(VICT) Zair
- From: care4k9@xxxxxxx
- To: vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:56:22 +0000
Sandee,
It is very tough to train your own assistance dog for the reason you
stated as you go thorugh the emotional rollar coaster. I've seen too many times
people waffle back in forth about their dog, nervous they are not doing things
right, but then they do, and then they don't, and then they do.
This is an emotional rollar coaster for the dog too. In the early
training stages they need you to be 100% in confidence in them while they
learn. This isn't a test if they can be the perfect dog, it is the time to just
teach them.
A trainer friend of mine and I use to talk about this very thing all
the time and we came up with a slogan of "Leave the F------ dog alone!" Sorry
it is crude, but we both realized how much pressure we put on our learning
assistance dogs because they are not learning what we want, when we want and
how we want. So not only did we see this in other people, we saw it in
oursevles. I credit this for me going through a lot of my own dogs not
succeeding because the pressure was too great. I did get people cricizing me
for wanting a perfect dog that doesn't exist.
Even with that realization, there are times I get depressed thining the
dog isn't going to work out. But when I get away from that and relax and focus
on moving woard, it falls into place. My trainer friend above and another
trainer started to beleive that 3 years old is a good age to put the working
stress on the dog, much later than the standard 2 years. This is why I'm an
advocate of not putting too mch stress or work on a dog at a young age. I know
we want our dogs to learn fast when they are yong, but pacing is good too.
Maybe just write out a plan to dissociate your emotions. Keep to the
plan to pace yourself and allow the subject to learn at their own pace. It will
come together.
As for the pushy attitude with the other dogs, boundaries need to be
learned. Lots of great lists like clicker solutions, clickerExpo and if you are
a member IAABC or APDT are great lists to learn to teach a dog self control and
how to act around other dogs. Many knowledgable flks on there to learn how to
work with pack dynamics.
Take a big deep breath and exhale it slowly. You are doing great and
wonderful! It will come together.
---
Christy Hill
A'Mickey
***************
http://home.att.net/~care4k9
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