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by Kreiger on 26 March 2009 - 14:03
Another words how advanced should you and your dog be at this age??
I see where some start heavily training from the age of 8 weeks,and some do nothing till the dog reaches a year old.
What is your opinion on how much training the dog should have according to the age and does the age matter??

by ShelleyR on 26 March 2009 - 14:03
Shelley doesn't like to rush dogs. It always comes back and bites me in the ass, especially the show dogs.
Patience is a virtue. You learn it on the trial fields. LOL
SS
by Kandi on 26 March 2009 - 14:03
My pup now, Carlo...11 months old..is still a complete and utter goof ball as far as his brain goes. Aside from that, everything looks to be there and I am very excited about him. But, I have to force myself to proceed at his pace....
I think the worst thing a handler can do is compare their progress to those around them. Every one has a different level of obligations outside of training, every dog is different, everyone's experience level is different.

by ShelleyR on 26 March 2009 - 14:03
Now we can get something done.
Bijou was worse. Screaming and grabbing everything he could (including his handler) and not focusing on much of anything long enough to work with. I knew what I was facing when I bought him just after he was born because he is linebred on Harro, like Onyx was. (Also not titled till 4, but boy, after that he really got it down!) Makes me look like an idiot to be hauling a 4 yr. old out for his first formal retrieve, still not working off leash in the blind, but if you knew Bij you'd understand. Ha ha ha.
SS

by Kreiger on 26 March 2009 - 15:03
I guess what I am getting at is the fact that many think that as soon as they get their pup(which I have been guilty of in the past) it's off to the Schutzhund field and train,train,train.I see some dogs that look real good at the age of 12 months old but they also looked burned out.
The other thing that I see is people taking a 12 month old green dog and have him/her ready for a BH,Sch1 in say 4-5 months where as others have been doing it since the dog was 8 weeks yet the 12 month old obtains the same results or better.
The question is do you think it really makes a difference??
I hear of a lot of Germans that do not even fool with their dogs until they are a year old.Do we as Americans lack patience and feel that we have to have a finished product at 1-2 years old??
My other question is do you all think that in deferring your training till the age of 12 months adds an extra level of confidence in the dog??

by Q Man on 26 March 2009 - 17:03
~Bob~
by Kandi on 26 March 2009 - 18:03
It is very complicated. Again, depends on how quickly the pup matures, is the training done with fun and motivation? Is the pup receiving and/or feeling the pressure? the experience of the handler with THAT bloodline??
I do hate seeing puppies doing too much too soon in the way of using thier bodies and taking pressure or stress. But on the hand, there is so much fun foundation stuff you can do, if you KNOW what you are doing, to shape and mold certain behavoirs while they are so young, that when you do start going full steam ahead, most of the ground work is already done.
I missed be able to do alot with my current teenager Carlo, as he was growing so fast and awkwardly, we were both tripping over his gawky legs for quite some time. While I patiently wait for his brain to match his body size and we pick up from where we left off before that amazing growth spurt, I do plan to keep back a pup from one of my upcoming litters, and am very eager to do a bunch of foundation stuff..all fun and games, click and treat!!, while he is still young and such a sponge. I certainly will refrain for jumping, pulling, launching, jumping, and getting serious with the training until he is physically and mentally ready to handle it...however long that may be!
As they say, not everyone is cut out to raise a puppy. It takes alot of patience in many many ways. I have known a few excellent handlers who were terrible at raising a puppy for sport/work. It really is a natural talent within I think.

by Kreiger on 26 March 2009 - 18:03
by Orchardhof on 27 March 2009 - 09:03
Terri
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