Will be getting our new female Min Pin puppy "Coco" in 30 days. She will be 12 weeks old. Have been looking at various training info. Prefer to train as "positive" as possible but think she is best off also knowing "NO" means "NO" and don't plan to give treats 100% of the time for her to obey especially down the road. Do not want to use any E Collar, clicker, no screaming or scaring her. Any suggestions for simple consistent training of Min Pins appreciated. From what I see online most of the books/sites/training could be made much less complicated. Can't wait to get started.
An e-collar on any dog will not go down very well on this forum, but on a small dog like a Minpin? I have a half Minpin and the mere thought of using an e-collar on her makes me shudder.
I never used food treats for every day training, I used a toy & turned training into playtime, which in turned helped with me calling shots for when playtime started & stopped, I only used food treats for special command ie for getting dogs to sit/down/stay when having photo taken, when being examined by vet/showring judges.
I really don't understand what your objection is to clicker training. This must be the gentlest method of training, the most rewarding from the dog's viewpoint, and is ideal for toy dogs. If you don't like the idea of carrying a physical clicker box - well, I agree - all that's needed is to use a substitute word to stand in place of the device. I use a short, 'Yes', as a positive response, but the choice is up to the individual. The theory is a little long winded for this format, but try Googling any of the Kikopup video's to see just how effective this method is in action.
Rewards are simply that - anything your dog finds rewarding - treats, play, cuddles etc. Be patient, persistent and persevere - the three 'Ps' are invaluable in having a well behaved dog. They love to please us so just let her know when she has and you won't go far wrong. Physical punishments destroy bonds - don't go there. It's really not worth it
Is this your first dog? Min pins are intelligent and very trainable. But 'no' really means nothing to dogs. Instead teach your dog what you want her to do rather than what you don't. The clicker is a fantastic tool - clear, concise, unemotional. Unlike our voice. Correctly used, the click tells the dog: 1) you've done the right thing 2) reward is coming 3) the exercise is finished. So please don't dismiss clicker training but learn more about it. Kikopup on youtube has fantastic training videos. Also there are many different types of clickers, some with soft quiet sounds. Good luck and enjoy your new pup when she finally comes.
In the early stages of training a new thing it is a good idea to treat every correct response. Once the dog understands fully what a command means, you can then start only rewarding the best responses and eventually phase out the rewards. Again kikopup has a video on this. My friend who has German shepherds and does competitive obedience with them, always starts training her pup with food, then, as the pup gets older, moves onto toys. She believes food motivates the young pup more than a toy - after all we all have to eat. Have you looked into training classes? Some can be excellent and have waiting lists so it's not too early to make enquiries or even sign up now. I would go and watch a class in progress before committing though. I would look for a relaxed atmosphere, small number of puppies (my dog trainer/ behaviourist wouldn't have more than 6 puppies under the age of 18 weeks in her puppy class), happy owners, happy puppies, kind, understanding trainer, flat collars or harnesses on puppies, no choke type collars, no mention of shock collars. No suggestion of aversive methods such as shaking of coins in a can or spraying water at dogs/puppies. Lot to take in? Yeah. There will be more. .
Thanks for the suggestions. I would prefer to not use a clicker for a few reasons, would rather just say "yes" instead. I had not heard about "soft, quiet sounding" clickers. That may also work for me. Any suggestions where to get that type of clicker?
The Clix Multiclicker has a variable tone. I have a Rosewood one which was variable till the little knob fell off - which has left it with a harsh sound. Some children's toy clickers, which are usually shaped like animals, have a nice soft click, but they can be hard to find, and to replace if they break. I find the big advantage of using the voice is that you always have it ready to 'catch' a desired behaviour. The disadvantage is that it isn't as precise, and isn't as distinct from other human sounds.
I usually found that owners preferred to use 'yes' instead of the clicker. Many found them hard to coordinate especially when the dog is on lead. If you want a soft click - a pen works. The click on them is soft and they do the same job
I have never used clicker training, there is no way I would attempt to hold lead, titbits and a clicker, even more so if I came across outside distractions.
I'm going to recommend clicker training, even though you have already dismissed it. A clicker is an “event marker.” One of the most common questions clicker trainers are asked is, “Can’t I just use my voice?” The second most frequently asked question is, “Will I always have to carry a clicker with me?” Though clicker training is perceived by many to be a dog training “fad,” the truth is that clicker training as a technology has been in practice for decades and is used successfully in training many species, from our own dogs and cats to exotic animals (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!), fish, birds, and marine mammals.
This is a very quiet clicker. It has a rubber band so you can keep the clicker on your finger, but you can take the band off. Another great advantage of this clicker is that the button is recessed, therefore not like to be pressed by mistake. https://www.amazon.co.uk/DOGSLINE-Finger-Clicker-Clicker-training-UKDL02F/dp/B00OHMNI7O Have you got your puppy?
A clicker is just a noise,humans can make many many vocal calls,clickers do work but it's the same noise every time. Patience is key, you can speak double Dutch,mandarin,French,etc Ur pup won't know the difference, tone of voice n repetition of what you want it to do More time spent in the early days gives More rewards
