I just had an in-home dog trainer come, and the beagle is behaving better

[Critters2]

already.

That's right. The beagle with a rally obedience title is impossible to walk in a park, is the supreme Lord and Master of counter-surfing, is a little terror at home. And no one will believe me because she's this perfect princess on the rally course. The examiner even gave her a CGC title, even though she'd obviously screwed up parts of the test..."because she's not aggressive. She's just friendly when she jumps up on people." :grr:

Well, I got tired of being dragged down the street and hiding anything she might consider edible. So, I'll called an in-home trainer. He was here for an hour and a half. Then I took her for a walk--the best walk I've ever had with her. I wish I had done this years ago.

Of course, I spent a lot of my vacation money on this, but if it makes life with the beagle easier it was worth it.

How's your evening?

[harmonicon]

1. my evening is fine, but boring

So, it really helped? I've been telling my girlfriend that she has to take the dog to a trainer. The dog is super sweet and loves people, and my gf has done a great job of training her for the most part, but poochie has turned into a real bitch to other dogs since she's passed out of the puppy stage (which lasted over 2 years). I don't care if the dog hates other dogs, but I don't like her barking and growling at them and trying to bite them all of the time. She's also a massive leash puller most of the time. She knows the words and hand signals to heal, but often chooses not to obey.

[Critters2]

2. Sounds a lot like the beagle. And she's been in YEARS of obedience training!

This training was good because I didn't take her somewhere else. She learned these things at home. She's a great dog at the center where we'd go for class. But the minute we walked out the door, she was a pain in the ass. This guy came here, worked with us in the house and at the park where she likes to walk...and bark at other dogs.

It reminded me of that British woman who goes to people's homes on TV. What's the name of that show...?
Excuse me while I google. That's it. "It's Me or the Dog". It was like that. I'd recommend this, though it was really expensive. The trainer was with a company called "Barkbusters". I don't mean to advertise for them. Just telling you. There are probably others using the same techniques.

[grasswire]

3. have you never heard of Caesar Milan?

The dog whisperer?

[Critters2]

4. Heard of him. Don't get the cable channel he's on.

But yeah, I think it's like that.

[grasswire]

17. you can visit his web site...

...and get his videos if you want to build on the training. His methods really do work.

[harmonicon]

5. thanks for the info

I'm guessing that expensive means "really expensive", huh? Gosh, we don't really have the money, but our dog is so important to us that I want her life to be as happy as possible. It just sucks not knowing when the dog will turn from sweetheart to total bitch. I'll tell my girlfriend about the website - they have someone in San Diego, which is where she and the dog are moving to.

[Critters2]

9. "Really expensive" means $500. I guess it's all relative, but that

qualifies as really expensive to me. He would have let me pay in installments, but I bit the bullet and wrote one check. Like you, I wanted the beagle--and me--to be as happy as possible. The nice thing about this is that the trainer, or others from the company, if I should move somewhere else--will come and work with us any time there's a behavioral problem for the rest of her life. I was pleased about that. And he's going to come one more time for sure, more if needed.

[harmonicon]

13. that's not so bad

It is more than 1/2 a month's rent, and I'm on a budget, but it said that it covered several sessions, and there was this guarantee, so maybe it's not so bad. Do you live with anyone else? I wonder if we're going to do it, if it should be at a time when both my girlfriend and I are there. The dog already comes to me for approval when she does something wrong - I'm the soft-hearted dog dad.

[Critters2]

14. It's just me, three cats, and the beagle.

The trainer asked about this, and said it was best to do it when most family members could be there.

[Redstone]

6. My cousin told me the best thing I've ever heard about beagles:

"They're really smart dogs, but the second they go outside, their brains fall out of their noses."

And ain't THAT the truth?

Redstone

[Critters2]

12. That IS the truth!! nt

[Madrone]

7. Good for you!

And the "friendly when she jumps up on people" examiner? :eyes: omg.

I wish I could afford a trainer for my dog. He's actually *mostly* exceptional - but there are a couple of things I just can't seem to break him of. I hope it works out for your beagle! :)

[Critters2]

10. The beagle has gone through life charming people since she was a pup.

But I expect better from a CGC examiner. Honestly.

Thanks!

[littlebit]

8. It really worked?

I have tried for years to train Scooter but it hasn't worked. She has to be the most stubborn beagle I have ever had.

[Critters2]

11. So far, so good. Of course, we're only hours post-training session.

And have homework to do. When I said something about her being hard to train because she's a beagle, he said breed had nothing to do with it. That's when I became skeptical. But, as I say, I just walked n the riverwalk, past several dogs, with nary a pull or a bark. I'm amazed.

[Orsino]

15. I've taken a dog to obedience class...

...and it turned out that the class was mostly for *me*. Dogs are very willing to learn; we just need to be told how to teach.

[Critters2]

16. This was for me, too. I think what made the difference was doing it at home

and in the places where we walk. So, there wasn't the sense that she's a good beagle at class, and, well, not so good at home. That seems to be the big difference.