Yeah I will do that, I put up a training session on youtube recently. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPaHD8x2ayU
He doesn't do any of that here but I just thought you would enjoy it.

It's a great vid!

 Quote: melissa thom

It's a great vid!

Nero is really coming along well, Spencer. You seem to have a knack for the timing for marker training. The advantage you have of not having dogs before is that you get to learn from the mistakes the rest of us made!

That "full mouth hello" (great term) can go on for awhile. When our last pup was in that stage with his needle teeth, we kept several toys in a plastic basket in the family room. Whenever the pup went to chew on a hand, foot, leg, shoe, etc., we quickly substituted the toy. It seemed to eventually take the focus off of us, and put it on the toy. I'd say off and on for the first year, though, he'd chew alot.

I doubt if the growling is a problem at this stage. Most chihuahas are pretty vocal - I suspect that is the little feisty dog in him. Gotta love chihuahuas (and I do). In my old neighborhood, I was greeted every day getting home from work by a feisty male chihuahua who thought he owned the block. He'd come running out of the yard from across the street and several houses down, give me hell as I got out of my car and walked into the house, then walk back home like he was saying "that'll teach him to drive on MY street." It was hilarious. Something I started to look forward to every day.

That's a good looking pup you've got there!

Thanks Rob, I think he is pretty handsome myself, but I'm sure even if he was hideous I would say that! Also, that is so funny you say that about Chihuahuas because I have a very similar situation that happens to me often, only its while I'm on my running route!

I guess I will just have to get used to his "orneriness" lol he will break for me eventually.

 Quote: Spencer Martin

I was talking about his treats and not his food, I never play with his food

BTW, why not play with their food??? I do it all the time. I pick up bowls, food, bones, toys. And 99% of the time, I return them.

In my world, there is no guarding from me. If I wanted guarding, I would put it on command.

You have to choose your battles.

With a lot of the green dogs that I've bought throughout the years as PPD candidates, playing with their food would have resulted in a hospital stay.

 Quote: Elise Bonder

 Quote: Spencer Martin

I was talking about his treats and not his food, I never play with his food

BTW, why not play with their food??? I do it all the time. I pick up bowls, food, bones, toys. And 99% of the time, I return them.

In my world, there is no guarding from me. If I wanted guarding, I would put it on command.

Typically people don't mess with the dog's food because a pack leader wouldn't do it. Once the lower ranking dogs are given their food, it's theirs, the pack leader does not take it back.

My dogs don't guard either, but it's not because I ever messed with their food. They know that I am a fair pack leader and that when I give them their food I won't take it back. If I ever touch their food, it's just to move the bowl someplace else or something simple like that. They get their food back 100% of the time if I do have to mess with it.

Recreational bones and toys are another matter. Those are up for grabs anytime someone acts like a butt head. They know this as well. The bones and toys are MINE and I allow them to have them for a brief amount of time. These things are priviledges that I can revoke at anytime.. unlike food, which is a right.

Just my thoughts on this subject. Others may vary

--Kelly

Spencer,

My parents that are 83 & 85 have a Patterdale Terrier,he is one strong little dog with lots of drives. My father walks him constantly, and I play with him,this dog loves tug, he sounds
ferocious when he plays, but totally harmless! As a pup, he was serious about his food, but has no guarding issues now. I just put the food down, have never taken it away, sometimes I do run my hand down their back, briefly, but that is it. I have had rescues that guard food, so I feed in the crate, or another room{closed door}.

Nero is really cute, you are doing a great job with him!

 Quote: spencer martin

Also, whenever I get him really engaged with me or at all over excited trying to get his attention, he sort of growls a lot. I'm not really sure if it's really aggression or frustration? He does it a lot when I give him the "Off" and "down" commands.

Spencer, I'm not 100% sure I understand what you are explaining but after watching you working with Nero; he looks very happy and cooperative so my first thought is that the growling is a vocalization of something other than aggression.....of course no way to know for sure but if you could tape it that would be great.

Have you recently increased the duration and distance of the commands or added more behaviors? When my dog is trying to figure our what I want and has thrown multiple behaviors at me without receiving the reward he will begin to bark at me until he figures it out and is rewarded. I guess it could look like aggression but it is frustration and anticipation of the reward; I also think it releases energy and helps him focus on what he needs to do.

Do you think this could be going on with Nero? One other thing if you don't like the growling be careful not to mark and reward it in conjunction with the behavior....sometimes it is tough to do. Do you use a no reward marker? For instance when my dog does something I don't want during a training session I say "too bad" and turn my head away. He knows this means he is heading in the wrong direction and has lost the reward and he self corrects. Keep in mind I'm working with a 10 year old and you have a baby.......... so patience and lots of practice and lots of reinforcement. But it looks like you two are on the right track.

Looks like your doing well
2 bits of constructive critisism

First and foremost
You marked and rewarded for every command EXCEPT the most important. You never marked and/or rewarded the Come. One time you commanded him back to his place and the second time you asked for a sit.
No matter what your training for, a recall is the end all of ANY well trained dog. JMHO of course!
Second
Keep you hands neutral before the mark and reward. With you hand behind your back the dog knows there is a reward ready and waiting.
That could easily become the beginning of a bribe to perform and not a reward. "Pop ain't reaching so I ain't working."
Make sense?