Skip to content

Need your opinions - is this training method okay?

Basenji Training
  • That really is such a shame she didn't respond, it would have been nice to at least her from her point of view what she thought she was accomplishing. Certainly, if nothing else she should have responded as a business woman. I don't blame you for telling people about your experience, whenever I find a good lead, whether it be on dog coats or a good vet I can't wait to share it with my dog loving friends; it's the same with bad experiences. Glad to hear you and Kipawa have moved past it!

  • It would have been interesting to talk to the people who owned the poodle mix and ask them what the outcome was…...good or bad......and whether they had continued with the class. I am surprised that the trainer did not get back to you, for the reasons you stated and also because if she has confidence in her abilities and methods I would think she would have wanted to explain to you why she felt such methods would work in this case.

  • I disagree her silence speaks volumes. All it tells me is - she may or may not have received the email. The assumption is, she did. The truth might be, she did not. Only one way to find out, call and discuss your issues with her; until then she really should be given the benefit of the doubt that she was not in reciept of it, no?

  • @CongoMama:

    I disagree her silence speaks volumes. All it tells me is - she may or may not have received the email. The assumption is, she did. The truth might be, she did not. Only one way to find out, call and discuss your issues with her; until then she really should be given the benefit of the doubt that she was not in reciept of it, no?

    Yes, there can always be technical glitches. However, I emailed to her personal email which I used extensively when I was asking her about her classes and finding out when she had availability. We both used each others' email addresses numerous times with no problems.

    You have a beautiful attitude, and I thank you for sharing it. :) The world will always need more people like you!

  • CongoMama, I agree with Fran.
    Your post is very kind.

  • Me too– We could all do with kinder folks around. Lord knows I wish I were more like you.

  • Oh my goodness. That is INSANE. I would have walked out. That is NOT okay.. I know that my boy is very sensitive. I don't know his past as I only adopted him in July and he's been through so many homes. High stress situations make him anxious.. I have had GREAT success just training him myself. He now knows sit, stay, down, no, roll over, high five, low five, back, and spin. Positive reinforcement is key!! And tasty treats haha!

  • I still think about that class, and know that I am lucky Kipawa and I left when we did.

    Kipawa has come along marvelously. I remember that trainer saying that by the end of our classes, our dogs would be walking beside us with our leashes forming a nice loose "J". I wonder what sort of method she would have used for that. A broom? Okay, that is a little catty of me, but probably something like that would not be that out of line for her training methods.

    I found it quite simple to do with Kipawa, using positive reinforcement. I usually carry a few treats in my pocket, but now he thinks I always have treats in there. It works very well.

    It would have been nice to know how things worked out for the couple that had Kato. Perhaps I will see them in a dog park one day. They were really nice, as was their dog. Their dog just needed to be worked with more.

  • I know this is about horses, but I think the same would apply to dogs. I like John Lyons three guidelines for training. 1. The training must be safe for me. 2. The training must be safe for the horse. 3. The horse must be calmer after the lesson than before it started. (which tells you the animal understands and is comfortable with what you are trying to teach him). I also like his "three second rule", and would apply it to any biting dog. ;-)

  • Agree 100% eeeefarm, that this would apply as well to dogs, especially rule #3.

Suggested Topics

  • Inconsistent training

    Basenji Training
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    7k Views
    agilebasenjiA
    @Kosuzu: I will get into agility when he is a little older, his bones are still too immature for that yet. I would also like to get Khalani into becoming a "therapy" dog as he has a beautiful nature, He can't be assessed for that until he is at least 18 months old. You must tell me more about the "skateboard", does he ride it? Have you ever videoed your agility, I'd love to see that. There are a few youtube videos of Zest! doing agility. Just seach "Zest Agility" and the r/w little basenji is mine. Those are all from her Novice days. She's now in Excellent. We've had quite a few set backs, but she has achieved her excellent agility titles in AKC. You can see my other 2 here: https://www.basenji.org/BasenjiU/Activities/Agility/AOb/stacles.html All but the dogs on the table are mine. Zest is also the star of the Agility Manuevers videos. Hopefully, you'll be able to find a local agility class. There are lots of foundation work you can do with puppies before you start doing jumps and weaves. The other two (Digital the brindlewonderkid and Jet the trying) are retired, but have certainly done a lot. Therapy work is so rewarding! You'll love it. Z and I are off to the Alzheimer's facility tomorrow. Both my boys also really loved it.
  • Whistle training

    Basenji Training
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    KipawaK
    @agilebasenji: for this sort of thing (big value treats over long time period), the best thing i've found to use is frozen liverwurst. i buy it, slice it and put it in a small container (the leftover cream cheese containers work GREAT for this) then put the container in the freezer. the pup gets to lick the frozen stuff for her high value treat - LOTS of treat over a long time, but not lots of calories or lots of treats in the tummy. the dogs at my house swear liverwurst pupcicles are wonderful. sometimes they will try to nibble, but given it's frozen and in a small container, it's hard to get lots of treats. I will try this, but I myself love liverwurst. Hopefully I will not eat it all before getting to the park. At the park today, I was about 75% successful with the whistle/treat recall. Not bad for the first time out, I think. Especially because there were easily 20 dogs there, and Kipawa is Mr. Social and has to visit with all of them.
  • Needs Help-Potty Training

    Basenji Training
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    2k Views
    NerdyDogOwnerN
    It's a natural puppy instinct to NOT pee/poo outside their "cove". This is to prevent predators in finding them with their smells all round the area. Sometimes it takes longer for some to go outside. A neighbor of mine got a puppy, and they too where having a hard time with pee/poo inside. I told them to just take it easy, and don't punish. Spend a good time outside, and award when he/she does go outside. It took until their dog was 8 months until he started going regularly outside.
  • Tips on house training needed

    Basenji Training
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    4k Views
    wizardW
    Gbroxon - no big deal. No one knew Luny (aka Tommy) would exhibit SA and especially not in such a severe form. And I understood what you were thinking - about people dumping dogs. One of my stupid neighbors has gone that route (they've had 6 different dogs in 3 years - I won't talk to them anymore). And I don't know how many times I've come across people who say "oh what a pretty dog, I'd like one like that" when they see me walking my dog. I almost always discourage them from getting a basenji (with that attitude no dog would be good for them). So I'm with you there.
  • Training a puppy

    Basenji Training
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    Robin_n_JackR
    HA! We did the up& back method at my petsmart class. Jack is so flexible, he would actually follow the treat back with his head, until his head was almost lying on his back. I think what I finally had to do was push his butt down with one hand, while holding the treat in front of his face with the other. He got really good at it…now, he sits when I snap my fingers, when I say sit, or, my favorite, when I salute him. Good luck!
  • Basenji slave in need of potty training help

    Basenji Training
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    8k Views
    nomrbddgsN
    I do hope she losses interest. My B girl Sugar climbs. X-pens are definitely out unless they have a lid, and then she'll scream. I can block the kitchen off with baby gates if I have visitors but not from her-she'll hop right over from a sit. She has climbed the fence to get at a squirrel, but since I watch her I got to her before she got over. I'm just waiting for the tree climbing to start!