Keeping a puppy out of the garden

[Bob Scott]

As requested by KHT
The simple answer is don't ever let the pup go there. If you can't watch it every time then it shouldn't be allowed out there by itself.
ALL training is more about leadership then it is training the actual behavior. Think about the folks who have the dogs that can perform all the "cute" parlor tricks but have no control over the dog. It doesn't come when called, and it doesn't understand the word "NO"!
With a pup in particular I suggest keeping the pup teathered to you. Collar and line on the pup and the other end tied to your belt. No commands needed. When you go to another part of the house or yard the pup HAS TO COME with you. That's the beginning of teaching the pup that you are god! It doesn't have any choices unless you allow it. No it's NOT cruel. Once the dog understands you are in control you can "start" weaning it off the line. ALL dogs need leadership. Without it the serious dogs will become dangerous and the spoiled rotten dogs will creat havoc in any way it can to get attention.
Teach the dog the meaning of "come" and "no".
When it starts heading towards the garden, getting in the trash, heading for any sort of trouble just give a simple "no" or "leave it" and walk in the other direction. No yelling, no repeating ANY command.
You supply the food and the treats (earned as a reward and not a bribe). You go through the doorway/gate/etc first. The dog follows!
My dogs don't go in any of my flowers outside the yard because I'm there with them. Inside the yard I can't control them all the them so why show inconsistency buy telling them no one time and allowing it when I'm not there. IF I have an area that absolutely needs to be kept out of their reach I would install a hot wire. No it's not cruel. It's nothing more then a volts. amps are the danger in electricity. You'd be surprised how quickly them learn to avoid it. I haven't had the need in years but wouldn't hesitate if needed.
Look up Marker training with Michael Ellis on Youtube. OUTSTANDING! He has some of the best ever training DVDs on the planet and I say that with having a huge library of 50+ yrs of collecting books, DVDs, etc on dog training. These DVDS can be found through the Leerburg dog training site. I have no connection to either Leerburg or Michael Ellis other then being a fan.
My older German Shepherd Thunder has his Sch III, CDX, HT, CGC, TT and all his SAR training and he's NEVER had a leash correction. ALL motivational, reward based, marker training. That being said, it's still about leadership and not just teaching the dog a particular behavior.

[newtohosta-no more]

Good advice, Bob. If we ever get a dog I'd like to train him/her the proper way. A well behaved dog makes life so much easier and makes everyone happy.

[kHT]

Can this be used for DH too? He is my biggest problems when it comes to training Sable. The minute he walks in the door she forgets everything and
he tells me I'm to strict. He did the same thing with the boys. She minds me but it's a lost cause with him. I have used small PVC pipe and netting to fence off
some of the yard for her to play in and DH saids it looks tacky plus he has to step over it. Mitzy was trained better at this age and knew what she could and couldn't do.
But Sable is Daddy's baby and I'm sure going to send him to those sites so he knows why I'm doing what I do with her. He has allowed her to dig in the dirt and I'm the one
that has to give her a bath. I guess I wasn't ready for another dog this soon but I know he needed his four legged friend? He was so lost after putting Mitzy down.
Thank you for the tips and I'll be teaching them both.

[LucyGoose]

Think about the folks who have the dogs that can perform all the "cute" parlor tricks but have no control over the dog.

Heyyyyyyyyyyyy....... .....are you talking about me?? .... .. .. ..

[Bob Scott]

K, consistency is the key! You pup will probably obey you but not your DH. The problem arises when he allows Sable to have free roam of the garden. That's confusing to the dog simply because they don't process things like we do. They have no idea why it can be ok to do something one time and not the next. That means anytime to the dog.
The good news
DH can also be marker trained. When he does something right use whatever marker work you decide represents a reward. I use "Yes". Lots of folks use a clicker.
Either way, mark his correct behavior and then reward heavily. Operant conditioning at it's best!

Sis, what can I say! Luvs ya sis!

Joan, absolutely no reason you can't have a well mannered dog. Be consistent. Make training fun. I expect a new pup to have a sit, down, come and a short term stay by the time it's 12-14 weeks old. It's all taught as a game with "NO" corrections!
When I first went to a dog training class in the 60s it was all about control with power. That was the reason a dog wasn't accepted in a class till it was a year old. They weren't mentally ready for corrections. Nothing wrong with that IF DONE CORRECTLY and at a level proper to the behavior but why would a dog refuse to do something if it means loss of reward and why "correct" a dog before it understands the command. (Heel, yank) Teach the command operant then, if needed, you can correct when the dog fully understands what you want.
The reward has to meet the criteria of the dog as to value. The key to reward is understanding the difference between reward, lure and bribe. Many folks never get past the bribe and don't understand why the dog refuses a command when it doesn't see the "reward" when the command is given. Thus the cute little dog with 101 parlor tricks that refuses to come when called.

[LucyGoose]

..........

[kHT]

Thanks Bob, guess I'll be baking a lot of cakes!!

[Bob Scott]

That's just so wrong in so many ways!

[thy]

Directed from the rose forum

Collar and line on the pup and the other end tied to your belt.

Hmmm can this be used for walking the dog too ?

Reason, my son have the most lovely dog in the World ( exept mine, but she is very close) but I do not dare to walk her during the day times. She love all and everything and all she want is to play. She is 1½ year old, but an Irish Wolfdog, so she is huge and I have problems with my wrists. So if she meet a dog I am scared I can not controle her.
In the nights she pull the line, but I can walk her to the "go free area" and at the way home she walks so nicely by my side.
She is smart but a dominant bitch, a easy learner and last summer she mostly learned how to walk the garden, then in the fall she found a playmate here when they came visiting. Do they have fun playing around , but he just run thrugh the garden, plants or no, she is more care ful but when he is around... !!!. My plants at the area are smaller, planted just 2 or 3 years ago and mostly hostas.
Do you have any idea on how to train 2 playing dogs for fooling around the common grass area, but not into my garden.
I think I ´made a mistake. I had water in some buckets in the driveway just on the other side of the bed, and they came to drink the water.
I will tell my son to bring water to the grass arrea, but do not think it will stop him...and maybe her.

All in all she is well behaved, she can walk just beside of you without a leach, but none of us trust her if she see an other dog, and I do not think I can hold her. Reason why I babysit in my sons house with a secured garden and only walk her at nights when there are no other dogs on the streets
Her play mate is an English Setter or something like that.

By the way I have trained my dogs ( and .... my kids ) with the non verbal no sound hmm hmm
Pia

[Bob Scott]

Thy, it could work with a leash around the waist but I'd be sure to have some sort of quick release with an Irish Wolfhound. If you fell down and the dog decided to take off running it wouldn't be pretty.
As for staying in the grass area you can't allow them to go in the garden EVER. Teach each dog individually. When they are playing together they are in a high state of excitement and have less chance of listening to you unless you have excellent voice control over both.

[thy]

Yes, I will not need an umbrella to fly

Thanks

[Bob Scott]

The umbrella would only be successful if there were no low hanging tree branches.

[thy]

So I can only use an umbrella in the center of the town

>
>
Nice to know

[Bob Scott]

That would all depend on how fast your dog is, it's stamina, your grip, and are you running into the wind or with it.
All these things have to be figured out before your first launch attempt! It's called the Mary Poppins factor!

[Linda P]

That would all depend on how fast your dog is, it's stamina, your grip, and are you running into the wind or with it.
All these things have to be figured out before your first launch attempt! It's called the Mary Poppins factor!

Bob, it's so good to have you back! I've missed your great sense of humor, and it's so good to have your dog-training wisdom at hand again.

karma, I sympathize. I have an untrainable husband. My dog was 5 when we got him, and had some really bad habits. The dog is much better trained
now but not the husband.

Linda P

[kHT]

Thanks LindaP, I was beginning to wonder if I should with hold the cake baking for a while. Sable is so well behaved during the day but
the minute DH walks in the door she is a wild dog. I keep telling him it's him not her and how he plays with her.

[Bob Scott]

Operant conditioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euINCrDbbD4

[kHT]

I tried the chocolate route in DH, but he got wise and keeps asking what I want.

[Bob Scott]

That makes it tough when the hubby is smarter then the dog. I think my wife would say that doesn't happen often.