Siloh
Well-Known Member
That is the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against my loose leash troubles, and by opposing, end them.
So the Prince of Denmark (6 months) seems to me to have hit a milestone in training, which is that on walks it is *absolutely clear* to him what I expect.
The trouble is, keeping him under threshold is not always possible in my neighborhood, which is a small business district (tiny downtown). He is GOOD with most any distraction, including children, people who do not approach/address him, skateboards, motorcycles, and full-grown dogs (I don't know what his deal is with puppies). But when he breaks from my side for a distraction, it's often 0-60, and this is in cases where there are multiple high level distractions appearing all at once or something very sudden, like a bunch of people exiting a shop as we walk by (although many would rather wait till we pass...). He also requires an unfortunately high level of correction for some stubborn sniffing behavior, which is fairly understandable as it is very difficult not to come across some trace of dropped food in this neighborhood.
Leerburg mentions that a prong is appropriate for puppies 3 months and above who require a level 7 correction on a flat collar. I WAS going to get a nylon and chain martingale. Now I'm wondering if this isn't just the time to skip the middle man and introduce a prong instead using the dead ring and see how it performs?
I worry that in the perhaps 1 in 3 chance when Hamlet and I go for a walk and a level 7+ correction becomes necessary that I am really not doing favors to his young neck/back/trachea. I know that the martingale would also be good for this, so I'm not sure if I'm jumping the gun to simply gain control faster using a more aggressive tool.
However, I am confident that the rules of our walks are really clear to Hamlet. He even heels when off leash in an open area if I give the follow command (albeit no distractions are present besides my hound). Reading up on the prong, it seems trainers' biggest issue with it is that it curbs undesirable behavior without first building understanding of the expected behavior. Hamlet has a very solid understanding of expected behavior. Not once in 8 weeks on our twice daily walks have we been lenient in loose leash training using commands, cues, rewards.
Again, though, this makes me wonder if I'm going for too aggressive a tool for a dog who does not present a problem most of the time. I do want something to "snap him out of it" though when he requires such a high intensity correction. I am using food in these situations, so it is not like I don't have a different form of motivation available to him.
We are also, of course, at 6 months, and it is showing. He has become quite the independent thinker even when well exercised and stimulated and occasionally seems to decide that I can piss right off with whatever I'm instructing.
Thoughts? Experiences?
"Nothing is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so."
Hamlet Prince of Denmark
So the Prince of Denmark (6 months) seems to me to have hit a milestone in training, which is that on walks it is *absolutely clear* to him what I expect.
The trouble is, keeping him under threshold is not always possible in my neighborhood, which is a small business district (tiny downtown). He is GOOD with most any distraction, including children, people who do not approach/address him, skateboards, motorcycles, and full-grown dogs (I don't know what his deal is with puppies). But when he breaks from my side for a distraction, it's often 0-60, and this is in cases where there are multiple high level distractions appearing all at once or something very sudden, like a bunch of people exiting a shop as we walk by (although many would rather wait till we pass...). He also requires an unfortunately high level of correction for some stubborn sniffing behavior, which is fairly understandable as it is very difficult not to come across some trace of dropped food in this neighborhood.
Leerburg mentions that a prong is appropriate for puppies 3 months and above who require a level 7 correction on a flat collar. I WAS going to get a nylon and chain martingale. Now I'm wondering if this isn't just the time to skip the middle man and introduce a prong instead using the dead ring and see how it performs?
I worry that in the perhaps 1 in 3 chance when Hamlet and I go for a walk and a level 7+ correction becomes necessary that I am really not doing favors to his young neck/back/trachea. I know that the martingale would also be good for this, so I'm not sure if I'm jumping the gun to simply gain control faster using a more aggressive tool.
However, I am confident that the rules of our walks are really clear to Hamlet. He even heels when off leash in an open area if I give the follow command (albeit no distractions are present besides my hound). Reading up on the prong, it seems trainers' biggest issue with it is that it curbs undesirable behavior without first building understanding of the expected behavior. Hamlet has a very solid understanding of expected behavior. Not once in 8 weeks on our twice daily walks have we been lenient in loose leash training using commands, cues, rewards.
Again, though, this makes me wonder if I'm going for too aggressive a tool for a dog who does not present a problem most of the time. I do want something to "snap him out of it" though when he requires such a high intensity correction. I am using food in these situations, so it is not like I don't have a different form of motivation available to him.
We are also, of course, at 6 months, and it is showing. He has become quite the independent thinker even when well exercised and stimulated and occasionally seems to decide that I can piss right off with whatever I'm instructing.
Thoughts? Experiences?
"Nothing is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so."
Hamlet Prince of Denmark