First Dog - What Is Normal For 15 Week Old Puppy?

[Eza]

Welcome to puppy ownership.

My 5 month old pup is a right handful and so much fun :laugh:

You will know what is right, same as babies, even twins grow at different ages.

My pup cant sit for visitors, hes too excited.

Your doing a great job and it shows you care to seek help too.

PS the photos are very cute :D

[Papillon Kisses]

Just popping in to say that I've sent you a PM about dog trainers near you. :)

[Papillon Kisses]

And another as all my links didn't work the first time!

How are things progressing with the little one?

[Lusticious]

And another as all my links didn't work the first time!

How are things progressing with the little one?

Thanks for the links!!! I've gotten in touch with few of them to see how it goes - One I looked into has short course which is 3 x 1 hour visits, but works out to be around $150 per visit which is quite pricey - Would you say these are well worth the price? (I mean I'm glad to pay it, but if I get not much out of it I might be disappointed!)

He is actually behaving very nicely at home now - I have fixed his guarding problem with chicken neck! I think a lot of people here won't agree maybe with the method, but it was something I saw in Caesar Millan's video (Having said that, I don't feel comfortable with most of his methods to try it anyway). Whilst he was holding the chicken neck and guarding it (he wasn't looking at me - but growling lightly), I tapped him lightly on his chest with an 'Oi!'. He snapped out of it instantly, dropped the neck, sat down and looked at me and I straight away praised him and gave him another piece of raw chicken which he gulped. Ever since that first 'tap' on the chest, I didn't have to repeat it ever and it really only took that one tap. He now has strong 'leave it' command and will drop even chicken neck on the ground (bit cheeky though, he will try to finish chewing instead of dropping instantly - I'm happy with that). I do reward him everytime he drops it and he seems comfortable with the idea now! Other than that, he is behaving more and more nicer everyday (in the house).

Still a lot harder to control outside especially with stranger though, brought him over to friend's place and nothing would go through his ears - The place had a huge backyard and a sandpit, not to mention friend was constantly distracting the puppy by throwing leaves sigh... Sometimes bit hard to tell your friends to leave your dog alone I've decided to not do visits and just do walks now and I'll be telling strangers not to give him any attention (One lady got offended though and told me that I should let puppies be puppies :/) Anyhow, if his progress at home is a sign of his progress outside eventually, then I'll be happy to see that happening!

but like I said, curious if those home visits are still worth it?

Edited October 21, 2016 by Lusticious

[Rebanne]

I sort of agree with your friend. Your pups training is no where near advanced enough to get high level responses when faced with such a new exciting environment. I'd use the visits just to get him comfortable with going to strange places. I would let him be a puppy. Maybe at the end of the visit you could ask for a minute or two of alone time to do a little work but then you also have a tired puppy. Even dogs trained to a high level for a long time can lose it in a new environment. Obedience clubs are full of people who say "but he does it at home"

Edited October 27, 2016 by Rebanne

[persephone]

Your puppy is still a puppy ! he needs to explore and enjoy new surroundings ..and until he does every trick/obeys every command perfectly at home/at obedience school ..you cannot, in all fairness expect him to do it at someone's place , where there are things his instinct tells him to do :)

Visiting is not for obedience perfection - if you expect this - you are setting puppy up to fail

Why not, when you go visiting .. teach him stuff like "go play" /"have Fun"/Free Time :) ..USE WORDS for things he does - he WILL learn them ;) Chasing leaves is good for him, and fun :) I try to watch, and then use words to suit actions , like:

Go run ..good puppy

Drink, Drink ...good puppy

Go sniff!...good puppy

Say hello!.... Good puppy :)

Inside, or Outside ...good puppy

When puppy does lie down , or come to you BY HIMSELF - HEAPS of praise/treats for that too ....

You may enjoy reading these articles :) l -

LINK

LINK

[rubiton]

I would not pay those types of prices and get one on one training for a puppy. You didnt mention if the puppy classes were a vet run class or an actual obedience club puppy class. We did both started and passed the puppy preschool then went to a local obedience club and did the indoor puppy training for a few weeks til she was fully vaccinated and now are outside in the big puppy classes. The instructors come and treach you the techniques to work with your puppy. Though lesson learnt this week if the puppy is over worked (it too much of a walk or taken out and not made to walk properly on the lead) then outcome wont be as good as expected. Just on 5 months and our puppy is only up to going for a 10 min walk once a day during which we practice the exercises from obedience with other moments allowed to sniff (when not near grass seeds). But all sessions are kept short, very short along with incidental training around the house (puppy sits and stays where put after being told such as being pushed back from something - reward).

Our puppy also lived in pens and not allowed free run. Now we have started to expand the areas as she isnt as interested in things she shouldnt touch and understands 'no and 'leave it' whereas a few weeks back you'd have to actually remove her from an area. But no free run as yet as she collects stuff she shouldnt still but is getting better as she gets older. So dont stress about using the puppy pen - during the day we have fake grass in the laundry and did briefly use puppy pads but she chose to chew them rather than use them.

[Papillon Kisses]

Thanks for the links!!! I've gotten in touch with few of them to see how it goes - One I looked into has short course which is 3 x 1 hour visits, but works out to be around $150 per visit which is quite pricey - Would you say these are well worth the price? (I mean I'm glad to pay it, but if I get not much out of it I might be disappointed!)

Honestly I can't really tell you as I haven't done the course! I think it would be on the high end for Sydney but I don't know Perth prices. Knowing the people I recommended, it's probably well-matched to the experience / skills / knowledge of that particular trainer and the course content and inclusions, such as whether there's email or phone support too. I assume this course would cover much more than basic obedience and toilet training, but also things like socialisation (which is a lot more than just other dogs), impulse control, crate training etc. The whole kit and caboodle.

What your puppy learns or doesn't learn, both good and bad, can have lifelong effects: there is a definite stitch-in-time-saves-nine element in play. However the level of help and associated cost depends on what you need and/or want to invest, and you may go just as well with a couple of private sessions with this person or someone else. Either way I am certain that the trainers I shared will provide excellent advice, or at least as certain as I can be without using them myself.

You may like to read these:

http://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/AVA_website/pdfs/Reward-based-training-brochure-WEB.pdf

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/resource-guarding-treatment-and-prevention

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/12_10/features/Dealing-With-Dog-Growling_16163-1.html

The point above about what type of class you've been going to is a good one. Both vet and obedience club classes can be run by people who aren't very knowledgeable about animal behaviour nor using modern, science-based methods: dog training is an unregulated industry. However the location matters less than the person running it and what they're doing and teaching, and raising a puppy well involves more than just training obedience. My parents went to a puppy school at a vet clinic that was run by a delta-qualified trainer, and when they had some issues had a single private session to help set them off on the right foot.