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kammi_sparky123
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29-03-2011, 10:15 PM

Training a rescue dog

What is it like re-training a new dog you bring home?

Some of you may know I am thinking of possibly getting a rescue later in the year, but was thinking about alfie before and realised how well trained he is (minus recall round other dogs, but we are working on that.... ), and I don't mean "tricks".

For example, when I say we are going for a walk, his ears perk up and he goes to the bottom step by the front door, but he doesn't jump/bark or get over excited, as I never let him. He hardly ever barks unless it is a "scary person/shadow" in the dark or at next doors cat... he leaves rooms when told, he never snatches food you offer him, he never mouths when playing, if you hold the toy he has in his mouth he will drop it, drops anything in his mouth on command (physically spits things back out ), if there is a toy on the floor (he has dropped it) he would never, everrrrr attempt to go for it when you are going for it, he doesn't chew anything he isn't supposed to, doesn't steal food (can have a bag of treats sitting next to him if im tying my shoes and he wouldn't touch it), he doesn't charge people at the door, leaves anything he is told to, you can stroke him/put your hand in his bowl and he backs away and waits, always waits until I say okay before he has his tea or eats something on the floor (like if someone has dropped something while cooking, or a treat or something)..... okay il stop as there is loads inside the house and out, but you get the idea!! . This was all down to training as I got him at 9 weeks old as I put a lot of work into him.

So question is..... how hard is it training a rescue dog? Obviously it depends on the dog.... but alfie is - dare i say it - pretty much perfect - so how easy would it be to get a rescue dog (without too many issues), to this standard? I was never looking for a "perfect" dog, alfie just seems to kind of be it lol.

I do love the training side of things! (You can possibly tell... ).

I think basically what I am asking (I have written so much I am not even sure myself what I am asking anymore lmao), is that is it possible to get another dog to about this standard? My guess would be yes as it was all training, but I am not sure how much was alfie's nature?

*really tired and hoping this makes sense!*
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sarah1983
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29-03-2011, 10:38 PM
I didn't have too many problems teaching Rupert basic manners. Once I'd figured out a way round the fact he'd flatten himself to the floor in terror if my voice wasn't the exact right tone anyway. He quickly learned to sit and wait for his leash to be put on and for me to open the door. He's not a big barker, just alerts to people at the door really, but he is a talker. He growls, moans, woo woo's and makes all sorts of strange noises. He was easily taught to hold a toy in his mouth when playing as his bites HURT (I figured it was easier to teach him that than to try to stop certain people wrestling with him ). Over time he's learned to be more gentle if he does mouth us but when playing he will still look for a toy.

Jumping up was our biggest problem. Rupert didn't jump up, he launched himself full force at your face, bit your nose and would then sort of dig at you with his front paws while screaming in your face. Turning your back resulted in his nails raking down your back while he grabbed your hair. Not something you can ignore. It wasn't nastiness, just sheer excitement, but he had me in tears so many times with it! I finally stopped it by simply leaving the room and closing the door behind me for a count of 10 every single time he did it but it took him months to be able to control himself when really excited. These days he doesn't jump up uninvited though. He still screeches, will still nip your nose (although not hard enough to really hurt) if you put your face near him when he's excited.

In most ways Rupert is my perfect dog. His dog aggression I'd change if I could but that's about it.
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kammi_sparky123
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29-03-2011, 10:41 PM
Thank you - that was a really informative post!
I would only go for another about alfie's size, so isn't a "huuuge" issue if they jump, but I would rather they didn't.

Just didn't know if I was asking for too much wanting all those manners twice!!

The odd bark at the door I wouldn't mind, but not excessive barking!
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sarah1983
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29-03-2011, 10:51 PM
Just didn't know if I was asking for too much wanting all those manners twice!!
As long as you don't expect the dog to automatically know them I don't think it's asking too much. Putting a hand in the food bowl might be expecting too much of some dogs though. Rupe would let me but I don't do it as I like to be left in peace while I eat so I leave him in peace. My collie on the other hand had a chunk out of my dads hand at just 6 weeks old for trying it.
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kammi_sparky123
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29-03-2011, 10:53 PM
I am very willing to train, I love doing it lol.

To be honest I never need to put my hand in their bowl, and never really touch him when eating (have done before but don't now). Only time I go close is if I am adding something else in when eating but can always add it later on.

I wouldn't take chances with a new dog though - I am quite fond of my fingers
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sarah1983
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29-03-2011, 10:59 PM
It's something I worked with Rupert on, didn't want another Shadow type of food guarder where he'd go rigid and start growling if you moved while he was eating. I just tossed treats towards him as he ate and moved closer each time until I was standing next to him and dropping them in. Occasionally I have to move a bone back on to his towel (beige carpet and raw meat don't mix) and he never has an issue with that but I've never stuck my hand in his food bowl. He stops eating if I go near it but I think that's coz he's expecting something else to be put in.
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kammi_sparky123
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29-03-2011, 11:02 PM
Originally Posted by sarah1983 View Post
It's something I worked with Rupert on, didn't want another Shadow type of food guarder where he'd go rigid and start growling if you moved while he was eating. I just tossed treats towards him as he ate and moved closer each time until I was standing next to him and dropping them in. Occasionally I have to move a bone back on to his towel (beige carpet and raw meat don't mix) and he never has an issue with that but I've never stuck my hand in his food bowl. He stops eating if I go near it but I think that's coz he's expecting something else to be put in.
Totally get what you mean!
Alfie isn't bothered by food really, if he picks up a treat and i tell him to leave it, he literally spits it back out. Food is not something he can be bothered protecting...


Thanks for all the info was just something I was thinking about earlier lol, like i was lying on the floor feeling around for the toy without being able to see and knew he would let me have it and never attempt to grab it if i was going for it... so thats where all this thought started
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Crysania
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29-03-2011, 11:19 PM
I adopted Dahlia when she was around 2 years old. And it was VERY easy to train her. In fact, she came with built in manners. She didn't jump on people, didn't mouth them, didn't bark. She didn't play either and the sight of the leash and the word "walk" didn't make her interested back then. I trained her to have an excellent recall, but didn't have to do a bit of manners training with her.
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rune
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30-03-2011, 08:04 AM
I have had lots of rescue dogs and they are all different.

You usually get a 'honeymoon' time after you get them. That can be anything from 2 days to 6mths-----depending on their confidence and trust levels.

I have had dogs who slotted in and it felt as if they had never been anywhere else and others who have behaved appallingly badly simply because they had never learnt not to----or in one case because she had learnt that it was the way to get attention----and even bad attention is better than none.

Toilet training is often an issue, routine is changed, food is changed and stress kicks in. All play a part.

If you go into it with any kind of expectation you probably on a loser!

Its fun though!

rune
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krlyr
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30-03-2011, 08:09 AM
I know lots of people seem to notice it's a bit more difficult to clicker train an adult dog that was taught with more old fashioned/physical methods - certainly true with Casper who was sent off to one of those old fashioned "boarding schools", whereas we got Kiki quite young (9-10 months) so she's known positive based training most of her life and tends to "get" things a lot more quickly. Not that it's impossible though!
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