Dog Training Resources

[RunDownHouse]

Anybody have recommendations for good books on how to train a puppy? I don't need him to play poker for me, just the basics like sit, stay, down, heel, etc. Are classes or obedience school worth the money over books? Is there an age after which dogs become much more difficult to train? Any other tips?

He's a mutt, btw.

[Jeff W]

I worked at a Dog Training Center for 3 years.

Basics:

Get a correction collar(choke collar) and a leather leash.

"Close" Command: Say the command: "close." Dog should stay within a leash length. If dog pulls on lease, correct the dog. Make a sharp, short jerk with the leash any time the leash goes taut. Move your hand toward the dog and then pull back quickly to accomplish this. When you make the correction, you should simultaneously say "no, close"

"Heel": Speak the word "Heel." Dog should have its nose behind your left hip and should not lag behind or surge ahead. When you stop, the dog should stop and sit on your left. Any time the dog breaks the rules, make a correction as I explain earlier. Don't push down on your dog's back when you first teach him to heel. Instead, rest your hand on top of his back near him tail and pull up with the leash until he sits(no, heel, then pull up while resting your hand on his back). If the dog stops sitting, correct him. Once he has learned how to sit as part of the heel, you should only have to make the basic, quick correct from the "close" section.

Down: Dog should lay down with belly on the ground. Say "Down". When the dog first learns this command, you will have to use the method described above to induce him to sit before you complete the motion and he lays down. You should say "no, down" instead of "no, heel" of course. Next, when you first teach him the down command, you will have to pull down with the leash and apply constant pressure while saying "no, down". This may take awhile, because the down command establishes your dominance over the dog. Do not worry, the dog is not going to choke to death. After he learns the command, you should be able to correct him using the quick motion. Do corrections up(pull leash up) until he sits and then corrections down(pull down) until he lays down.

Free Command: Say "Free" and this releases your dog from his obligation to sit or lay down. You should wave your arms around and use a high voice to teach him this command.

Stay command is useless. The dog should stay as part of the commands I outlined above. Sit is not useful either. Just use down. Dog's prefer laying to ditting.

Always use high, enthuastic voice when encourage dog or given commands. After the dog completes a command correctly, say "Good job" or something to that effect. Don't use the dog's name as part of commands.

Make sure you use the ideas above to teach the dog not to get into garbage, steal food from tables, jump up on people, bite people or other nefarious activities.

Okay, I am done. Lots more to say but no time.

Edit: Don't use treats either. You wouldn't raise your kids with a pocketful of candy and you shouldn't raise your dogs with a pocketful of treats.

[RunDownHouse]

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You should wave your arms around and use a high voice to teach him this command.

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This is the first time I've laughed out loud at the computer in quite some time.

[Jeff W]

I was being completely serious though. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[RunDownHouse]

Jeff,

Another quick question. My girlfriend and I are both going to be out of town for Memorial Day, and we were going to get the dog when we got back. However, we're also both going to be out of town the first week of July (1-7). Is it ok to leave the dog with a friend after we've only had it 3 weeks, or will that trigger some massive backslide in his training? He'll probably be 8-12 weeks old at that point.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff,

Another quick question. My girlfriend and I are both going to be out of town for Memorial Day, and we were going to get the dog when we got back. However, we're also both going to be out of town the first week of July (1-7). Is it ok to leave the dog with a friend after we've only had it 3 weeks, or will that trigger some massive backslide in his training? He'll probably be 8-12 weeks old at that point.

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You shouldn't even have the dog until he's at least 8 weeks old to begin with. Also, I'd look into some more positive training.

Three highly recommended books are:
Before & After Getting Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar
The Dog Listener by Jan Fennell
The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson

[heavybody]

"Gun Dog" by Richard A. Wolters. Take my advice this guy knows what he is talking about. The book is not just about hunting dogs and in fact has excellent advice on general obedience and especially puppy training.

[Jeff W]

How old is the dog now? Don't get the dog before he is twelve weeks old. Dogs have to learn dog skills from their mother when they're young and dogs that are separated from their mother too early are missing vital skills. I don't remember the exact age they should be with their mother till, but I think you can look it up.

I wouldn't worry too much otherwise. Dogs are adaptable and he will re-learn his training even if he forgets it. Make sure that the people you leave him with don't [censored] up the dog by beating him or stupid [censored] like that.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
"Gun Dog" by Richard A. Wolters. Take my advice this guy knows what he is talking about. The book is not just about hunting dogs and in fact has excellent advice on general obedience and especially puppy training.

[/ QUOTE ]

All his books are great! He's the Sklansky of books for hunting dog owners.

[RunDownHouse]

There's a shelter here in town that takes unwanted litters. We were going to pick one up from there. On their website (site) (http://www.lafspetadoption.com/index5.htm) it looks like they typically don't let them go until that age anyways.

[heavybody]

The command your dog should always obey without fail is to"come here" when called. There is nothing worse then yelling at the top of your lungs for your dog to come and he doesn't respond.

[heavybody]

Yep!" Gundog" was very good and I learned a lot from that book.

[bump]

[ QUOTE ]
I worked at a Dog Training Center for 3 years.

Basics:

Get a correction collar(choke collar) and a leather leash.

...

If dog pulls on lease, correct the dog. Make a sharp, short jerk with the leash any time the leash goes taut. Move your hand toward the dog and then pull back quickly to accomplish this.

...

Edit: Don't use treats either. You wouldn't raise your kids with a pocketful of candy and you shouldn't raise your dogs with a pocketful of treats.

[/ QUOTE ]

So let me get this straight, we should train our dogs by using a choke collar and jerking their necks when they misbehave but we should not give them treats because we wouldn't train our children with candy...

By that second statement we can infer that... I wouldn't want to be your child

[Jeff W]

[ QUOTE ]
So let me get this straight, we should train our dogs by using a choke collar and jerking their necks when they misbehave but we should not give them treats because we wouldn't train our children with candy...

By that second statement we can infer that... I wouldn't want to be your child

[/ QUOTE ]

Your parents should beat you more.