneous treats anytime he is lying down being calm and not begging for attention. Say, "Good calm!" and throw a treat. When it's time to eat, have your dog sit politely, then put the bowl down. Say, "Good sit!" and give him his dinner. Use EVERY time your dog does the RIGHT thing to reward him. Generally ignore bad behavior, except for a stern "No!" when you want to interrupt his behavior (like when you witness him about to eat something he shouldn't).
Awesome, looking it up on Amazon now!
Edit: [Here is the link to the book.](How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves, Revised and Updated 2nd Editon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GUSDK4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rbOmDb803BQ8A). If anyone reads this and wants to check it out, here it is. It’s pretty good so far!
Since they already have the cat (kitten?) I would highly recommend the book Think Like a Cat. People think cats can't be trained, BUT THEY CAN. They should never scratch your furniture (scratching posts/ mats should be in every room) or go outside their box (it has to be cleaned twice a day, two boxes is always a good idea). Also, active play everyday is crucial. No playtime = they will fuck you up! Watching "My Cat From Hell" on youtube might help as well. Good luck!
The good news is that this sounds liike one of the most fixable problems ever.
I think you should read http://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-ebook/dp/B005ERIIRQ/ref=la_B001H6NUGW_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381275035&sr=1-1, as I feel it will give a good framework for solving this issue.
BUT, off that bat, and having read that, my advice is to try free-feeding (having a couple bowls of food/water available open all the time).
EDIT: it sounds like the kitty is hungry
It sounds like she's over threshold if she's not taking treats- she too freaked out in the moment to learn or for you to implement effective counter conditioning. It's all fear.
I would suggest looking into Behavioral Adjustment Training (BAT). Basically, you start by determining the dog's threshold level. Once you know it, you keep them under threshold and use a counter conditioning strategy to desensitize them to the thing that frightens them. If they're above threshold, they can't learn & won't be reassured. Here's the link to a great book on the method. I would also explore r/reactivedogs for more advice & resources!
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
There's a book on it.
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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot
Check out these two books and your done:
How to raise the perfect dog
How to housebreak you dog in 7 days
My bf used a book called “Training the Best Dog Ever” to train his dog, and he said it was an excellent book.
https://www.amazon.com/Training-Best-Dog-Ever-Reinforcement/dp/0761168850
These are the books I read! The training the best dog ever was probably my favorite as it focusses on manners commands like recall, stay, leave it, drop it, yours/mine as well as socialization methods. Puppies for Dummies is a lot about the first week/month/year of dog ownership and includes training but also health info, nutrition, supplies, budget, etc. 101 tricks is basically a party tricks book, not focussed on manners more on obedience training/showing off to house guests. I think it's always good to read a book about your dog's breed too so that was my last one.
Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement
Puppies For Dummies
101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet (Your Happy Healthy Pet)
I can send you a pdf of Dr Sophia Yin's "how to behave so your dog behaves"
According to a litany of scientific studies that aren't based solely on bias, all of this is bullshit. It's already been proven and it's not a debate any more. You might as well be arguing that climate change is a hoax.
Edit: Here's a bunch of wonderful sources provided by people who actually have half a brain, unlike you. But I guess aggression isn't included under behavioral patterns, so you'll just ignore what isn't convenient for your predisposition towards pit bulls.
Svartberg, K. (2006). Breed-typical behaviour in dogs—Historical remnants or recent constructs? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 96 (293-313). Retrieved from https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/science/article/pii/S0168159105001607
Svartberg, K. (2016). Personal Communication.
Hare, B. & Woods, V. (2013) The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Genius-Dogs-Smarter-Than-Think/dp/0142180467/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1475530594&sr=1-1
Helton, W. (2010). Does perceived trainability of dog (Canis lupus familiaris) breeds reflect differences in learning or differences in physical ability? Behavioural Processes 83 (315-323). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20117185
Pongracz, P., Miklosi, A., Vida, V., Csanyi, V. (2005) The pet dogs ability for learning from a human demonstrator in a detour task is independent from the breed and age. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 90 (309-323). Retrieved from https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/science/article/pii/S0168159104001777