My husband wanted a puppy, a Labrador puppy. I am a real softie!! I am not a good trainer, although he insists that we both must contribute to the training of our puppy.........UGH..... I don't like his methods,,,,,I would prefer to just play with her, although my husband said if I do not establish myself as an alpha the puppy will never listen to me..............HELP......what should I do.......
Your husband needs to find out about positive training methods. He is very behind the times as there have been greatly steps forward in dog training methods and ideas. Dominance and alpha dog ideas have been totally discredited and most progressive trainers don't use the techniques associated with this idea. There is info on the main site about this and info about kinder positive training. Looks like you are going to have to train your husband as well as your pup.playing with a pup and rewarding the behaviours you want is a great way to train a pup I keep doing it. Show your husband how it's done
Absolutely agree with @SwampDonkey. To put it mildly, the whole "you need to be the alpha" is total bog poo. Do reading on the main site. Order the Puppy Handbook and definitely Total Recall and show your other half that the true courageous battle is in learning how to train yourself and the pup in a compassionate and fun way. If nothing else learning to train in a +R manner will activate different neural pathways and will be a great way to care and stimulate your mind and brain. When we train from a dominant and aggressive way we work from our "lizard brain", nothing interesting to see there or change*. *If dominance/force trainers can make stuff up then so can I. And I dont actually think I am totally wrong.
OMG Harley thank y0u so much.........Ha lizard brain........not mine!! L0L!!! I am going to take yours and Swamp Donkey's advice and train her in a compassionate and fun way............she is still a baby, 17 weeks..........all we have is time and patience.........so much better than trying dominance all that Alpha crap!! Thank you,,,,, I have never had a big dog, and want to get it right...........already ordered the book...... thank you again, I know labs are fabulous pets,,,,,, looking forward to a wonderful relationship with my pup!!!
Hahaha, @Abby Kahn it is a pleasure. I am sure you know who Brene Brown is, but in case you haven't watched this Ted Talk, she speaks about connection and how we have to be vulnerable to do it. And with +R, the focus and connection with the animal is fantastic and to paraphrase Brene, it has changed how I live and think. In my opinion the need for connection that makes us human and heals so much is what our dogs are able to provide - it really reminds us about what is essentially human about us. This is one of my favourite ways to spend 20 minutes https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_bro...ad&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
OKAY call me dumb.......not a clue who Brene Brown is but just as soon as I write this I will click on your link thank you for that...... and read read read. Sadly I put down my mini schnauzer a couple of weeks ago.......he bit someone so badly that they labeled him a vicious dog.....here in OJ County Calif. they are very strict with dog bites..........his name was Buddy he was 9 and it was very difficult socializing him from the very beginning. mind you he was my 5th mini un like any of my others... anyhow sadly i just learned to keep his world simple, avoid any confrontations with other dogs or many adults and so life went on. I also had Willie at the time.... they got along...........I think the new puppy totally upset his world,,,,,, a neighbor asked if she could pet him, i said yes, and OMG he bit her very badly...... Labs and schnauzers are compatable........thought this would be a good thing.........anyhow after horrible stress and speaking to behavior therapist I felt it would be best to put him down..........I just couldn't protect his world any more..............and I am still suffering with my decision....... I truly loved him but I know in my heart he was never an all around happy pup...........fearful and aggressive.............. I want this new puppy to be totally secure and happy, and so I will follow the advice I receive on this forum..........let my husband do what he thinks he must,,,, but not me........ abain I can't thank you enough.......going to click on the link and read on!!!
