Two Approaches--which is better?

[SheltieChe]

I would answer following. It will make little difference which method you use as long as both of you stick with same one. The best training happens when people are acting same in the family. Sure dogs will eventually adjust to every family member style but it is pretty confusing to the dog.

 

[take4roll10]

I can definitely see the benfit of throwing treats in front of her! She is a chow hound! Could she ever see that as a reward for jumping though? I am always afraid that Ellie is soooo smart, that she will think if she does a naughty thing and I am trying to get her to stop by giving her a treat that she will focus on doing the naughty thing to GET the treat.

I don't think she'll see it as a reward for jumping. I would try to toss the treats before she starts jumping just in case. The goal is that she will associate the dog with tossing treats, so after a number of times, she'll just turn to you because she'll be expecting the treats.

With my hyperreactive terrier mix, She could not look at another dog with go into stare down mode. I never wanted to give her the chance to react because if she did I had lost the game. Believe me once she lost her mind,it was scary. I could not control the other dogs reaction to her so I needed to proactively control my dogs actions. Jazz liked other dogs as long as they followed the Jazz rules of life: what is mine is mine, whats yours is mine and if I don't want it is yours until I decide its mine, which a tiny bit of fear aggression thrown in for fun.
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You're definitely right. I don't think the "look at that game" is for dogs who go into stare down mode. You def don't want to reward that. The "look at that game" is better for dogs who are reactive on leash.

I would answer following. It will make little difference which method you use as long as both of you stick with same one. The best training happens when people are acting same in the family. Sure dogs will eventually adjust to every family member style but it is pretty confusing to the dog.

Absolutely agree! Whatever method you decide, both you and your husband have to commit to that method.

 

[Lahree]

I would answer following. It will make little difference which method you use as long as both of you stick with same one. The best training happens when people are acting same in the family. Sure dogs will eventually adjust to every family member style but it is pretty confusing to the dog.

Yes, I totally agree. That's the whole point of me starting this thread! I wrote in my first post: .."I have no problem with what he does and he has no problem with what I do--but we decided we better get on the same page so as to not to confuse Ellie."

 

[Caro]

I don't know - maybe it keeps her on her toes not knowing which approach she is going to get.

I do find with the sitting and "look and me" Deska has got it down to a fine art. Being such a food hound he is continually sitting and looking at me in case he might get a treat. We can never walk past bicycles now as he always has to sit (or spin if he forgets himself). It's a major pain because I have a bike track running behind my place and it takes me ages to walk a few metres.

 

[Lahree]

I don't know - maybe it keeps her on her toes not knowing which approach she is going to get.

I do find with the sitting and "look and me" Deska has got it down to a fine art. Being such a food hound he is continually sitting and looking at me in case he might get a treat. We can never walk past bicycles now as he always has to sit (or spin if he forgets himself). It's a major pain because I have a bike track running behind my place and it takes me ages to walk a few metres.

LOL! I feel your pain. Ellie has trained herself to calm down with cars by sitting. We don't live in a busy neighborhood, but sometimes, with the luck of the draw, it ends up: walk a few feet, car, sit, treat, walk a few feet, car, sit, treat, walk a few feet, car, sit, treat............

 

[SheltieChe]

there are lots of ways how to solve small problems, as long as they are not harmful for the dog I think it is just personal preference.
I don't like Look at me command as I want looking at me be internal motivation, i.e. dog checks in with me- "Oh, mommy did you see that doggie? Yea, I seen it, its cool" dialogue as opposed to " Hey, bud I want you to look at me because there is dog walking near us"
so if we are passing other dogs on the street or being passed I will have more control over the situation if my dogs are in sit or down/ less arousal that way on both sides/
If we are passing fence with dogs behind it I keep walking. I would like my dogs to check in with me again "Oh mommy dogs behind the fence" and I acknowledge it "Cool" but if we are too close to the fence and dogs present too much distraction it is " with me" command and keep walking.