From: schalene@sequent.com (Schalene Dagutis)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Training a Beagle Re: rec.pets.dogs
Date: 1 Sep 92 20:49:31 GMT
Article-I.D.: sequent.1992Sep1.204931.21366
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

In article <1992Aug31.153150.1@opal.tufts.edu> gbelli@opal.tufts.edu writes:
>So what do you think, are beagles untrainable?  I'm not talking about training
>for shows, just basic obedience.  I know that they are most certainly not
>stupid, but they are a)nosey, which makes it hard to keep their attention, and
>b)stubborn, the downside of which is obvious.  

I certainly don't think Beagles are untrainable.  But I do agree with
points a) and b) and that does make them challenging.  My experience
has been that Beagles are high activity dogs. They were bred to run
after rabbits, after all.  I've found my dog -- not a Beagle -- to be
more interested in training some days than others.  I think this is
normal.  One thing I found that helps me.....is to tire him out a
little before we begin our training session.  Trying to train as soon
as I come home from work, for instance, is out of the question.  Also,
you didn't mention how old your dog is.  When I started Max in puppy
kindergarten, he was 12 weeks old.  Our nightly "homework" session
lasted all of five minutes.  At 8 months he definitely has a longer
attention span, but I still don't work with him for long periods at
one time.  Also, I don't train him in the back yard where he has free
run to play eliminate.  I didn't want to start training in an area he
might consider his.  We do it in the front yard, where he never is
without a leash and in a fenced tennis court.

>In the past, obedience hasn't
>seemed too important to me, but circumstances have made it imperative that
>my dog obey me (for his own safety, and for good neighbor relations).  

I'm glad you think obedience is important now....all dogs should know
some basic commands and perform them always....this is good not only
for good neighbor relations, but also good for the dog.  There have
been plenty of stories on the net about dogs dashing out of open
doors, ignoring commands, and being hit by cars.....

>Heeling is the most important idea that I would like to teach him.  I've 
>had some success w/a choke collar, but the lessons don't seem to stick in
>his head from walk to walk.  

Heeling is important....again how old is your dog.  He probably
doesn't really need a choke collar.  A flat buckle collar should do
fine.  I think chock collars are much easier to misuse.  They do
require some training on proper use.  Do you want a perfect heel 
or him walking close to your side, paying attention to you.  The latter 
is how we trained our dog.  This is how I did.  (Others on the net may 
have better suggestions.)

First I taught him to sit.  Then I taught him "wait."  To my dog "wait"
is different from "stay."  "Stay" means don't move until I say "o.k."
whatever your position.  Wait means don't move until I say "o.k."  He
took to "wait" much more readily than "stay."  "Wait comes in handy
for giving him permission to get out of a car, wait at the curb before
I say it's o.k. to cross the street, at doorways (humans should always
get to go into doors first.)  

Then I taught him "watch me."  "Watch me" was easy to teach.  When he
was very young, as soon as he learned his name, anytime he looked at
me I praised him saying "good watch me."  Soon, about 2 days, if I
called "watch me" he'd stop whatever he was doing and look at me.  A
good hand signal for this is to move your index finger around at his
eye level to catch his attention and then bring it to your nose.  Most
dogs will follow this movement with their eyes.

After he learned those commands I worked on informal heeling.  I would
start with Max sitting at my left side.  I'd call his name and say
"watch me", praise him and say "let's go."  All I wanted at first was
one good step -- Max walking beside me on a loose leash and looking at
me.  When I got one good step, I praised him like crazy, stopped the
exercise and repeated it.  Then we worked up to more steps.  When he
went out in front of me, I did an about face and walked the other
direction.  Soon, I'm sure Max felt he needed to pay attention to me
because it was obvious I'd forgotten how to walk!  I kept my hands at
hip level about 2 or 3 inches out in front of my body.  When he was
about 7 months I began using small leash corrections.  I wouldn't
recommend trying them on a dog any younger than that.  Some dogs, you
should wait longer.  The leash correction was very minor, just enough
to get his attention.  When I had it I praised like crazy.  The leash
correction was bringing my hands quickly into my body.  

>Teaching him to drop things that he has picked
>up in his mouth is something I would like to do, also, but again, I can't
>get him to consistantly obey me.  

This, too, is important for dogs to know.  We use "give" with ours.
When he had something, anything in his mouth, we would hold our hand
out, palm up, and say "give."  Of course, he didn't give, so we used
the other hand to pry his mouth open, pressing each side of his jaw
(this is hard to describe).  When whatever was in his mouth plopped
out, we praised like crazy.  We would train him with "give" while
playing fetch, or whenever we felt like it.  A dog should always be
willing to give up whatever is in his mouth.  

I would also suggest "leave it" and "take it."  This means that your
dog shouldn't pick up things without your permission.  We taught this
using treats.  I'd put a treat in my fist.  Of course, he'd start
nosing my hand.  I'd push my hand against his nose saying "leave it"
until he sat back and stopped nosing my hand.  As soon as he'd stop,
I'd open up my hand and say "take it."  When he knew "leave it" and
"take it" we'd do it with the treat in my open palm.  These two
commands have been very useful.

Getting them to obey you at all times, I sometimes think is a mythical
ideal.  But getting them to obey you consistently takes a lot of time
and patience.  But its worth it, believe me.  Also, think about
enrolling in a basic obedience class.  Our dog loves it.  When I ask
if he wants to go to puppy training, he hops all around and heads for
the door.  I've found that the classes are really more for us humans
than the dogs.  The instructors teach us how to teach our dogs.

>If you have any ideas, please let me  
>know.  

Well, I've certainly done that!  I hope I haven't bored everyone to
death.  I'd also suggest a few books.....both Monks of New Skete books
and "Mother Knows Best," by Carol Lea Benjamin.  They are loaded with
valuable advice.

>Nothing too "cruel" (ie. frightening to him, aggressive), I'm
>a softie. 

Lots of praise in an animated voice, properly timed, works miracles.

>     I guess I've been posting a lot of basic questions to the group.  Al-
>though I've had dogs my whole life, I've never had to care for one on my
>own.  I don't really have any dog "experts" in my circle of friends, so 
>thanks for all the advice.

Good luck!

schalene