Puppy training advice

[CJLR]

Congrats
I just got a German shepherd puppy about a month ago . for training i have been using the app puppr it is free to download and has everything you need including crate training potty training grooming basic obedience and silly tricks. we got our puppy when she was 6 weeks old and now she is 11 weeks old and already knows 11 tricks the app is easy to use and fun
My tips are
1 .be patient
2. keep training sessions short about 2 to 5 minutes long
3. When they get something right reward like crazy
4 find what works for you all dogs are different what works for someone on YouTube might just make you puppy frustrated.

Enjoy it while you can they grow up so fast

 

[CJLR]

A great YouTube channel to watch is Rachel fusaro

 

[CJLR]

As far as toys go i love kong
Stay away from nylon bones and rawhides
My rule of thumb is if you cant put a dent in it with your fingernail then you shouldn't give it to your dog also make sure that if it a soft toy that thay cant easily bite of a piece

 

[user581227]

Oh yes these are all good points too!

Personally I like the idea of having a breeder pick for since I figure they know them best and might have a better idea of which ones might be good for sports and stuff like that. But picking your own is great too and we did that with our last dog, although he was a mix and there were only two left haha but still.

Yes yes yes! We breed and I can tell you, we know our pups very well! When someone says they have a specific lifestyle, I try to steer them towards pups that match that temperament they will need.

 

[Daniellebell1]

I read once that the only thing two dog trainers agree on is that a third dog trainer is doing something wrong.

People have VERY strong opinions about training methods, and there tends to be a lot of name-calling about it (positive only training gets called "bribery"; training that uses aversives like prong collars or e-collars gets called "cruel" or "fear-based.") But in my opinion, there is no one right way that works for all dogs and all people in all circumstances. After a lot of research and many generations of dogs, here is what I have concluded: use the least aversive method possible that 1) works for you and 2) works for your dog and 3) that you can sustain.

Anything that you do not do consistently will not work. For instance, lots of people are big proponents of using positive reinforcement with clickers. And lots of people have had success with clickers. But when I tried it, I found myself fumbling with too many things in my hands (leash, clicker, treats, poop bags), and missing cues. So I wasn't able to do it consistently, and it wasn't sustainable for me as a method. But it might work beautifully for you!

Several years ago, I adopted a stunning 6-year-old Aussie, Ima, with serious dog aggression. I mean, spittle flying, jaws snapping, yanking my arm off on walks to try to kill any other dog she saw. She wasn't interested in treats and couldn't be distracted by balls or toys. So we used both positive reinforcement (though praise and attention) and aversives (prong collar and verbal corrections,) as a way to communicate with her about what was acceptable behavior and what wasn't. And honestly, it was like Ima was waiting for us to show her that we were in charge so that she could relax and go "off duty." Within a couple of weeks, we were able to go from her barking her brains out to just a quick verbal correction. Not kidding. We could just say, "Thank you. That's enough." and she would immediately relax and go back to her nap or walk or whatever she was doing, like, "Oh, you got this? Cool." I have heard some people decry prong collars as cruel or abusive, but I would argue that it was much less cruel than letting Ima stay in that state of stress and arousal while attempting to raise her threshold for what she perceived to be huge threats.

By the same token, a prong collar might be too strong an aversive for a different dog. I had my Shih-Tzu mix, Sufjan, from about 6 months old. And he was happy to do just about anything for treats. That made it really simple to communicate with him what I behaviors I wanted. So it took about 2 months of training and another few to wean him off the treats, but that was all he needed. And it was annoying to keep treats with me all the time, but it was a small price to pay to be able to stay consistent. A prong collar would have been too harsh a correction because he didn't really need it.

Training is all about developing your relationship with the dog, learning understand each other. I say, don't believe anyone who tells you their way is the ONLY way. Go with what works for you, stick with it, and you will get to have a fabulous relationship with a marvelous companion that respects you, protects your chickens, and makes your life more joyful.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't understand the use of a clicker when you always have your voice. Dolphins click, dogs do not. Clicker training makes sense fror dolphins, IMO. Facial expressions work on dogs too. Smile, frown, growl, use a happy tone, or a sharp "barking" tone to correct, dogs resond to those things.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yes yes yes! We breed and I can tell you, we know our pups very well! When someone says they have a specific lifestyle, I try to steer them towards pups that match that temperament they will need.

That’s awesome!! I wanna go to a breeder for my next dog and have them pick hahah never done that before

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't understand the use of a clicker when you always have your voice. Dolphins click, dogs do not. Clicker training makes sense fror dolphins, IMO. Facial expressions work on dogs too. Smile, frown, growl, use a happy tone, or a sharp "barking" tone to correct, dogs resond to those things.

It’s more of just a marker to let them know when they’ve done the right thing rather than necessarily a sound they make or whatever haha I think the idea is that it’s very mechanical and neutral and doesn’t get emotional or anything, like it’s always consistent. Which I guess makes sense, especially since some dogs get really hyped up and unfocused with excited voices, or scared or whatever, but personally for me, like @Daniellebell1 mentioned, it was too much fumbling around haha and my timing was always off. I’d rather just use a verbal marker like “yes!” Or “good!” Or a tongue click or something like that. As long it’s consistent it works just as well if not better

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think the clicking also tends to be for more advanced, complicated behaviors and trying to chain together and stuff like that. Far more useful there aha

 

[ShrekDawg]

I read once that the only thing two dog trainers agree on is that a third dog trainer is doing something wrong.

People have VERY strong opinions about training methods, and there tends to be a lot of name-calling about it (positive only training gets called "bribery"; training that uses aversives like prong collars or e-collars gets called "cruel" or "fear-based.") But in my opinion, there is no one right way that works for all dogs and all people in all circumstances. After a lot of research and many generations of dogs, here is what I have concluded: use the least aversive method possible that 1) works for you and 2) works for your dog and 3) that you can sustain.

Anything that you do not do consistently will not work. For instance, lots of people are big proponents of using positive reinforcement with clickers. And lots of people have had success with clickers. But when I tried it, I found myself fumbling with too many things in my hands (leash, clicker, treats, poop bags), and missing cues. So I wasn't able to do it consistently, and it wasn't sustainable for me as a method. But it might work beautifully for you!

Several years ago, I adopted a stunning 6-year-old Aussie, Ima, with serious dog aggression. I mean, spittle flying, jaws snapping, yanking my arm off on walks to try to kill any other dog she saw. She wasn't interested in treats and couldn't be distracted by balls or toys. So we used both positive reinforcement (though praise and attention) and aversives (prong collar and verbal corrections,) as a way to communicate with her about what was acceptable behavior and what wasn't. And honestly, it was like Ima was waiting for us to show her that we were in charge so that she could relax and go "off duty." Within a couple of weeks, we were able to go from her barking her brains out to just a quick verbal correction. Not kidding. We could just say, "Thank you. That's enough." and she would immediately relax and go back to her nap or walk or whatever she was doing, like, "Oh, you got this? Cool." I have heard some people decry prong collars as cruel or abusive, but I would argue that it was much less cruel than letting Ima stay in that state of stress and arousal while attempting to raise her threshold for what she perceived to be huge threats.

By the same token, a prong collar might be too strong an aversive for a different dog. I had my Shih-Tzu mix, Sufjan, from about 6 months old. And he was happy to do just about anything for treats. That made it really simple to communicate with him what I behaviors I wanted. So it took about 2 months of training and another few to wean him off the treats, but that was all he needed. And it was annoying to keep treats with me all the time, but it was a small price to pay to be able to stay consistent. A prong collar would have been too harsh a correction because he didn't really need it.

Training is all about developing your relationship with the dog, learning understand each other. I say, don't believe anyone who tells you their way is the ONLY way. Go with what works for you, stick with it, and you will get to have a fabulous relationship with a marvelous companion that respects you, protects your chickens, and makes your life more joyful.

I love this!! Too many people don’t take the time to understand the other side and just spout off all these accusations or false things or whatever without actually knowing what they are talking about. That’s why I always like to research both sides and learn from people who are actually using the methods, etc. before I just dismiss it. Cause like you said, not everything works for every dog! That said though, I do think far too many “trainers” just slap a prong on every dog without actually assessing what that individual dog needs. Which is unfortunate. But I’ve seen it the other way too. People just thinking food is the answer for every dog when some would rather a ball or praise or whatever or maybe that dog needs a correction. It definitely all depends but I hate when people just refuse to even consider any other methods. Gotta find what works best even if it’s one you hadn’t necessarily considered before.