Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 387828)

It's like none of you know anything. In order to get a dog to do whatever you want it to do, simply keep it in a calm, submissive mindstate by saying, "Sh!" and tapping it once it leaves that state of mind. You should also give off positive, dominant yet calm and assertive energy. And, oh yeah, own the space around you. That should do it.

TM

Originally Posted by dtb (Post 387769)

My beagle can reach the abdominal area. He stands on his hind legs and jumps up to reach it. And "dad" is 6'4" and not just on the internet. In fact, I don't think dad has ever been on the internet other than to check the weather. The other day, some checkout clerk asked him for his email address and he said, "Uh... I don't have one." She looked at him as though he'd just told her he was from Jupiter.

But more importantly, I'm thinking of adding again to the menagerie. The latest heart's desire is a bird. A cockatiel, to be exact. Anyone out there with experience with that particular avian companion?

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan (Post 387821)

Is he in school? If not, get him to a trainer posthaste and work with him every day. Repetition will help him get it, but it doesn't work if he just goes once a week for six weeks and you never work with the commands again.

One of the best training tools we have this go around is a clipboard. If the puppy is doing something she's not supposed to, we say "no" (in a calm voice) and then pull back the clipboard handle so it makes a loud, sudden popping sound. That startles the puppy so she stops doing whatever it was that she was doing, and she looks to us for comfort and/or direction. Anything that makes a loud, sudden sound works (flip flops clapped together are also great), but the key is to distract and annoy your puppy from doing the bad thing long enough to pay attention to you.

There's a dog school here that has a class called "Learn to Love Your Lab."

Originally Posted by Flinty_McFlint (Post 387839)

The woman who lives with me had a cockatiel from when she was just a kid. That bird loved her, but not so much anyone else. That is, until it got old and sick and finally let me pet her. Once that bird died of old age, we got a few more as quasi-replacements (one at a time, different times), but they never could replace the first, so we ended up giving both away. They can be pretty fun, but they can also squawk a lot, they live a long time, they sort of need regular maintenance (bedding, beaks and nails and wings), and god you have that bird dander everywhere which is just disgusting. I guess if you bathe them more (or take in the shower), you could cut down on that, but I'm trying to never have a bird in the house again if possible. My advice is to tell the kid tough shit. In a friendly way, of course.

Originally Posted by dtb (Post 387850)

That's kind of what I'm afraid of. The parakeet seems ok, but the cockatiel seems like a much bigger commitment, one that the kid in question is unlikely to want to take for the next 12 years. Maybe I should just tell him it's the love bird or nothing. They seem like slightly less of a pita.

The cockatiel that we would get seemed friendly enough -- he lets you hold him and didn't do much squawking, but ... meh.

Originally Posted by Fugee (Post 387853)

I thought you were on Part 2 of the honeymoon this week.

Originally Posted by Fugee (Post 387853)

I thought you were on Part 2 of the honeymoon this week.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 387879)

And for plf and chef:

http://thebachelorguy.com/images/blogs/realryder.jpg

"Stationary" bike that better simulates riding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL1bL...layer_embedded

TM

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 387841)

I had a word ("ready") that was a cue for my puppy to look at me and wait for the next command. I encouraged my dog to do this by occasionally spitting pieces of hot dog at her just after saying it.

Originally Posted by John Phoenix (Post 387881)

That is pretty sweet. Now they need to make videos to play in cycling classes to go along with the bike.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 387879)

For the oenophile who can't stand refilling (or even having different levels of wine in) their glass.

http://www.geekologie.com/2009/04/20...0glass%201.jpg

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 387887)

Maybe not quite class friendly, but they have them: http://www.tacxvr.com/

Originally Posted by leagleaze (Post 387883)

We use "treat" but I don't spit pieces of hot dog at him. Same concept, less spitting.