Training

Ok I'm the first to admit, mine are not the best trained dogs around.  They sleep on sofas, they ignore me if they don't want to come in from the garden and asking them to sit would be the equivalent of asking them to fly!  That said, I don't actually mind if they don't sit or give me a paw on demand.  I care that they are well behaved when out, don't squabble and fight with each other, walk sensibly on a lead, work with me in the show ring and don't annoy the neighbours with barking or bad behaviour.

Apart from that, I'm quite easy going with my lot.  They know who is boss and I don't have to be too heavy handed about it.  I find the sound of my voice if enough to stop any bad behaviour in its tracks and rarely have to get the water spray out.  For those who don't know, Shar Pei tend to dislike water a great deal.  Some won't even go out in the rain without a firm hand (preferably behind their back end) and hence a small water spray or water pistol is a great ally for stopping repeated bad behavior.

I tend not to be prescriptive about what you should train your dog to do.  After all we all have different ideas and to some dogs lying on the sofas may be fine, to others it may be completely out of the question.  Bring your dog up to be the adult you want.  But do remember, the foundations are laid as a puppy so here's where the hard work begins.

Below are just a few tips that I use with my dogs where training is concerned. They work for me, I hope they help you.

• Shar Pei need to trust you before they will do anything for you.  You must build a bond of mutual trust and respect with your dog.  Take training slowly with your pup.  A bad experience as a pup will put them off of something for the rest of their life.  A Shar Pei has a memory of an elephant!  They will remember people they haven’t seen for months or years.  Also if you let a puppy into a forbidden room or on a forbidden sofa, that has given them the green light and you will never get them to accept that they cannot go in there or on the sofa.  Nor should you expect them to.  Once is enough for a Shar Pei to believe that it is their right to do something from here on.  START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON.

 

• A Shar Pei is very intuitive and will take its lead from you. 

 

• Take lead training slowly some are ready for it quicker than others.  Don’t panic if the first time you put a lead on to go for a walk your puppy flatly refuses to go.  It happens often.  The next day they’re may be over it and you never quite understand what it was all about.  I always tell people who are having problems, don't panic, I've yet to meet an adult Shar Pei that won't walk on a lead.

 

• Try to think dog.  When out walking your dog be careful what messages you give it, for example, if you snatch the lead up when you see another dog approaching, the message will travel down the lead that this dog is a threat and your dog will respond accordingly.  Eventually you’ll have a dog that goes for anything with four legs every time you take it out.

 

• They are not the easiest dogs to train and will only do something because they want to not because you say they will.  Use you relationship with them to get what you want out of them.

 

• Shar Pei can be stubborn and can sulk for England.  Training a Shar Pei must rely heavily on reward through praise or treats – find out what pushes your dogs buttons. 

 

• I tend to use NO for bad behaviour and Won’t do for letting them know something you are trying to get them to do is not right ie sit/stand etc.  They are bright, with patience they will work it out.  Always reward immediately you get what you wanted, no matter for how short a time.

 

• Always keep your voice calm, never shout, the dog will think you’ve entered a barking competition with it.  A low growling NO is better, it reminds them of what their mother would have done when she was unhappy with bad behaviour.

 

• Never push your dog into a corner.  It has two reactions to fear fight or flight.  If you back it into a corner you’ve reduced its options to one and it may come out fighting.  Never put you or your dog in that position.  Think dog when training not human.

 

• Male pups go through an adolescent stage when they will try to push the boundaries.  You must be firm but fair.  For many this is make or break time in terms of adult behavior.  If you have laid the foundations as a puppy your dog should be easy to manage through this stage.

 

• Always remember, you have a cute puppy now but in six months time you will have a powerful dog on the end of your lead, make sure it’s a nice one!