Different Ways To Train a Working Dog

There is a world of information on how to train your puppy to do various things, and sometimes a hundred ways to train your puppy to do one particular thing. The thing is, not every puppy is the same and each method will work differently on various dogs. I find the best way to get my puppy to do anything is positive reinforcement. Using "shake cans" and "whimpering like a pup" when he bites me doesn't do zilch. 
My puppy is a very stubborn puppy. He doesn't like to listen. He is a stubborn breed but I am not giving up on him. I need a mountain load of patience to deal with him but I can make it easier on myself and him. By trial and error, I realize some things work and others don't. Why is he barking? It is probably because he needs stimulation or needs to go pee. There is no use at yelling at him. Why is he biting me? He probably is teething and will teethe anything. It won't help to tell him "no" because the urge to teethe is far stronger than the aroma of a little dog treat. So I came up with my own solutions.

I got Benji to pee/poo outside by positive reinforcement. Now, most of the time, when he needs to pee, he will look up at me or wait by the front door. When he finishes doing his business, I make sure to praise him lavishly...even if it is just a little squirt of pee. The fact he went outside and not in the house is tantamount and extremely important. He is proud of his deed and looks forward to receiving praise for pee/poo.


I have been unsuccessful in getting Benji to stop biting me, house members and guests using: clap, cradle and hold muzzle and "no", shake can, confinement, and whimper like puppy and walk away methods. I have instead looked him in the eye and said a firm "no" then give him a frozen toy to gnaw on. I only give him the frozen toy to gnaw on as a special "praise/treat" for refraining from biting me. Now, he is biting less and less and will gnaw on his frozen toy. I put the toy away when he is not gnawing it. If he bites me again, I start all over by staring, saying "no" and giving him a frozen toy to gnaw him (to soothe his gums). Hopefully he learns to chew on toys when teething and not people. 

Benji needs extensive training. His attention span, like every puppy, is extremely short. He is extremely stubborn, to add, and I am an impatient trainer. I am spending hours learning through books and videos how to train him and things NOT to do so I don't raise a puppy who will have bad habits, aggression, etc later on in life. The good news is, I was able to leave him for 15 minutes without him barking while crated in the house. This is a huge step!