Comments on: Small dog training – rules

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:28:02 +0000

Hi Lyssa. Thanks for checking out my blog and thank you for your comment. You may be surprised to hear that your relationship with your dogs sounds a lot like my relationship with my dog. He has rules but he is also very spoiled and I treat him like my baby because I don’t have any kids either. You would probably agree, though, that you are in the minority. Most small dogs are not trained at all. Your chihuahuas sound like very, very sweet dogs and they are lucky to have you. Good luck with that barking issue, that’s a tough one with the little guys. You could always try distracting them with a very, very highly valued treat (like real chicken or hamburger).

By: Lyssa D.

Lyssa D. — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:14:41 +0000

I am new to this Blog, but I would just like to put my two cents in I guess lol. I have two chihuahuas and they do have rules, HOWEVER, my dogs are also my babies. As such they always sleep with me, and they are always in my lap, weather I am sitting on the couch or in an armchair or even if I am on the floor. I will admit that this does at times make it a little more difficult to train them, But I still have managed to teach them to sit and stay and they know when I point my finger at them or give them “the look” that I mean business. They do not walk in front of me when I take them for walks and they know when momma says no, she means it. Probably the biggest problem I have with them, is barking at new people. When I first got them I was living in an apartment, and they were very friendly and loved people, since then I have moved out into the country and now every time someone new comes around it is an endless cacophony of high pitched barks and yelps. The problem I have is I do not feel that I should really be scolding them because I know they are doing it because they are scared to death & I do not want to make the experience more traumatic for them, but trying to be calm and ignore it is next to impossible. Nonetheless, the bottom line for me with my dogs, is that I love them more than words can say, and since I do not have children, my dogs are my babies (as I stated before) and I smother them with love and hugs and kisses and even if it does harm my training with them, that will never change about me, nor do I want it to. I love the look on their sweet little faces when I come home and they are so happy to see me, or the way they curl up beside me and my husband at night because they know they are safe with mommy and daddy, or the way they will always choose to lay on any piece of clothing we may leave around no matter where it is because they just want to be close to us. I love the way they give kisses when we ask for them and the way they nuzzle us when we hug them. My dogs are very very smart & I believe that they DO have feelings. Plus they have such wonderful and different personalities, I do not think I could look at them in any other way except to say that they are like small furry little children and they are one of the most important things in my life.

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:06:50 +0000

That is a great idea! Just yesterday I started making Ace lie down in the back seat before he can jump out. That teaches him that he can’t jump out right away. When he is sitting or standing it’s too easy for him to jump out before I tell him OK.

By: tawnawhitford

tawnawhitford — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:32:59 +0000

My dog Emma is a black lab that rides in the back of my jeep. One of the rules that is very important to me is when I open the back tailgate that she remain inside until I give her the OK command. I had trouble for awhile when the tailgate was being lifted that she would slink out from under it and I had no control of her because I was occupied with lifting and securing the tailgate which is broken and needed special support.I require her to lay down and stay with my voice command before I reach out to open the door. When everything is setup and I’m ready then I let her out. This has brought peace and security to our relationship.

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:14:43 +0000

That’s kind of what I do when we’re done playing, too.

Yeah, I know what you mean about the “vicious dog.” I was out with two bigger dogs today and one of them will sometimes try to jump up when he sees people because he gets so excited. People look at me like he’s the worst dog in the world, yet this behavior would be OK or even encouraged if he were a small dog.

By: Biggie-Z

Biggie-Z — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:50:14 +0000

When the playing or petting ends, it’s generally a patting and a “good boy!” and then we go back to what we were doing.

Abbey – you are so right! People expect a bigger dog to be super trained, and if they bark, as Biggie will do when provoked, they go “vicious dog!” urrrgghhh.

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:31:07 +0000

Abbey, it suprises me too how many little dogs come charging up to Ace and I, their owners assuming my dog is friendly. Not smart.

You have done a beautiful job training your danes. I love how you criticize the small dog owners and then you admit that your own yapper is also untrained! Ha! But the fact that they are small and “manageable” is exactly it. They get away with everything when they are puppies and that continues on their whole lives.

Maybe Lucy can still learn a few rules from Chels and Shi.

By: Abbey + the girls

Abbey + the girls — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:49:10 +0000

Oh dont get me started on yap yaps they are the bane of my existence… two habits.. barking constantly at my dogs and running at them from their yards while the owners do nothing… on our beaches you leash dogs as you pass but most small dog owners dont even carry a leash..

Our yapper Lucy is untrained… why? she was small and manageable… boy am I paying for that now… every bad habit the girls have comes from Lucy especially the going crazy at the front door… if i had the time again I would put 100% into training her…

Most boundaries the girls have are to make my life simpler and like Biggie to make them safe around others. People seem to expect them to be super trained due to their size. Some rules
You sit before meals, getting into car, having leash put on, opening doors, crossing roads.
If the door knocks you go to your room before I come get you. My daughters room is a no go zone
No lounges or sofas. The dining table is for humans only…
My mother has a friend who puts her small dog on the table while she and it eat… gross…

The best thing about training a Dane is they have an incredible desire to please… I reckon you work with their strengths and Shi seems to imitate Chelsea

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:17:50 +0000

Ha! I’m glad to hear Biggie has all kinds or rules, too. The no playing while on the leash sounds like a good one. I haven’t enforced that. Do you have a word for when the playing or petting in genral ends or do you just walk away or ignore him?

By: Biggie-Z

Biggie-Z — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:21:34 +0000

I’m with you on this one. Biggie has lots of rules, since he is so big that sometimes people run away when they see him (or worse, run right up to us to try to pet him without asking). He is, as his doggie day care people say, “a dog who needs structure.”

1. No pulling on leash.
2. No walking in front of human.
3. When greeting people at home or out, humans greet each other first before acknowledging the dog.
4. No treats just for being cute! At a minimum, must SIT and take treats POLITELY with a SOFT MOUTH.
5. Sit before going through high-value doors (outside, dog run).
6. All meals in the crate.
7. Must be sitting in crate before food is put down.
8. Must be sitting or lying down in crate before door is unlocked after meal.
9. No pawing, whining, barking to get what he wants. (So now he is the master of The Meaningful Look.)
10. No jumping on people.
11. Not allowed on any furniture.
12. No begging at the table (unless he is ‘begging’ by remaining in a down-stay).
13. Whenever possible, sit at all street corners when waiting for the light to change.
14. No playing with other dogs on leash.
15. Sitting = saying “please.”
16. Play and petting ends when the humans say it ends.