Dog training 101

[Gateholio]

Our bouvier female had 8 puppies with the malamute father, 7 are gone, and we are keeping one. The mother is my gals dog- No question.

It appears that the pup we kept is My dog. She s a nice puppy, I like her, but I've never really owned a dog.

Neither one of these dogs are "hunting" dogs since hey aren't retrivers/pointers/flushers and I dont intend them to be.

The little puppy is 3 months old, to the day, and I was wondering if it's time to teach heeling etc?

When I have her out for a walk on a leash, she almost pulls my arm off!! She is strong!! (Mind you, I am running, so it's not like I am trying to make her heel/etc)

I think it is time for serious training, or is she too young? I have no interest in a "hunting" dog, but I hate uncontrollable dogs. I want her to heell, sit (she understands "sit" but doesn't want to stay long), come (she does come) etc etc..

Just basic stuff.

I htink she is old enough, how do I do it so it's the best?

thanks

[Tini Head]

I have 2 dogs, one is a four month old puppy.
She knows shake a paw, come, sit, stay and is learning heel.
We don't normally walk her on the leash, though.
My other dog is 4 years old.
He knows lots of tricks.
When he was a puppy, we just brought treats on our walks, and now he knows heel.

[3kills]

i m the only one that can walk my dog she will walk nicely beside me but for anyone else she pulls like crazy and ithink its because when she was a pup i walked her and when she pulled or wondered i just gave the leesh a tug and told her side...probably should have told her heel but side worked...

[Trailmaster]

Its better to start them young, they pick it up alot faster, but they do like to do their own thing most the time.

[Islandeer]

Gate,

Get going on the obediance. Sounds like you have a dominant dog. It needs to understand that you are the leader, That means you eat first, go through doors first, teach her your boundries,then treat her suceses and correct her when she crosses them. Make her wait for everything,supper,pats,walks,etc. Practice her heeling in the yard,slowly first,don't move on until she masters keeping in step,and stopping when you do. She needs to be aware of what you are doing. Remember the relationship with our dogs is not intended to be a democracy! Remember the wolf pack.

[Clint_S]

Pinch collar.
No they aren't cruel. Just give her a shot when she pulls and release when she doesn't. Just like Ray Hunt says about horses, "Make the the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard."

[Elkhound]

pinch collars work well. Earlier the training the better. it will make a great camp dog

[JeffR]

i agree that pinch collers work well, but I have seen dogs that become used to them and it stops being effective. Try this; Using a 6 foot web leash run the leash down the dogs back, at the waist run the handle of the leash under the dogs stomach and bring it all the way around. Run the handle under the line going down the dogs back, creating a loop around the dogs waist. When the dog pulls, the loop will tighten, which feels really odd to the dog. You shouldn't have to pull back at all with this method, the dog will do all the work for you.

[Mr. Dean]

B'tween the kitchen and your Ol'Lady,,, You haven't the time.

[Dannybuoy]

I would do a bit of research on the breed , as to when they are ready and/or talk to a obedience trainer about that . The most impressionable time in a pups life is at the 12 week period . I would be careful not to encourage or let it start to develop any potentially bad habits but be careful how I disciplined it . There are some good books out there as well