What Do You Teach First?

[Ptolomy]

Hmm this got me thinking - I probably teach them that I am the most important thing in the entire world and that all good things and fun come from me.

[PAX]

1329550774[/url]' post='5727261']

Handler focus and engagement but there are no real 'commands' for that.

I guess the first verbal commands would be;

toilet (ie toilet on command)

in your crate

name recognition

here

sit

then 'watch' and basic positions.

If my pup thinks I am the best thing on the planet and the source of all the fun then the rest is made so much easier .

Is it harder to control this though, when there is more than one dog?

Not if you separate them.

Lol, i think first things....just got the puppy today, toileting on cue and playing with me.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I worked with both my dogs from day 1, but the first one I had no clue what I was doing and the second one can work like a star but at home he can test me still lol. Where I have gone wrong is my youngest loves my other dog more than he cares about me. He always follows me room to room, tries to be on my lap or right close to me but I suspect he cares for mason more

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Gawd if I knew then what I know now.

1st thing - toilet outside - with cue word

2nd - dog's name

3rd - to wait for permission to eat dinner. eventually evolved this into nice sit and drop stays.

4th - speak (and quiet)

5th - crate training - but it was more about preventing dog from being stepped on when I was cooking, and preventing furniture becoming chew toys when I was out.

I also taught her ignore joggers, bikes, cars etc. We're still working on cats and horses and alpaccas. It's hard for an ACDx but not impossible - after all - they are supposed to stop when the farmer tells them to.

6th - loose lead walking - fail...

I also failed at teaching/conditioning recall until she was about 14 months but it's still not perfect and requires regular maintenence - too much competing re-inforcement from the environment - especially the left over bbq from the sports club fund raisers. Sheesh.

If I got an independent minded puppy now - I'd spend a lot more time *conditioning* the recall with

UBER treats.

games and shaping - a lot more of this and a lot more persistance from me about making sure I get what i want not her training me. Not to rip toys to pieces - would have been handy - but it is one of her great joys. Anyone got any old (clean) socks they don't want? Doesn't matter if they have holes in or not.

Collar grab, crate games - so the crate is more fun to be - we are there now but her puppy hood could have been more fun for her.

Loose lead walking with Reinforcement zone

not teaching a finish.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I failed sadly my 7 month old is heeling or pulling like a truck

[Jumabaar]

Some books say train pups instantly, others say wait until 12 weeks, 16 weeks and some even say 6 months. I personally believe that training begins the moment you bring puppy home. At my local dog club class 1 starts off with heeling, assuming that your dog already knows sit.

Just interested to know what are the first 5 commands you taught your dog/ recommend starting with?

Hmmmm Its hard because I tend to name a whole heap of things and pups generally learn them by blindly following the older dogs

1- Name (If I say their name it equals free food, I use names as recalls so it covers that too)

2- Release command- happens when going through doors etc

3- Out (to get out of any room I am in because it covers any emergencies like glass on floor or naughty puppies trying to steal stuff. Usually taught by following the older dogs with pup having no idea what it means)

4- "In crate"

5- And probably the only real thing they learn is to target my hand.

In the first week they probably know a hell of a lot more commands than that- my phone ringing means I will get up (so I regularly change the sound). That the laptop coming out means that I am not going to be playing with them for a while. That lights out means sleep time.

I dont think its possible not to start training as soon as you get home- simply because you are constantly giving cues to your dog about what your planning etc. I put cues on lots of stuff around the house simply to make my life easier with a few dogs running around.

[Agility Dogs]

1329550774[/url]' post='5727261']

Handler focus and engagement but there are no real 'commands' for that.

I guess the first verbal commands would be;

toilet (ie toilet on command)

in your crate

name recognition

here

sit

then 'watch' and basic positions.

If my pup thinks I am the best thing on the planet and the source of all the fun then the rest is made so much easier .

Is it harder to control this though, when there is more than one dog?

Not if you separate them.

Lol, i think first things....just got the puppy today, toileting on cue and playing with me.

Now I know why my dog won't play with me and still pees in the house at 2 years of age.

You are right - I just assume that stuff 'happens'. I know it doesn't.

[Rilla-My-Rilla]

I failed sadly my 7 month old is heeling or pulling like a truck

We're working on this with my sister's 7 month old. The instructor at Dog Club is pretty hopeless, has no method so a lot of the pups in our class are struggling. Just as well we've done so much reading, ect, so school at the moment is only for Henry's socialisation (he has fear aggression)

[Agility Dogs]

I failed sadly my 7 month old is heeling or pulling like a truck

We're working on this with my sister's 7 month old. The instructor at Dog Club is pretty hopeless, has no method so a lot of the pups in our class are struggling. Just as well we've done so much reading, ect, so school at the moment is only for Henry's socialisation (he has fear aggression)

Which club are you going to?

Don't be too hard on the instructor, they are afterall giving up their time to help everyone with their dogs. Sometimes an instructor without all the answers is better than no instructor at all.