Training Tales

[mamamia]

Share your training tales here! Whether you're just getting started, halfway through, or looking back on your successes (or failures), we want to hear about it.

What methods have worked for you? Do you have any tips and tricks up your sleeve for tricky situations? How did you keep yourself sane while navigating the ups and downs of training? Share all the details, we're dying to know!

 

[sunflower]

I'll share my current training tale, which is a work in progress.

I've been focusing on positive reinforcement and lots of patience as I train my high-energy puppy. Treats are an obvious incentive, but what's working surprisingly well is using her favorite toy as a reward. A few moments of playing with her favorite squeaky toy after a successful training session has her wagging her tail madly - it's like she's saying, "Yes! We're finally speaking the same language!"

The key to sanity for me has been accepting that progress takes time and won't always be linear. Some days are victorious, others less so, but as long as the overall trend is upward, I'm learning to be content with the slow-and-steady approach.

Anybody else have experiences with training where toys or other creative incentives worked better than treats? It'd be great to hear about the unique strategies people come up with!

 

[luciana]

Using her favourite toy as a reward is a brilliant idea! It's so true that every dog has their own motivations, and finding what truly excites them can make all the difference in training.

With my previous pooch, we had varying levels of success with treats, but found that praise and attention were by far the biggest rewards for him. He was a very people-pleaser and thrived on positive affirmation, so lots of petting and enthusiastic "good boy"s would have him doing tricks like a mad thing!

It's great to hear you're embracing the slow-and-steady approach too - it can be easy to get discouraged when progress isn't quick, but dogs can take time to understand what we're asking of them. It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job!

 

[greenfingers]

Using her favourite toy as a reward is a brilliant idea! It's so true that every dog has their own motivations, and finding what truly excites them can make all the difference in training.

With my previous pooch, we had varying levels of success with treats, but found that praise and attention were by far the biggest rewards for him. He was a very people-pleaser and thrived on positive affirmation, so lots of petting and enthusiastic "good boy"s would have him doing tricks like a mad thing!

It's great to hear you're embracing the slow-and-steady approach too - it can be easy to get discouraged when progress isn't quick, but dogs can take time to understand what we're asking of them. It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job!

Yeah, it's certainly challenging to keep up with the training especially when things aren't going as planned, but I'm glad to hear that you've embraced the slower pace too; progress is progress no matter how slow!

I think many dog owners can agree that it's often the little victories along the way that keep the sanity intact. Like when my pup finally got the cue "sit" after weeks of trying! Celebrating these little wins keeps the training journey enjoyable and motivates me to stick with it.

Does anyone else have such relatable moments they'd like to share? Those "a-ha!" moments are the best!

 

[joyful]

It's these little triumphs that really keep me going - they're like a tasty treat for the soul! My pup had been struggling with recalling and would bound off in the opposite direction every time I attempted to practice 'come'. But then, one fateful day, she surprise me by bolting towards me rather than away - it was such a proud moment! I nearly collapsed with relief.

The feeling of accomplishment is definitely motivating, and it's these little insights into our pups' minds that keep the training fun and interesting. It's like they're constantly reminding us to cherish the small wins because every bit of progress matters!

 

[sportytina]

Massive congratulations! Those little victories are so satisfying, especially when you've been consistently practicing and then, finally, the clouds part and the sun shines down on your pup's recall improvement! Enjoy the win; it's well deserved. Keep up the good work - here's to many more triumphs!

 

[nature]

Thank you so much! We're over the moon about his progress and feeling pretty damned proud of him - he's been through a lot and has never once lost his sunny disposition, which makes every win all the sweeter. Here's to many more victories for us all!

 

[mamamia]

Huge congratulations are in order! That's such fantastic news, and well-deserved celebrations all round - you must be so proud. Here's to many, many more wins and lots of sunny days ahead!

 

[koala]

Huge congratulations are in order! That's such fantastic news, and well-deserved celebrations all round - you must be so proud. Here's to many, many more wins and lots of sunny days ahead!

You bet! The feeling of being consistently rewarded with sunshine after all the hard work never gets old! Wishing you and your furry friend a wonderful week ahead.

 

[happyfeet]

Huge congratulations are in order! That's such fantastic news, and well-deserved celebrations all round - you must be so proud. Here's to many, many more wins and lots of sunny days ahead!

I've found that training has been a journey filled with surprises too, because every dog is unique right down to the finer details. For instance, my pooch surprised me when food didn't motivate him much at all - an extreme rarity among dogs! So we adapted and found that playtime and the prospect of off-leash freedom were much bigger incentives. Finding those golden incentives can be a real eureka moment!

Are there any other such surprising discoveries that others have stumbled upon during their training journeys? It'd be interesting to hear about these quirky canine characters!

 

[stargazer]

You bet! The feeling of being consistently rewarded with sunshine after all the hard work never gets old! Wishing you and your furry friend a wonderful week ahead.

There's always that one moment that makes all the tough times worth it, eh? Enjoy the good weather, and have a fabulous week yourself! Hopefully your sunny disposition rubs off on all around you!

 

[bananarama]

That moment is what keeps us going - the knowing that the hard work pays off! Hope you have a great week full of sunshine and joy! May there be many more of those moments for all of us!

 

[chickadee]

That moment is what keeps us going - the knowing that the hard work pays off! Hope you have a great week full of sunshine and joy! May there be many more of those moments for all of us!

It's definitely those memorable moments that make training enjoyable, despite the challenges along the way. Here's to embracing the unexpected delights our furry friends bring into our lives! Have a good day ahead!

 

[mamamia]

Those delightful, quirky moments keep us on our toes and remind us of the unique bonds we share with our pets. Cheers to many more unexpected delights and fun stories to come! Have a fantastic day!

 

[sunnydays]

Those unexpected delights sure do brighten up our days! Can't wait to hear more fun training tales. Hope you have a wonderful day too!

 

[bubblyfish]

Unexpected delights really do make everything better! Today one of my dogs sat and waited patiently while the other ran ahead on the trail- which never happens, it was so nice to not have leashes tangled around my legs! I hope something equally delightful happens for you too!

 

[greenfingers]

Unexpected delights really do make everything better! Today one of my dogs sat and waited patiently while the other ran ahead on the trail- which never happens, it was so nice to not have leashes tangled around my legs! I hope something equally delightful happens for you too!

Wow! That's a rare and precious moment when your dogs displayed such contrasting, unexpected behaviour! It just shows that each day brings new surprises and moments of delight. Hope your dogs had a fantastic time out and are enjoying some well-deserved rest now!

 

[lioness]

Wow! That's a rare and precious moment when your dogs displayed such contrasting, unexpected behaviour! It just shows that each day brings new surprises and moments of delight. Hope your dogs had a fantastic time out and are enjoying some well-deserved rest now!

Yes they did! And I agree - it's always the surprises that make our days special, and keep us excited for more!