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Well, I asked this question in another part of the forum, but I think this place is more proper.
To put some context, my dog is around 5 years old and has been with us for around that time (we got him when he was a puppy). He is a Dalmatian and his name is Homero
Before asking for advice on training him on basics, I must say some basics he already have. Not all ideal, but they are at least things that make him manageable in everyday living:
He is good on walks, I generaly take him on short leash except when near bushes or stuff I think he might want to sniff and claim teritory on, in those moments he knows he can sniff when I give him some more leash. There is no tension, 1-2 gentle pulls are enough if I feel he is getting behind or too to the side or anything and he resumes position at my side with the leash relaxed, (though generaly short as I said)
He responds to his name with attention and when I want him to really pay attention and come I snap fingers and he does (although I must do it a couple of times generaly, the snaping of fingers).
When someone he dislikes comes he is generaly put in someone´s room from where he is not allowed to leave, when you tak him from collar he follows you to where you to the room you take him although he keeps growling (but it is at the person he knows is outside, not at the owner. This can be said cause the barking and growling happened from before taking him from leash and he keeps up without any resisting the pase when is grabbed by collar) and when left in the room (almost always supervised, but ot always) he keeps barking until left out generaly (it is never too much time, if it were he would be sent to backyard, not a room). When you call his attention (not in a bad tone, simply a firm one of calling the attention) while he barks he generaly gives attention a couple of secs, but then keeps on barking and from then on he doesn´t shut up and we do what described above. This is no big deal so far though, I a m just describing current behaviour.
My aims:
this post is not for the difficult things yet, but really for basic things that are still not covered, but show that a dog has good obedience (and understanding) of the ower´s commands.
I for now simply want to teach him to:
Sit
Down
Realease (so sit and down can work like a "stay")
and probably a stronger form of "come". It should be one that wouldn´t take several finger snaps, but just one word and he comes. It could include a "release" so he stays with me and follows me until I release him.
Naturaly I would also like to teach him to be calmed when this people he dislikes come, but I think that´s more advanced, and for now I would like to understand the first commands I wrote above.
So my interest is: where should I begin? for what I posted above I think it´s clear Homero is responsive to me and my family in general, he just has to learn this new tricks, and I have to figure out a good way to teach them to him. Which should be the best order? Should I first reinforce the "come" to be a lot more reliable and THEN start with the "sit" ? How much and which tricks should I teach him at the same time?
I was thinking on starting with "come" and "sit" but maybe both are too much. I was thinking on starting with rewarding "come" and then starting the training on sit, but maybe this is not the best approach to start.
Also, I´ve heard about "clicker" training, and I am thinking about it, but I am not entirely certain and would like to know pros and cons. One concern I have is that th dog wouldn´t feel as certain of his actions once asked without the clicker. That is one concern I have. I also have the general concern that I wouldn´t want to have to give my dog a treat for every time he does what he learns once he already reliably know it (although I am perfectly cool with purposefully reinforce them periodicaly on him, it´s just I wouldn´t want to have to treat him EVERYTIME I simply call him and he comes) but I also wouldn´t want the dog to feel tricked at all. I want him to feel comfortable and good doing what I ask him to.
so well, those are my doubts
To put some context, my dog is around 5 years old and has been with us for around that time (we got him when he was a puppy). He is a Dalmatian and his name is Homero
Before asking for advice on training him on basics, I must say some basics he already have. Not all ideal, but they are at least things that make him manageable in everyday living:
He is good on walks, I generaly take him on short leash except when near bushes or stuff I think he might want to sniff and claim teritory on, in those moments he knows he can sniff when I give him some more leash. There is no tension, 1-2 gentle pulls are enough if I feel he is getting behind or too to the side or anything and he resumes position at my side with the leash relaxed, (though generaly short as I said)
He responds to his name with attention and when I want him to really pay attention and come I snap fingers and he does (although I must do it a couple of times generaly, the snaping of fingers).
When someone he dislikes comes he is generaly put in someone´s room from where he is not allowed to leave, when you tak him from collar he follows you to where you to the room you take him although he keeps growling (but it is at the person he knows is outside, not at the owner. This can be said cause the barking and growling happened from before taking him from leash and he keeps up without any resisting the pase when is grabbed by collar) and when left in the room (almost always supervised, but ot always) he keeps barking until left out generaly (it is never too much time, if it were he would be sent to backyard, not a room). When you call his attention (not in a bad tone, simply a firm one of calling the attention) while he barks he generaly gives attention a couple of secs, but then keeps on barking and from then on he doesn´t shut up and we do what described above. This is no big deal so far though, I a m just describing current behaviour.
My aims:
this post is not for the difficult things yet, but really for basic things that are still not covered, but show that a dog has good obedience (and understanding) of the ower´s commands.
I for now simply want to teach him to:
Sit
Down
Realease (so sit and down can work like a "stay")
and probably a stronger form of "come". It should be one that wouldn´t take several finger snaps, but just one word and he comes. It could include a "release" so he stays with me and follows me until I release him.
Naturaly I would also like to teach him to be calmed when this people he dislikes come, but I think that´s more advanced, and for now I would like to understand the first commands I wrote above.
So my interest is: where should I begin? for what I posted above I think it´s clear Homero is responsive to me and my family in general, he just has to learn this new tricks, and I have to figure out a good way to teach them to him. Which should be the best order? Should I first reinforce the "come" to be a lot more reliable and THEN start with the "sit" ? How much and which tricks should I teach him at the same time?
I was thinking on starting with "come" and "sit" but maybe both are too much. I was thinking on starting with rewarding "come" and then starting the training on sit, but maybe this is not the best approach to start.
Also, I´ve heard about "clicker" training, and I am thinking about it, but I am not entirely certain and would like to know pros and cons. One concern I have is that th dog wouldn´t feel as certain of his actions once asked without the clicker. That is one concern I have. I also have the general concern that I wouldn´t want to have to give my dog a treat for every time he does what he learns once he already reliably know it (although I am perfectly cool with purposefully reinforce them periodicaly on him, it´s just I wouldn´t want to have to treat him EVERYTIME I simply call him and he comes) but I also wouldn´t want the dog to feel tricked at all. I want him to feel comfortable and good doing what I ask him to.
so well, those are my doubts