ThePuppyFaerie@AniMail.Net

HOWEDY bala888,

bala888 wrote:
> Thanks for all the replies ^_^

BWEEEEEEEEEAHAHAHAHHAHHHAHAAAA!!!

PERHAPS you didn't NOTICE the DOG LOVERS you're
askin for advice GOT THE SAME PROBLEM and CAN'T
FIX IT, bala888 <{); ~ ) >

LIKE THIS... HERE'S TWO IN WON:

From: Rocky <2...@rocky-dog.com>
Date: 15 May 2005 16:03:05 GMT

Subject: Re: What does "bupkis" really mean
shelly said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

> you've just described elliott. i don't think Lucy would
> have had a clue what to do with him, though. while he's
> easy and forgiving in terms of handling, i think his prey
> drive and dog aggression would've had her in tears.

Hmm. You've got a point. Rocky is dog-dominant, a surprise to
almost everyone - some of whom know him very well. I wonder how
well Lucy reads dog? If she can't, she'd get some ugly
surprises.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEAHAHAHAHHAHHAAA*A!!!

> I think I will try to start working on the "look at me" command,

THAT'S SHEER IDIOCY, bala888. The "look at me" command
SUBORDINATES the dog and MAKES HIM MOORE FEARFUL. Dogs
are SCAVENGERS. They STEAL scraps of food and run to
hide to eat it with their back to the wall in a heightened
state of alert.

Offerin FEAR AGGRESSIVE dogs FOOD BRIBES MAKES THEM FOOD AGGRESSIVE.

When you "train" the "LOOK AT ME" command using FOOD
BRIBES the IDEA of the FOOD BRIBE is TRIGGERED EVERY
TIME you GIVE THE COMMAND, whether you're offerin
food or not.

The ANXXXIHOWESNESS level achieved by a bribe / withheld
trained dog AS IN "CLICKER" trainin likeWIZE OVERSTIMULATES
the dog when they're given ANY command originally "TRAINED"
in THAT high state of anXXXIHOWESNESS consequently OVER
STIMULATING the dog and FORCING him to BREAK his command,
therebye REQUIRING a CORRECTION from HOWER DOG LOVERS,
which of curse, further SUBORDINATES the dog, therebye
INCREASING ANXXXIHOWESNESS <{); ~ ) >

CATCH 22, eh bala888?

> since it seems to be the least stressful solution for her.

You mean, INSTEAD OF PRAISING and NOT CHOKING her, bala888?

The Amazing Puppy Wizard's 100% CONSISTENTLY NEARLY INSTANTLY
SUCCESSFUL FREE WWW Wits' End Dog Training Method Manual
Students ALL OVER The WHOWEL WILD WORLD REPORT CURING ALL
temperament and behavior problems NEARLY INSTANTLY and FOR
FREE, to boot.

LIKE THIS:

The Falsity Of "Attention OR WATCH ME Training":
Can A Chameleon Change Into A Squirrel? -
"YES! INDEEDY!!!" Sez A Noted Authority

HOWEDY People,

The Amazing Puppy Wizard's 100% CONSISTENTLY NEARLY
INSTANTLY SUCCESSFUL FREE WWW Wits' End Dog Training
Method Manual Students Professora Daniel and Sunshine
had a PROBLEM makin their trainsition to up north the
past couple weeks.

Seems Sunshine has been MISSIN the chameleon pupulation
he enjoyed watchin playin in the bushes all abHOWET his
summer HOWES near Orland FL <{) ; ~ ) >

IN FACT, they was a particular disturbance to him when
he first arrived in The Sunshine State. The And Mrs.
The Amazing Puppy Wizard and Professora Daniel and
Sunshine took a walk into a particularly heavily chameleon
infested park and EXXXTINGUISHED his desire to chase
them in abHOWET ten minutes of casual walkin and non
physical distraction and praise <{) ; ~ ) >

After a couple weeks up north of bush huntin and
listening carefully in front of the shrubbery he'd
finally had his fill of non activity and focused
on the squirrel pupulation.

As most folks would do when their dog focuses on a
critter, they advise their dog that they got an eye
on them and they shouldn't chase the critter... and
OF CURSE, like doin the same same same same for garbage
poison and C-HOWENTER SURFIN, we know THAT ONLY WORKS
so long as you WARN the dog NOT TO DO THAT and of curse,
THAT ONLY WORKS while you're WATCHING or IN CON-TROLL,
which is HOWE COME The Amazing Puppy Wizard DOESN'T DO
THAT.

Well, as a RESULT of Professora Daniel tellin Sunshine
he's a GOOD BOY every time SHE spotted a squirrel,
Sunshine LEARNED that if HE spotted the squirrel FIRST
he was FREE to take off after them at will.

WHICH HE DID.

And THAT'S HOWE COME we're talkin abHOWET this common
HANDLING MISTAKE often called "ATTENTION or WATCH ME"
trainin <{); ~ ) >

When we WARN HOWER DOG NOT TO DO SUMPTHIN, he AIN'T
LEARNIN SELF-CON-TROLL, he's being SUBORDINATED or
INTIMIDATED, but NOT DOIN as we'd PREFER, i.e., NOT
CHASING the damened varmint to begin with OR eatin
the garbage or poison or stealin from the C-HOWENTER.

The REMEDY for squirrel chasin or any other similar
behavior is to NOT ACKNOWLEDGE the presence of the
attractive nuisance. Follow the handling and training
EXXXORCISES when you see the "squirrel" and allHOWE
the dog to ATTEMPT TO DO the "bad behavior" and THEN
follow the distract and praise technique and CONtinue
to perform the EXXXORCISES past the "squirrel".

Failin THAT, ask him to come and SET IT UP TO DO IT
AGAIN and FOLLOW THE TECHNIQUE, not your GUT instincts.

LIKE THIS:

Drive Flow, Instinct, Anchors, And Trigger Mechanisms

From: "Alison Smiley"
To: <jho...@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2003 4:24 PM
Subject: Hello from rpdb

HOWEDY Alison,

> Dear Jerry Howe-
> Thank you for re-posting your response to "Parker"
> entitled Drive Flow, Instinct, Anchors and Trigger
> Mechanisms.

Yeah. Parker and Canis55 are about the only folks who can
talk training on HOWER forum, besides Soup and my students.

> It was the most enlightening post I have ever seen from you.

Ain't got nothing much in common with "traditional" trainers.

> Admittedly, it was from '99 when (in my experience)
> your online presence was far more sane.

Sane? You reading the same forum I am???

What's sane got to do with the experiences of
HOWER dog lovers and their disasters?

> However, it gave me the impetus to re-read
> your manual once again.

Good.

> Reading it with an open mind and in the context
> of my current experience was eye-opening.

I don't understand HOWE that'd be different
from the first time around.

> I found some fascinating things,

INDEED.

> and parallels with other trainers,

That makes The Puppy Wizzzard very uncomfortable.

> that I'd like to share with you.

Go for it! I said you seemed to be the only
WON on the forum who has the capacity
to understand the subject matter.

> I'd also like to ask your advice on a couple of ongoing
> behavior problems that I'm experiencing with my own dog.

SHORE 'nuff.

> For a bit of background, I am an avid reader
> of dog training manuals

That will complicate learning this method.

> and have been since I was about 10 years old.
> I collect them, I re-read them, I try to dig out
> the underlying philosophies and
> grains of truth that resonate with me.

Lesser experienced handlers learn the method much faster.

> Over several iterations of reading and understanding,
> my own ideas on dog training are becoming more refined.

Yeah. This ain't just about training dogs...

> "Positive" trainers like Dunbar, McConnell, and Booth

They're incompetent blowhards... I've proven that.

> have lent the most to my approach,

Well, I suppose there's some good in everything...

> and now your manual actually appears to fall mostly in
> line with these other trainers.

I'll have to fix that...

> For example, I have resisted clicker training despite
> its obvious successes

According to the US Military marine mammal work,
the clicker method has a built in 10% failure rate
amongst their professional trainers.

> because I agree with you that a response that is
> conditioned through the use of food bypasses
> the dog's obvious ability to make his own decisions
> and goes straight to the "eat or be eaten" survival
> mechanism that is buried deep in his baser instincts.

Right. Beyond that, WONCE the trainer looses
control of the food, there goes the "loyalty."

> (You say: "Getting results at the expense of the
> higher attributes of learning is, we think, ignorant
> and dangerous.") I disagree, however, that the
> problem is that "you could be the next course on
> the menu."

Well, I specialize in dogs who are handler aggressive...

> It's just not an enlightened way to go about doing things.

INDEED.

> One benefit of the clicker-training movement, however,
> is the outlook it fosters.

The Puppy Wizzzard sees that as compromising
and ineffective and appeals to those who need
to buy love.

> That your dog isn't being "good" or "bad" but just
> engaging in a behavior that you want to encourage
> or discourage.

We don't DISCOURAGE, we extinguish undesirable
behaviors through distraction and praise by repeatedly
interrupting the THOUGHT process till it's EXTINGUISHED.

FurtherMOORE, the C/T itself lowers the dog's esteem
for the handler and usurps his "authority."

> That in order to prevent your dog from shutting down
> and ceasing to strike out and try new behaviors, you
> must never make him feel bad (cause him negative
> stress) about having tried a behavior that turns
> out to be incompatible with living with humans.

Right. It doesn't take much at all to teach mistrust or
show the dog we've got no "power" to control him.

> This is similar to your insistence on always giving
> the dog the benefit of the doubt and praising his
> thought process regardless of the outcome.

Well, we KNOW what the outcome will be if we
follow the method precisely.

> When you speak of the opposition reflex that is set up
> by pulling the leash, or the barrier frustration that
> occurs when the dog is physically separated from the
> object of its attention, you remind me of Booth's writing.

That's frightening...

> She actually uses this frustration as a training tool:

As do I, in attack training.

> she tethers the dog and then sits just out of his reach.

That's absurd.

> He will obviously engage in all kinds of counterproductive
> behavior, perhaps pulling, barking, lunging etc. But only by
> controlling himself and being quiet does he get his reward:

Same same would happen if the dog were crated...

> the handler returns to him,

It's TOO LATE then, the harm has already been done.

> praises and un-tethers him

I'd think the dog would be rather mistrustful in the future.

> and then encourages his newfound attention by walking
> about the yard praising him for eye contact.

I don't see the connection there...

> I imagine using a sound distraction would speed the
> onset of "quiet".

Indeed, it would. But the OBJECTIVE is to NOT STRESS
the dog in the first place, and to extinguish any symptoms
of anxiety as soon as they appear, by using distraction and
praise or calling the dog to come if that fails, and
reintroducing the original anxiety producing stimuli.

But we don't want to be the cause, or allow it to continue.

> With a few repetitions, this should condition the dog
> to respond to tension on the leash by voluntarily
> releasing the slack and returning his attention to the
> handler.

You mean, have the WALL train the dog?

Unique, to say the least.

> There is no longer any chance that you will be tempted
> to get into a tug-of-war with a pulling dog!

I rather doubt tying the dog till he no longer pulls in
frustration is gonna endear the dog to the handler
who done tied IT up... dogs and kids don't forget
stuff like that.

> I haven't tried it--it seems as though it would
> be more effective in a pup of the age where human
> bonding is at its peak.

I see that as problematical and dangerous.

> However, it is quite an intriguing idea.

It only takes a couple minutes to break leash pulling through
pupper leash handling techniques and the Hot & Cold Exercise.

> I suppose you would consider putting the stress of barrier
> frustration into the dog, even though you are going to release
> it in a positive manner, to be a breakdown of the dog-human
> bond.

Yeah, to say the least. I wonder HOWE COME you'd
think there's any merit at all to booth's method? Although
I haven't read her stuff, I understand she also relies on
shock collars.

> The way I understand the manual, you teach the recall
> by using your voice to make yourself attractive to the
> dog and then cut off other attractive outlets by
> "punishing" (aka discouraging through sound) any
> behavior that doesn't involve coming to you.

No. That's exactly NOT, HOWE it's taught. What we do is
condition the cue word in the command phrase to the sound,
to install the command as a conditioned reflex. What the dog
does is irrelevant, the conditioning will take place if we
follow the technique.

The OBJECTIVE is to NOT have the dog come
when called, so we can introduce the sound cue
on the key word.

> If this doesn't work, you engage the pack drive by
> "abandoning" your dog, walking away but continuing the
> pleasant, happy-human sounds.

We return to the Family Leadership Exercise and use that
conditioning to reinforce the last sound cue. After a couple
of "failures," the dog will automatically reflex to the command.

Works for any command. Just follow all the techniques,
but instead of "defaulting" to the FPLX, we rely on the
come command when the dog fails to respond to any
other command. Understand?

> McConnell does something similar,

I rather doubt it. Several of my students have read
and WON has even worked in person with mcconnel,
and found no success.

> but does not worry about addressing other behaviors
> (failure to come)-

Cause she CAN'T... she ain't got no METHOD.

> -she makes herself irresistable by engaging prey drive,
> running away full-speed with lots of high-pitched praise
> and smoochy noises.

Right... like HOWE I did when I was five years old.
But beyond THAT, she's got NO METHOD to make
the dog come.

THAT'S HOWE COME people like shirley chong resort
to shock and pronged spiked pinch choke collars and
try to call themselves clicker trainers... like liea altshuller.

> Something else that stood out for me was your method
> of away-training. That is, teaching the dog to behave
> when you aren't around. You put your attention, and
> the dog's, on a toy.

The Surrogate Toy Separation Anxiety / Bedtime Calming
Submissive Urination / Car Sickness Technique has often
worked instantly, on seriously disturbed critters.

"Just Want To Second Jerry's Method For
Dealing With Destructive Separation Anxiety.
I've Suggested It To Quite A Few Clients
Now And It's Worked 'EVERY TIME The
Very First Time' - marilyn, Trainer, 33 Years
Experience.

> Now, your explanation of why this prevents misbehavior
> is that the dog will try to emulate the inanimate object.

That, amongst other considerations.

> I'm afraid this seems awfully far-fetched.

What seems far fetched is the universal instant success the
technique has provided dozens of students who've sent in
their testimonials...

> However, that doesn't mean it doesn't work.

The SASTT works like MAGICK.

> I think that perhaps by creating a ritual for
> your departure and return,

No, it's much MOORE involved than THAT.

> you are reassuring the dog that you will, in fact, be back.

What we're doing is delegating AUTHORITY to the object.
The object works like the security guard at the door or the
desk clerk in a hotel. The handler give the keys and control
to his delegate, removing responsibility from the dog. The
object returns control to the handler upon his return, before
the dog is greeted.

The technique took a pretty good bashing from HOWER good
professor SCRUFF SHAKE and his pal sindy sadist mooreon.
Till marilyn wrote in that it was workin for her like
freakin MAGICK.

That's just HOWE the FREE WWW Wits' End Dog
Training Method WORKS. It's freakin PERFECT,
on account of in the problem behavior BUSINESS,
failure MEANS DEATH.

> You are also releasing the usual stress involved with
> the owner coming and going: you're not getting all
> hyped up with explaining to the dog about your
> leaving, and you're not promoting out-of-control
> behavior when you return.

It's more complex than just that. We DO have
methods for addressing damage or HOWESbreaking
accidents in HOWER absence.

> You're also, of course, not scolding or hurting the
> dog when you return,

We must NEVER scold or show disapproval...

> but I think that most humane trainers are beyond that anyway.

The Puppy Wizzzard vehemently disagrees.

> Ian Dunbar

Is an incompetent blowhard.

> uses a ritual like this,

Yeah... but it's NOT LIKE this... its SUMPTHIN like
something like this, but it isn't, or he'd be using THIS,
not the other, and he'd be getting RESULTS.

HE AIN'T. Cause HE DON'T KNOW HOWE.

> but he does it by presenting a tasty chew-toy when he leaves,

An anxious dog is unlikely to go for a snack
and could be provoked to BITE when offered
treats from someWON he don't know or trust.

> like a Kong with food and gooey peanut butter
> in it, so that it doubles as a way to keep the
> dog occupied

You mean, avoids teaching the dog to reconcile his
feelings about your absence. Most likely a dog who
is suffering SA ain't gonna be INTERESTED in the
treat cause he's ANXIHOWES.

> and create positive feelings in him

Over a food treat?

> despite the owner's absence.

To "replace" the security offered by the owner's presence.
The activity cannot teach the dog to relax. When the treat
expires, SO DOES THE METHOD...

> The coming-home ritual is that the owner finds the same toy,
> and plays with dog and toy and/or digs any remaining food
> out and offers it to the dog.

That's CONTRAWIZE to the idea of not paying attention to
the dog upon your return. That's HOWE COME the SASTT
works so well, cause it "ignores" the dog only briefly,
and gets the handler and dog back to business in moments.

> The result being that the dog greets the owner at the
> door with the toy, rather than engaging in annoying
> out-of-control behaviors.

Being greeted with a slimy treat toy is annoying to some...
and being obligated to play grabass with the dog before
tending to his business would make the method particularly
inappropriate for many folks, myself included.

> How does this compare with your method?

The Surrogate Toy Technique gives a brief distraction and
serves to comfort the dog, kinda like puttin a child to bed
with a Teddy Bear. A pediatrician, Dr. Z, posted in his
technique for putting kids to bed, as being identical to
The Puppy Wizard's SASTT.

> Now, for strict obedience behaviors, it seems to me
> that you start to teach them by utilizing a dog's
> marvelous ability to interpret body language: you move
> your shoulders in the direction you want him to go,
> you lean into him to encourage him to make himself
> smaller, etc. But sooner or later, in these early
> stages of training, you man-handle him into position.

Not exactly. From the manual: "Do not try to force
him to lie down. If you place his feet just a few inches
forward, follow through with the stay signal, stand up
straight, and praise him.

Wait for him to finish laying down on his own, even
if it's ten or twenty minutes later. Do not praise with
your hand when he is in the down position."

And then, we'd follow through with the "down straight"
command or move off into the heel before the dog
breaks the command. Any time we "get stuck" over
a command we've got a couple ways to "get out"
witHOWEt giving up, so we can return to the problem
command on a clean slate.

The heeling pattern exercise is precise, yet flexible.
It can be used as a template for every training
situation. The distances traveled are habituated
into the dog for use with other advanced training
problems later on.

It's got as little to do with actually heeling as the
Surrogate Toy Separation Anxiety Technique has
to do with being used as a toy...

> Not only does this not work for all dogs (trying to
> get my dog to Down in exactly the manner you described
> is how I discovered how painful her joints were
> becoming, as she yelped and snapped at me)

INDEED. That's HOWE COME we do not force the
dog down and handle the lead according to the
technique in the manual so you don't break the dog
HOWETA the command or GET BIT if you're workin
with an aggressive dog.

The leash handling technique is designed to PROTECT
the handler from an aggressive dog to get him to relax
and accept being handled and avoid tension on the
collar. The leash must be handled PRECISELY as
instructed. That's HOWER first mistake when training.
That, and not following through with commands fast
enough to keep the dog THINKIN of what we're doin.

> but it doesn't foster learning.

I think you've misread the method.

> You even describe this in the manual: "PUSHING
> OR PULLING ON HIS BODY can SHUT OFF his ability
> to think and or listen to you, even while praising him.

Right.

> Like when you might ask him to sit, and then reach
> back to place him, he may just stop going into
> position."

Right.

> So why do it?

Good point. We don't push the dog into position.
HOWEver, giving the manual another review, I'll
make some changes to clarify that and a couple
other points.

I appreciate you bringing that to my attention.

> I know, I know, you don't advocate putting him all the
> way into position, for example, "Just touch the middle
> finger and thumb in front of the hip a for a moment till
> he pushes back, and immediately release."

That'll usually work. But you're right, some dogs
won't like that, so I've got to reframe that so it's
not a problem for any dog.

> You also nudge him into position while teaching
> him a straight Sit at Heel

Yes. There, the touching is intentional. After a sit,
we run HOWER hands over the dog's body and lift
his paws to relax him and set his head and neck.

It's a relaxation technique and it's crucial to the method.

That we can teach the dog to accept being placed into
position will teach him to relax and trust HOWER physical
contact. For that reason, the lead must be handled pupperly...
cause we know some dogs might object to it, but we've got
to get them over being concerned about contact.

In fact, that's the puporse of the Hot & Cold Exercise,
to DESENSITIZE the dog from his PRYOR CHOKING.

> But if you could do it without touching wouldn't
> that be ideal?

INDEED. That's the objective. That'll happen after
just a couple sessions. But we DO want that touching
so we can RELAX the dog and get her to TRUST us
manipulating them.

> He would be building muscle memory right from the start,
> finding out just how to move himSELF in order to perform
> the action "Sit".

Right. If you're gentle and the dog is comfortable with
your touch, it's expedient... so you're correct there too,
it is not desirable to touch the dog when we can coax
him to shift into position.

It only takes a couple of examples to teach the dog the
exact position to assume. Any green dog will qualify
for his CD in a couple weeks using these methods.

> A common way used by other trainers to do this is to
> show the dog an object of attraction, say the toy that
> we used in the away- training, and track it upward so
> that the dog's head follows it UP and his rear
> automatically sinks DOWN for balance.

No. The dog should work for you because you ASKED,
not because you've got a bribe.

> Do you have a specific objection to this sort of lure-
> training?

INDEEDY. It usurps the handler's authority and lowers
the dog's esteem for the hander by replacing him with
a toy or treat.

FurtherMOORE, giving the dog anything physical will
take his mind away from the lesson.

> Or are you just simply more comfortable with your
> own methods?

While I'm comfortable with my methods, I'm always
open to corrective criticism and am willing to change
whatever doesn't fit.

> Anyway, if you want to react to my interpretations
> and observations here, I'd really appreciate it.

You've made some good points. HOWEver, the method
has to be used in it's entirety, because if it fails, there's
other conditions that are set up to correct the mistake
and start over again till the mistake is fixed up.

> In particular, if you disagree with me or another trainer
> I've summarized, I want to hear WHY you object and I
> want to hear WHAT you would do in the situation.

The other trainers FAIL at least 10% of the time when they
rely on bribes... according to the US government's marine
mammals trainers.

The FREE WWW Wits' End Dog Training Method Manual
gets 100% nearly instant success, according to every
student who's tried it, despite having done EVERY
THING ELSE before...

> If you've gotten this far, thanks!

This is all I do... besides a little MAGICK now and again...

> Now, on to my own dog's problems.

Ahhh, the EZ part!!! Training dogs is always EZier than
discussing methods. But in reality, we can train any
dog on paper, kinda like what the engineers call a "sandbox,'
and then test and prove it out in RL with any dog, cause
all dogs only do what they're set up to do by their innate
normal, natural, instinctive, reflexive responses to situations
and circumstances of their environment which WE create
for them.

> She's doing great these days. She walks well on a
> loose leash, and I always praise her for checking back
> if she nears the end of the leash. However, some
> distractions are still too much for her.

NO PROBLEMO!!!

> In particular, squirrels drive her nuts.
> Today, having just refreshed myself on your manual,
> I went out for a walk. She'd stop and sniff something,
> and after a bit I would make a little noise, scuff my feet,
> smooch, something.

Oh??? That's NOT in the manual at all.

> The first time she ignored me

But of curse! That AIN'T the METHOD.

> so the next time I went around behind her and
> smooched again and said, "Sam, let's go!"

Well ain't that freakin HUNKY DORY!!!

That AAAAIN'T the method.

> in a happy tone.

Well, you got LUCKY?

> She perked up, left the "pee-mail" behind, and
> walked along watching my face with anticipation.

So?

> Success!

No. That AIN'T success. That was what's termed in
the manual as being GOAL ORIENTED. You were
more concerned with the behavior than the technique.

The manual sez when your dog BREAKS THE HEEL,
you reverse on him. If he's not on heel and "stalls,"
you don't have no REASON not to let him sniff cause
HE AIN'T WORKIN!

> Usually I resort to a light tug on the leash to

Offended her?

> get her attention along with a lot of praise.

Oh, the slap and tickle method...

> So she's behaving beautifully and I'm praising her
> like mad every time she looks at my face.

Good.

> A couple of times she gets carried away, walks
> a little faster than I

And you reverse on her like HOWE it's taught
in the manual.

> and starts to pull.

By the time she's WON INCH in front of your knee
is when you're supposed to reverse... and the lead
will never come tight.

> I say, "Easy Sam good girl!"

No. That's not training that's playin grabass.

> and then start to slow down.

NO, NO, NO. You FOLLOW THE METHOD.

> By the time all forward motion has stopped
> she's looking back at me and I praise her
> like mad and start walking again.

No, that's not HOWE it sez to do it. You're focusing
on the behavior and reinforcing it!

You're lettin HER train YOU.

> But then we approach a stand of trees that always has
> squirrels in it and apparently she sees one because
> she bounces up and down at the end of the leash and
> then starts pulling strongly toward one tree.

That's because you'd never had her pupperly on
command from the git go.

> I say her name a couple of times

THAT AIN'T IN THE MANUAL!

> but then resort to giving her slack

You mean instead of CHOKIN her?

> in the leash until she slows down at the base of the tree.

You mean you're runnin behind her.

> I then move in another direction saying her
> name and praising and she leaves the tree
> and comes with me, expectant but reluctant.

You ain't tellin The Puppy Wizard you got THAT
MALARKEY HOWETA HIS MANUAL.

> I turn to go back the way we had been and she
> starts bouncing again as if to dash off as she had before.

DUH-FREAKIN-OH?

> So I go yet another direction, praising her for coming along.

You got to forget abHOWET what you THINK you're
supposed to be doin and READ the TEXT. You couldn't
possibly have READ THE TEXT and still have this many
errors. The Puppy Wizard DETESTS a LAZY student.

> Finally she gets herself under control enough to
> bypass the tree without tension on the leash, though
> she is still alert and farther forward than before,
> ever on the lookout for another squirrel.

BECAUSE YOU NEVER FOLLOWED THE METHOD.

> How do I stop the squirrel-craziness?

YOU GOT TO READ THE TEXT AND DO THE
EXERCISES AND FOLLOW THE TECHNIQUE
AND YOU'LL EXTINGUISH THE SQUIRREL
PROBLEM IN A COUPLE DAYS, MAYBE LESS.

> How would you suggest using a sound distraction
> in this context?

WE DON'T!!!

WE TRAIN THE GODDAMNED DOG ACCORDING
TO THE PRECISE TECHNIQUES AND DO THE
EXERCISES AS INSTRUCTED AND THE
GODDAMNED DOG DOES AS HE'S SUPPOSED TO
CAUSE DOG TRAINING AIN'T FREAKIN LUCK.

> Her other problem is barking protectively in the
> house. I mentioned this in a reply to Leah. You
> criticized my approach but didn't say what to do
> instead.

YOU FOLLOW THE GODDAMNED METHOD.

> What I do:

Listen up sista. What YOU do DON'T FREAKIN WORK.
IT NEVER HAS AND IT NEVER WILL EXCEPT BY LUCK!

> someone bangs at the front door, then
> starts stomping on the stairs. She alerts with a
> "woo-woof!" Kind of soft and growly. I say, "Thank you
> Sam" and if she's fairly quiet at this point I say
> "Good quiet, good girl" and praise her for a moment.

Ain't that cunnin? Does it WORK?

> If, in the midst of this, she hears another noise and
> ignores my praise in favor of making a louder Woof, I
> say "Now, Sam, look at me" and praise her for doing so
> then ask for a behavior--a Sit or a Down--in a quiet,
> non-confrontational manner.

FORGET ABHOWET IT.

> My thought is that

THAT IT DON'T WORK?

> she is failing to control her barking

BECAUSE YOU GOT NO GODDAMNED METHOD.

You're tellin me for a half HOWER above, all the
wonderful information and the brilliant ideas you
think perhaps The Puppy Wizard has OVERLOOKED
and you got the COLOSSAL ARROGANT NERVE
to give The Puppy Wizard THIS TRIPE!

GET HOWET!

> in the face of this stimulus so if I remind her that she is

A DUMB FREAKIN ANIMAL?

> capable of controlling her body,

Well ain't that special? HOWE do you tell
her THAT ?

> the control of the barking will follow.

Oh. And that works every time, no dHOWET.

> I don't do anything bad if she doesn't comply
> with the Sit or Down,

Oh. That's kindly of you.

> I just keep her attention on me

That's NOT teaching HER self control, she's
teaching YOU to TAKE control AND YOU TRY AND
THAT'S HOWE COME YOU CAN'T BREAK THE BEHAVIOR
CAUSE YOU GOT NO GODDAMNED METHOD AND YOU NEVER
STUDIED The Puppy Wizard's FREE WWW Wits' End
Dog Training METHOD OR YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THESE
PROBLEMS AND YOU COULDN'T ASK THESE IMBECILIC
QUESTIONS!

> instead of the people stomping on the stairs by
> talking to her softly and use body language to
> encourage her to do what I've asked. When she
> does I praise like mad and ask her to follow me
> into another room,

THAT will increase her ANXIETY. You're a LAZY
student. A VERY VERY LAZY STUDENT.

> speaking happily to her all the while.

You're WASTING The Puppy Wizard's TIME
and USURPING HIS GENERHOWESITY.

> No, this hasn't cured her of barking at strange noises

BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA*AAAA!!!!!

GET HOWET!

> but it has certainly curbed it.

The Puppy Wizard ONLY settles for 100% TOTAL
NON PHYSICAL CONTROL.

> What's wrong with my method and what
> would you do instead?

YOU GOT A LOT OF NERVE.

> I have to tell you, throwing a noisemaker of
> any sort probably wouldn't go over well with my
> downstairs neighbors-

Well, BUFFER IT. The sound don't have to be LOUD.
ANY sound will do. You have NOT read the manual
and The Puppy Wizard is NOT PLEASED with your
ARROGANCE AND ABUSE.

GET HOWETA THE PUPPY WIZARD'S FREE
WWW WITS' END DOG TRAINING FORUM.

> -the very ones I am trying to be "neighborly" to by
> curbing my dog's barking!

Just study the entire manual instead of PICKIN THRU
it lookin for STUFF YOU THINK YOU CAN CRITICIZE.

NOW GET THE HEEL HOWETA HERE!

> There is not a lot of sound insulation in some areas
> of the apartment, and I know from listening to MY
> upstairs neighbors that sudden, startling noises like
> things hitting the floor are upsetting!

LISTEN UP STUPID. The OBJECTIVE IS
NOT TO STARTLE... simply to make a BRIEF
ALTERNATELY VARIABLE SOUND CUE
INSTANTLY FOLLOWED BY PROLONGED
NON PHYSICAL PRAISE AND FOLLOW THE
GODDAMNED TECHNIQUE TILL THE PROBLEM
IS EXTINGUISHED.

YOU NEVER READ THE TEXT!

> Speaking of that Leah post, about her dog threatening
> the garbage men, I'd like to hear what your approach
> to that problem would be as well.

YOU READ IT IN THE GODDAMNED MANUAL

REMEMBER?

> I'm guessing it would involve a solidly conditioned Come?

You've GOT to have a 100% reliable come command
to flawlessly train a dog. HOWEver, the dog may be
able to be trained witHOWET having the come command,
under SOME circumstances.

FOLLOW THE TECHNIQUE and DON'T SCREW WITH IT.

> Thanks for any input you can give me,

The Puppy Wizard DESPISES a LAZY STUDENT.

> Alison Smiley in OH
> with Samantha the German Shepherd

THE GODDAMNED PUPPY WIZARD. <}:~ ( >