Comments on: Controlling a Dog’s Behavior – Is Total Control Necessary?

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 23:36:36 +0000

This is by far the best article I’ve read! I love the sarcastic tone. Very well written! I struggle with “total control vs no control” on walks. It is difficult to find a balance between allowing my dog to enjoy the walk by sniffing and having some freedom but also following me so we can actually walk! I’m sure it takes a while to find that sweet spot of obedience and letting your dog enjoy his/her freedom. I refer to two dogs on my street as soldiers. The man walks his dog as if they are soldiers, no sniffing, no looking, no peeing, just walking in a straight line. I suppose this could be for obedience but it always seemed so eery to me how un-doglike they were. I will now call them Stepford Dogs…much funnier!!

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 18:39:10 +0000

The article on “Stepford Dog” really helped. I have a relative , in which he & I disagree on the control of a dog. He is abusive in my eyes and this article confirmed thatyou do not have to beat (or hit, punch, kick) a dog to make him mind or listen! I am going to print out the article & give to him, even tho I’m sure it will do him no good as he thinks he is right. He will continue with his way & I will continue with mine.
At least I have professionals backing me up. Thank You.

By: shibashake

shibashake — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:37:10 +0000

In reply to Kelly.

We did SIRIUS puppy classes with Shiba Sephy and Husky Shania.
https://www.siriuspup.com/classes

The classes focus a lot on puppy socialization and impulse control. In general, I found group classes to be most useful for the socialization aspects, so I picked classes that specialized on that. For specific behavioral issues, management techniques, timing, reading body language, and more, I found private sessions to be much more useful.

After Sephy finished with his puppy classes, we did more classes at our local SPCA, where they also only used resource control methods.

This article from the ASPCA has more on how to evaluate trainers and classes-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help

The APDT site has more information on what to look out for-
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/

More on where I get my dog training information.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 00:23:34 +0000

Hi,
Can you recommend a training program to start our 8 week old puppy with? I have read several of your articles and like your philosophy and that of NILIF. What I’m looking for are some more specific steps to follow.
I would appreciate any help!
Thanks!

By: Henry P

Henry P — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:19:55 +0000

Excellent article! What is the point in owning an animal with a broken spirit?
I’d say none at all!
Yes dogs must learn that there are boundaries that they should not cross but not to the detriment of their complete character.

By: nbd

nbd — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:16:03 +0000

My way is: dog has to listen to me 100%, but I don’t want too much from him and most of it is ritual behavior.

By: Olav

Olav — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:56:31 +0000

I wanted to compliment you for your outstanding article. I use multiple methods (aversive, resource-based, reward, etc) depending on the situation (and the dog’s stubbornness) . Perhaps your total control vs no control-argument deserves merits, but the way I see it, dog training is analogous to the German autobahns. In dangerous curves you ask for complete and strict obedience, but besides that you are free to drive however fast or slow you want.

I teach a dog to obey a command at any time and under any distraction. This is his key to freedom. If I, or any other owner, can trust his dog to obey “come”, “stay,” and “down” commands at any given time and distraction, I can provide him with enormous freedom to smell, play, and do whatever he wishes the rest of the time.

By: shibashake

shibashake — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:28:53 +0000

In reply to Livia. Re: Puppy Biting Yeah puppies are usually very mouthy because they are very curious, very energetic, and want to interact and play with everyone and everything using their mouth. Some things that help my dogs with biting during puppyhood - 1. Bite inhibition training. 2. Frozen Kongs. 3. Redirection - teach them what to do instead of biting. Here are a few more things that I do to control puppy biting. Physically based methods, such as neck grabbing, finger jabs, alpha rolls and more, were not helpful with Shiba Sephy. In the longer term, such methods encouraged even more bad behaviors, caused him to lose trust in me, and made him very sensitive to handling and grooming. Some of these "techniques" may also encourage dog aggression. Re: Crating With Sephy, his crate location matters a lot. Sephy is fine sleeping in his crate as long as it is in the bedroom with his people. In this way, he can smell us, see us, and knows we are very close by. When he was a puppy, we put-up a baby gate in the kitchen and put Sephy in there during his day-nap/rest time. I am usually in the kitchen with him, or right outside in the living room so that he also knows I am close by and can see me. In the beginning, I also slowly desensitized Sephy to his crate so that he views it as a positive and safe area where he eats and goes to sleep. Here are some of the things that helped with Sephy during puppyhood. Here are some things that I learned while training Shiba Sephy. I set up a very consistent routine for Sephy, and a very fixed set of rules. I also use the Nothing in Life is Free program with all of my dogs.

By: Livia

Livia — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 04:10:51 +0000

We got our Shiba Inu puppy 8 days ago, he was 10 weeks old. Sweet, wild, curious, biting…etc. HE tends to bite…I put my hands behind me with NO words. He is learning that, but still sometimes…when in wild mood…bites that my hands bleed a little. I tend to scream ouch when it hurts too much, but sometimes he keeps bitting. I am not sure what to do, my reaction is to grab his skin behind head like his mother would do, then he stops. The breeder told me to do this, but i am not sure about it. Need advice in this matter.
Also, when we put him in crate for night, last 3 evening he throws screaming and raging, he wants out. I let him do this about 10 sec, then take him out to pee. then hug him and try to calm him down by rocking, petting and aft talk. he calms down, but when put on crate, again, he protests. I do not think he is ready to be free in night yet. He still has accidents, bites everything, is mischievous, but so adorable!
I need to know why to do that he does not scream bloody murder when put to his crate to sleep……he is good on leash, he is almost potty trained, understands when i tell him go poo, go pee, out, home etc. But still has peeing accidents there and there. It is also very cold, snow and rain outside, nasty weather. Spring is not close yet.
Wants the food we eat, i had to put him in his cage ( not crate for sleeping) he is very stubborn, it is our first dog, and I do not want to make mistakes in training him.
Any advice?
thank you
L.

By: W.R.Printz

W.R.Printz — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 05:28:38 +0000

Well said article. I agree with you 100%. Safe, yes…but no robot dog for me please. I love my little evil genius Shiba, sweet is best with spicy added in.