Best Age To Train A Dog

[WildatHeart]

Like when they do those in house boarding/training, what is the best age to send a dog in to learn manners and basic obedience - sat, drop, stay, come, heel with some mild distractions?

[huski]

Personally, I wouldn't send my dog away for boarding/training. Dog training is about training the handler as much as it is about training the dog.

There's no right or wrong age to train a dog. The best thing you can do would be to have some one on one lessons with a reputable trainer, so they can teach you how to get the best out of the dog.

ETA: The best time to train your dog is now

Edited January 26, 2010 by huski

[piper]

Personally, I wouldn't send my dog away for boarding/training. Dog training is about training the handler as much as it is about training the dog.

I strongly agree with this statement. The handler needs to learn how to do it and it is also about developing the bond between owner and dog - having someone else do the training does not do this at all. Also as dog's don't generalise very well they may well go home and not generalise the learnt behaviour to the other environment. If they have a history of pulling on a leash, jumping up etc working in set locations (eg home and the walk around the block) then they will possibly revert back to their previous learnt behaviour for those loactions and the handler not having learnt how to train these issues themselves may struggle to get the dog to do as asked.

Far more effective IMO to work with a good trainer together with your dog so that both you and the dog learn together.

[WildatHeart]

I wasn't asking for me huski My young cousins (both brother and sister) have a pup each, they are now about four or five months old i think. Because they live away from me I was thinking I could take one dog at a time for two or three weeks and train. Then train them and how to keep up the training. Thought it would be easier then trying to train them and confusing the pup.

I would never send my dog away though Huski, and it would be good practice for me to brush up my skills.

[huski]

Totally agree, Piper

I know that there are some boarding/training centres out there that probably aren't bad, but I've heard so many horror stories that there is no way on Earth I would trust someone I don't know to take my dog and "train" it. You don't know what methods they will use, or how they will get the results you pay to see. They can also be hugely expensive and at the end of the day teaching basic commands is not hard to do and a good trainer can show you how to do it yourself.

Training is about you the handler learning how to train your dog, and like Piper said, developing a bond between you.

ETA: Ah see where you are coming from now WaH. I thought you were asking about boarding/training centres. Where are your cousins? It might be easier to get them to sign up to an obedience club or class near them.

Edited January 26, 2010 by huski

[WildatHeart]

There are 45mins away from the Toowoomba Obedience club, which dont really teach you much in the processes of how and why and make you use check chains even on young pups.

They are 30mins away from me but i see them nearly every weekend.

[huski]

They are 30mins away from me but i see them nearly every weekend.

Maybe you can do some 'classes' with them when you visit them and teach them how to get the basics down pat?

[Cosmolo]

Good boarding and training can be the BEST thing for some dogs and owners. Some owners are so stressed by their dogs behaviour that even with the best trainer and the best techniques, they would struggle with the initial training processes which is very unfair on the dog. Ask the dog whether they would like crystal clear, super consistent training as a start to their training- or a stressed, frustrated or sometimes frightened owner trying their best. The handler still learns to train the dog- but the dog has the 'buttons installed' for the owner to push first.

Yes their are dodgy establishments out there but too often, all board and train options are lumped in the same basket. I am sure i would be flamed if i said all group training is a bad idea- too over whelming for the dog, too distracting, inexperienced trainers etc etc.

If you see them every week WAH, you could start off giving them some tips and see how you go- does the dog have any problems? As far as age goes- it really depends, i find retention is better in the younger dogs so i think 6-12 months is a good age for that kind of training.

[WildatHeart]

Cosmolo, no the pups don't have any problems, other then what two young dog sibliings get up to. They are farm dogs - minus the cows and sheep lol.

Thanks for the age tip, that was the word i was trying to find when i first posted 'retention' lol

[Zug Zug]

Good luck. I think with kids it might help give them confidence that 'yes my dog can learn things' and 'yes I can work my dog' if you help give them a bit of a head-start. Trick will be 'head-start' rather than 'taking over' which would be tempting in this situation I reckon.

The hand-over process will be crucial. Perhaps a weekend at your place at the end (with each kid separately perhaps?) to go over it with them and teach them how to train the next 'trick' in the dog's progression? Also would help the dog to generalise to taking instruction from them, and you might have time to do it in a few different spots (e.g. your place, the park, etc.)

Then you can be a fantastic training mentor when you see them on weekends.

[WildatHeart]

Good luck. I think with kids it might help give them confidence that 'yes my dog can learn things' and 'yes I can work my dog' if you help give them a bit of a head-start. Trick will be 'head-start' rather than 'taking over' which would be tempting in this situation I reckon.

Then you can be a fantastic training mentor when you see them on weekends.

Yes, that was what i was also thinking. I know both of them would give up easily otherwise.

Edited January 26, 2010 by WildatHeart