Part 7 - Early Training

John is an extremely experienced member and trainer of Gun Dogs. Hints, tips and general advice can be found in here which will build into an extremely useful souce of informatation

Moderator: Forum Moderators

User avatar
LabRes1
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 447
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 15:47

Part 7 - Early Training

Post by LabRes1 »

PART SEVEN

Early training

The problem with notes like this is trying to get them in chronological order when so much starts at the same time. Training starts the instant a puppy walks into the house.

In the old days somehow training did not seem so important. I suppose there were far less dogs around. I remember when I was at school we used to play football across the road. Now the same road is wall to wall traffic! Latch key dogs were the norm. Unfortunately times change and training for the family dog is now so important.

Training is like a child at school. The teacher teaches the simple things and the child learns. As the child learns the power of the brain increases and so the child finds it easier to learn more and more complicated things. The hardest things we teach our dog are the first things. My Anna is a four year old working gundog and on Gundog Day at Crufts I brought her a fluffy tiger toy. Without deliberate training, by the evening of the following day she could, just by being asked “Where’s tiger” pick up tiger out of a pile of other toys and bring it to me.

The words of command are important. They should be as distinctive as possible and be short crisp sounds. Sit, Down, Stay, Come and possible the most important, No! Give the commands as firm one word commands and not as part of a sentence. The aim is to make the commands stand out. Always aim to be successful and always reward the correct response.

So where does training start? I start with the sit. It is so easy! At meal times before I put the food down I tell the puppy to sit and holding the food dish over the dogs head I move it back over the puppy . As the puppy’s head follows the dish his behind goes down! Simple as that! The puppy does not have a clue about what the “SIT” sound means but over a period of time the same “action, sound, response” sequence will start to take effect.

What do you say if your puppy stands up you with muddy feet? “Get Down”? What about if it jumps onto the furniture? “Get Off”? And if it starts to chew something? “Leave It”? Three commands for your puppy to learn when one command, that good old general purpose command “NO” is all that is needed! Think about the commands you give. Remember every one has to be learned so the less you use the less to be learned! If you think about a dog working in the highest class of competitive Obedience, it only needs to know the correct response to eight commands and yet the average pet dog is bombarded with twenty plus commands, most of which mean the same thing!

When you call your very young puppy the chances are it will come! It does not understand the command but it hears you and wants to find out what’s happening! In other words, it is nosiness which brings the puppy to you not the response you intended but useful non the less! Obviously if nothing interesting happens when he arrives back to you then he just wont bother next time! He’s not disobeying the command, he doesn’t understand the command at this stage anyway. He’s just doing what to him is the most interesting thing at that moment! The secret is to never give a command if you think it is not going to be obeyed. Or if you are not in a position to enforce it.

NOTHING BREEDS SUCCESS LIKE SUCCESS!


Regards, John
User avatar
Glenys
Glenys
Glenys
Posts: 7359
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 16:54
Location: Lancashire
Contact:

Post by Glenys »

This is excellent information written for our rescue by John Weller to share with people especially if you are looking to own a dog for the first time or to help with any training you may need with an existing dog.

Also do not forget to ask if there are any questions you would like to put to John in particular I am sure he would be able to advise.
andrea

Post by andrea »

This is a fantastic series of writing by john....It gives advice on the whole process of aquiring a dog!!

People do not sometimes realise what is involved when buying a puppy or even taking on a rescue dog. It is hard work and commitment that in the end produces fantastic dogs.

We should welcome the advice and support of people like John who have so much knowledge and understanding.

Their simple advice, understanding and experience of dogs can guide us when we are a wits end.

We can also pass all this information on to new dog owners, so hopefully one day if we all have knowledge that can be shared the rescue might not be full!!
User avatar
John
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 115
Joined: 01 Jan 2007, 19:57
Location: South Bucks

Post by John »

Thank you for that Andrea. I've got to say, I do love Labraors. Had a couple of false starts before I found them. But once found, I've no desire to stray again.

Regards, John
kathryn
Senior User
Senior User
Posts: 475
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 21:12

Post by kathryn »

Thanks from me to John with your invaluable advice hopefully people will read this BEFORE they go to buy that little bundle of fluff,and maybe realise that there is a lot of hard work involved in getting a dog,and not hope that the dog will somehow train itself... :|
This week in Rescue we had 2 young dogs in, ( 5 months & 8 months)so these topics apply to people who are thinking of buying a pup and maybe wanting to take on a Rescue...
User avatar
John
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 115
Joined: 01 Jan 2007, 19:57
Location: South Bucks

Post by John »

I'm having an interesting discussion on another (Landrover) forum Kathryn. We were saying that in the old days we wire brushed the sparking plugs, refaced the electrodes with a thin file and regaped them and continued to use the same set of plugs for years on end. Now we are expected to throw them away and replace them at every service rather than spend a few minutes restoring them to original glory!

The same thing applies to dogs. We want instant obedience without putting any work into it. Yet with just a little work at day one we end with a dog we can take anywhere. A dog it's a pleasure to be around. And the best of it is that the training it's self is fun!

Regards, John
kathryn
Senior User
Senior User
Posts: 475
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 21:12

Post by kathryn »

We want instant obedience without putting any work into it. :)

So true John, you would not beleive some of the things we hear,the dog must be lead trained, must walk to heel, etc,dont people often realise that these things have to be trained,and as you say a few minutes a day every day does wonders.
We took our two out today to a local wood, they were running free, and having a wonderful time, in the distance we heard a tractor coming up behind us, so the whistle came out, they both came back then onto their leads, the tractor passed us by, then off lead again...at times it has been hard with our two I have to admit,but its all worth the time and trouble in the end... :)
andrea

Post by andrea »

I have friends who are hoping to take on board a puppy at christmas..... I have given them your writings john, so hopefully it will guide them through those eariy days and months!!

Thank you again, I am learning and have learnt so much through your posts.

xx
User avatar
John
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 115
Joined: 01 Jan 2007, 19:57
Location: South Bucks

Post by John »

Remember, I'm always here if they need anything.

Regards, John
Naomi

Post by Naomi »

Ooh lovely a new puppy - not a good time to get one though, Christmas!!! Hope they are responsible owners!

Naomi
kathryn
Senior User
Senior User
Posts: 475
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 21:12

Post by kathryn »

True xmas isnt a good time for a pup, but knowing andrea I am sure her friends are responsible people.also depends on the breeder we picked our Lucy up on Dec 28 the breeder wasnt letting many of her litter go until the next week,and did offer to keep her for us,but as we had had one before and he knew us, he let us take her, she was 7 and a half weeks anyway...and life has never been the same since... :D
User avatar
John
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 115
Joined: 01 Jan 2007, 19:57
Location: South Bucks

Post by John »

True xmas isnt a good time for a pup, but knowing andrea I am sure her friends are responsible people.
It's very much dependent on the person. We had one of ours, Katy if I remember right, about 3 days before Christmas. She was not brought as a Christmas present, but she made for a wonderful Christmas! But then, we knew what to expect, messes and wets on the floor, and our visitors over Christmas were all people with dogs of their own. So they were not put out by the mess, or by chewed fingers. And possibly more importantly all children here were grown up so there were no childrens toys on the floor to be destroyed! It worked fine for us, but others it might not suit.

Regards, John
User avatar
Glenys
Glenys
Glenys
Posts: 7359
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 16:54
Location: Lancashire
Contact:

Post by Glenys »

I also had mixed feelings about Christmas puppies but for a serious dog lover it could be the most memorable gift ever.

Some years ago well many years ago I happened to breed a litter near Christmas as I wanted to keep a pup,I was contacted by someone who wanted one for a gifts for his wife at Christmas ! I was very stern with him and gave him the equivalent of the spanish inquistion....when we met he was a great person and the story that followed was lovely how his wife who was in deep grief over her loss of her old Dog saw this little face peeping round the bedroom door on Christmas day,we became firm freinds and when I went through my Divorce they were my rock so that Christmas puppy was loved and cherished all her life and I made wonderful freinds.

I am also in the same mind now with homing dogs at Christmas as we do enough rigorous checks on people to ensure a good home I have no qualms about homing at Christmas (but not for christmas gift)
kathryn
Senior User
Senior User
Posts: 475
Joined: 31 Dec 2006, 21:12

Post by kathryn »

We only have doggie friends at xmas anyway,I think a "true" dog lover doesnt really mind what time of year it is, I remember many years ago when we had Ben and his first xmas he was 5 months old and we were decorating the xmas treee, next thing we see is a long piece of tinsel going out of the door and round the back garden... :D memories....
andrea

Post by andrea »

Yes my friends are very responsible and more importantly they want to get it right.... hence me passing all of Johns advice on!!

First xmas we had floyd bought a real tree and being a typical male he had to cock his leg up, we have had artificial trees ever since... :D xx
Post Reply