first day of school - Page 1

I have no plans to show my dog . I paid good money for him from a recommended breeder after my previouse beloved GSD,I got from this same breeder died at age 9 a  few months ago  I just got Benny for a friend and want him to be healthy, happy and well trained so I can take him  more places. I hope he can be a therapy dog.  i am not a perfetc person so do not need a perfect dog . I like this forum for the knowledge abd passion about dogs.   I hope no one minds my lack of knowledge about things i have had GSD;s since my first at age 14 (I am 55 now yikes!) but other than obedience and house manners have not shown them.. So many things have changed about training.

I took Benny to his first obedience class tonight. The instructor was nice but I am a little unsure. She says because Benny is strong ( even at 16 weeks) and I am small ( 98 pounds) I need to use the prong collar for training instead of the nylon slip chain. I did have a hard time getting him to heal tonight because he was distracted by the other dogs, but the prong seems so extreme for a pup. The instructor also saw Benny mouthing me, grabbing my pant legs and the marks on my arms and wants me to squirt him with bitter apple when he does this (and the substitute something proper to bite which i have been doing). She said the prong collar will give me power and more chances to praise him when he does things right. She did not make me use it tonight but wants me too next week. i am hoping to get Benny to heel well with the nylon collar that she will decide we don't need the prong.

She also said one of his testicles or someting around that region seemed swollen. As of three weeks ago the vet said only one was descended so what could that mean?

There was a man at the class tonight witha beautiful Standard Schnauzer. He told us that the vet said his dog was cryptorchid so he had him neutered at 6 months and was told the testicles were found up in the abdomen. He later moved and changed vets and at one year old took the dog to the vet and the vet found one testicle descended.,  Either the dog had three or the vet who neutered the dog made a mistake. Is this common?.

I wouldn't see a need for useing a prong collar on a 16 week old.  I wait till mine are close to a year old before I place a prong on them,  and thats even if they require one then. 

is this a petsmart training course?  or thru a private individual or club?

have you been shown any focus exercises?  him being distracted the first night is ok,  he will soon get used to all the other puppies and people and focus more on you.

as for the swollen region,  the trainer might have felt a swollen lymph node.  has he had any recent vaccinations?  I have found some dogs get swollen lymph nodes shortly after being vaccinated.

What sort of trainer would advocate using a prong collar on a Pup that age, Better if you find somewhere else to take the Pup, It may be your first day at School, if it were me i would make it the last day at that place
Steve

There is a nylon martingale collar MUCH more suitable for a puppy. I'm only a few pounds heavier (okay 10 lol)  than you and I'm just now starting to need a prong collar on my 65 pound male, who is in training for Schutzhund-and only during certain exercises. A prong collar is very harsh for a baby.
I'm a groomer at a petsmart store and I'm not 100% sure on the policy for prong collars during training, but I don't think that they advocate them. I could be wrong and the rules may vary from region to region, but either way, I see it as a big No-No on a puppy. (P.S. I have not taken my dogs through the petsmart training program)
Good Luck with your boy!
~Stacy

Also, my dog is 2 years old

Thanks everyone. I have been working on heel with Benny the past two days and he is doing well with the nylin slip collar. IU think he was just very distracted on his first day, which is understandable . I am hopinh the instructor sees how well he does and no longer pushes the prong. If she does I will leave. i would rather sacrifice the money then my pup. I have an orientation at another place ( Top Notch) because it is close to my work and their classes are at flexible times which I will need when school starts in 5 weeks. I coordinate religious  education at my Church and from Sept to May work until 9:00 PM Monday - Thursday  but have three  days weekends and get to bring Benny to work ( so far )

If she mentions the Prong again then walk away, she is not a good trainer at all to want to use a Prong on a Pup that age
Steve

Don't you dare put a prong collar on that puppy.... I agree with Steve1 - find another place to train you puppy....

Why do you have to use any type of corrective collar at this age... Just curious.  I believe in positive training and no corrective collars until I can't control them becuase they are to strong for me to handle with out getting yanked to the ground.  I am not 98 pounds - but I am not a big girl either. 

Does your dog have food drive?  Why not use food and put a flat collar on that baby......I want a happy baby and not use correction until he is much- much older..and make it a game as well.  It is amazing how much they will do for a litle food - and no correction at this point....

People use Prong Collars because they feel they need to but it is not needed with every dog,I know of four Dogs i have trained in Obed and never used a Prong collar just an ordinary leather one, as Happy day says use food as an incentive that is excatly what i am doing with 12 week old  IZZY at the moment using food as an incentive and making it playtime as well, she sits at command, and downs but not to stay there of course but she drops down and it is the basices but in play, i expect and hope i can train her without the use of a Prong but if needed it will come in a long time from now if one is used, but only as a correct tool, not to force
Good Luck
Steve