[Dailydrool] Dog Trainers

[Beverly Szaton]

I agree 100% with Lisa about sending dogs off to have them trained, unless
you are sending them to the Monks of New Skete. (They make you participate.)
I also agree with her about talking to a trainer about Bassets first. A lot
of trainers think they are just drop dead stupid and too stubborn to train.
They are wrong, but they have neither the insight nor the patience to train
one.
Bassets respond to positive reinforcement. I have used a shock collar and I
do not recommend them unless you have been shown by someone who actually
understands the training process of how they work. Shocking a dog for
misbehavior is no good if the dog either does not know what the correct
behavior is, or has forgotten what he did. In retropect, I don't think I
should have used the collar at all.
In the meantime, I would most certainly get the crate set up again, and
start crating when you are not home. When you have a problem housebreaking,
you go back to step 1. In this case, having too much freedom when you are
gone is causing,perhaps, some anxiety, and dogs tend to chew to relieve the
tension. He may also be under-exercised.

Anyway until you find a trainer willing to use food and positive
reinforcement, I would crate and not shock, and reward good behavior
immediately with a treat.

MomPerson who knows more about what happens when you DONT train than you
want to know.
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