Training Toby, the hyperactive mixed breed

Our dog Toby can be classified as a mixed breed as his mother is a golden retriever and the father is of an unknown heritage. Knowing that he is part retriever is a big help since we can determine the characteristics that may become apparent as he grows up. True enough, he has acquired the playfulness and the seemingly tireless nature of a retriever, to the detriment of his regular handler. Since he is always in overdrive, training was a little slow because he gets easily distracted by just about anything. The only thing that calms him down is when he gets thirsty. It took a while for him to learn the command "sit" because he just won't stay put. His handler found a way to make him obey by using dog biscuits. This is perhaps unconventional but it did work for Toby. When the handler raises the biscuit, he sits and behaves. Of course, it was only done in the first few attempts because we didn't want Toby to think that he will get food everytime he sits.

Many people might not approve of the method because the dog would think that he will be rewarded for a simple command as "sit". The thing to consider here is that each dog has certain traits that conventional methods may have to be tweaked a bit to cater to the needs of a particular dog. In short, it's a case to case basis. One method may work for some dogs but it might not work for others. It gets a little tricky with mixed breeds, but it certainly is not impossible to train them.

We all know how helpful these dog training methods are, but if you feel that you can handle the training by experimenting on various methods, by all means, do so. It's a great way to bond with your dogs.