Things I have learned while hiking with a dog.

[esabacz]

I'd be a lot happier with Barney if he'd apply that intelligence to doing what he's supposed to do instead of figuring out ways to do what he knows he isn't supposed to do.

For instance he's a great sneak. If he's just cruising around you'll hear his rabies tag, etc. The instant he decides to do something he isn't supposed to do you won't hear a thing.

Because of that I tend to treat him like a small child. If I can't hear him and don't know what he's doing I go check pronto.

I guess Barney's trained me to stay close to him.

HAHA...to true the only time I worry about my pups is when I don't hear him.
The quite time, is the scary time...lol!

[Nightwalker]

I'd be a lot happier with Barney if he'd apply that intelligence to doing what he's supposed to do instead of figuring out ways to do what he knows he isn't supposed to do.

Like father, like son.

[Two Speed]

You're a fine one to talk. Don't forget I've been in camp with you and Tinker.

[CowHead]

my dog is ten years old and he's great dragging me uphills

[Gray Blazer]

My dog has picked up some bad habits from some of the Trail Legends.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=6217

[Rockhound]

oh yes! I carry the spray thet shoots a 30 foot single steam of spray that would knock down a 1000lb griz.

But really I hope that I never ever have a strange dog running up to me and my dog on the trail in a threatning manner. I would feel horrible to be at the point that I thought I was danger enough to actually have spray a poor doggie when it is the owners fault for not having that poor creature under control.

I have absoluly no idea what your first paragraph means????

I highly doubt it would knock a grizzly down. Hopefully it might deter the bear and he'd leave you alone. Or it just might piss him off.

[CrumbSnatcher]

my moneys on the griz, you'd be better off with a can of cheese wiz!

[middle to middle]

Nothing like being out of water and getting to a water hole that someones dog has just muddied up and having to shoo it out repeatedly and having the owner be miffed because you think humans come first.

[Two Speed]

So you learned something about dogs or humans from that encounter?

Before responding please take a look at the TOS for the site and the sticky at the top of this forum.

[WritinginCT]

One thing I've learned hiking with Peanut is that she's exceptionally observant. She walks "around" things versus over/thru them. It took me a while to figure out what she was doing and it's actually made me more observant. Example- she went to side of a small leaf pile instead of plowing right through it like she normally does, the reason? A pair of land snails were in the middle of it mating. She's also careful about where exactly she walks, not that she doesn't like mud cause she loves getting dirty, but she can pick out areas very quickly that aren't particularly safe to walk on (ie deep mud, marsh)

[Ginger]

Yes, I realize this is a problem, which is why I'm asking for advice. My dog sleeps in the tent with me and there's nothing to tie her to in there, and I do need to open the door sometimes... and a tied-up dog can still bark and annoy people... so it looks to me like the most practical and reliable solution is to *thoroughly* train her to quiet down and come to me the instant I command. She does come when called, but if she's intent on something she'll test her limits to see how long she can delay obedience. I've only had her three months, so it's still early days... clearly more training is needed. I might invest in some professional help.

Thanks for the training suggestions offered. I don't want to train her not to bark at all... as I said, it makes me feel safer... but I want to train her to quiet down and come to me on command. Perhaps my roommate will be willing to help with knocking on the door while I handle the commands and treats.

This my have been suggested earlier, and if so, I apologize. I get short on time and I'm not able to read all posts.

As a student in the process of becoming a certified dog trainer, this is my suggestion/opinion:

If you want her to still be a guard dog, it is not the barking/alerting that is the biggest issue (not saying that it isn't an issue at all), it's the charging ("bolting") at strangers and the issue of her not paying attention to you when she is fixated on something (especially on the trail) that seems to be the biggest, more urgent issue. My suggestion would be to start training her on a leash to the come command:

Have her be distracted by something (NOT fixated- something interesting, from a distance), and then say "[Dog's Name], come" in a calm-assertive tone. If she doesn't come, DO NOT repeat the cue (if you do, she will learn that you have to say it more than once before she complies). If she doesn't come, give the leash a little pull, and, if necessary, a pat on your leg to initiate her interest, and then treat her when she reaches you. Let her get distracted again, and repeat. Slowly increase and decrease the distance, as well as the distractions, once she is 90% successful at each interval- this will help her feel a generalization to all circumstances. When she starts complying exceptionally well at least 90% of the time at each distance with distractions, you can move closer/add more distractions (but don't do both at once; i.e. only decrease distance without adding more distractions, and visa versa). Once she is used to complying on-leash, start the same process over without leash (this will be harder if she is not successful on-leash, obviously). And eventually you can start incorporating real-life rewards (attention, praise, toys) instead of treats (it's best to make it a surprise everytime, once with attention, next a treat, then praise, etc.) BOTH ON AND OFF LEASH. Within just a few training sessions, you should see her looking to you when she notices a distraction, rather than becoming fixated on whatever distracted her in the first place.

Please be aware that most dogs learn that going to their owner often means the end of fun (during play time, after potty, etc.). Most often, we're calling them to come back to us and enter the house where they become bored out of their mind. Especially during the training for the come cue, you should allow them to go back to playing after they get treated and you give them your release cue "okay" or "all done." They should not associate coming to you with the end of their free, fun time. Always make it enjoyable, and ALWAYS set them up for success (ie. if, during training, the dog gets far too distracted or too frustrated, end the session and start again later on, or move farther away from distractions to a situation that she is always successful at (we call it "going back to kindergarten"), etc... make it possible for the dog to succeed EVERY time).

"Bolting" is an issue of her not knowing her boundaries. Does she "bolt" out the door or out of your lawn at home to confront (not attack) strangers that are, what you would consider, a safe distance from your house? If this is something you need to address I can give some suggestions for that as well. You can personal message me if you like, as I don't know how soon in the future I'll be looking at this post again.

As far as the alert barking goes, I would suggest a certified dog trainer (www.animalbehaviorcollege.com has a list of certified trainers all over the country) to help with when/where you want to be alerted, and when it is innapropriate for the dog to do so. It'll be a much harder task, IMO, and I don't think anything I type here could help with that situation as it has to do with your preference rather than a truly specific issue.

If any of this was too jumpled, and you need clarity, don't hesitate to ask!

I hope this helped, and I apologize again if this has already been addressed. Maybe if you already got what you needed, this info could at least be helpful for someone else.

Best of luck to all of you!

[Ginger]

ALSO- this may be common sense, but I feel it needs mentioning: it may be best to practice these commands in the woods more frequently than not if it is the trail where she has the most trouble complying with your commands.