I have a dog and we DO train it…
But I just go to thinking….do any of you have memories of older men and their dogs on porches? Those guys could typically get their dogs to do what they wanted when they wanted…..so…..why do we need all these books and stuff?
I wonder what we are doing wrong?
Is it a time factor? I wonder if these people just spent more time with their animals?
Thoughts?
It wasn’t just Grandpa’s dog, every dog in my family was like what you describe. I grew up on a farm in a small town and my Collie was with me every moment of the day I wasn’t in school and when she wasn’t with me she was herding hogs with my dad. My uncles and cousins had hounds that went hunting with them. My grandparents had dachshunds for companionship. My sisters had dobermans and german shepherds for protection. The common element is that our dogs were in the country, they all had jobs to do, and they all got all the exercise they needed. Dogs nowadays do not get enough exercise and are too often kept in homes where they are alone most of the day with nothing to do but become neurotic. People have gotten away from keeping dogs as a necessity and have forgotten dogs need to be useful to be happy, so to speak. Exercise, discipline, affection was around way before Cesar Milan.
I have to tell you the old story about the dog owner who was talking to the old experienced trainer. The question was something like “How do you stop your dog doing that (undesirable behaviour)””. The reply was “Dinnae let it!”
It’s all about the kind of person you are and the kind of behaviour you are prepared to put up with (or not!)
This is why we always end up with the same problems (or no problems at all). I don’t have any problems with my dogs! (of course! ha ha.)
Good answers on this one. All the other posters made good points about time spent with the dogs. Don’t forget that back in the day, children were expected to do what their parents said, and no messing around about it. These days, we’re supposed to be understanding, to negotiate, to accommodate, etc etc, which has its points. People are getting dogs and children mixed up, and trying to treat the dogs like kids when the dogs are much better off being treated like dogs. I love my dogs and do quite a bit to make sure they’re well looked after and happy but it’s very clear around here what’s expected of them and I make sure they do it. I know people who consider it some kind of punishment for a dog to be expected to behave. I don’t think most people used to see it that way.
Because back then the dogs nearly spent 24 hours a day with them. They went to the stores, laid on the couch while watching TV, went hunting together, the dogs laid by them while they fixed up old cars, and sat faithfully by their side as they sat on their porches drinking ice tea. They have a very strong bond.
And the dogs weren’t “trained” as we do today. The men would just tell them to do something and they would. They would ask them something, show what they wanted, and the dogs would understand and follow the command them on because the men are clear of what they want and have such a strong bond.
That’s why :]
People get dogs and puppies and expect them to just know things.
I don’t follow the logic myself, but it goes something like this:
“I told him to stay off the sofa”
And
“He knows not to steal food”.
Never mind the fact they’ve never taught the dog anything of the sort.
Plus, older folks have a different view of dogs.
Old folks don’t see dogs as babies the way the younger generations do. Now, people want baby substitutes, then, people needed the dogs to work, and didn’t tollerate any “non-sense” from the dogs.
Now, you watch those shows like “Dog Whisper” and “It’s Me or the Dog” on cable and there are people out there who put up with dogs who misbehave in horrible ways.
Doesn’t make any sense to me…
I think those dogs that sit on the porch with the owner in a rocking chair spent their whole day doing their job on the farm and that was their relaxation time. Most dogs now-a-days have no jobs to do and they suffer because they don’t get exercised enough thus they need to be trained more. My beliefs at least say this.
The old men, had their dogs as friends. They did every thing with them, so the dog ended up learning from his owner. The time spand has a lot to do with it too.