How To Train A Dog Part III - Teaching Name Recognition To A "Pigs Fly" Dog

Alvin (The Terrible) SEZ:

As in the two previous posts* about "Pigs Fly" dogs (When Pigs Fly!: Training Success with Impossible Dogs), this post describes the application of a "Pigs Fly" technique.

Name Recognition is particularly difficult for a "Pigs Fly" dog because they're so intent on doing whatever they want to do versus what YOU want them to do. For example, when Alvin the Terrible is guarding his goughnuts, he would not recognize ANY command nor respond to his name.

What's An Owner To Do When Even The Dog Ignores YOU??

Buy the When Pigs Fly! book.
Read It.
Use it.

If this reads like a See Dick and Jane kid's book- then you got the message - it's really that simple.

Alvin needed to learn name recognition.

Got to get a dogs attention before training starts. So, according to the technique presented in the book, we did the Name - Click - Treat routine several times a day for three days.

Same thing for bro Simon - but out of Alvin's hearing range.

Now both dogs respond to their names - their heads jerk toward the sound - and they come running. Even better - each dog knows his own name. When I request both dogs to stay and say "Simon, Okay" to release him from the stay, Alvin stays. Amazing what a few training sessions will produce.

Obviously, name recognition is very important when you have more than one animal.

No More Complaining About The Dog Ignoring You!

Buy When Pigs Fly!: Training Success with Impossible Dogs
At Barnes & Noble's LOW price!

* Previous posts about When Pigs Fly! (How To Train A Dog):
http://designerpuppys.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-train-dog-when-pigs-fly-training.html
http://designerpuppys.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-train-dog-part-ii-starting.html

Stop Dog Chewing The Easy Way - PREVENT It From Happening

One Proven Way To Prevent Destructive Chewing - Give Dogs an Alternative
One of the simplest ways to stop dog chewing is to provide your dog with indestructible toys. When he chews, He can work on HIS stuff, NOT your furniture, shoes, cell phone, or eyeglasses.

Some dogs just love to chew and rip toys to shreds within minutes. The Guinness Book of Records must record information about the canine who can remove a squeaker toy and scatter stuffing the fastest! Not a very hopeful thought, but many dogs never grow out of this phase - so OK-to-chew playthings are must-have purchases.

The Ultimate Chew Toy

For the cost of a few squeaker toys, you can get the ultimate, nearly indestructible chew toys – GoughNuts. The originals came in Green, Black, and .75 (a smaller version). Now there are stick versions of these miracles, also in green and black. The black ones were designed for the strong Big Boy or Girl Chewer – usually a larger dog.

Each of these items has an inner core of red material surrounded by either the black or green substance.

Goughnuts come in 6 different varieties and are virtually indestructible. If your dog is able to chew through to the red area, you call the manufacturer ASAP for a replacement. Black Goughnuts are stronger than green ones and are for extreme chewers.

Alvin's Recommendation
Doesn't this post read like the voice of experience? It is - Alvin, my Bichon Frise mixed breed is an amazing chewer. See his video "Guarding The Goughnuts" below. But he knows to chew his own toys - his favorite is

In this video, Alvin The Terrible (a 23-lb "small dog") guards his goughnuts from his bro (offscreen). This video will you an idea of the size of the GoughNut Green .75

* See ezinearticles.com