Skip to content

Training Blog

Basenji Training
  • http://www.michaelbaugh.com/?p=248

    Really interesting blog about positive reinforcement training :) I would love to hear some of your thoughts!

  • Yeah, I still lurk around here. So much good advice!

    I can't help but reply to this. I started my B-mix out with a supposedly "positive only" trainer for his first class. Really, it was positive rewards and positive punishment, and made my dog more reactive. I think he also picked up on my discomfort with screaming at him, yanking the collar, etc. After the conclusion of that class (I regret not trusting my instinct and just quitting), I joined this forum, in hopes to understand my dog better because I saw that he was not responding to traditional training methods.
    I also found this video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWSJVwZybwo
    We started with that, and now my dog knows at least 20 commands/tricks. Our relationship is 1000% improved, even if he still has some quirks. This youtube trainer (channel name Kikopup) has videos for teaching everything, and how to do it with no intimidation. In my horrible collar correction class, I had a dog heeling, head down, eyes glazed over. Who really wants that???? I now have a happy, tail-wagging, heels-before-I-ask dog because he associates heeling with rewards and praise.
    Sorry for the huge post, I just had to bump this up.

  • ToughAndPrissy, glad you found something that helped your b learn as well as bond to you. Welcome!

  • This a very interesting article, Andrea. I'm not a professionla trainer and only have little experience in the field of professional dog trainers here. Those I do know mainly use positive reinforcement but I also know some old school trainers who while professing to now use positive reinforcement do rather confuse the two.

    I love and totally agree with his statement that 'training is not something we do to our dogs: its something we do with them'. This I think sums up completely the way we need to train our Basenjis for the best results.

    Toughand Prissy, thank you for posting that excellent video link.

Suggested Topics

  • Show Training

    Basenji Training
    2
    0 Votes
    2 Posts
    2k Views
    tanzaT
    Have you tried to contact anyone in the Tucson Kennel Club? http://www.azdogs.com/tkc/ They don't have much of a website, but do have email addys for the President and Secretary. There are likely other kennel clubs in the area also
  • Potty training

    Basenji Training
    24
    0 Votes
    24 Posts
    14k Views
    tanzaT
    @lisatest: Does a puppy have soft poop and as the puppy gets older the poop becomes more solid? It has been a while since I had a puupy so I can't remember. No… a puppy should also have a solid poo...
  • Training classes?

    Basenji Training
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    6k Views
    NemoN
    @tanza: I think you are waiting too long. You should have two complete sets of shots before class. Waiting till they are 15/16wks you are missing critical socialization skills. Waiting for "all the shots" is pretty much old school these days. My pups go out even before that to things like lure trials… you just need to be careful and not let them "get" into anything like "old poop" laying around. I'm planning on taking her around the time of the 2nd shots if I can. But the problem is that the next round of puppy classes doesn't start till the last week of March, which would be around 14 weeks anyway. Maybe they will let me join the last half of the previous class but I'd have to check into that.
  • Questions on training

    Basenji Training
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    6k Views
    jkhandjlsJ
    THANK YOU!! I finally feel there is somebody out there that 'gets it'. Our girl does not respond to any of the 'pack leader' stuff - I'm sure she was dumped because she is just such a stinker. Everytime I hit bottom somebody helps me through the disaster with encouragment (that's why I joined this group.) THANK YOU for your good thougths - things do progress - her private trainer is coming this weekend & we're doing the prong collar. Last night she sat in her crate for almost 45 minutes. No matter what, she's here to stay & she is so darn cute!!!!! That tail is really precious - thank you so much for all your e-support!! Joanne & Sophie:) :) :) :)
  • Leash training

    Basenji Training
    42
    0 Votes
    42 Posts
    28k Views
    K
    These front-attaching harnesses work really well in my experience. As soon as the dog starts to pull, it will turn itself towards you, slowing it down. Otherwise the dog has every bit of freedom to do what it wants.
  • Training Brags

    Basenji Training
    43
    0 Votes
    43 Posts
    15k Views
    DukeD
    @Quercus: I would probably do that. But the benefit to taking them each to class is that they learn to do the behaviors in a distracting environment. The flip side to that is how on earth would you be able to train both dogs at the same time in the class? LOL!! I was thinking that my son would come with me and train Daisy, while I train Duke. Duke is the toughest student - REALLY spastic. :eek: Everything is a distraction. Daisy is much calmer. So I should bring Duke to class and then go thru the same training exercises at home with Daisy. I agree that training in a distracting environment WITH instructor's help is best. But, yeah - I should save some $$ and only take one. Gasoline prices are killing my budget! :mad: