A few questions!
 

Hello everyone,
I have been doing alot of reading and research on the CsW. I am from Canada, so unfortunately my options for meeting one of these dogs is limited, but I hope to make the trip (either in Canada or over to Europe!) at some point for an introduction. I have a few questions that I haven't seen discussed in the forum yet - I hope I didn't miss a thread.
First of all, I am curious what methods of training you use with your dog(s)? Play reward/ treat reward / or a combination? And if you use play reward, what games do you commonly play with your dog?
Also, there are some breeds such as Huskies, and also the more recent wolf-dog crosses, where it is advised to not ever let the dogs offleash. From what I have gathered, this is NOT the case with CsW. I'm just wondering about the specifics of this. I imagine it is probably more challenging to have 100% perfect recall then with say, a golden retriever or GSD etc. Do some owners not let their dogs offleash? Or did it take very structured training to fully trust your dog offleash?
I'm still very much a beginner here but I am doing my best to learn as much as I can! I won't be in a place for another dog for a few years at least, so I have some more time for my research.
Thanks every one :lol:,
Brynne

Hi Brynne,

I always use "treat reward" as I find it the best motivation for my dogs, I am training my dogs in a club of german shepherds and they always use "play reward", so in the beginning I did try that, but difference in motivation is huge ...for my dogs at least.
None of my dogs have any problem by being offleash, but ofcourse they are use to it and I started training with them almost as soon as I got home from the breeder :)
...I guess it all depends on how much effort you put into the training !

Rolf
www.juniorwolf.dk

Hello Rolf,
Thanks for the response!

I have another question that I'd like to put out there.
Right now as a job, I do offleash dog walking. I take a pack of 6 or 7 dogs out to a rural area and walk with them for 2 hours, as they play and roughhouse and tear around. I don't know if I'll still be doing this a few years down the road, but also, I don't see why not - I figure it's just about the best job out there!! My dog Jasper comes with me every day and I think he figures he's gone to heaven.
I'm curious if all you owners think that, with careful puppy temperament selection and vigorous socialization, including bringing the new puppy out with me every day from the start, that a CsW could fit in and enjoy this? I have a huge range in dogs that I take out now and they all love it. Some of them are very independent and do their own thing the whole time, while others take the opportunity to PLAY and wrestle and tackle, and they all get LOTS of exercise and go home very happy :) Jasper gets home every day and promptly falls asleep for the rest of the afternoon.
Would your dog enjoy this or would it not be ideal for them?

Thanks in advance!

Brynne

csw is a very social animal, like wolf, so he needs his family or dogs around him. so, when you socialize him properly, it will not be a problem and he will like it. probably. you never know what kind of csw you will have a dog-wolfdog or more wolfish wolfdog.
there is only one thing - are the dogs you walk OK with puppy? when yes and they dont hurt him, its absolutly OK :)

Hello Brynne,
when I was teenager i did with my wolfdogs "classic sport training" (tracking, obedience,protect training). Now I changed meaning and I don´t like it already. Now I prefer other sports and activities. For example mushing:
http://wolfdog.wbs.cz/Mushing38.html
scooter:
http://wolfdog.wbs.cz/Scooter.html
we go to school:
http://wolfdog.wbs.cz/Prednasky.html
you can pass exams (running 40,70,100km):
http://wolfdog.wbs.cz/Zkousky.html
Two my dogs are good for canistherapy. (We go to "ill" children.) But in this moment I have not fotos, my "main" therapy dog Moki has pups in this moment.We will continuie after pups.But for this activity, if you want do it legally, dog must have oficial exam for dog-therapeut.
My puppy in Sweeden learns searching of narkotics.
You can do agility, obedience, dogfresbee, etc etc etc.....
If you are "normal" person, your dogs will be normal too and you will not have problem with walking out of leash. My dogs are always free.
I think, if you will choose puppy from parents with good character, you can do what you want with your puppy. Don´t forget: wolfdog was made like working breed.
Unfortunatelly in some countries people forgot it........

reward only is not optimal method. Not by childern, not by dogs as well. The best way is "contrast method", means penalty-reward. This method is proof by time and many generations of our grandparents.

Hanka, I cannot agree with you wholehartedly. Of course, wolfdogs are a working breed etc, that's all true. But Brynne asked about bringing wolfdog to work with strange dogs, and that might be a problem if the wolfdog was not chosen and brought up properly.

Wolfdogs have a strong sense of hierarchy and lot of males and females tend to start dominating other member of their gender. Some male you can never let running free with other males (especially strange ones) and the same is true for females.

So I think Brynne that you would have to choose your pup carefully and to teach it from the beginning that there are always strange dogs around and that it is not supposed to fight with them. When this is understood, then the wolfdogs love to play with other dogs and have a lot of fun on such walks.

I prefer my dogs are doing what I want them to do because they know that something good comes out of it, not because they fear what is gonna happen if they don`t do it !

A happy worker is the best worker ;)

Yes, but all in proper amount. And the penalty should be appropriate to the level of wrongdoing, otherwise the relationship between wolfdog and owner suffers.

Thank you all for your input, it's much appreciated and very helpful.

Brynne