Puppy training advice

[BigBlueHen53]

I do that plenty too!! But sometimes it’s nice to have the precision and mark a specific moment or behavior. In that case, good boy or full phrases like that might take too long. I don’t know the exact specifics of it because I’ve never really done “clicker training” per se but people that do it I think like or need the precision and marking an exact moment. So for example maybe you’re shaping a new trick or something they don’t know yet and that nose bump he just did was perfect but the pawing a second ago wasn’t and you need to mark the correct one. Stuff like that. Idk, it gets complicated hahah there’s lots of articles and research on the exact science I think but I haven’t really read them.

I usually do it completely “wrong” though and just say a ton of different stuff at once I’m always like “yes! Good boy! Good! Good job! Yes!”

For basic obedience and stuff I don’t think it really matters much or is needed but when you start getting into more advanced behaviors and shaping and stuff, the precision can be nice haha

But even then, I much prefer using my voice over an actual clicker.

I watch The Zoo and The Secret Life of The Zoo and they use a whistle, which they actually hold in their mouth to mark the behavior. I'm sure we don't see all the exact training, but that looks more accurate to me. But dogs are actually quite easy, so easy in fact that like I said, they're more likely to train us than the other way around. They're just so fun and amazing.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm baking bread today so I'll see y'all later. Have a great day. ❤

 

[ShrekDawg]

I watch The Zoo and The Secret Life of The Zoo and they use a whistle, which they actually hold in their mouth to mark the behavior. I'm sure we don't see all the exact training, but that looks more accurate to me. But dogs are actually quite easy, so easy in fact that like I said, they're more likely to train us than the other way around. They're just so fun and amazing.

Whistles work great too!!! It’s probably all the same sort of thing.... just some sort of marker, whether that’s a clicker, a whistle, your voice, whatever it is. The principal is the same. But yes, dogs are definitely easy and smart and able to adapt too even if someone makes a lot of mistakes they usually still learn just fine haha

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'm baking bread today so I'll see y'all later. Have a great day. ❤

Sounds delicious!

 

[JaeG]

Let my start by thanking everyone. Such great advice. This is a wonderful community!

We had to depend on the breeder as we are not nearby. I think this pup will match our needs. He was not the most timid in the bunch which I would have selected but that would not be best for a farm dog that is expected to run off predators. We have a retail business and all of our dogs have come to the store with us once they are trained and can stay calm while customers are there. He thought our pup would be able to do that as well.

Wirehaired pointing griffons were developed by a Dutchman so we thought we would give him a Dutch name. My husband goes to Europe several times a year for work and fell in love with the breed over there. I won't pick the winner until I have spent some time with little guy but the short list thus far is:
Omer (a favorite beer )
Leo (a friend's name)
Bas (short for Sebastian)
Hans (short for Johannes)
Otto
Any thoughts or suggestions? Here are pictures of the puppy and his parents for inspiration
View attachment 2224906View attachment 2224907

They are beautiful dogs.

As for a name - see what sounds best/is easiest for you to say being yelled over a long distance when you have to call him back.

How much longer do you have to wait until he moves in?

 

[EverythingDucks]

Why not just say "good boy?"

I prefer to say 'yes' opposed to 'good boy' because when people some to meet your dog they often say 'good boy' and the dog might be jumping out of excitement. You can use other words though, just something that people won't often say to your dog that will make him think he is always doing what you want. That's why a lot of people clicker train, but just saying 'yes' is much easier.

 

[EverythingDucks]

I would take him to training at Petco. They will usually understand what works best for you and your dog. Some are treat motivated, some like toys, and some just want to be pet. As long as there is the keyword like 'yes'. I am very pro positive, and if you're getting a young dog any behavior issues you can easily correct with positive training before they get out of hand. It can be the same for older dogs or rescues, but if it's to the point where someone could get hurt, then you may need to try something different. Do your research, ask some trainers, see what works best for your dog. For example, our neighbors across the street have a very aggressive pit bull that would hurt my small dogs. In that case I would give her plenty of exercise so she wouldn't have any pent up energy that could be turned into aggression. I would stay out of areas with lots of people for safety reasons. I would be firm and say 'no' when I saw behavior I didn't like and re-direct her and show her what I do like. If she was still aggressive and could hurt someone or their dog, then, only after lots of training, would I maybe use a prong, but only for safety. I would still use positive training and correct bad behavior though, and find a trainer. Zak George has a lot of videos on aggression.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I prefer to say 'yes' opposed to 'good boy' because when people some to meet your dog they often say 'good boy' and the dog might be jumping out of excitement. You can use other words though, just something that people won't often say to your dog that will make him think he is always doing what you want. That's why a lot of people clicker train, but just saying 'yes' is much easier.

These are all excellent points too!!!

This is also exactly why I’ve also considered training in another language lol I don’t know that I would cause it’s hard to remember sometimes but I know for a lot of the working dogs like GSDs and Mals and stuff they train them in German, Dutch, Czech, French, or something like that rather than English. And/or they train them to only respond to the handler.

I like that idea, even though I’m not sure it’s entirely practical for most pet dogs.

But I’ve noticed people constantly feel the need to give other people’s dogs commands and that can ruin them too. Especially if you’re trying to teach them to listen the first time you say a command and somebody else is constantly barking at the dog “sit sit sit sit SIT!!!” also not really fair to the dog to be constantly nagged by strangers. hence why I like the idea of having totally different commands people wouldn’t know.

It’s also why I try to pick a release word other than “Okay” because okay comes up soooo much in conversation that it’s easy to accidentally release a dog. Although I’ve found most dogs are smart enough to know when you are talking to them and when you are not so it hasn’t really mattered for me the few times I’ve accidentally had that as it and it is easy to say but still. I usually use a combination, like different ones for different things. But next dog I will pick one. Just need to decide.

I’ve used “okay”, “break”, “free”, “all done”, and probably others I’m forgetting. I never use good because I don’t want them to think “good boy” or “yes!” or other praise is a release word and I’ve actually worked hard to teach the opposite and put them back if they break prematurely. In other words, “yes you’re good and you’re doing the right thing but no, you are not released yet.”

I think I probably like “break!” The best out of all of them.

Sorry for the novel

 

[EverythingDucks]

Another example of correcting unwanted behavior:
We have a courtyard in the front with a gate and every time someone drops off a package the dogs go crazy. I want them to alert us when someones at our house but I don't want them to bark non-stop. I say 'hush' 'sit' then 'yes'. I don't just say 'hush' then 'yes' because it would be like rewarding them for barking. I make them sit because I do like that. This way they don't put barking with treats ya'know.

 

[EBirdsong]

They are beautiful dogs.

As for a name - see what sounds best/is easiest for you to say being yelled over a long distance when you have to call him back.

How much longer do you have to wait until he moves in?

I will get him in one week.