From Porky: My new twaining is fun!!

[doxielady5569128]

Momma and I started a new fing in our house.  She says I was getting out of hand wif being naughty and stealing fings.  I was like that beagle on the Dog Whisperer that steals fings and runs away wif them.  (Don't know if anyone saw that episode)  Momma twied all Ceasar's ideas, but since she couldnt catch me when I runned away wif da stuff, his ideas weren't much help in my situation. 

Momma and daddy bought some whistles at the store yesterday.  Dey bof wear dem around der necks so no matter who catches me dey can do my new twaining.  If I pick up somefing I'm not aspposed to have, Dey blow on dat whistle and I dwop it fast and go to dem for a treat!!   I weally like getting a treat when the whistle blows.  But, heres the catch...I only get it if I dwop the thing AND go sit in front of dem.  I fink dat's a little unfair, but long as I do what dey want I get the treat. 

Porky's mom:  I really hope this new training will work.  We have tried everything with him to get him to stop.  There have been days when I ran circles around the house ALL DAY trying to catch Porky to get things from him, which only made him love it more! LOL  Do you think this a good way to teach him to drop things when we ask?  Since we started this morning, it seems to work.  At first we just reinforced him paying attention to the sound.  Then once he seemed to understand that, we moved onto him dropping whatever he had and sitting, then he got a treat.  He figured out the run to momma or daddy thing on his own.  (We never even thought of doing that, he just did it automatically.)  He is such a smart boy we are sure he will catch on quick, I just hope it works so we can eventually phase out the whistle.  Let me know if you guys think this will work or not???  Thanks for your input!!  Any other ideas how to fix this???   We are willing to try just about anything at this point. 

By the way...this is primarily a listening to commands issue, when we commanded him with our voice to drop things, he thought it was a game.  Even if we lowered our voices and were VERY firm with him.  Because of the ongoing issue, he has learned the command "Time-Out" LOL  He know when we say that he is supposed to go inside his kennel and lay down until he is asked to come out.    My mother-in-law taught him that. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to be able to fully explain the situation so you might be able to help me with ideas or tell me if the whistle idea will work in your opinion.

[Barb]

Sounds like a good plan to me !!!  Go Porky !!!!   Neither of mine really get into stuff they aren't supposed to.....but they do tend to have selective hearing at times !!!  Good luck - let us know how it goes!

[Sandishooligans]

There have been days when I ran circles around the house ALL DAY trying to catch Porky to get things from him, which only made him love it more

!  But isn't this part of Porky helping you with your exercising???  LOL!  Hope this new training works but I bet it is kinda cute when Porky runs off this fings.

[papbouv]

I think the whistle is a great idea as you know when you chase them to them it is a great game then good exercise for you but does not teach the dog anything except to run faster I would stick with the whistle I think that is great idea may try it with Patches.
Tomorrow going to take Patches to Pets Mart to see when the next training class starts up my old obedience training classes moved futher away from where I live so now Pets Mart is the closest anyone try Petsmart classes???.
Since Patches is a hunting breed figured I needed to get some distractions from other people & dogs so she will come no matter what else is going on around her yeah I know its a stretch but thought I would try it anyway.
papbouv

[Barb]

I think the whistle is a great idea as you know when you chase them to them it is a great game then good exercise for you but does not teach the dog anything except to run faster I would stick with the whistle I think that is great idea may try it with Patches.
Tomorrow going to take Patches to Pets Mart to see when the next training class starts up my old obedience training classes moved futher away from where I live so now Pets Mart is the closest anyone try Petsmart classes???.
Since Patches is a hunting breed figured I needed to get some distractions from other people & dogs so she will come no matter what else is going on around her yeah I know its a stretch but thought I would try it anyway.
papbouv

What a precious picture !!!!   Petsmart classes should be fine and they will help !!!  Let us know how they go!

[doxielady5569128]

Day 2 of the new training.  So far it is going pretty good still.  I have noticed that I have to blow the whistle before he can pick something up with his mouth, otherwise he takes off running with it and hides where I can't reach him.  My husband and I are considering nailing boards to the underside of the couch so when he tries to hide under there, SMACK!...he can't.  But, that is only as a last resort.   

I have noticed that Porky is making less attempts at picking up things he knows are forbidden.  Which is great.  It is frustrating today because he is testing the limits quite a bit.  For the most part though, he has been MUCH better!!!   I haven't been able to do housecleaning or my homework for my college classes in a LOOONG time, without putting him in his kennel. And I hate to have him in there very long.   Today, I was able to take a shower, cook breakfast (my husband almost had a heart attack!  ), and do 4 loads of laundry without Porky interfering or acting up at all!!   

I wish we had a petsmart close to us.  The closest one to us is four hours away, so classes from them are out the question.  Also...I have looked into obedience classes in our area and can't find anything.  Everyone I ask says..."you should start teaching one, Porky is so well behaved."  HA   THey dont see the wild monster that runs around my house. LOL   ANother behavior intervention I am doing with Porky is walking him more.  We walk every day for 1 hour in the morning, run 1.5 miles after lunch, and walk again in the evening for 30 minutes, currently.  But, Porky is still displaying "boredom behaviors" (ie..chewing, running laps around the house, etc...)  So.. I think we will add another 30 minute walk in there somewhere.  He is just a VERY high energy dog.   The vet was shocked when I told her how far we walk and run every day.   

I'll keep you all posted to how Porky is doing.  So far, I reccommend the whistle idea to anyone who has time to enforce it. Again...sorry for the long post!

[papbouv]

Have you tried teaching Porky tricks something to keep his little mind sharp I'm sure you have the Kong's to fill with stuff to keep him busy too we have a ball you can put kibble in and they roll it all over the house to get the  kibble out. Also you may try the Tellington Touch massage for dogs they have different ones for different problems plus its a great bonding tool and really relaxes the dog.
Papbouv

[PattyInAK]

In Willy's class, the trainer said "clicker" training was great, and in your case you use a whistle.  In our class, the clicker or whistle was our "Yes!" whenever the dog did what he was supposed to.  Like our trainer said, your "Yes!" is always with you, whereas your whistle may not.  And every "Yes!" is followed by a treat.  Best of luck with Porky, sounds like you are on the right track.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

I have always used "yes" as our bridge word, it's worked great for us.