doglifetraining

Hi Heston1, It's interesting that you say you like him this way, I think an introverted dog is often much easier to train and live with than the extroverted ones. It sounds like you are doing all of the right things, just keep doing it for the next few years, dogs go through many personality changes in their life and a dog who is introverted needs to be continually exposed to novel situations (in a non forceful way) to reduce the likelihood of fearful behaviour. You sound like you know your puppy very well which suggests to me that you spend a lot of time with him, good on you! Knowing what he is like you should be his voice and 'have his back'. Be aware of his body language and respond accordingly so he never feels the need to behave aggressively. You're doing great, just keep going. Here is a link to an article and video on canine body language.... doglifetraining|canine body language Good luck, he sounds utterly gorgeous! Katarina

Hi! Probably best to test out the dog door and backyard use during the weekend when you can observe from afar, rather than jumping straight in to a solo 8+ hour day with access to outside. The alternative is to have a friend/neighbour/dog walker come and check on puppy during the day for the first few weeks. With the installation, you will only need to put the dog door in the timber door, but you will have to obviously cut out a hole (no dog door needed) in the security door. I love my Staywell flexible door dog flap, it's quiet when they go through it so helps with the training. Much like this one.... Staywell dog door Good luck and I think restricting access to the whole yard for the time being is a good idea.

No problem, thanks for the feedback and taking the time to visit the blog. You have got a lot of great advice here, I especially like the long line training, very useful to gain control when a dog has no recall. I have a long tracking line (about 15m) that I use with some dogs who have a poor recall. I didnt use it with Nemo as i have access to a great fenced park where I can see every dog before they enter the area. I also use raw, fresh beef when training Nemo. I had a roast chicken for dinner last night and may take a few bits of that out with me today for extra recall fire power I love my leather lead, I got it from a site called fordogtrainers.com Nemo is a seeing eye stud dog and this lead is so good because I can make it really short when he is 'working' and long for our leisurely walks. He does have a sweet face, when i take him out in his 'working jacket' people love him. However, because of his big head many people think he is some sort of bull breed and this was another reason I had to have a good recall, he does look scary. Good luck with Pasha (I love that name) and just keep going

With Nemo, when did you make the next step to making him 'come' when he was with other dogs? I have a similar issue with Archie and I don't want to go up to this step too early because he already ignores me enough when he is with other dogs. But like Nemo, he will come away from scent distractions, etc. Just not the dog. Great question! There were two ways I trained this.... 1. Through Shaping the 'check in' behaviour: I would often reinforce Nemo for just offering a look at me (when around other dogs) and I found over time he would say hello to a dog, then look straight back at me for reinforcement. Because of this he now also starts to play with a dog, then stops and checks in with me until I give him a release to go back and play again. This check in behaviour is perfect for a dog like Nemo who could get carried away chasing or pestering another dog to play, now he says hello and plays politely and respectfully. I complimented step one with step two....... 2. Through recalling around other dogs: I would only let Nemo off lead around other dogs who were not scared of him, every time I found a dog like this I would let him off lead, walk with the other owner and dog and practice my recalls during these walks. Nemo was much more open to the recall after he had been around a dog for a little while. I never stood around in one place with him allowing a free for all play session. Nemo has now had so much time around other dogs off lead that now when he sees another dog he is not busting out of his skin to say hello. I can heel him up to another dog and his reward for good heeling is a release to go and say hello, food is not needed nearly as much. During these training times I only called Nemo when i knew he would come to me, this success has started to condition him to respond to 'Nemo' and 'come', almost like a reflex. Our walks are not relaxing yet, I have to be ever vigilant but I see improvement every day. I'm also not expecting perfection, Nemo's success rate probably sits somewhere around 90% with his recalls. You will need to find Archie's favourite currency also, Nemo wasn't interested in food, when he came to me he was fat, he's dropped weight since and the food became a priority for him. I use food raw beef pieces to reinforce Nemo. Starting to train the recall at adolescence can be very hard work, but it sounds like you have a good base to start from and I'm sure with some well timed reinforcement you will be able to also shape Archie's check in and recall. All the best, and please feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

Hi Zug Zug, I've also have an adolescent dog (adopted at 10months), a black lab who had no recall whatsoever when I first got him, now, 8 months on he is a champ, but still lots of hard work on a walk. When people comment on how good he is I say he is still a work in progress because we still work on his recall every day. Anyway, i've made a video as part of my blog on how I began shaping the recall (when he first came to me), please have a look, I hope you find some things you can use..... Recall in Action with Nemo It also prompted me to write an article on the development of the recall, after all it's one thing to call your dog at home and a completely different thing to call them back as they are running away from you..... The Development of the Recall All the best with your training, Poodles are so smart.

I nodded my head reading your post, a while ago I made the decision to adopt an Irish Setter (he has since passed away) and everyone was telling me I was crazy, they are stupid, never come when you call and cannot be trained was what I was hearing. Yes, I took all of this information in and trained/socialised him intensively from the beginning. Guess what? He was the best damn dog I have ever had! I actually was being stopped at the park by people remarking at how calm and well trained he was. Knowing this information should not turn you off, just make you more aware and prepared. I would take extra special care to socialise to the hilt with as many people and dogs as possible to guard against any agro. This means finding appropriate dogs to have your puppy around, and not just for the first few months, this kind of socialisation/training should continue for years. It also means, in your situation, being aware of canine body language, each dogs personal habits and preferences, and creating an environment where they feel 'heard' so they do not have to resort to fighting. I miss my Irish boy (i dont think I will ever have another dog so special to me again) and I am so glad I listened to people's warnings and stepped up to the plate prepared. I was rewarded, and I hope you will be too.

Hi there, Here's a review page of some popular pet dog books.... doglifetraining.com-best dog reference books All the best and good on you for researching. You don't need to take all the advice, just do what works and feels right for you.

She sounds very cute! Work on recall skills like: Name recognition Calling her to 'come' when she is running towards you (this can either be set up with a friend holding her or just whenever she runs towards you) Then doing both of the above with small distractions like smells on the ground or when she is watching something. Then increase the level of distractions over several months. Only let her off lead when she cant race up to people, cute now, but in a few months you could be 'done' for having a dog that 'rushes'. So either enclosed spaces or off lead when no one is around. To continue her socialisation walk her up to people and dogs on lead, then let her off. You dont want her to practice rushing up to people. She will not grow out of this. Check out some more recall info here... doglifetraining.com/recall Be vigilant when you walk her and good luck.

I get this question lots. I have never noticed a difference in how good a stay is based on looking in the eyes. I would just do what feels comfortable for you and what you think is right for your dog (as this exercise can be really nerve wrecking). It's the training and proofing that are important for this skill. Individually work on..... distance: length you will be asked to step away time: time you will be gone for distractions: add distractions last and go slow Then put them all together. Be prepared for it to take several weeks to get a basic stay. Months for more advanced stay. Here is a good run down of how to develop a bomb proof stay stay:doglifetraining Good luck.

I know that some of this thread is in a little jest, but I cant help thinking..... does it really matter?????? Does one 'off' ear mean that much that you would spend time taping it? It obviously does to some, and that's fine. But it does make me sad in a way. And here's why.... A few months ago I had to put my 11 month old Irish Setter pup to sleep due to epilepsy and I would give anything, anything to have him back. My previous dog was a Weimaraner with three legs. Both of these dogs were amazing despite their severe disabilities, it was quite amazing after a while I even would forget that Lloyd had three legs (until people would stop us in the street) I saw past the surface and my view of them became what they were on the inside- the most beautiful dogs in the world. I guess I just wanted to put forward something that might make you worry a little less. I wish I were lucky enough to have a dog with a bung ear.

Congratulations! It's such an exiting time. All of the above replies have been great so take notice of them. Some things I would add.... Have fun, the baby puppy stage is perfect for building a strong bond. I play and play and play with my pups and what I have found ends up happening is that because I am their best play mate they are less distracted and it makes teaching recall really easy. Early time is all about tonnes of positive experiences with many situations/environments/dogs/people/objects/other animals For the first few nights I always sleep on the floor with my new puppy (with them in a crate/confinement area). Over a few days they will gain confidence, trust and settle quickly, and you will find that you can then move the crate (or them) anywhere you want them to sleep. It makes for a really stress free transition from the breeder to your home. All the best.

Just an interesting story on this note.... I had a male Weimaraner (who has since passed away) and I did not desex him until he was over a year old (personal preference). Anyway, he had an accident and had to have one of his front legs amputated when he was six months old. The vet was thankful that we had not desexed him so that the testosterone could help in recovery and strength of the remaining legs. I dont have my large dogs desexed until they are over one year. Having said that, I find that entire males tend to cop a bit of flack from other dogs, I'm lucky enough that my dogs have very good 'bounce back', but it is something to be aware of.

1. What is my relationship with the breed? Owner 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? Faolmor did a great job at outlining this. 3. How common is it in Australia? Everyone that sees my dog comments, 'Oh, I used to have one of these when I was a young child'. It seems that this was the dog to have in the 60's and 70's, in part due to the popular movie- Big Red. Unfortunately, this led to poor breeding and ignorant people owning this breed. Because of this the Irish Setter developed a bad rep for being dumb and untrainable. Nowadays the IS is not nearly as popular, which, in my opinion is probably a good thing. 4. What is the average lifespan? 12-14yrs 5. What is the general temperament/personality? A well bred IS should be frolicking, outgoing and friendly. They are real clowns and you need to have a good sense of humour to enjoy living with one. They love their family and need to be inside and close to them. They learn willingly and add their own personality to dog training. If you want a robot this is not the dog for you. They are late to mature. If you love to play they are always ready for a game. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? At least a one hour walk daily. They love to run off lead. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Generally not, in my opinion they are too much of a handful. If you are set on one as a first time dog owner prepare before you bring your IS home. Enrol in a positive training dog club, set your home up with a confinement area and make sure you can walk your IS every day, rain, hail or shine. If you work full time your IS will need two walks per day and lots of environment enrichment. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? With adequate/appropriate exercise and lots of environment enrichment they can be fine. They should be with you inside though when you are home. Take some time off work before you bring your IS home and work up to leaving them for a full day and your IS should be fine. 9. How much grooming is required? The IS coat is beautiful and in the sunlight it looks like spun gold. Daily, a quick 5-10minute brush will keep the coat free from burrs, knots, dirt and grass seeds. Every 6-8 weeks I have my IS clipped by his breeder. He gets clipped under the chin and around the neck, coat stripped, feathers on legs trimmed and feet fur clipped. I dont notice any shedding. Desexing usually makes the coat appear more wooly, less silky. I bath my IS every month or so. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? Usually, yes. Our IS lives with a 5 year old child and he is sometimes too much for her. Confinement areas are important when you have such small children and such a large dog. IS are very strong dogs physically. You must have time to devote to exercising and training if you want an IS and a young child to happily coexist. Having said all of this, I always think that an IS would love nothing more than to go exploring with a 13 year old boy or sleeping with a child on their bed. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Bad hips, bloat and epilepsy are all things prospective IS owners should be aware of. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) Here (link below) is how I found my IS breeder, it includes questions asked, process involved, and even a letter I sent out to all IS breeders in my State to narrow my choice. finding-a-breeder/">Finding a Good Breeder

Wow, you guys must be cold having to leave the door open, it's freezing here in Melbourne at the moment. At this stage you need to treat your new dog just like a new puppy. Take him to the toilet after sleeping, eating and playing. When you cant watch him he needs to be confined to a small space. Over time you will be able to allow him more freedom, but not yet. You should also look in to some fake grass for dogs. You can put this on your balcony...... Dog Toilet Give your pup at least 6 weeks to settle in. Everything is so brand new for him at this stage. Here is a great dog training school you might like... Dog Club Melbourne Good luck

Lol I've met about 4 or 5 and each one of them has been incredibly yappy. Ok, ok, maybe the water around here is different. It sounds like the environments you are seeing the paps in are very stimulating which is why they are barking? Just a thought. I work in obedience and all of the ones I have seen have been quiet. I still think they are great. Maybe some pap breeders would be able to comment. By the way Minxy, I love Akita's they are my favourite all time breed of dog. Yours look magnificent!