What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[The Dogmother]

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[Lesley]

That's really interesting! - and makes far more sense than most of the training books I've read!

 

I'm happy with Jazz being a happy, contented and reasonably well-behaved dog - I had been feeling guilty that she wasn't trained to the nth degree but that has made me feel so much better

 

I know she's well-behaved enough because my Mother, my sister and my son-in-law are all happy for Jazz to visit - I can live with that

[The Dogmother]

I know what you mean Lesley - it's all about training to a level of what you need/want from your dog, and your lifestyle. I have a friend whose gundog is the most strictly trained and obedient dog I have ever seen (and my grandfolks kept working spaniels), but you never get to see the joy of her looning around a field at the rate of knots with a huge grin on her face.

 

This article is more along the lines of our trainer, Julie.

[Gamebird]

A very interesting article. I think dog training it's about common sense and not getting too bogged down in this or that theory.

 

Personally, I don't mind if my dog goes out the door before me, especially if he can smell a fox, but I make him wait till I say he can go out of the front gate just in case there's a car passing.

 

When I had 3 dogs I noticed that the 'top dog' role changed according to the circumstances.

 

It does all depend on how you want your dog to behave and what you are happy with. We don't have any near neighbours so I never tell him off for barking at strangers coming up my drive, although he usually stops when I appear.

 

Oliver is gundog trained (but not to the nth degree ) and obedient in the working environment but he's my pet dog and it gives me great pleasure to see him hurtling himself around a field and playing with other dogs all with a huge grin on his face. He doesn't jump up so I have confidence when elderly relatives visit that he won't knock them over.

 

I've acheived it with lots of treats and making everything as much fun as possible.

 

Maybe I've been doing it wrong all these years but I've got the sort of dog I've always wanted and he doesn't chase my chickens so to me he's perfect.