I began training dogs in 1982 with a Doberman Pincher, "Max", that I rescued from a junk yard. Talk about a challenge!
I had been pestering his owner for months. Finally one day he said i could take him... if i could get near him. I'll never forget that day.
He was tied to a dog house in the back by a tow chain. The collar around his neck was thick and tight, to keep him from slipping out. He ran in circles, over and over, then would stop to bark at anyone he saw.
I walked up to the line, took a deep breath, and said, "You're coming with me. Please don't bite me." I put out my hand and stepped closer. I took his heavy chain and released it after i attached the leash I was carrying.
He knew he was released from the chain and he took off. I held the end of the leash, barely. The men working at the junk yard watched from afar. If anything went wrong, I knew I was on my own, they were intimidated by him. He pulled hard, but i managed to keep my grip. I escorted him to my car and he jumped in as though he had been riding for years. I closed the door, and walked around to the other side.
The owner came out. I thought Max was going to go through the window, barking and growling. The owner laughed, "Now let me see you get in there!" I smiled, took a deep breath and opened the door, using my body to block him from escaping. "It's okay, Max." I said, We're going home."
I climbed in, shut the door and drove away!
As they say... the rest is history!
Obedience Training
My training techniques have evolved over the years as I learned about dog behavior. Basically, I teach dogs the mechanics of what the command involves before I expect a response. Teaching mechanics requires patience, repetition and reward.
Dogs are simple creatures. Their behavior, and control of, is based on the foundation of basic commands come, heel, sit, down and stay. The trick is getting the dog to understand what you want. As it is said, dogs want to please us... we, unfortunately, tend to confuse them and then blame them for letting us down.
