DOG TRAINING

[rosieA]

We adopted a Cypriot terrier a few months ago and he gets snappy with some visitors. Does anyone know a good dog trainer in NC ? He is lovely towards us , need someone to help me train him to stop being so aggressive to others.

[ardstrawray]

You have a proper terrier, possesive of his people, aggresive to strangers.

[Ragged Robin]

If you google Dog Training you will find plenty of sites to give you ideas.

Two hints (on the "do as I say not as I do" principle") to start you off

Train the dog to obey the command "Sit" and then make him sit when visitors come. Get someone who is really dog friendly (dogs DO sense people's attitude to them) to call round regularly and then make a fuss of him and give him treats when he sits and waits for them to notice him.

If you have friends who are genuinely nervous of dogs, and have a "cage" or part of the garden you can fence off it may be as well to put him there until he learns to accept they are welcome and they get used to each other..

The really clever thing is to get a dog to distinguish between welcome visitors and strangers whom you may want him to warn you of. I have never mastered this - my dogs bark at everyone but out of excitement not aggression - they now expect every visitor to give treats - sometimes it is more effort to train the visitors than the dog!

But it is useful to have warning of someone at the door if I am for instance at the bottom of the garden and dont hear. My next trick is to teach the dogs to answer the phone.

[Keithcaley]

RR - that mirrors my experience so perfectly!

[Ragged Robin]

RR - that mirrors my experience so perfectly!

Great minds etc., Keith! Do you also have a Cyprus terrier among the pack, and do your dogs also hate cats that sit on walls and swear at them?

[Keithcaley]

No Cyprus terriers, and our two dogs think that every cat that they see, on a wall or elsewhere, wants to be a friend.

Of course, they are doomed to disappointment most of the time, so they just have to make do with the four at home, although there is one strange cat that we see on our walks, which occasionally saunters out into the road to be licked

[rosieA]

Thank you everyone for your help. I am trying the crate technique now when visitors arrive that he doesn't know. It seems to be working, he even goes in it just to chill out on his own.

[surfmeetseast]

Recommend mostof RR's post except the treats bit as in my experience they get too used to it
Socialisation in my opinion is important. Walk him in your roads and let him meet people
Also never shout - when you shout he will just think you are barking and it will re enforce his excitement.
Hand signals are marvellous - if he is naughty just outstretch your hands and quietly say 'NO'
I stress this is my experience with my latest pack, and previous packs before them, and may not work for you, but worth a try good luck

[Ragged Robin]

Just to expand a bit on containment. My dogs normally have the run of the house and garden because I enjoy their company but one of my better ideas was to have an area part on a concrete patio and part garden surrounded by chain link and fitted with a gate. and part shaded over The dogs go in there when I have workmen in and it is brilliant because workmen always leave gates open , and sometime afraid of even small dogs, and a dog can unintentionally trip a man carrying a load or knock over a ladder. Also when eating out on the patio they are still part of the party and sit quietly and watch intently but not tempted to beg at table. The various plants I have trained up the fence provide more shade and make a feature, and the dogs sometimes use it to take a nap voluntarily.