Need Help..How to teach "get em"

[jnjamison]

I want to teach my boy "get em" or "watch em"...How do I do that? I just want to be able to make him be alert...Thanks for any advice!


Thanks!

 

[jnjamison]

Maybe I should explain what I am wanting him to do. I don't want you to think that I am wanting him to attack anybody or anything. I just want to be able to say watch 'em and him stand alert...if I hear something...and I want him to be alert also.... Thanks for any advice.

 

[chrisfsdgfom]

You need to give positive reinforcement when he does the behaviour that you want to get out of him. For example, my 7 month old boxer is starting to get protective of the house. When people walk by the front yard he jumps up to the windows and starts to bark under his breath and growl a bit. Whenever I see this happen, as soon as he jumps up all alert, I say "Who's there?". Soon it will get to the point where whenever I say "Who's there?", he'll run to the window to look outside.

Hope this helps.

 

[melliejack]

From very early on, we started asking my Sonny to be alert by asking him "what's that?" or "who's that?" when we heard a noise or a person approaching the house. It lets him know to pay attention. It also causes him to sound off a very effective warning bark that would deter just about anyone with ill intent. We praised him with a lot of "Good Boy" and let him know to stop with a "That will do." or "That's enough". He is now very alert and has taken it upon himself to do regular perimeter checks inside the house when my daughter and I are home alone. If I ask him "Who's that?" now, he will go straight to the door to check for me, while barking a warning. Nothing quite compares to a boxer's "Don't mess with my momma and baby" bark! I know this isn't exactly what you were asking, but hope it helps a little.