What Age for Serious Obedience Training - Page 2

There is no way I'd send a pup or a dog to somebody else to train for a day let alone 2 weeks.

Sounds like a good puppy. I like to see that in my pups. But that's me.

     Mark

www.ultimatekanine.com

www.kampkanine.com

I know a lot of people disagree with me on this but as I have said before...Give him an alpha rollover and get in his face and stare him down. Don't be gentle, make it fast and scary.  Yell loudly at first then be silent and don't let him up until he looks away and relaxes.  Think like the alpha pack leader and don't put up with this kind of behavior, not one more time. It can grow into something dangerous if you let it continue.  This type of hard correction does not hurt the dog nor will it mess up his mind.  It's what his momma would do if he treated her this way.  After it's over, ignore him for several minutes so he can think about it.  Don't go making up to him or it was a waste of time.

You have to use treats with a young puppy and why wouldn't you? I use every tool I can get my hand on and treats is a huge one.. the dog does work for food and what's wrong with that? It's a dog! They get paid for doing what we want just like a human gets a paycheck.. if your boss says good job and that's all you get are you happy?

Dogs  - at any age - are opportunistic self satisfying creatures - so employ the premack priniciple.. you get what you want when  I get what I want.....

Toys can be used later but right now your pup needs immediate reward for good behavior and this pup sounds like giving up the toy will be an issue so why mess with that until you have a relationship first?
Play games, teach tricks, everything should be fun .. wear long sleeve shirts....
work short frequent sessions.. there are great references out there Ruff Love by Susan Garrett, Building Block for Performance by Bobby Anderson (whether you want to compete or not.. great games!) Clean run magazine has a great Puppy issue.... www.cleanrun.com click on the store.. it should be found in books magazine section

Sounds like you have a good puppy but may be not the best couch potato candidate if that's waht you are looking for?? Did you choose him? I have 3 1/2 week old babies who are already biting and holding on, I'm thrilled!

   

DebiSue, I think you are even more off the track than maggie.
All the best
Ulf

What's the pedigree on your pup Maggie?   Where did you get him? 

My Pups do not have any Toys, the only Toys they get belong to me, and when i play with them they borrow my Toys, meaning although they may grab the arm etc the Toy directs the Pup to it and that stops the Pup latching on to you simply because the Toy is new to them so they do not become bored with them, if the Pup continues to bite then as some one said hear pinch its nose not hard and hold it for a few seconds and say no bite in a firm voice, they soon get out of it
Young Heidi used to nip but after a few times of the above she got the message and used to sit and look up at me look up at me as if i was stupid
I do give the Pups a Nyle bone chew for there teeth and to occupy them, but they normally have fun with Goran in the next Pen that keeps a Pup occupied most of the time
I have just been through it once again with the 17 week old Pup i am looking after for a friend, and when young Izzy comes along in July i will have it all to do again, , for me its Fun and i take it in my stride and a few cuts  or bruises does not dis figure my good looks
Steve

At 13 wks he's old enough that you should get serious with him about the growling and biting.  He's only doing what puppies do, so he doesn't know any better.  Since you do not want to do Schutzhund with him and "definitely do not want to encourage prey drive/biting" yes, teach him no teeth ever on humans.  Redirecting to a Kong or other toy isn't doing the trick, and since you don't want a SchH dog there are other ways to teach him.

You can give him a sharp rap on the muzzle with an index finger (not a whole hand) but a Sharp Rap while you say "No!" firmly and in a lower voice.  Lower meaning not the high-pitched praise voice.  And firmly doesn't mean loudly.  Don't put any emotion into it.  Remember this because you'll have to do it a number of times until he learns.  Remember, it's a correction.  No emotion.  Just a FIRM "No!" and a rap.  No Teeth Ever on People is what you're teaching him.  This will NOT harm him in any way of becoming your family's protector and watch dog.  This is simply teaching him manners.  He doesn't know any better, so you must teach him.  And because it's so far been ok to bite you, he truly doesn't know.  But it's time he's taught.  Firm, no emotion, GOOD DOG! and praise when he does right even a little bit.

Another way is to grab him by the scruff firmly, like a momma dog would correct, and say either No or UH - can't type it but a low grunt sound, again like momma corrects.  Scruff, lifting forelegs off the ground, either hold still and firmly or give one shake - a momma dog shake, not a huge human shaken-baby-syndrome hurtful shake - and do it again.  He'll soon learn.

After a correction you can certainly then direct him to a toy and praise him when he bites that.

The MOMENT he refrains from teeth-on-you, praise him.  You may see just a hesitation or something...but PRAISE then and give him an acceptable thing to grab.  Dog trainers often forget to make the GOOD BOY part as big as the NO part.

Don't send him away for training.  Check in your area for an obedience club.  Not PetSmart or whatever, but Google "Dog Obedience Training Club" or something similar and you'll find lots of hits.  Where are you?  I'm sure there's a club in your area, but again, DON'T send him away.  YOU train him.  You can do it.

These videos made the rounds here awhile ago. Be encouraged by them; they show simple training on a much younger puppy.  But if you start training that will give your puppy's energy a new channel to flow through and it will help the other issue as well:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyQL3tx0mmY&feature=related


Here's the second link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvKecC9_LpI&feature=related

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Want to add: you must make the No-teeth-on-humans-EVER rule hard and fast.  Again, this will NOT teach him not to protect you and your family.  You're teaching manners and acceptable canine behavior here.

But you must correct him biting you EVERY time.  It would be very unfair to puppy to correct him, then sometimes allow him to playfully bite or chew on your hands.  Be kind and be fair to him and help him learn.  You will be most kind and fair and he will learn best and fastest if you are always consistent in enforcing the No biting rule.