Is it even a quick fix method??

We often talk about some training methods as being 'quick fix' and how positive training is going to take lots of time

I had an interesting chance to view the two methods at the same time - and the results were not what I expected at all

I decided to take Mia along to the fun agility class that I used to take Ben to. Mainly it was for some socialisation (as noone seems to walk their dogs any more) but I thought I would only do as much in the class as Mia was able to

We went in early so I could get a place at the back
There was another wee dog there - both Mia and this other dog reacted to each other barking and growling

I took Mia away to the other end to calm down - I saw the other little dog being held down in a 'alpha roll'

In my position with Mia we played 'look at that dog' where she looks at the dog and then back to me for a treat as the dogs came into the room then as the dogs started agility I gave her little treat 'jackpots' as dogs were getting infront of her
Each dog did 3 rounds of agility
1st round - Mia was vv alert but able to eat the treats
2nd round - Mia calmly at my feet looking up to me for a treat when dogs got close
3rd round - Mia exploring under the tables and not interested in the dogs at all

She also managed to run the agiity a couple of times - twice loose dogs ran up to her - and she let them sniff her with no reaction - and once there was a dog infront of her as she came out of the tunnel - but she just said hello
and leaving the class in the doorway there were a few dogs waiting to come in - she just locked eyes with me a trotted past them without a sound

Good girl Mia!!

The other little dog
Was able to run the agility OK - had been there before
But any dogs getting near it and it was still having a reaction and being pinned to the floor (as the psst noise wasnt distracting it)
Interesting that the quick fix method didnt show any improvment at all where as the slow positive method showed big big results

great news,

the thing is, the dog that got pinned, its not a quick fix in as much as, Im trying to resolve my dogs issues, its an instant reaction to a situation, eg...stop now. It however does nothing to solve the long term problem,

some people look long term, for them they want a dog free of stress or issues,


some people can only see whats in front of them, for them its going to be a long long road, most likely to the end of the dogs life with all the same stress and issues.

wonder what would have happened if the other dog had been pinned, then when he was calm the owner had employed your tactics?

just curious?

Didnt see the point in pinning at all
Would have been nice if the owner had paid any attention to the dog at all when it was being good, too many people ignore the good (cos of course the dog should know how to act) and then punnish the bad

i agree with you here, and its not only a trait that is true of humans toward dogs either.......we can be bad at rewarding humans that do good too!

A few years ago my daughter was having problems with her son (my grandson) lots of him being naughty, and she said she always seemed to be telling him off, so i asked her if he was good as well and she said yes quite a lot of the time , so i told her to praise him every time he did something good what ever it was and mark a star on a board , dont say a word about the bad things and at the end of each week add up the stars and he then gets a pressie depending on how many stars , worked very well , he so wanted those stars , so very little naughty behaviour .

see- positive training methods rule!

I don't even think it is a quick fix method, it stops the dog from being able to react they way it was but not correcting it. As soon as the incident happens again (ie a dog being near it, it will do it again, then be pinned again) vicious cycle IMO.
Now your dog is seeing I get something good and these dogs that come up to me are not worth growling at instead I can look at my owner and get a treat, hhheeeelllllllooooo other dogs please come up to me
Sounds like you and Mia made progress so good to hear

totaly although my ex figured out what I was doing and said 'stop trying to train me like the dog!' reward the good ignore the bad - I haddnt got the clicker out

Thankyou, yes she is comming along - although she dosent genralise at all - so those dogs in that room is not fine - and the dogs in the agility room, and in the park where the agility is, and in the training room - but other places and other dogs she will still react to
One day perhaps! but she is getting so much better

oh that is so funny - i can just imagine the clicker coming out!!