# boot camp vs regular obienence training



## Brinkleysmom (Dec 17, 2005)

I think if any pup needs boot camp training, that they should be sent to Camp Maggie's at Mary's house. She will have them whipped in shape in no time. LOL!!!! She puts them in their place very quickly and they seem to learn. I call it Camp Maggie's Boot Camp.


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## woodysmama (Feb 25, 2007)

The "Boot Camp" phrase kind of scares me.....Goldens are so easily trained...are there any Professional Trainers in your area that can work with her without sending her off for a month?


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Brinkleysmom said:


> I think if any pup needs boot camp training, that they should be sent to Camp Maggie's at Mary's house. She will have them whipped in shape in no time. LOL!!!! She puts them in their place very quickly and they seem to learn. I call it Camp Maggie's Boot Camp.


LOL...Donna... you are right Maggie certainly has that effect on the dogs that come here.....Whatever issues they have there gone by the time they leave.....


I would find a trainer in your area...not a petco /petsmart.....


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

i am not a fan of sending a dog that barely knows you away for 4-6 weeks, let alone for them to be trained.

i usually think it's best for owner and pup to learn together. i would also advise you to find a local training facility and start going to classes.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I would really encourage you to find a good training class to attend with your dog. The relationship and bonding you create by doing the training together is more important than the obedience behaviours you teach. You want a relationship with your dog, not just a dog that will do what it's told. My son took our Golden through 2 levels of obedience classes, and I am just in awe of the relationship and communication they developed.


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## mississippimorning (Aug 12, 2007)

Wow, all very good points especially the one about having a relationship. My hubby is an instant-gradification man and wants it to be "done and done right." I will look into trainers in the area before we send her off. THanks so so much!


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

hmmm. training isn't a one shot thing as in, they have some training and are perfect from then on. training is a lifetime exercise where you will have set backs and frustrations and then every now and again they'll do it perfect and you'll be amazed.


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## mississippimorning (Aug 12, 2007)

I found a nationally renouned trainer who will come to my house. She actually does it all in one day (obienence and some retrieving) and works us through the process with Bella. She even guarentees for a lifetime! Her website is All Breed Dog Training.) Take a look and tell me what you think. I have already called and spoken with her. Sounds great to me and Bella doesn't have to leave us! Hubby is adament about sending her off but I hope to get him to look at this trainer.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I absolutely would do it yourself or with a trainer... and look for a positive trainer who isn't all about correcting and dominating the dog.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

My trainer says that it's 90% training the handler and 10% training the dog. I'd say, work together on your training - not boot camp.


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

i'll try one more time .... you do realize that it is impossible to train all bad traits out of a dog in one day, right? you realize that she's going to give you the tools to train the dog over the next few months/years, right?

i worry about you and especially your hubby having unrealistic expectations of how fast training should happen. i can almost read the petfinder ad 6 months from now.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

My gut is that she's going to be rather corrective, training in a "do it or else" fashion. Not what I'd want for my dog.

Couple red flags for me:

Calling herself a "nationally renowned" trainer = Ego.
The "all in one day" bit. I'm sorry, but that's just crap. True, lasting learning does not happen that fast. Corrective techniques often supress behavior in the short term, but that does little to truly change behavior in the long run.

For the record, most board and trains (or boot camps) are very corrective in their methods. They have to be, since they only have the dog for a short time.

I guess you have to ask yourself this: Do you want your dog to obey b/c he knows that pleasing you is a good thing, or do you want your dog to obey out of fear of being corrected if he doesn't? The decision is a relationship thing.

Puppies are a lot of work. I tell people that you can expect to invest a lot of time and effort for the first three years... but if you do, you'll have a wonderful relationship with a great canine companion!


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## goldencity (May 26, 2005)

OK, you wont want to hear this, but any body that tells you they can train your dog in a day and thats all the training you need is talking rubbish!
You can get a good trainer to come to your home to give you an intensive session on HOW to train.... but dont think for one minute that thats it. Training is on going, its about building a relationship with your dog. Dogs are not computers- you cant just imput the information then expect the right answers everytime!
Any good trainer will tell you that the sessions are as much about training YOU as training the dog, especially if you are not an experienced dog owner.
Its good you are thinking about training, but what I would recomend [after owning Goldens for 27 years] is this: enroll in a local dog training class, preferably one that uses positive methods [where you learn because its fun and rewarding rather than because you get punished if you dont] and both you and your husband go. Practise at home- a little every day. Dogs are like school children, they stop concentrating if the lesson goes on too long. Give plenty of fuss and rewards and after a few weeks the bond between you and your dog will be forged for life.


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## mississippimorning (Aug 12, 2007)

Wow. I think rather than respond to the last few posts I'll just say thanks to those who were helpful in their comments. I do belive this trainer I found is corrective and that she teaches us how to train. (Not that I toally understand what "corrective" is because it has only been yelled at me, not defined. I know nothing about dog training so therefore I am seeking information on all the different ways it is done. Rather than bashing my questions, answering them would be more helpful. And welcoming. Sheesh. 

My husband is the one being adament on the boot camp thing. I do not want to go that route. 

I know training is a lifelong process - I have kids!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Hey Dawn,

Sorry you feel like people were bashing your questions, etc. I don't see it that way at all... You posted about a trainer, and if anything, I personally was maybe bashing the trainer's website for claiming she can train everything in one day. For the record, I still think that claim is a bunch of hooey!

As for what defines "corrective"... well, there are many varying opinions on that. In the broadest sense of the word, "corrective" training is about a "do it b/c I said so.... OR ELSE" mentality... the "or else" generally being a correction on a choke chain, etc. Most "old school" training was choke chain, correction-based. "New School" training is primarily reward based, teaching the dog to "do it b/c pleasing me (human) makes good things happen for you (dog)". I do reward-based training. It's not all about treats, and anyone who says it is, is frankly, in my opinion, doing it incorrectly! Food training will NOT create a dog who will only work for food... at least not if you do it right! All my dogs were trained initially with food rewards, yet they all now work readily w/o needing any indication that the food might be available.

Oh, the other issue that would concern me about the trainer you mentioned with the website... she doesn't do group classes. To me, it's fine and good for the dog to work for you at home when a trainer comes to visit, but an advantage of a group class is that the dog also has to simultaneously learn how to focus on you and work around the distraction of the other dogs. If you start with private training, it's still a great experience to do a group class at some point. Many of my students are VERY surprised to discover how much harder it is for their dogs to work around the other dogs.

-Stephanie


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I think the Petfinder comment was totally out of line (and I don't think the person who wrote it is usually, if ever, out of line so it shocked me). 

You are seeking information- there's nothing wrong with that. There's no doubt that positive, motivational methods build a happier relationship and a more secure dog. They're not a quick insta-fix like harsher methods, but they can have truly lasting results  Ask away, research, and take the different views and then pick the one that suits your family best.

I think it's great you want to work with your Golden. Too many people just leave them outside and forget about them.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

AquaClaraCanines said:


> I think the Petfinder comment was totally out of line (and I don't think the person who wrote it is usually, if ever, out of line so it shocked me).



Hey wait, what did I miss?


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Hey wait, what did I miss?


me, saying that the dog was going to be in a rescue somewhere in the next 6 months. i hope i'm wrong.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Don't get me wrong Faith's Mommy I am usually completely "yup, right on!" with your posts and advice. I just don't see Dawn as not caring about Belle at all. Her hubby may have a bit to learn about dogs, but didn't we all when we got started. So I wasn't trying to slam you at ALL F's Mommy... just in case you thought I was.


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