h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Teaching Dogs Basic Commands - UPDATE A7741019 - A44486599
Author: - U290

I've updated my own entry, few tweaks there and there, 'recall' section is the main one changed and I've added in a 'leave' section.

I don't know anything about dogs, so I can't really comment on the content. But I was wondering about the title. Maybe this is just evidence that my mind works in curious ways, but my first reaction was to wonder why anyone would teach a dog an old programming language. And then I lost count of the number of ways that the title could be interpreted.

How about 'Dog Training for Beginners' or something like that?

It's been in the EG nearly three years and the title doesn't seem to have caused any confusion as yet.

It's not really training for beginners (a lot of these techniques I learnt when I was on my 4th dog, and have taught them to other people who have had dogs for years...), although if it was, it would still be basic commands as there are lots more things it's important to teach dogs.

I'm more interested in whether the instructions are clear than the actual content. I know that's good. Just whether I've written clearly what I mean, so you don't have to know anything about dogs really.

Any more comments? Otherwise I'll assume this is fabulous enough already and ask the Eds to update it for me.

You infer you can teach any age dog with this advice, but it's not really said that it will work for the puppy just as well as with the 7 year old rescue dog (and it does, thank you).

Commands -

However needs a comma after it, doesn't it?

In General -

>Change it to every other time, then once every three or four tries and you should find that he'll carry on obeying as he'll want to earn that elusive treat.< That's a mouthful, anyway of breaking it up a little more?

Toilet Training -

Whose is the quote? yours? Another h2g2 Researcher? Anne Widdecombe? Probably needs a reference, even if it is just - an h2g2 Researcher

I've noticed as reading through you've put some commands, like no as 'no', while others like leave you've left without the punctuation. Any reason? Or should it all be with or without?

That's it from me for now, take it or leave it

Made some changes, quotes have never had to credited if they are from an h2g2 Researcher.

All commands should be marked, but I can't see any I've missed. Probably word blind from this entry now!

I really dislike that picture on the Entry. Would you like to send me one of your dogs, and I'll get it replaced in time for the update promotion on the FP for you?

Send me *a photo of* one of your dogs

I was going to say, have you gotten into the dog replacement business? New dogs for old?

GB's accidental comment...we're all prone to these little accidents

no doggies here, swoppable or not, the only pets I have are guppies in my aquarium

Any other comments on the content?

I'm not really worried about the photo, thank you anyway, just want the content to be right. I'm going to do some photos/videos of each exercise anyway when the weather is better so I can have this article on my own site.

I'd be happy to share any photos then, but I need outdoor photos because I'm sick of looking at photos of my carpet...

Ideally readers would try these with their dog and send in their photos - then we can have a different dog on each exercise!

I'm back again

Here's a few nitpicks

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Ideally it should be something really tasty that he doesn't get in his food bowl, for instance liver, chicken, cheese or ham.

I'm a tad confused between this sentence and the following; they appear to contradict each other.

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Some dogs are more motivated by things other than food, so be prepared to throw a ball for your retriever, have a tug of war (that you win) with your guarding breed, or anything else that your dog loves instead, even rubbing that certain spot that he really loves.

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What are you trying to say here?

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Who wrote that quote?

Just a few things
I’m not sure the Entry needs you to repeat the word ‘repeat’ three times in a row

I'm not sure I understand what you've said, you've quoted things twice and I'm not sure if you meant to or not.

I don't see those things contradict each other, for dogs that like food, give them something other than their normal dinner, and for dogs that prefer other things, give them that as a reward instead.

Re the quote, see post 6.

Sorry, also repeating repeat three times. Yes the entry does need it, as dogs learn by consistent repetition, so it needs to be said that we should be repetitive and it's hard to misunderstand as it is.

What Opti means is:

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it should be:

Ideally it should *be* something really tasty that he doesn't get in his food bowl, for instance liver, chicken, cheese or ham.

Blimey, I didn't notice that. I couldn't see what Opti was on about.


(I d about what someone said earlier about the title - concerned with teaching s an 'ancient programming language'

Done now it's been spotted. Wasn't just me, it went through a sub as well.

If there are no more comments over the weekend I'll be contacting the Eds as ready next week. I think it's been in PR long enough.

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