Replies to post #109581 on SPDR S&P 500 (SPY)

[denmo83]

Our puppy was in a crate for about the first 3 months we had him. He never took it as a bad thing. It's just where he went.

Our trainer said when you take him out of the crate, the leash and collar go on. Wherever I went, he was 6 feet away. Even in the house and the leash was in the hand. Not on the doorknob, chair or dragging. In the hand.

He went wherever I went. Time to check a chart, I had company. Time to go to the garage, he came with. He watched me do dishes, watch TV etc. If I had to go to the bathroom, I had company.

For the first 6 weeks of training, if he was out of the crate, his leash was on and in my hand.

People ask me how I stopped him from chewing up the house. I said he never did. He never had the opportunity.

Any unwanted behaviour was instantly corrected much in the way a mother canine will correct her pups. Short, sharp, fast and it's over. Nothing personal. On to the next thing.

[desertcynlite]

OT: Re Dogs again but, as you have probably figured out, this is a subject dear to my heart. Dogs are amazing animals! They can of course be destructive, dangerous and a bother to some but, that is because they have the wrong owner/pack leader. I think 2-Bit said he had an annoying neighbor dog. I feel your pain because I've had the same next door for many years. It frustrates me when I see dogs that are neglected, screamed at as a form of discipline or let to run free and charge an unexpecting person.

Bridge, I love your story about your Samoyeds! They are such beautiful animals and I always dreamed of having one. (I suppose you can't have just one though :).) Long story from my childhood but, I'll leave it at that. Personally, I like a dog that is big and a challenge to train. Usually, the higher the intelligence, the more difficult of a challenge they are to train. However, once we put the time into them so they understand what is expected of them, there is no better companion and it is so rewarding an experience. I have been happilly watching my puppy grow bigger and bigger knowing soon she should reach about 80 pounds. She is expected to be a large female lab.

There was a great PBS show in January about a place that raised and placed service dogs. If you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it because it is so heart warming. I saw it before I got my pup and it really inspired me to do some research in dog training. I wanted to be even better at it this third time around. I love it that everyone is sharing the different methods they have used to raise a well balanced dog. It too is inspiring.