[puppylove2009]

Okay we have been dealing with a not so pleasant situation. They've picked up on some bad habits since living at this apartment complex. Little dogs started barking at them (our neighbors have some really bad chihuahuas) on walks so they now think they can bark at dogs bigger than them. Now when they go out to the bathroom they are barking at people. (they don't bark at people on walks though just dogs) And I think people are getting the wrong Idea with them. And the method the training told us to use (squirt bottle and treats) doesn't work infact it agitates them. I think a lot of their barking toward people is the neighborkids have tormented them. I have come home and they are thowing things at our unit......they walk by our window and tap to get the dogs barking and we've been outside and kids have thrown things at them. So its not been a good experience.

I feel that clicker training would help. They are very good dogs but they are now a bit fearful. I mean away from the apartment they are wonderful but at home they are a mess (We are moving from here we never should have moved here)


So could you suggest some good sites or books to read up on the basics of Clicker Training?

And where can I get the clicker? Can you get it at Petco?


Any tips or success stories would be great.


(I'm also wanted to try this type of training with my uncles boxer)

[rayter]

Karen Pryor Clickertraining| dog training and cat training info, books, videos, events - This is a good site to start with clicker training. I also suggest the book entitled "Clicker Training for Obedience: Shaping Top Performance-Positively." Search in on Amazon.

Go to the Victoria Stillwell site (she's the trainer on the show "It's Me or the Dog"). Go to the forums section, then the "Methods" page, and at the top of that page you will see a "sticky" thread all about clicker training, and how to do it, in explicit detail.

Also, when you see the little neighbor brats harassing your dogs, go outside and tell them straight up not to harass your dogs. As long as you don't touch the children in any way, and don't use any profanity, or degrading remarks (in other words, don't call them brats, even though they are), you will not be breaking any laws, and the parents can have no recourse against you-- the children are messing with your personal property, and the parents are responsible for their children's inappropriate behavior-- anyway, when I'm out walking my dog and some stupid teenage boys start harassing her, I have to come right out and verbally rebuke them. In today's world of political correctness, people have a tendency to forget that we do still have a right to let people know when we are offended. People also have to be reminded sometimes that they can expect consequences to inappropriate actions, such as being attacked for provoking a dog.

Oh, one more thing: Although the Victoria Stillwell site does have some very good training advice on it, I've discovered that several of the members of that forum tend to be a bit snooty and judgmental. (Just my personal opinion) So I suggest you just read the advice already posted, and don't do much posting/getting involved. They have a very specific training system that is subscribed to, and that specific system is considered to be the only correct/acceptable method of training. If you even insinuate a different method, you will be scorned. (Fair warning there.)