Who: hikes, climbs &or backpacks with a dog?

[Little Rickie]

I (we) rescued a dog last April, mostly boxer, 2yrs?, female, 47 lbs, very strong physically, great disposition, distractable, affectionate, sensitive to harsh voices, (proabably abused) and smart. We've done basic doggie class where I was trained as much as she, went very well. We'll do an advanced class eventually.

We've done some local trail hikes and she has done well but I don't dare let her off leash yet. I'm doing some long leash work the last few weeks out in the middle of the local parks sport fields. She has stopped running to the end of the 50 ft rope and hanging herself, now walks closer to me (lots of treats), and follows me across the field and back but I can't get close (20-30 yards) to any distractions yet.

It's been suggested I get her to respond to a whistle to return and I'll start that as soon as I get a whistle. Also to take her on longer and longer hikes to toughen her pads, to get her used to a doggie back pack and sleeping in a tent.

I'm open to any more ideas from you dog owners.

She's a good dog.

 

[Paradox]

Sounds like you are a good dog owner.

 

[Little Rickie]

Sounds like you are a good dog owner.

We have a lot in common. I've been called a dog a few times in my life.

 

[griffin]

Sounds like you're off to a great start with her! For a dog with high energy, that's really solid progress on recall.

I trained Augie to come when I whistle - three short tweets, but I'm making the sound myself (does that make sense?) I like that the sound carries further than my voice, but I figure that I'm likely to forget a store-bought whistle - but I usually have my own mouth on me

You might want to work on a solid "leave it" as well. It can come in very handy when they're about do some unauthorized snacking, or investigate soemthing you don't want their nose in.

 

[Stash]

Just make sure you've done plenty of testing before going off-leash in a new area or with new distractions. One issue with rescues (we've got 2) is that you usually don't know all the history and what could draw the dog off in a given situation. One of ours is 90% there but there's still some uncertainty we need to cover. Best of luck!

 

[Little Rickie]

Sounds like you're off to a great start with her! For a dog with high energy, that's really solid progress on recall.

I trained Augie to come when I whistle - three short tweets, but I'm making the sound myself (does that make sense?) I like that the sound carries further than my voice, but I figure that I'm likely to forget a store-bought whistle - but I usually have my own mouth on me

You might want to work on a solid "leave it" as well. It can come in very handy when they're about do some unauthorized snacking, or investigate soemthing you don't want their nose in.

trained Augie to come when I whistle

I thought about that and have done it with a little success for a short distance. I'm concerned she may be out of sight, too far away or too distracted for my feeble whistle.

You might want to work on a solid "leave it"

I'm new at this dog training thing so I do what I think is right (so I may be wrong and learning bad habbits myself) and try to be consistant.

She will pretty much stops in her tracks with a firm "NO" , if she hears it. Would "leave it" be any different than that?

 

[Chip]

I tried teaching my last mutt to climb, but he had too much trouble with the "Figure 8 follow-thru" .

I have never "trained" a dog, so take this for what it's worth: My first mutt was psychic on the trail, always knew exactly where he was and where we were, and would reappear with a quick whistle or finger snap - never leashed, and never bothered anyone else, dog or human. You know the type of dog - just walks past you like you don't exist - only intent on trail and their own family. My last mutt had a great nose, liked exploring and was social with strangers, and so was easily distracted. He needed to be kept in sight constantly or leashed.

So some dogs will naturally "get it" and others may never.

 

[Little Rickie]

Just make sure you've done plenty of testing before going off-leash in a new area or with new distractions. One issue with rescues (we've got 2) is that you usually don't know all the history and what could draw the dog off in a given situation. One of ours is 90% there but there's still some uncertainty we need to cover. Best of luck!

One issue with rescues (we've got 2) is that you usually don't know all the history and what could draw the dog off in a given situation.

When I say she's a good dog I mean only a few bad habbits (so far). We've just been lucky. She may pee with excitment when meeting people and jump up when meeting people, especially kids, but that's it and the jumping thing is getting beter all the time.

But she has issues. Some dogs and some people just set her off and she is scary aggressive and lunging. A very impress display for a small dog, which give credence the the expression: It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the fight in the dog. We haven't seen a consistant pattern yet on what sets her off.

When she is overboard with excitment it takes a firm hand and voice to settle her down but it isn't a big deal. if I raise my voice too much she cowers or& b rolles over on her back, submissive behavior.

 

[griffin]

I'm new at this dog training thing so I do what I think is right (so I may be wrong and learning bad habbits myself) and try to be consistant.

She will pretty much stops in her tracks with a firm "NO" , if she hears it. Would "leave it" be any different than that?

Like I said, I think you're off to a great start with her

If "no" works, that's great. For us, though, we've had better luck in general focusing on what we want the dogs to DO instead of having them (Augie in particular) try to figure out what we want them to stop. "Leave it" means drop what's in your mouth/move away from whatever your fixating on. "Off" means to get down from something. "Quiet" means, well "quiet"

Augie's just really sensitive and he responds better to praise for getting something right, than he does to corrections. Your girl may be different, but it's something to consider

 

[Hampshire]

I trained my dog (GSP) to respond to whistle commands. It took practice but it works great. We really only have a few commands (stop, come, and free). By happen stance I was doing a lot of hikes in the Pemi as he was being trained and we were up and down the Wilderness trail. As we all know this trail is well tralveled and straight (you can see people approaching from a great distance). We got quite a bit of practice, enough so that he now comes to me when he sees somone approching in anticipation of the whistle even on single track. Have fun, my dog is my favorite hiking partner.

 

[Neil]

Rickie, I know that Redhawk has mentioned having excellent results using a special collar that administers an electric shock to the dog when you push a button. The dog hears a sound before getting shocked and one shock is apparently all it takes. After that, Pavlonian conditioning ensures that the sound is enough. I know nothing about dogs and I don't know if this is cruel but it sounds like it could be in the wrong hands.

I think know where you can request this info from RH.

Once the dog has been properly trained you can recycle the collar by wearing it yourself and giving the remote to your spouse.

 

[smitty77]

Rickie, I know that Redhawk has mentioned having excellent results using a special collar that administers an electric shock to the dog when you push a button. The dog hears a sound before getting shocked and one shock is apparently all it takes. After that, Pavlonian conditioning ensures that the sound is enough. I know nothing about dogs and I don't know if this is cruel but it sounds like it could be in the wrong hands.

We have one of the wireless ones for the yard, and it worked great on the sheltie. It only took one or two shocks before he got the message that he's supposed to go in the opposite direction as soon as he hears the beep. At one point he tore off in hot pursuit of something (which is totally out of character for him) and it took several shocks before he "snapped out of it" and turned back, but it saved him from being hit by a car. We set it on level 2 out of 5. I imagine it would stop even a large dog. He only wore it at the end of puppyhood (sometime around 11-15 months) since his "intact status" caused a desire to seek out females. He wears it sparingly now and only then to reinforce his "no fly zones".

Once the dog has been properly trained you can recycle the collar by wearing it yourself and giving the remote to your spouse.

Ummmmmm...... No.

 

[Little Rickie]

Like I said, I think you're off to a great start with her

If "no" works, that's great. For us, though, we've had better luck in general focusing on what we want the dogs to DO instead of having them (Augie in particular) try to figure out what we want them to stop. "Leave it" means drop what's in your mouth/move away from whatever your fixating on. "Off" means to get down from something. "Quiet" means, well "quiet"

Augie's just really sensitive and he responds better to praise for getting something right, than he does to corrections. Your girl may be different, but it's something to consider

I'm working on "release" to get her to drop stuff from her mouth. I'm trying to play freesby with her. She is great at chasing and catching but not too good at returning it. She loves to tease me into chasing her when she has the freesby or playing tug-0-war with it. I don't chase but do play tug-0-war. It;'s fun.

special collar that administers an electric shock to the dog when you push a button

Can't do it. I'm not comfortable with it. I'm a behavioral psychologist by education and am familiar with (& have done) that type of conditioning but would only use it with a difficult dog. It does work real quick. ouch!

My neighbors dogs need it for barking & agressivness. They also have the shocker for invisible fence, those brutes don't listen to their owners.


My wife on the other hand would probably would love it. Have your wife call my wife and she can tell her how it works.

 

[Chip]

She loves to tease me into chasing her when she has the freesby or playing tug-0-war with it. I don't chase but do play tug-0-war. It;'s fun.

Big mistake if you ever want her to retrieve. When my last mutt came home from the pound I was teaching it to retrieve and he was doing great. One day...one day...I get home from work and he's not retrieving anymore. When I mentioned it to my wife she was "Oh yeah, we played all day, he likes to be chased and play tug-of-war !"

 

[griffin]

She is great at chasing and catching but not too good at returning it. She loves to tease me into chasing her when she has the freesby or playing tug-0-war with it. I don't chase but do play tug-0-war. It;'s fun.

lol, I think she's trying to train you!

 

[Little Rickie]

Big mistake if you ever want her to retrieve. When my last mutt came home from the pound I was teaching it to retrieve and he was doing great. One day...one day...I get home from work and he's not retrieving anymore. When I mentioned it to my wife she was "Oh yeah, we played all day, he likes to be chased and play tug-of-war !"

I can see chasing her being a no no because she is learning the wrong response but would tug-o-war be bad if she learns to releases on command?

I might as well learn now before I make a problem.

FWIW She has quickly learned she can do some things with my wife and daughter that she can't do with me.

 

[hikingmaineac]

Here is a similar thread on Rocks.

My wife and I just got a puppy about a month ago. He's now a 5 month old black lab / German shepherd mix (w/maybe some rotty in him too).

So far he's logged over 50 miles in the course of the past 3 weeks or so conquering such peaks as Avery Peak in the Bigelows, Goose Eye in Grafton Notch, Hale, Carrigain, and Frankenstein Cliffs.

Here are a few photos of him on the trail:

 

[Chip]

I can see chasing her being a no no because she is learning the wrong response but would tug-o-war be bad if she learns to releases on command?

The retrieve and release is basically a bird-dog activity. You wouldn't want the dog to play tug o war with the pheasant you just shot. If you're not training a bird dog, you can play whatever games you want, I guess.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

You've been getting some good advice. While you're working with him I would suggest that you just keep hiking with him on the leash.

Lauky is my eleventh dog. All the previous ten would follow me anywhere, I never used the leash except when on a busy highway or in the presence of other dogs where I would put him on the leash to make sure that I had total control. It never occurred to me that a dog wouldn't follow me instinctively.

Then I got Lauky, a pure Welsh Terrier, the most independent, hard headed, impulsive dog I've ever had. That the Welsh was originally bred as a barn dog, to live on his own in the barns thinking and fending for himself as he rid the barn of rodents, certainly has something to do with that independent nature. I've hiked with him for a year and a half now. We have done the NH48 plus and he still has to stay on the leash all the time.

I always thought that I could never be happy having to keep a dog on the leash. I still would like to be able to trust Lauky off lead. I'm still working with him in many of the ways that have been suggested, although I've never tried the electronic collar. But I have learned that there are some advantages such as always having him around. Duffy, my Airedale, and I did the NEHH together. It was great. But Duffy, while he never left me, was often out of sight up ahead on the trail. I've come to realize that I actually spend a lot more time with Lauky.

I use an eight foot lead. I have found that the six foot lead is too short for ledges etc. I did a few hikes with a twenty foot lead. It worked pretty well if Lauky was running up ahead, but every time he got behind me the long lead inevitably snagged on a root. I never realized there are so many roots until that happened.

Keep working with your boy. We'll see who gets there first, although I'm not betting on Lauky.

Someday when you see that black and tan terrier out there at the other end of the leash, make sure you say hi.

 

[Little Rickie]

She didn't listen well this morning while at the end of the 50ft rope when she saw other dogs in the park. She was a deaf stone statue unless I tugged her or raised my voice. She was much better up close. I can't see letting her off leash for a while. We'll work on it.

Any more trail or camping tips?