Puppy Training

[mayevora]

It's been around 20 years since I last had a dog and it's taken the last 15 to convince the wife.

My cunning plan was to get the kids onboard then pester the wife into submission. All the hard work has paid off and I picked up the puppy last Saturday.

The first two days were incredibly easy as all we got was a very timid look, the odd lick and much sleeping. This dog stuff is easy I thought.

He woke up on day three and obviously thought, Right, I'm in now - Let's make myself at home!!!

The needle teeth and claws I can cope with and are expected but I had forgotton how much the inside pooing and weeing can do your head in. Can't expect mirricles in week one but hope this doesn't continue week after week and turn into month after month. I seem to be heading for the door with him every time he sniffs the ground!

I know it's all about praise when they do good and tell off when they do wrong. Some sites say rub their noses in it and some say the absolute opposite.

I don't mind this initial stage but I'm definately sencing the "I told you so" silent treatment from Margaret.

Help

[mdw]

Try a book called the dog listener by jan fennell. We found it very good as it explains why they do certain things and once you understand why its much easier to deal with them.

[Bibs]

Either these....

Puppy Training Mats

or a stick. HTH

[Laura]

It's been a very long time since I've had a puppy in the house. The one thing I remember from the puppy training classes we went to was the positive reinforcement is a lot more effective than negative reinforcement.

Dogs apparently do not have much of a memory so telling them off for something they done 5 minutes ago isn't necessarily going to tie up in their heads as punishment for the wrong doing.

What breed do you have, any cute pics yet?

[molemot]

Never a stick for a puppy...some adult dogs do need "knocking back" as they have to see you as the pack leader. Until you reach that status, the dog will consider IT is the pack leader...a rolled up newspaper works well, a gentle biff on the top of the nose indicates your disapproval...bags of praise for when good things happen. What manner of dog is it? You can usually find puppy training classes somewhere locally....

[andydclements]

The rubbing their nose in it approach would work IF the dogs understood English and had the intelligence of a 3 year old human who could understand cause and effect. Don't do that approach. What you are really doing is subjecting the dog to punishment for something it doesn't know it is wrong.

Imagine you walked in and your other half shouted at you for 3 hours solid but made no attempt to tell you you've done something wrong. You being an adult human would guess one of two things (we'll ignore the first, you're just being sexist and inappropriate), so you'd guess you've done something to upset her. But what? After a week of this you may not stop dong what ever has caused the annoyance, but you'd associate walking in the house with getting shouted at for hours, and go to the pub each night instead.

Q) So what would your puppy do?

A) Associate being picked up with having its nose rubbed in something it didn't want to have its nose rubbed in.

You are doing the right thing, keep taking it outside when you suspect it may be about to leave you a little present, but more importantly, praise it and give it pleasant physical contact, stroking, tickles, belly rub etc when it has just been to the toilet outside.

You'll find positive reinforcement far more effective than any sort of punishment.

[mayevora]

Try a book called the dog listener by jan fennell.

Thanks for that one

Training Mats

Got those mate. It's a bit like playing darts though - you want to see him hit treble 20, but keeps hitting the single 1

any cute pics yet?

yep, when I can get on the computer (doing everything via phone atm - that's also why no yellow/green avatar)

rolled up newspaper works well,

I'd forgotton than one. Worked well 20 years ago. Even the words "where's that newspaper" used to do the trick.

You'll find positive reinforcement far more effective than any sort of punishment.

Thats good advice Andy. (kind of works like that in my day job as well lol)

Thanks for all comments people

[Rich H]

My bro tried the rub the nose in it routine.

Wee on floor, nose in it then kicked outside.

For ages the dog used to pee on the floor then ask to go out...

As above treat the pup as if it has absolutely no memory, firm telling off while deed is 'in progress' only and a carry outside to finish off followed by loads of praise.

We had 7 pups at home a few years back and you could actually time the input to output to within a couple of seconds...

Our 2 Paterdales are basically idiots, they have been trained and when they feel the need will behave, but mostly they do whatever terrier-instinct tells them to... chase-bark-dig-eat-etc

Enjoy!

Rich

[Simon350S]

Stella is 11 months old, she's still peeing in the house and pooing occasionally.... As an almost 30kg Old English Sheep Dog, when she makes a mess she makes a mess....!

We've been trying really hard with various techniques, none of which seem to be working. The back door was open to the garden, she walked out, had a mooch around, walked back in and peed on the floor.... and that was today when Lisa was home....

We have started on a back foot, she was almost 9 months old when we got her and had lived outside we think with her mum and sister....

Its driving us insane and were pretty much at a loss to be honest... Shes so lovely though but were finding it very hard....

I so hope you have more luck than us! We got her to bring a little happiness into the house which she has done, but it is a little tainted by the bad toilet habits, oh and sleepless nights occasionally still!

[mayevora]

Heres the little fella. should be a dog not a horse but you get the picture.

And he's called Chapman. ( didn't come in British Racing Green, so settled for black an white )

Edited July 22, 2010 by mayesprit

[Paul C]

Lovely puppy mate!

In time he'll be banging on the door telling YOU it's time to go out and not taking no for an answer as he wants to go outside and wee.

Cats are easy, they just leave our garden and go poo in the garden of someone that does not have a cat, it's a territory thing.

[73JPS]

Aughh! Why'd you cut off his 'ead?

On another note: very cute! Good name!

[rogerch]

I have my cat well trained, he always does as he is told,,,,,,,,,,,, Just as soon as he's finished doing what he wants. That's until he sees a dog, then it's man, dog, woman and child for himself ! and hope the dog can run fast.

[Boots]

We have had dogs before (feline household now) and my advise is that you should use products designed to clear up wee and a deodourizer. If they can smell wee in the house they will be encouraged by the smell to keep going in the house.

Hope this helps.

Chapman is a cutie pie btw

Edited July 23, 2010 by Boots

[molemot]

Not puppies, but dog-oriented...

Some years back a friend of mine, a member of the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers...in his case, in the security industry..was in Egypt fulfilling a contract for security of some sort....his dog training background became known and it seemed that the people he was working for had a problem dog. They had been training it for attack purposes, and now it was a for real "pack leader" and attacked everybody, including the poor soul who was supposed to be it's handler. So my chum Bob told them it probably needed "knocking back" and convincing that humans were the natural pack leaders. Anyway, they asked him to do the deed...so Bob equipped himself with a rolled up newspaper...really tightly rolled, you understand...and went into the training room. A door opened and this slavering monster came out, took one look at him and went straight for the jugular....Bob threw the newspaper at it and ran away, just making it through the door before the mad beast had him in it's fangs!!! Bob's a big bloke and ex-3 Para.....he said the only way to knock THAT back is with a firearm!! In my knowledge, it's the one and only time he ever ran away from anything.....

One of his oppos in the security business, who rejoiced in the name of Bell End Billy from Bolton (don't ask!) and had been Army boxing champion for his weight, had another canine experience. He had been given the task of repossessing some kit from a nonpaying customer...so rolled up at the premises and knocks on the door...no reply. He knocks again....then tries the doorknob. It turns; the door opens, and in goes Billy. At this there's a shout..."Go away or I'll let the dog out!!" Billy, also an ex-Para, wasn't going to be fazed by this...so presses on. Door opens...furry streak of lunacy launches itself at him...Hound of the Baskervilles wasn't in it...the brute was terrifying!! Billy exits the way he came in, much faster this time.... Mad howling and barking and scrabbling noises on the far side of the door. Billy is holding the door shut by the door knob.....WHEN THE KNOB STARTS TO TURN!! Aaargh...the beast has learned to open doors!! There then ensues a trial of strength, man v dog, with Billy trying to resist the dog's efforts to open the door and DO 'IM PROPER... after a while, a voice is heard through the door ... "Sorry mate, I've put the dog away but I can't turn the doorknob, it seems to have stuck!!"

[bolly girl]

Training a pup - loads of internet advice out there.

My tip - crate the dog and timing. What goes in must come out and dogs don't like to mess in their dens (crate).

Feed the dog and learn it's 'toilet' behaviour then you have a rough time from in to out. Next feed take him out at the right time, praise on production, play short time and then crate for rest. Wake dog up outside for production time, play and then crate etc etc.

The crate is seen as a den and must NOT be used for punishment, it's a safe place to keep pup when you go out, it's a safe place to keep pups teeth away from your prized belongings.

Next step - find a dog trainer appropriate to yours and your dogs needs ie pet, working or otherwise and get it started early on a structured life that gives you leadership status - NEVER EVER knock a dog back, there's no need with the right pack leadership skills.

BTW: proud owner of an Irish Red Setter who was crate trained, toilet trained at 4months for the house, is gun dog retriever trained, has achieved Kennel Club Good Citizen Gold award status and won Best in show yesterday at a local dog show. He even has his own Facebook page (Irish Billy) - sad I know

Enjoy your puppy - it is your responsibility to give it a good life

[mayevora]

My tip - crate the dog

BTW: proud owner of an Irish Red Setter

Enjoy your puppy - it is your responsibility to give it a good life

The crate was actually the first purchase. Leaving this in the hallway leaving the door open at night at the foot of the stairs (blocking the stairs) so no attempt to climb up and all doors off the hall closed so he has a bit of room if wanting to stretch legs to the front door where the puppy pads are at night.

Last week has been good in the training dept. No number 1's or 2's at night full stop. Got into a routine of letting out first thing in the morning (starts yelping about 6am) feeding at 6.30am then straight into gargen where he does exactly what he is suposed to do straight away. When any of us are home, and the weather is ok, we are leaving the back door open so he can come and go as he wishes - the only downside to this is I keep finding garden plants on the living room White carpet!

He is 12 weeks old today and been with us a fortnight now. Has mastered the 'sit' command and the 'wait/stay' command so far. (amazing what the tiniest dog biscuit can achieve with a bit of patience)

Will be getting his second jab and being chipped on Monday so looking forward to 1st walk next Saturday.

My Aunt up in Wales has been at Crufts for many years with her Irish Setters. I think she has 6 at the moment. When we visit it's like getting hit by a stampede. It's all legs and paws. Beautiful dogs though.