Does dog obedience courses really work to help socialize my dog because she bolts towards other dogs alot when
she sees them or cats or squirrels or anything that moves.
My dog has a high prey drive but I dont want to have to go around other dogs all the time. Is there a way to train her so she doesnt go bezerk when she sees another animal?
Thanks
September 26th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Depends on the dog breed. I have a Korean Jindo and there is no other way to control him other than using a shock collar.
September 26th, 2010 at 10:35 am
the best thing ob classes do is teach you how to train your dog. if your dog has high prey drive it is going to go after everything that moves. that is what that means
it is up to you as a responsible dog owner to prevent her from being able to do it.
there are no pull harnesses & prong collars which must be properly fitted but are very effective
September 26th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Why don’t you want to be around other dogs? I learn a lot from other people and their dogs, just watching.
Yes dog obedience will help socialize and train your dog not to bolt. You need to be serious if you do take a course. There is daily homework to do with your dog to get ready for the next class.
I’d start with a basic class and see if that meets your needs.
September 26th, 2010 at 11:26 am
the best advice i can give youis : watch Cesar Millan on the National Geographic channel, you’ll get your answer.
September 26th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Yes, training classes will help. If your dog has a high prey drive then she will go after small animals.
Train, Train, Train…..
September 26th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
yes obedience class so work. Please tell the trainer the problems that you are having with the dog.
September 26th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Well, assuming he’s always on a leash when in the public, teach him to ‘sit’ and wait for you to give him the OK to investigate another dog.
This is what I’m doing with one of our rescue dogs, since he is wanting to run up to every dog he sees, and I am wanting time to insure the other dog is accepting, first.
September 26th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
o.k. i know what you mean. my dog does the same thing. you need to bring her to a friends house who has a dog. let them play and get to know each other. if he/she goes bezerk about a dog let them meet the dog.. if that doesn’t work then take your dog away and maybe scold them if they scared the owner or the dog.
September 26th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Obedience classes can help they will show you how to introduce your dog to other dogs. Keep this dog on a lead until you have overcome the problem.
The 3 second introduction is a good way to start. When passing another dog on a lead, allow 3 seconds for a quick sniff then move on quickly.
You may need some help with a dog behavourist as well. Take the advice given by the Obedience class.
September 26th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
No Classes….yet. Get private lessons.
As a trainer, I can tell you that taking a dog with a high prey drive to an Obedience class full of other excited, misbehaving dogs will strain your nerves and test your resolve. Your dog may not be able to focus on you and, if this happens, you will feel like you wasted a lot of money. Plus it will strain your relationship with your doggie.
To begin….Call a trainer and work one-on-one at your home. Familiar environment + one-on-one help = success.
Break this down into smaller steps. Focus on the basics…sit, stay, down, and come. Then graduate to the backyard and squirrels. Then work on socialization.
Get private lessons from a certified trainer. It will be money well spent.
September 26th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Obedience training her to be in control when you direct her to be is what you need. High prey drive is fine – it is a base instinct in canines and can be used to better train a dog and get it under control. If she is bolting towards other dogs then she isn’t trained properly and you don’t know how to train her properly so you do need to get to a good obedience instructor so you can learn to properly train her. Most of the training isn’t done in the class setting — it is done in your yard, home, neighborhood, park, whatever — but she must be controllable when other dogs, squirrels, cats, whatever are around otherwise she is not trained. It isn’t necessarily about ‘socialization’ — that is a skill she learned as a pup around her litter mates and later around you so that she can deal with different situations. If she was removed from her litter too young and didn’t learn social skills from her species, then she will always have some issue with it but training her around other dogs so that she can learn to better behave around them can help her and you. She shouldn’t ever ‘go berserk’ around other animals or you are simply waiting for the moment when a bad situation will occur that could mean a law suit for you or a death sentence for her. To be responsible you need to have trained the dog to be obedient and not a nuisance.