Abby Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Okay, so since getting Dylan and becoming a 2 dog household, I never really have gotten the hang of how to carry on individual training (I do clicker training and would preuferu to do 2 or 3 little bits a day with each dog) without the other dog getting in the way / going nuts outside the door / barking barking barking etc you get the picture. They drive me, and themselves, mad. Plus it is slowing their progress down and taking the enjoyment away from it. But, now we're settled in a bit at the pub and I have a little more headspace, I am determined to do more training with the boys. Given that I can only occasionally sucessfully train them together, and it doesn't work dong single dog training while the other one is in the room at the same time, and that I have found bribing the other with a very tasty chew in a different room doesn't work, I am after advice. What can I try that I haven't thought of / wouldn't think of / you have found works? Please do give me the bleedin' obvious ones as well since I may well have got stuck in a blind corner on this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Do you have times during the day when the pub is shut and your OH (sorry, can't remember his name ) could take one dog out for a walk while you do some training? Or otherwise keep the other dog occupied? My solution is to have more than two dogs, then you don't have to leave the one not being trained alone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted September 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 We're not taking the boys out seperately at the moment because it was causing problems with 'reintegration' earlier in the year, might try it again this winter because I found it very useful for training outside...also the boys don't do short walks (find them more frustrating than no walk at all Also, Clive goes mad if you take Dylan out without him (vocally, and won't concentrate on anything). Today I did Clive's training first, while Dylan whined and cried outside the door, then I did Dylan's while Clive shouted outside the door, except for when he was with OH getting a belly rub, and as soon as that finished he ran straight back upstairs to shout some more. I know it sounds like excuses, but if Kev (OH) always has to be involved then it just isn't going not happen as much as I want and the boys need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtychicken Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 I know that you say you've tried chews, but what about something like a Kong that's tightly packed with something smelly or a buster cube? Would that occupy them more, and for longer, than a chew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted September 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 I will try it again but I think its the attention that is the problem for Clive (Dylan getting attention I mean) and for Dylan I think (and I hope) that he just gets so excited about training that he goes over the top. I'm hoping that he will calm down a bit when we are doing more of it, and its not such a special rareu event, but then I may be cluctching at straws. Ideally of course, I would have Kev training one to be calm and quiet elsewhere while I trained the other... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Not exactly practical but you could take them both out for a walk by car or just a ride in the car and then leave the other one in the car while you go out of sight to do some training with one and then swap them over? The only way I can do any serious training with mine individually is when we're at the farm or a field or club of course and I can get them out of the car one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple_mog Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 hmmmm - When I was training with little Farah, I had Finn (who was already older and more advanced) doing nice calm stays on his mat - with rewards each time I went past. For Farah I crated her where she could see me and worked Finn - again rewarding Farah for being calm, gradually I could increase the time from like 5seconds to 5 minutes!!! Otherwise I do train together and get them to do races for fastest distance control, or race to the cone and touch it etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted September 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 'Wait' is their strongest command so maybe I could build on that and try again at them taking turns with training. I'm not convinced they've got it in them, as they get over-excited and both want to be in the thick of it whenever I get the clicker out, but I'll give it a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilRed Posted September 30, 2008 Report Share Posted September 30, 2008 My advice is to try and work through it. Treat it as a training exercise in itself. Make sure the dog you are not working with cannot interfere, if you don't have a crate then put them on the lead and loop it around a door handle or similar. Go back to basics and do things like 'watch' with the first dog to teach them to ignore the other dog. Swap them over regularly and as has been already suggested build up the time you can work with one while the other waits quietly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yena Posted September 30, 2008 Report Share Posted September 30, 2008 I have the same problem with Tillee, when I'm training her at home. The others all want to know what's going on. I find, training outside worked for me, leaving the other inside, which is ok if it's not raining Hope you can find the right solutions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophie Posted September 30, 2008 Report Share Posted September 30, 2008 I'd suggest the following: - Have 2 different clickers, one for each dog, so that they know who is being clicked. I'd suggest having some way of attaching them to your belt or similar, so that you don't need to hold two clickers. - Work on having one dog in a stay while the other is working. Initially, try having a bed/mat near something that you can tie a lead to, so that if the dog gets up, they can't interupt the other dogs training. - Have the stay work be really short and near to where you are working the other dog initially. So tell one dog to stay on the mat, move a step away with the other dog, do something really quick (1 sit) and then return to the other dog to reward the stay. I started working through the above steps, and was getting somewhere, but then sort of stopped on the training sessions, so not sure I should be giving advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted September 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2008 Thanks for all the pointers. I will defo give training them to be in the same room a go, as that's my preferred end point anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted October 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Did our first joint session today and the boys were suspiciously good I only did a couple of minutes work but had one wait in their bed while the other did a couple of moves. Then I went back and clicked and treated the one that was waiting. Neither of them moved from their beds, Dylan barked once which I ignored and only treated him once he was quiet again. I used a different type of clicker for each as they sound slightly different. Fingers crossed they continue in this vein! Thanks again muchly for your advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yena Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Lets hope it continues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Quick update: The boys are still doing really well with their joint training. Dylan still gets impatient sometimes, so I'm reinforcing his waits a bit more than Clive's who is really patient (oddly enough) at this. Sometimes they do the same stuff in their turns, sometimes different stuff, but it doesn't seem to matter, they still focus on me and not the other dog. I haven't tried abnything very active and moving around, which would get them both excited, as I want to be on firmer footings before that, but so far so good. Thanks so much guys for your excellent advice - I really appreciate it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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