How young is too young? - Page 1

How old should a puppy be for a GENTLE correction using a prong? I have heard that the smaller links are better for distribution of correction and ease of fitting. I have read some on this on Leerburg but am hesitant with that because they seem to be used to harder dogs and are rougher than I am comfortable with. Or so it seems to me.

Would a fur saver be a better choice at 6 mos.? He is good but is so distracted by everything that I can't even get his attention with treats a lot of the time. He's not being defiant at all just interested in everything.

dawg:  he is needing you to act like a clown in training and getting his attention...carry a medicine bottle with dog kibbles in it   shake it get his attention......carry old keys   shake get his attention  when he come to see use a command   sitz or heia and reward him   his attention span is still short short....just make noises  , run away shake bottle and get him too you....do not feed him , one whole day and that evening do some short training.....especially the come to you  bringz or sitz and attention up to your face   make it quick and short  reward  good sitz    good come...

Neighbors must think Ive lost it when doing a puppy and in the parking lot in town , I act like a nutty person,,,,making noises,,,shake the keys,,,,run along    clilck a clicker,,,make funny noises,,,keep treats in hands and in pockets or handy treat pouch.....stomp my feet  while rinning,,,,and,,,   .running into petsmart acting like Im on a high with some drug..gets puppy interested and keeps him focused  ,,,,,,,for a minute or two....I dont use the prong until they are about 9 mos old,,,my males are very big and robust at that age and I cant be pulled on a leash....I use it then to go to town and start them socializing ......at a younger age ,I just use the regular fur saver,,,but just short endeavors.......when they are small its easy to get a good correction short and quick and direct their attention back to you......meat treats or cheese , in your mouth or up by face, get to look and reward immediately,,,,I use so many treat,s, I could go on a cruise with the money spent on raw meat and treats...

I look like a rag lady , in town when I take a pup.,,,,tugs in my belt , in my pocket keys hanging out with ribbons on them. treat pouch,, clickers, little bottle of noisey things,,, I could get a job in the circus without much effort...

Thanks YR. Okay, that brings up another question (their never ending-sorry). When spitting treats does it matter if it falls on the ground then he eats it? I've seen dogs who snap it up midair. My dogs let it bounce off their head then eat it off the ground.

I would practice before you do the long fall from mouth    sit in your rocker in front of tv and toss tiny pieces of meat or cheese holding above hed    let dog get idea of dropping and catching in mid air.....do it for shor periods   all the time.....then when you go outside   start making the drop   from your waist   then your chest     then the drop from  mouth.......I usually step quickly on the treat and dont let them eat it....but you got to ack fast....if they think its theirs off ground   they wont catch it as soon....it take a while    make sure pup is hungry

Most of us overfeed out dogs....so they dont just want that treat so bad to work for it......one of my trainers in Texas, never fed her dogs in a pan   the only food her dog ever got was from training.........she titled three of those pups and dogs to SChH 3.....now later in dogs life  they eat out of a pan..

Also the feeding on the grass outside , lets them use their nose.......put the dog bowl away......feed on the ground,,,,,the nose will learn to go deeper into the ground      especially if it is chicken or ground beef    under the grass.......then when you start tracking,,,,the nose is trained already to root out the food, and then its easier....to get them started in the right direction......

IMO - if you have to use even a choke chain never mind a prong collar on a pup ... then you are not teaching and communicating with your pup.....eiher link up with someone well experienced or if you don't ... then switch to another breed .. for with humility and dignity i'll state the GSD is not for you .

Dawgs,

6 months is way to young for a pinch IMHO. What collar you decide to use when they get older is dependant on the temperment and pain tolerance of the dog.

I have one pup that is a monster and one that is a little sensitive. I have never corrected the big boy and the little one only twice. Both have a decent OB foundation.

If your dog is having problems with distractions, that is not uncommon or bad for his age. I would do two things; One is take him everywhere so he can see everything without any OB. Then do your OB without distractions until it is really solid. When he is really good without distractions (and a little older) than you can put a correction collar and correct him slightly for the distractions.

For the food being eaten off the ground---Yes it does matter. You want your dog thinking the reward comes from you and looks at you. You don't want the dogs nose buried in the ground looking for a treat.

Great advice above. I wouldn’t give him a prong collar correction at 6 months either, especially if he is a soft, sensitive dog.

If you could try to find something that he is REALLY interested in, that would be the best. If he has little/average ball drive and you are trying to train him with treats only, perhaps he needs to be hungrier then. He needs to be REALLY hungry, even if this means not feeding him for a day or two. (Of course, not on a regular basis, but sometimes such break in meals teaches dogs to appreciate any food any time later on).

If he is still not too interested and is easily distracted, try to train him in as distraction-free environment as possible. Take baby steps and gradually introduce tiny bits of distraction. It will all come together – don’t worry about taking a step back or starting over.

Thanks everyone. Alphapup my pup comes on command, sits stays, downs, waits for the release for food, and waits for release to go out the door, has done all of these since three or four months old. He does these reliably at home and working at it out and about. Absolutely none of this is done under compulsion but all is reward based, I am not hardass or anal about training. We just both enjoy it. He's happy ears forward, bouncy, and tail wagging. I frankly was thinking it would not be as hard on him to have a pinch that a tug from a flat collar when he darts after a grasshopper and hits the end of the lead or when I make a turn and he doesn't. As far as switching breeds goes, all I can say is, bite me. There's nothing wrong with asking for input if you're unsure about something. And I most defanatly would not be rouph with him. And I do have access to a trainor but she happens to be out of touch for a few days and I wanted to get some input. And you may have noticed that I didn't go to a prong without input.

Yeah, everyone who has a training question should switch breeds. Gawd!

It's 18 in my state.

Honestly, you have to look at the dog.  There is never a set age limit for anything except age requirements for titles. 

You have to read your own dog.  If you are asking a question on prongs because a choke will not cut it, then the dog is probably a good candidate. 

Don SInce I take my  males from age of 8 weeks on to town , as they get older and harder headed and put into different situations , as they are learning,,,,when they get to 75ilbs and over,,,,some even at 60lbs,  I keep the prong collar in truck , if i need it...My bad spine doesnt like pulling and I can let them  

I never use it in training  only on trips in public   and all you have to do is put it on them   I never yank or even have to engage any pressure,,,,they feel it in their neck and will fusse beside me and if they get a burr in their  go go,,,,,it reminds them right fast    ,,,,,

I never even put fur savers on a pup at home in training sessions......like guard said   you correct with change the mind and get them to look....I wear the word    'look"   out      puppy training is long and tedius   but I make it a fun thing.....I fall in holes. backing up, and trying different things to get a result....Ive backed into my truck, fell in holes, hit head on tree limbs hanging low,  stepped in poop, you name it...teaching a pup is funny     .........but they dont take long to get it.....just have short attention spans....