Recommendation for Dog Trainers/Behaviorists in Sydney

[Jhunt]

Hi All,

 

Hoping if anyone can give recommendation on Dog Trainers/Behaviorists in Sydney.

 

I am going to get a German Shepherd pup in little over a month from a registered breeder in NSW. I choose the breeder over many after doing months of research online, visiting them and discussing.

 

I firmly believe on training as a well trained and behaved dog will be a delight to have. So, I have been speaking to many trainers and going over the internet on Dog Training. While the information available online is plenty I have to say its overwhelming and inconclusive. All the trainers that I have spoken to either have a standard puppy training program (or package) which will cost anywhere around $500 to $700 for 4-5 hour sessions or charge per hour basis. While the packages appear to be lucrative I am not contempt with them.

 

Can any one of you folks suggest a good if not the best trainers in Sydney who have had personal experience?

 

Thanks,

 

Jhunt. 

[juice]

K9 pro . 

[Papillon Kisses]

Where in Sydney are you?

[Jhunt]

4 hours ago, Papillon Kisses said:

Where in Sydney are you?

Girraween.......Western Suburbs

[Malamum]

On 2/20/2019 at 3:02 PM, juice said:

K9 pro . 

I second this.

 

I have a 6 month old puppy and I have been doing the puppy raising program with K9 pro and I can't recommend them highly enough.

 

It's a one and half our drive (each way) for me but it's well worth it and I wouldn't go anywhere else.

 

What is it that you are not quite happy with when it comes to the programs you have already looked into?

[Panto]

2 hours ago, Malamum said:

On 2/20/2019 at 3:02 PM, juice said:

K9 pro . 

I second this.

 

I have a 6 month old puppy and I have been doing the puppy raising program with K9 pro and I can't recommend them highly enough.

 

It's a one and half our drive (each way) for me but it's well worth it and I wouldn't go anywhere else.

 

What is it that you are not quite happy with when it comes to the programs you have already looked into?

another for these guys.

 

It's a longer drive for us as well but the bespoke session at our pace and ongoing program specific to our needs and lifestyle were just what we needed. We get a lot of comments and praise out walking now, and for what it's worth I think we have been quite diligent with the training program.

 

The main driver for using these guys, for us, was the balance between life skills, and training skills (for dog sports and activities etc). They're quite different things, eg, loose lead walking vs walking at heel. Many training programs will lump these two things together. 

[Malamum]

oh and just to add, the long drive is actually a positive not really a negative as our puppy now travels in the car like an absolute champion.  We took him for his first consult 4 days after brining him home and he is now so used to longish drives that he just gets comfortable and then falls asleep about 5 minutes into the trip.  So, I now see the car trip as part of his training as it's just something else for him to get used to and learn to take in his stride.

[Papillon Kisses]

If you’re up for a drive then I’d go to Polite Paws in Earlwood or East Kurrajong. I really like Lisa’s puppy school curriculum and she’s up to date with the latest science-based based methods. Incidentally, she also has German Shepherds!

 

Otherwise contact PPGA or look here (you can change search criteria).

 

Here’s a good article about how to choose a dog trainer: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2016/12/how-to-choose-dog-trainer.html?m=1

[Malamum]

1 hour ago, Papillon Kisses said:

 

Here’s a good article about how to choose a dog trainer: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2016/12/how-to-choose-dog-trainer.html?m=1

That is a pretty biased article.  I'd call it an opinion piece really.

 

The author has already determined that there is only one acceptable method to train dogs and then tells you how to find a trainer that complies that that one method.  There is no coverage of all methods in an impartial manner with guidance on how to pick the method and trainer that is best for you and your dog.

[Jhunt]

Thanks much, everyone, for your suggestions.

 

One aspect that I get conflicting advice from trainers/behaviorists is on the right age to bring the puppy home.

 

While the most common suggestions is 8 weeks, few said it should be 10 - 12 weeks. One behaviorist in particular was definitive on 12 weeks and reasoned that mother would teach the pup many things between the age of 6 to 12 weeks.

 

So, I have done a bit of digging over the net and found some really interesting articles alluding to the idea of bringing the pup at 12 weeks old.

 

https://www.allivet.com/blog/whens-the-best-time-to-separate-a-puppy-from-its-mother/

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/canine-corner/201601/what-age-should-puppies-be-brought-their-new-homes

 

I have a bit of experience around raising dogs (German Shepherds to be specific) but not from the puppy age.

 

I’d really appreciate if any one share their experience in this perspective.   

 

Regards,

 

JHunt.

 

 

 

 

[Jhunt]

On 2/25/2019 at 4:20 PM, Panto said:

another for these guys.

 

It's a longer drive for us as well but the bespoke session at our pace and ongoing program specific to our needs and lifestyle were just what we needed. We get a lot of comments and praise out walking now, and for what it's worth I think we have been quite diligent with the training program.

 

The main driver for using these guys, for us, was the balance between life skills, and training skills (for dog sports and activities etc). They're quite different things, eg, loose lead walking vs walking at heel. Many training programs will lump these two things together. 

Thanks Malamum and Panto.

 

I've started a dialogue with K9 Pro and received lot of info.

 

Hopefully I will reach to a decision soon.  

[Tassie]

IMHO as far as the age for having puppies leave the litter depends on a number of factors.   Under ANKC regulations, and the law in many jurisdictions, 8 weeks is the minimum age.  This is probably based on a mixture of the sort of research Stanley Coren is talking about, but also on the 2 week interval after the first of the core vaccines in the AVA protocol.  I believe many breeders of small breeds do not let their puppies go to new homes until a bit older - 10-12 weeks.

 

There is so much variation in the way puppies are raised these days.  IMHO the best breeders (at least of the working and gundog breeds being raised for pet and performance homes .. but also some of the other breeds) use Puppy Culture or similar early enrichment/early neurological stimulation programs, so that puppies are raised with all sorts of exposure to the sorts of things they are going to be meeting in the outside world even before their eyes are open.   The pups that I've seen raised in this way are confident, socially competent little dogs, well ready to transition to their new homes by 8 weeks.   Many of these breeders will introduce crate training early, and particularly if pups are going to fly, will have them sleep separately from the littermates for a couple of nights.  My current dogs did not arrive from interstate until they were 10 weeks, since in both cases they were being run on while the breeder decided on the show pick.   They were not kept solely with the dam for those extra weeks .. had plenty of exposure to other dogs and pups and other critters.    I recently went with a friend to pick up an 8 week old pup from an interstate flight, and that pup, raised on Puppy Culture sort of protocol, was calm and confident straight off the plane, nad adapted very quickly to life with a toddler, a cat and an adult dog. 

[Panto]

On 2/27/2019 at 9:41 AM, Jhunt said:

Thanks much, everyone, for your suggestions.

 

One aspect that I get conflicting advice from trainers/behaviorists is on the right age to bring the puppy home.

 

While the most common suggestions is 8 weeks, few said it should be 10 - 12 weeks. One behaviorist in particular was definitive on 12 weeks and reasoned that mother would teach the pup many things between the age of 6 to 12 weeks.

 

So, I have done a bit of digging over the net and found some really interesting articles alluding to the idea of bringing the pup at 12 weeks old.

 

https://www.allivet.com/blog/whens-the-best-time-to-separate-a-puppy-from-its-mother/

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/canine-corner/201601/what-age-should-puppies-be-brought-their-new-homes

 

I have a bit of experience around raising dogs (German Shepherds to be specific) but not from the puppy age.

 

I’d really appreciate if any one share their experience in this perspective.   

 

Regards,

 

JHunt.

 

 

 

 

You're doing some indepth research and this is great - and by no means does it sound like you're researching to justify an already made up mind, which is commendable. 

Have you heard about the theory/practice behind Puppy Culture? This might shed a little more light into your 8/12wk research. We brought our puppy home but continued his development, and had been in dialogue with our breeder in the lead up to make sure we maintained consistent puppy raising. 

(For us, K9 pro helped us continue this journey based on our needs)

[huski]

Hi JHunt

 

Bec from K9 Pro here, I do all the puppy training, so you'd be coming to see me if you book in for a puppy raising consult.

I don't get on DOL much these days but I just wanted to address the question you had about what age to bring your pup home. Steve also breeds dogs, and recommends they go to their new home at 8 weeks for a number of reasons. There are a couple of blog posts Steve has written that I think may really help give you some insight into why we recommend this, and also some insight into how we approach raising pups.

 

http://www.k9protraining.com.au/socialisation-what-is-it-exactly/

 

http://blog.k9pro.com.au/distraction-proof-your-pup/

 

http://blog.k9pro.com.au/so-you-want-a-german-shepherd/

Feel free to email me directly bec @ k9pro.com.au (just take out the spaces) if you have any other questions.

 

PS thanks guys for the recs, I really love working with you and your pups, they are awesome