Blog Blog Woof Woof

Last week I bought a bell to hang on the door so Johnders can tell us he needs to go to the bathroom. He rang it once yesterday but I didn't see it happen so I wasn't sure if it was an accident. We went out and he peed. This morning I saw him do it. That's barely one week of training! Now, if I can get him to stop jumping and pulling when on leash. Woohoo! Johnders is great. ---------------- Ear Candy of the Moment: Method Man - Rodeo ft. Ludacris (Mixtape) via FoxyTunes

I think I've mentioned that Johnders and I went to puppy class. We went 5 of 6 weeks to a class about an hour from our home (we got a deal although the gas cost probably blew the differential). I will say that these trainers know what they are talking about but their methods are a little archaic and even brutal for my taste. They advocate pinch collars and a knee to the chest (for jumping dogs), I didn't like that but I did get a lot out of the class. Of course, I have checked out almost all the puppy training books I could find at the library too. As I see it dog training, much like any relationship, is about respect and communication. The trainer has to respect the dog's nature and the dog has to respect the trainer's commands. To gain respect the trainer has to learn how to read the dog and the trainer must communicate clearly and efficiently. The bottom line is consistency with commands and fair expectations. We have to remember that we are teaching the dog a 2nd l...

Why is it so difficult to accept help from some and not others? I am having the damnedest time with one of my coworkers. I know they are trying to help but there is something in the way they present the information they are trying to share that is driving me batty. I honestly get frustrated almost every time they say something. I know it has to do with how I have perceived them, their personality, their comfort level, or something but I am having a hard time dealing with it. I know part of it is that this person is not familiar with technology and b/c of that they follow the letter of the law and when I do something different, even if it works they say something like "Well, you probably want to check before you do it that way, that's not how I was trained." Now don't get me wrong, I have learned things from this person God how I wish it was coming from someone else.