What things helped you learn about dog training, care, etc. Out of all of them which do you think helped you out the most?

i've gotten books, advice from other family members who have had schnauzers, and being on a few forums to get advice and information.

I think that getting a book on my breed helped best and then all of the other things it didn't teach, like commonalities and other small things.. i have been learning on the forums. i think the combo of both has helped sooo much!

Experence was my best teacher. Ive been around dogs from the age of 6.

Second: I have been lucky enough to have known several very good dog owners as well as a few trainers over the years. They happen to all be believers in positive training. As a youngster they took the time to show me how to bond with dogs and showed me why it was so important. In later years, the ppl I have associated with all share the same training beliefs.

Third: Reading, reading, reading!!! Although I dont agree with everything i read, There is always something within the text that I can use. While I may not agree with the author's thought, theory or point of view, reading the author will often give me an idea I can use or reconfirm my belief.

I feel its critical to know, analize, and understand every Point of View on a subject before I can make an informed desission. After all, If I have a closed mind, I will never find the "better mouse trap".

Lastly: The Internet! As we all know, there is a ton of information available. Its very hard sometimes to sift out the good from bad, but sites like this one make the job easier!!!

experience and getting bitten by our jack russell as a child!

like michael,,,i have been around dogs all my life! my first recollection is of our pet jack russell Timmy. I would have been around 5 or 6yrs old. I remember wondering what his dog biscuits tasted like (dont know why? i was a curious child,,,,into everything) and helped myself to one out of his food bowl while he was eating!!!!!!!! i ended up in hospital having my nose stitched back on and was totally gutted when i got back home to find out that while my mum was seeing to me my dad had "sent Timmy away" for being a naughty boy. It was only when i was much older that i realised he had wizzed the poor dog off to be pts at the vets. I was so sad without my little buddy - we used to do everything together. i managed to persuade myself that it was my fault that Timmy had been "sent away" and swore i would never love another dog.

of course, as i grew up and learnt about these things, i came to love many dogs and have done my utmost to give all my animals the best love, care, and training i possibly could. i have read many books, filtered out the relevant information to my situation and developed my own understanding of my companions. many people who know me well have commented on my ability to connect with the dogs and how in tune with them i am - even dogs that are not in my care.

i believe that hands on experience far out weighs any academic knowledge - being in touch with any animal is a learnt skill and takes years of practise. shared experience is invaluable tool in furthering your abilities as a carer and trainer which is why i enjoy these forums so much. we learn so much from each other. but the best teachers of all are our dogs themselves. they tell us, in their own individual ways, what they need. All we have to be able to do is to listen, observe and connect with them.

I love to read, and can learn quite a bit that way, but nothing like what I learn from watching and asking questions of someone else. I learned quite a bit from my father, who was a wildlife rehabber before there was a name for that. He was very good with any animal but especially loved dogs. I rarely heard him talk to one, other than to call it's name occasionally. He would normally make different sounds instead of saying words (he said they didn't understand our language very well anyway) and I remember him telling me that you need to learn to smile with your whole face, and not show your teeth so much, as teeth look threatening to an animal. He was Apache, (yes I think that did matter some), and I saw him handle wild, injured animals many times without getting hurt. I'm very good at calming a frightened animal and learned that from him.
I've also learned a lot from trainers, and some from other owners. Usually in class settings or observing at events. In the past 20 plus years, I've taken every dog I've had to at least one training class, and sometimes have taken them to several classes. I would guess I've learned at least some little thing from at least 30 different trainers over the years and have also enlisted help from 2 different animal behaviorists (wow...talk about intricate understanding!). I'm still learning.

Wow those are all good responses, sorry to hear about that early experience Gilly, but its good that now you are determined to be the best when it comes to caring and training animals.

As many of you here, I've been learning through reading and trying out new training methods with Junior who by the way I think has been a great help to understand first hand the way that dogs in particular work. But being that I'm a very visual person I have more trouble understanding things when simply told to me so I've benefited a lot from examples I read from reputable dog trainers/behaviorist such as Dr. Dunbar and Karen Pryor.