Raising Working Puppy (or Any Puppy Really) - Page 1

Hello,

I have new puppy, 10 weeks, I raise for Schutzhund.  I know raising working puppy is talk about much.  But I have specific questions:

1) Backyard is 1/3 asphalt and brick around the house, 2/3 grass away from the house.  Asphalt and brick area has some landscaping retainment walls 1-2 feet high.

Question: Will it hurt puppy joints if he runs on the asphalt/brick?  I dont make him run on it, he does it on his own when running to grass or to chase critters.  Will it hurt his joints when he jumps off retainment wall onto asphalt/brick?  Again, he does this on his own.


2) I have 2 dogs good with puppy.  They ignor puppy mostly because older dogs want to play with me.  Puppy likes older dogs, sometimes chases them.  But mostly puppy want to play with me. 

Question: Is okay to have older dogs and puppy together as long as puppy want to interact with me mostly? Puppy and older dogs only together when I am there to watch or help.  I give puppy individual time with me too for train and drive build.  I just dont want to ruin puppy from being with older dogs too much.


3) I have cat who think she is dog.  I train older dogs to ignor cat, so cat does not defend herself from dogs.

Question:  Puppy likes to chase cat when outside.  Cat wont defend herself so puppy pounces and nips cat.  Do I correct puppy for this?  I don't want to hurt puppy spirit, but cat is precious to me also.

Thanks much

I'll give my opinions and I'll try and break down each question,

First thing I noticed here is you say nothing of "training" for the pup? Already 10 weeks and  I mostly see "playing" Have you started any training yet? I would already start some "Prey Drive  Promotion". There's a thread called "Drive" and that will do more explaining and others' comments.
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These are my opinions or how/what I would do;

#1: I don't see problems running on asphalt/brick to get to grass. I see major problems jumping from retaining wall. Not just for joints sake either. Everything on the pups' body. You know how "clumsy" they are and now you're adding a foot and a half drop. It only takes a second and it only takes one time. Just because he does it on his own is no excuse. You have to watch him. Protect him.

#2: No problem with older dogs, AS LONG as you supervise, NEVER let an adult dominate the pup. Make sure the pup foremost bonds with you. Have your time, their time, etc.

#3 Depends? Puppies and cats play all the time. I would think when the cat has had enough he'll let the pup know. Now, if this cat is a couch potato and will not move and the pup is terrorizing him nonstop then yes you intervene. Removing one or the other will not diminish his spirit. Just don't forget................ the cat was there before the pup and is still a pet in the household.

OP said he trains and is building drive.

Aaagh.....missed that line.

Don't let it happen again! ;)

Argh argh

Alboe - what is so important for 10 weeks pup to learn now?  I teach potty train, I teach dogs are boring and I am fun, I teach world is boring and I am fun.  Its call socialization?  Why does he need to sit?  Why does he need to down? I ask for better understanding, not for being mean.

I teach clicker soon when bond is good and food drive is good.  I have him less than 1 week.

At 10 wks, I'd start tracking if the location, weather permits. Start play/prey drive promotion. Build drive with the food. I'd get the pup to push forr the food. Only eats from you in drive building. Take him everywhere. Let him see everything. Sounds like you understand what not to do with other dogs. I wouldn't put them together too much.

10 week pup can learn to track? Great!

I know build for prey drive.  I not familiar with build for food drive. What does push for food mean?

Sorry for bad english.  Sometime wife is here to help and sometimes not.

First, you're not being mean so with me you can say or ask whatever you want. I can see the wording is different so first we need to understand each other;  These are my thoughts,that pup is already learning as soon as his eyes are open and he's moving around. He's learning with or without you. Now the way I learned, read, trained, either by person, or under someone or in a group. Initially when starting out it's going to be by individuals or by information from reading. My information reading when starting out came from three books, unfortunately I lent those books never to be returned and can't remember the titles. 1st book: "Schutzhund", cover showed a GSD at top of a Frame with wooden dumbbell in mouth, 2nd:  I want to say "Training the Working Dog" cover showed a drawing of a decoy working a GSD and can't remember the third.

Now I'm not saying train 24/7 and not to let the puppy be a puppy but for me I'm starting at 10 -12 weeks with a rag/towel. Pup is already inquisitive and "thirsting for knowledge".

For me; Bonding, socialization, imprinting and training. When you say " why does he need to sit?" "Why does he need to down?" I'm not following. I'll say this much and then we'll wait for your response. 

The pup in my eyes will always be a pup and he/she will have his/her time to be a pup. My dogs will be service dogs and for me my belief is to start training as a pup. Now I'm big on OB because my dogs go everywhere with me and they have to behave, PERIOD. Doesn't matter where we are, who we are with or around, or if there are other dogs or animals, Dogs that behave or don't behave. Mine have to behave, PERIOD.  For the three GSDs I have now, I was blessed by my first and third being housebroken in one night. Now my 2nd, Czech, man I was racking my brains. Seemed like I was cleaning that crate every morning for a good three months!

I have no experience on clicker training but  a few on here do. And when you say "food drive" are you referring to food reward? I have never used food reward. All praise, that's just me. I am the dogs universe, their everything. And they do for me because they want to Now praise is not just a "good boy" and that's that. Combination of things; words, physical contact, stroking, caressing, hugging and whatever brings the desired results.

I'm still learning and what amazes me is when you have multiple dogs and you really watch and pay attention and see the differences. My pup, Bella at 6 mos. as soon as I come home from work and go to let her out of her crate, she will cry, scream, and talk to me. As soon as she is out she'll stretch then jump into my chest crying saying how happy she is to see me, talking non stop. licking kissing etc. Like clockwork everyday. Mostly from the bonding. But my point is with/to me, no one else. Read some of the threads on training, drives, etc., and let's see what others have to comment.