Puppy training - Page 1

How early can I start command training my puppy. He will sit, and is potty trained, has a hard time paying attention otherwise. (9 weeks) is this to early.

What is it that you want to start doing with your puppy?...I brought back a 9 week old puppy (working lines) from Germany at the end of Sept. and as soon as I got her back home (Florida) I started doing stuff with her...mostly of what I call "drive training"...I teach her how to eat (hotdogs) from my hands and how to sit correctly in front of me and also I have started to build the prey drive with a tennis ball on a 15' string...and then I would throw in a small tug on a 15' string...now (in 2 days she will be 5 months old) at this point she will launch for the tug with her mouth wide open...and the main thing is that she goes everywhere with me...she goes to PetSmart, to the grocery store to walk around cars and people and everything...and of course she goes with me when I go and train dogs...she just loves people...in GSD's their drives develope much later and will continue to develope as they get older...but they need to be brought out in the puppy...

I am not looking at anything high speed (Family dog) just some of the basic's. He is doing well but again looses attention quickly. What is a good book on basic training ?

Well there are some very good books that will help you out...I just don't know what's on the market today...but I just pulled two books out of my library of dog books...and these helped me out a very long time ago now...and they are:1)By Milo Pearsall "Dog Obedience Training"...and 2)By William Koehler "Guard Dog Training" (and I suggest this one because it also has all the obedience in it)...But what I would suggest is to go to the library and pick up some of the dog training books and see which ones might be helpful to you in your style and at your level of training knowledge...There are some others but they might be too much for you right now...they deal an awful lot in "buildin drive" and working in drive...which might be helpful to you at a later date...your welcome to e-mail me if I can help you more...

Rhino, your 9 week old puppy has the attention span of a baby because it is a baby, just a teeny baby!! They can learn tons of things right now, like how to learn to figure things out.... everything you do with a puppy right now is all fun and motivational for treats and toys.... a typical puppy session would be maybe 3 minutes... that is how short a time their little brains can focus on 1 thing..... Work on teaching your puppy it's name with tons of food treats, always run so it follows you, teach it to accept being in a crate and any other restrictions. I would suggest staying away from the Koehler books (especially now....) I can recommend Ruff Love by Susan Garrett and Building Blocks for Performance by Bobby Anderson... both can be found at www.dogwise.com .... have fun, they are this teeny for such a short time and never ever use compulsive training methods with a pup this little!! Pretty soon, your pup will be annoying and at that difficult age...

rhino -- don't waste your time with books -- DO NOT -- !!! I REPEAT ADAMANTLY !! DO NOT USE THE KOELHER METHODOLOGY TO TRAIN -- milo is ok just ok too -- what i suggest is that you tkae your pup to puppy classes by someone that is well qualified ..if you are a novice you can learn and ask questions. books cannot look at you and your dog and the interaction ..it is not always knowing what to do but how to avoid doing something that you shouldn't. Command training ?? i detest dogs being commanded -- they have thoughts and feelings -- canines should be taught .. that syarts at the puppy era. whether for pet or sport IF the dog has been Taght peoperly and if you develop the proper kind of relationship .. then you should merely be giving you dog direction and permission --- a recall for example -- if the relationship is set coprrectly your dog has learned that you are safe , trustworthy , reliabvle and loving and it's paly partner -- the dog shpould have the attitude that it can't wait to get to you ...to take you to advanced thought -- a recall should be that you are giving your dog permission or an invitation !! understand -- dogs are not robots -- that have thoughts emmotion and i believe free will -- it can choose not to come to you !! and if you do not develop whjat i mentioned it will not want to or won't -- so forget the books -- work with someone .. i staretr my dogs off by TEACHING them to SEEK ME and my ATTENTIION .. no learning takes place unl;ess they attend to yoiu -- well enough -- be careful who trains your pup or what you read -- sheila booth has a great book i believe -- about posiitve training --one last word ... most people understand the concept of -drive training/promotion -- but to me that is hogwash -- be careful not to do to much to fast with your dog if you desire sport -- be careful not to make the dog what it is not or what it is not ready for .. fine if the dog loves to chase or bite .. you can teach or develop basic skills -- but it has to be in the dog and you just draw it out -- that is why i say one does not have to promote drive -- if the motivation is there just draw it out ..-- too many people think if they do this or that the dog will respond -- the motivation has to be innate within the dog - this takles experience to in-see -- so again work with someone that is capable of reading you and your dog -good luck

I agree, Alphapup, and would like to recommend Winifred Strickland's book "Expert Obedience Training for Dogs". She also feels that dogs should be treated with respect. For those who don't know Winnie, she has bred GSD's for many, many years under the Winthea kennel name and has set many AKC breed records with her OB dogs. She has also bred a number of GSD's that have attained their AKC championships and some owners of her dogs are successful in SAR as well as the OB and conformation ring. She has imported quite a few dogs from Germany, has no interest in Schutzhund, just AKC style showing. IMO, she is a genius when it comes to training the breed. She has written several other books about the breed and I would recommend all of them. She's 86 now and can still be seen at dog shows in the ring with her beloved GSD's. I hope I can say the same when I'm 86 LOL.

I agree Winifred Strickland is a gifted dog trainer, however she doesn't use treats and toys and I feel that is the best way to start with a young puppy like 8 or 9 weeks old..... I agree with the puppy kindergarten idea, partially, it's just important that puppies get to be puppies and learn how to learn by shaping behavior... No puppy of this age will be reliable and in all honesty for some time, it all must be just play and fun and developing a relationship with your dog....

I totally agree with Alphapup that the best way is to go to an experienced trainer and work under them to not only learn how to teach the commands but to also have the trainer "read" you and your dog for the best way to go about the training...I also agree that for most people "The Koehler Method" is not the best way to go...so as I suggested, go to the library and look over some of the books that are available and see what best fits you - your lifestyle - and your dog...And maybe I read you wrong Alphapup...but it seems that we also agree on "drive promotion"...because you said that if the drive is there just draw it out...well every dog has drive and it is the handler's job and the "fun" of dog training to pull it out of the dog...and what that means is you have to develop the drives that he has...such as you find out what your pup likes to do and you use it to develop other drives...such as my little puppy didn't like to chase a tug...but just loved to chase a tennis ball...so you use that to develop other drives or objects of prey...also you can use "food drive" for a lot of training and it is a calmer way to teach a dog and you can do that now while the puppy is very very young...my little puppy has great "food drive" so that was a real positive way to start her out...food makes the dog work calm as opposed to "ball drive" which the dog works more in a hectic mood (but they're still in drive)...you will also use food drive for other parts of training, if you go that direction...such as tracking...but you won't use it in bite work...but for most people "food drive" training is the best way to go for the simple reason it is very difficult to mess up...

Blitzen - Yes winnifred is quite a role model -- have naturally heard of her myself -- there are some wonderful people that really set a good tone and share knowledge and experience -- there are some great trianing tapes that exist too -- but as you realize i don't know the experience and level of training of some of the people on the site -- but even with the best of the best books and training by the most accomplished dog lovers -- many people need guidance -- for exapmle many people are on their second and third dog and still cannot get the timing and the intensity of use of a let's say training collar . and that in and of iteslf is hard .. i train all my dogs without a leasdh or collar ..now a novice cannot understand wehy -- because i teach them to respond to me , my actions and voice -- most tapes or books cannot guide a novice to teach that - and that is very very important -- i don't have to train off-leasd for that reason either . --- or if a n imexperienced person is using food/ toy for play /motivation the moment for reinforcing is off. sometimes even with positive teaching an inexperienced person cannot differentate , what they think they are exactly teaching is indeed exactly what thee dog is learning. that is why i really state that it is best to train with someone -- books can give ideas but they don't direct or really teach someone that needs to learn to train .. plus books cannot problem solve when a cunning dog throws something different towards you to solve. even golf pros still take lessons from other pros to keep on top of their game -- so again best to train with someone -- so please rhino .. take my advice and find a good person to work with you and your dog .. and not just any ol' trainer either