LaughingWater
Cathlete
Quick summary: My Boston Terrier is my first dog and was considered right from the start the one child I could spoil. First mistake. 
As funny and entertaining as we think he is, we've been sending him the wrong messages, and as a result...his new name is Snoopy the Terrible. Little control on the leash, no control off the leash, loves to jump on unsuspecting elderly people, will pin small children, sees every other dog as a potential threat. (I know, I know...all my fault.)
Okay, the goods (and the review I promised): After reading several books on dog training and looking into area trainers, I settled on giving this method a good try: http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/
I love her clever yet compassionate approach. While I did incorporate tricks from other books, I worked mainly with Jan's method, specifically Amichien Bonding. AB is basically adjusting your behavior towards your dog to show him you are the Alpha.
*Note: Just like with other methods, I've discovered this approach has its critics. Honestly, it seems no one in the dog training world can agree on anything, which makes finding a technique for your own dog rather frustrating. Seriously. Cats are so much easier.
So, I show him I get to eat first, just like a pack leader would. I don't fuss over him the minute I walk in the door but instead wait a few minutes ~ when I'm ready to greet him ~ and then allow him to come to me for a full, ritual greeting. I go through doors first, and I greet visitors first. Simple enough. Well, not really. It kills me not to immediately kiss his furry little face when I come home. The upside: DH is happy he is no longer second banana.
He (Snoopy, not DH) learned this routine pretty fast. At first he jumped and freaked, trying to get my attention. Within a couple of days, he learned to calm down and wait for me to call him for a proper greeting. Cool.
The eating part isn't as terrible as it sounds. I just prepare his food and then eat a little something first before giving it to him, the idea being that the Alpha wolf would eat first before allowing the rest of the pack to join. Who knows what Snoopy thinks about this. According to Jan, I'm supposed to be sending strong Alpha-signals. It is entirely possible that Snoopy ain't gettin' any signals and is just patiently waiting for his dinner, thinking, "Let's go, fat***...I'm hungry."
He is much better about jumping on people, bringing immense relief to my 79 and 82 year old parents. He still drinks out of their cups when they aren't looking, but hey...you cannot take all the fun out of dog ownership. I live for the moments when he dries himself on DH's side of the bed after a bath or lifts his leg on my gardening gloves.
After establishing my role as Alpha (I feel like I should "woof" after typing that), Snoopy should theoretically walk calmly on the lead, confident that his leader is in charge and should be at the head of the pack.
Nope.
He still drags my butt down the street. I've tried every humane approach possible. I wish he could read, because I'd copy that chapter and post it next to his bed, with the good parts highlighted. The no-pull harness helps some, but Snoopy resents being by my side and tries repeatedly to trip me.
He's somewhat decent with the "Come" command. I say "somewhat" because he quickly checks my hand position to see if I'm holding some kind of treat, and if he's in a mood, he'll quickly lift his leg on one of DH's painstakingly cared-for hostas before responding.
All in all, not a bad approach. It's not a magic bullet either, but this is what happens when one spends 6 years creating a furry little monster and THEN attemps to train him. I found a Dog Listener trainer in our area, but DH is convinced Snoopy is a bad apple and refused to shell out several hundred dollars. Next: Clicker training for $20.
As funny and entertaining as we think he is, we've been sending him the wrong messages, and as a result...his new name is Snoopy the Terrible. Little control on the leash, no control off the leash, loves to jump on unsuspecting elderly people, will pin small children, sees every other dog as a potential threat. (I know, I know...all my fault.)Okay, the goods (and the review I promised): After reading several books on dog training and looking into area trainers, I settled on giving this method a good try: http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/
I love her clever yet compassionate approach. While I did incorporate tricks from other books, I worked mainly with Jan's method, specifically Amichien Bonding. AB is basically adjusting your behavior towards your dog to show him you are the Alpha.
*Note: Just like with other methods, I've discovered this approach has its critics. Honestly, it seems no one in the dog training world can agree on anything, which makes finding a technique for your own dog rather frustrating. Seriously. Cats are so much easier.
So, I show him I get to eat first, just like a pack leader would. I don't fuss over him the minute I walk in the door but instead wait a few minutes ~ when I'm ready to greet him ~ and then allow him to come to me for a full, ritual greeting. I go through doors first, and I greet visitors first. Simple enough. Well, not really. It kills me not to immediately kiss his furry little face when I come home. The upside: DH is happy he is no longer second banana.
He (Snoopy, not DH) learned this routine pretty fast. At first he jumped and freaked, trying to get my attention. Within a couple of days, he learned to calm down and wait for me to call him for a proper greeting. Cool.
The eating part isn't as terrible as it sounds. I just prepare his food and then eat a little something first before giving it to him, the idea being that the Alpha wolf would eat first before allowing the rest of the pack to join. Who knows what Snoopy thinks about this. According to Jan, I'm supposed to be sending strong Alpha-signals. It is entirely possible that Snoopy ain't gettin' any signals and is just patiently waiting for his dinner, thinking, "Let's go, fat***...I'm hungry."
He is much better about jumping on people, bringing immense relief to my 79 and 82 year old parents. He still drinks out of their cups when they aren't looking, but hey...you cannot take all the fun out of dog ownership. I live for the moments when he dries himself on DH's side of the bed after a bath or lifts his leg on my gardening gloves.
After establishing my role as Alpha (I feel like I should "woof" after typing that), Snoopy should theoretically walk calmly on the lead, confident that his leader is in charge and should be at the head of the pack.
Nope.
He still drags my butt down the street. I've tried every humane approach possible. I wish he could read, because I'd copy that chapter and post it next to his bed, with the good parts highlighted. The no-pull harness helps some, but Snoopy resents being by my side and tries repeatedly to trip me.
He's somewhat decent with the "Come" command. I say "somewhat" because he quickly checks my hand position to see if I'm holding some kind of treat, and if he's in a mood, he'll quickly lift his leg on one of DH's painstakingly cared-for hostas before responding.
All in all, not a bad approach. It's not a magic bullet either, but this is what happens when one spends 6 years creating a furry little monster and THEN attemps to train him. I found a Dog Listener trainer in our area, but DH is convinced Snoopy is a bad apple and refused to shell out several hundred dollars. Next: Clicker training for $20.
