Dog Owner Chat! (for-fun poll added) (new chat)

[Fantelle]

So dad bought a new battery for Brody's shock collar.

'snip'

Ohno! Shock collars are absolutely horrible, I feel bad that you have to put your dog through that. There are definitely better ways of training a dog, and it's too bad your dad won't try to find them. :/

[Saracirce]

So dad bought a new battery for Brody's shock collar.

Don't get me started.

Me: Why don't we train him instead of electrocuting him?
Dad: Don't sass me.
Me: I'm not sassing you. It was a serious suggestion.
Dad: This is training him. He knows what no is. He knows I don't like him barking at horses and other dogs. He gets two nos and that's all the warning he gets. He's a grown man.

"Grown man". Aaaaah, I can't stand it when he calls Brody a grown man. He's not a man, he's a dog. He shouldn't be expected to act like a "man"-- in standards of pride, dignity, "respect", or anything like that. I'm not overreacting, am I? The way he says Brody needs to act like a grown man is... stupid.

I can even pinpoint all the reasons why he barks, too. Mainly boredom. But if I brougt those reasons up, he'd get mad at me for sassing him, nagging, and complaining. Ugh, no, I just want our dogs to live the best lives possible.

You're totally right to be annoyed. There's a reason it's common to describe dogs as having the minds of a toddler. For you to treat your dog like he's an adult human is just stupid.

Is there any way you can take the initiative and start walking them and giving them puzzle toys? Even something as simple as a cardboard box full of food? That's pretty much what I did with Clemmy. Soon as she arrived at my house to live here, we went for an hour long walk cause I already knew she had too much energy. Then again, my situation is/was fairly different from yours.

[MacGyver]

...
Well, on a lighter note, went to go and visit Piper yesterday. Next time we visit... we'll be taking her home!
Such a cutie.

What a cutie!! ^.^ She just reeks of being gorgeous once she's grown! o3o She looks like such a lady.

[MacGyver]

@MacGyver - It sounds like your on the right track if you're seeing impovements. You might want to work on training inside a bit more it seems.

I love Petfinder! I used to work as a handler for the Petfinder crew for my local shelter but had to quit because of my health. I hope to get better enough one day to go back. I'm reading Karen Pryor's book Reaching the Animal Mind and would love to try "debarking" the shelter using clicker training. My health is also part of the reason (the other being fanicial) that I don't have a dog right now but if I could....

-snip-

I've been working in the basement and out in the yard where we have the most room, but I may start on the main level of the house and slowly work them closer to them bedroom and eventually inside the room.

I LOVED that book! I'm using that method she used there for our dogs when someone comes to the door. It's seems to have worked a lot with Stitch and Sherlock (Dixie never barks but once, usually not at all). But Murdoch still needs a lot of work .That dog is soo insecure without my big sister with him.

[MacGyver]

My sister was abusive to my dog. She wouldn't stop barking, and she gripped my dogs scruff extremely hard, her barking was interrupted with a whine. And she just grabbed her neck and forced her down of the car. Goodness doesn't she know that dogs neck could've broken due to your force? And you say your a dog lover..

Oh but she's showing the dog she's alpha, of course! You MUST dominate your dog or else the dog will turn on your and kill you to take over the alpha position!
ugh, too much Ceasar Milan -.- Excuse while me I go and be sick.

[MacGyver]

A bit of a pic overload, but I went bananas with the camera and Dixie yesterday.

(eek! Sorry! O-O That was a bit much, eh?)

[Onew~]

So dad bought a new battery for Brody's shock collar.

Don't get me started.

Me: Why don't we train him instead of electrocuting him?
Dad: Don't sass me.
Me: I'm not sassing you. It was a serious suggestion.
Dad: This is training him. He knows what no is. He knows I don't like him barking at horses and other dogs. He gets two nos and that's all the warning he gets. He's a grown man.

"Grown man". Aaaaah, I can't stand it when he calls Brody a grown man. He's not a man, he's a dog. He shouldn't be expected to act like a "man"-- in standards of pride, dignity, "respect", or anything like that. I'm not overreacting, am I? The way he says Brody needs to act like a grown man is... stupid.

I can even pinpoint all the reasons why he barks, too. Mainly boredom. But if I brougt those reasons up, he'd get mad at me for sassing him, nagging, and complaining. Ugh, no, I just want our dogs to live the best lives possible.

You're totally right to be annoyed. There's a reason it's common to describe dogs as having the minds of a toddler. For you to treat your dog like he's an adult human is just stupid.

Is there any way you can take the initiative and start walking them and giving them puzzle toys? Even something as simple as a cardboard box full of food? That's pretty much what I did with Clemmy. Soon as she arrived at my house to live here, we went for an hour long walk cause I already knew she had too much energy. Then again, my situation is/was fairly different from yours.

Perhaps. Good idea, thank you!

Brody's so used to being offleash and when he has couped up energy watching his reaction when on a leash is borderline amusing. "Wait, I can't run a marathon on this thing? What is this rip off?"

I really think I'd have to walk for 8 hours with him LOL, but if I got him on scheduled walks his energy should be much easier to take out and put back in. I actually have a few nice sized cardboard boxes, so I'll definitely try a box with some food and maybe a treat or two. c:

[Cardinal]

Le ssiigghh. Got Juniper a Bad Cuz ball today, they were highly recommended to me by several people as being extremely durable. Every review online basically says the exact same thing....

...

Already has bite marks in it after 10 minutes of play... >_> We'll see how durable this thing really is!

[Saracirce]

So dad bought a new battery for Brody's shock collar.

Don't get me started.

Me: Why don't we train him instead of electrocuting him?
Dad: Don't sass me.
Me: I'm not sassing you. It was a serious suggestion.
Dad: This is training him. He knows what no is. He knows I don't like him barking at horses and other dogs. He gets two nos and that's all the warning he gets. He's a grown man.

"Grown man". Aaaaah, I can't stand it when he calls Brody a grown man. He's not a man, he's a dog. He shouldn't be expected to act like a "man"-- in standards of pride, dignity, "respect", or anything like that. I'm not overreacting, am I? The way he says Brody needs to act like a grown man is... stupid.

I can even pinpoint all the reasons why he barks, too. Mainly boredom. But if I brougt those reasons up, he'd get mad at me for sassing him, nagging, and complaining. Ugh, no, I just want our dogs to live the best lives possible.

You're totally right to be annoyed. There's a reason it's common to describe dogs as having the minds of a toddler. For you to treat your dog like he's an adult human is just stupid.

Is there any way you can take the initiative and start walking them and giving them puzzle toys? Even something as simple as a cardboard box full of food? That's pretty much what I did with Clemmy. Soon as she arrived at my house to live here, we went for an hour long walk cause I already knew she had too much energy. Then again, my situation is/was fairly different from yours.

Perhaps. Good idea, thank you!

Brody's so used to being offleash and when he has couped up energy watching his reaction when on a leash is borderline amusing. "Wait, I can't run a marathon on this thing? What is this rip off?"

I really think I'd have to walk for 8 hours with him LOL, but if I got him on scheduled walks his energy should be much easier to take out and put back in. I actually have a few nice sized cardboard boxes, so I'll definitely try a box with some food and maybe a treat or two. c:

Yeah, i wouldn't try getting all out in one go. With Clemmy, she had an hour long walk for three days and then i shortened it down to her now regular 30 minute walks.

[Onew~]

Le ssiigghh. Got Juniper a Bad Cuz ball today, they were highly recommended to me by several people as being extremely durable. Every review online basically says the exact same thing....

...

Already has bite marks in it after 10 minutes of play... >_> We'll see how durable this thing really is!

Lol I kind of get it. Asia loves frisbees so I tossed it... within a couple of tosses the thing was torn in half and bitten the heck out of. I don't think Asiadoodle understood that frisbees aren't for ripping and biting at... .__.

Oh, and tennis balls. Adores them but she literally takes the outer "fuzzy" texture off it within 10 minutes and after an hour it was split in two pieces. Reeeaalllly. Maybe I should look into more rip and shred toys for her, LOL.