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

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

Does anybody know of any ways to teach tricks that are non-touch and object-free? I've been working with my 7-year old dog, Lilly, on new ones lately, but we still run into the same problems she had when we first got her, which is that she isn't fond of forced touch or objects. All of the other tricks I've taught her (sit, stay, come, here, wait) I was able to do with hand signals and a lot of patience.

To give an example, I've tried to teach her 'shake' for years. But every time I pick up her paw to show her how it's done, she shies away or starts whining to signal she's uncomfortable. I've also tried to teach her to jump through hoops or agility, but she immediately presses against me and shivers until I put everything away. It's been like that for years, and it's one of the few things I haven't been able to get her comfortable with.

I'm at a lost here. Any ideas?

Maybe try some tricks like spin, bow, jump, back up, speak, etc.

[Bluebird22]

Does anybody know of any ways to teach tricks that are non-touch and object-free? I've been working with my 7-year old dog, Lilly, on new ones lately, but we still run into the same problems she had when we first got her, which is that she isn't fond of forced touch or objects. All of the other tricks I've taught her (sit, stay, come, here, wait) I was able to do with hand signals and a lot of patience.

To give an example, I've tried to teach her 'shake' for years. But every time I pick up her paw to show her how it's done, she shies away or starts whining to signal she's uncomfortable. I've also tried to teach her to jump through hoops or agility, but she immediately presses against me and shivers until I put everything away. It's been like that for years, and it's one of the few things I haven't been able to get her comfortable with.

I'm at a los t he re. Any ideas?

(I'm on my phone sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes) free shaping is amazing! You wiait for the dog to offer the behaviour you want, click/treat, repeat. If you want to train her to shake, wait for her to lift her paw up, even just an inch, then treat right away. After she lifts her paw consistently you can build up the height she lifts to. You can free shape with anything. I turely love it and so does soph

[Cardinal]

Does anybody know of any ways to teach tricks that are non-touch and object-free? I've been working with my 7-year old dog, Lilly, on new ones lately, but we still run into the same problems she had when we first got her, which is that she isn't fond of forced touch or objects. All of the other tricks I've taught her (sit, stay, come, here, wait) I was able to do with hand signals and a lot of patience.

To give an example, I've tried to teach her 'shake' for years. But every time I pick up her paw to show her how it's done, she shies away or starts whining to signal she's uncomfortable. I've also tried to teach her to jump through hoops or agility, but she immediately presses against me and shivers until I put everything away. It's been like that for years, and it's one of the few things I haven't been able to get her comfortable with.

I'm at a lost here. Any ideas?

Research clicker training, its loads of fun. Kikopup has an awesome youtube.

[Keletheryl]

Okay. The reason I was done is because I am not bashing you guys.
I don't care if you want the best.
I don't care if you want all this healthy stuff or whatever.
I'm not trying to change your opinion.
I'm not telling you that you're wrong.

But you keep telling me that I'm wrong and that my dog is going to have health issues when she's older and I'm just saying that really upsets me and it's not really nice.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

Okay. The reason I was done is because I am not bashing you guys.
I don't care if you want the best.
I don't care if you want all this healthy stuff or whatever.
I'm not trying to change your opinion.
I'm not telling you that you're wrong.

But you keep telling me that I'm wrong and that my dog is going to have health issues when she's older and I'm just saying that really upsets me and it's not really nice.

We're not saying she will, but did both of her parents have health testing done before they were bred? If not, you don't know what kind of problems she may or may not have in the future. It may not even show up for a very very long time.

But, I mean, even you have been having a lot of issues with Piper's behavior and these could be rooted to her parents or her first 8 weeks of life or both unless it's something that you did/didn't do when raising her. There's always a reason for bad behaviors, she isn't doing these things for no reason.

[Ethulai]

*snorts*

Well I for one didn't say anything about health issues. I said people that backyard breed are contributing to the thousands upon thousands of dogs and cats that are put to sleep each year and that is entirely not okay with me...but it's all good, keep telling me I'm attacking you and there is no merit in what I say. Keep being stubborn and ignoring all the wonderful and passionate dog lovers on here who clearly know what they are talking about.

It STILL amazes me that people will put more thought into buying a television than a pet.

FYI my first dog was flown to me from two states away. There are companies that do this. So frankly, not finding a pet at a local shelter and instead getting instant gratification by going to the first person that offers me the 'breed' I want is not a great excuse either.

You are wrong, but clearly you are also the type of person who digs their heels in and thinks they are right no matter how sound and logical the arguments put to you are.

So now I'm done too.

And now, Jacques.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

It just makes no sense to say bad breeders are good. They're called bad breeders for a reason.

[.Middy.]

Forgive me, I know next to nothing about min pins so my question might be a bit dumb.

Are they extremely hyper and stubborn?

I ask because at my old dog park, one lady had one named Chaos. And he was named VERY well! Absolutely insane, hyper, didn't listen well, and could run like the wind.

Is that how the breed is? Or was that just Chaos? (Btw, your dogs are beautiful!)

[Dappled Sapphire]

Okay. The reason I was done is because I am not bashing you guys.
I don't care if you want the best.
I don't care if you want all this healthy stuff or whatever.
I'm not trying to change your opinion.
I'm not telling you that you're wrong.

But you keep telling me that I'm wrong and that my dog is going to have health issues when she's older and I'm just saying that really upsets me and it's not really nice.

They never said "Your dog is from a BYB so its going to have health issues FULL STOP!""

They are just saying that breeding dogs that haven't been properly health tested could (and more then likey would) result in the pups of said dogs to suffer from some of the conditions more commonly found in said breed

Like everyone has mentioned, wouldn't you rather a healthy dog who clear from all those genitic issues then taking a gamble by buying from someone who's dogs were never tested, so you wouldn't know what issues your dog may be carrying till later in life?

I'm not saying you shouldn't have gotten your dog, Heck I got Benji from a petshop
I was 17 and walked in just to check out the animals and just couldn't resist that cute little fluffball
The petshop closed down not long later so obviously they didn't make much money.
I have no idea what health issues he may have, he's 5 this year and a good all round dog
As of yet no serious health issues have poped up, other then beef giving him gas and having sensitive skin
But that doesn't mean there might not be something more serious later

I got Scooby off a classifieds site, his owner was rehoming him due to no fault of his own
She told us he was from a registed breeder who's bitch had an accidental litter and she was just under the age limit for the pups to be registed.
She said the pups were well cared for and she got to meet both parents who were wonderful
I tried finding the breeder but wasn't given too much information other then a general area so I have no idea what health tests they do on their dogs.
So far he has had no health issues... other then a couple of things that were no fault of his eg. Being attacked by a large dog resulting in a broken jaw and getting a paralysis tick
But he's only 1

But I know if I'm going to spend all the money on getting a purebred dog I might as well support the people doing it right

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

@Ethulai, your dog is gorgeous. My hairdresser (who is a backyard breeder herself) had two Min Pins from bybs. Sadly, both died at extremely young ages (like 3-4 years old). One just dropped dead. Yet my hairdresser still thinks its ok to breed dogs.

She told me I should breed Wolfgang. I told her I would never do that because I am not a breeder and I don't have access to health testing, I don't title him, etc, plus I signed a spay and neuter contract and am not permitted to breed this dog. She told me I should breed him anyway because she said she also signed spay and neuter contracts for her Chows, but bred them anyway and it'd be fine to just have a litter or two for myself. This lady knows NOTHING about breeding and I would never go behind my breeder's back like that EVER. Plus, why would I want to breed him anyway? Just because he's a good looking dog isn't a reason. What would I do with a litter of puppies, keep them all? Why would I contribute to the overpopulation and have pups I bred end up killed in shelters? It made me so angry and I told her I would NEVER be a backyard breeder and she replied with "oh I guess I'm a backyard breeder then, huh?". I told her yes she is. It offends me and makes me extremely angry that she would ever think I would do something like that when she knows how much I love dogs and just...ugh it makes me angry even thinking of it x.x