FOAK: Training Puppies...

Seen as thought the FOAK knows everything, I thought it was worth pitching
for some advice here whilst I await the arrival of "Golden Retrievers for
Dummys" from Amazon.

About to become first time puppy owners of a lovely little Golden puppy.
Having never trained a dog before, we're pretty much going in blind here.
Any essential advice that doesn't involve angle grinders would be greatly
appreciated. Especially tips on how to train it not to crap in the house
heh.

 

The opposite of reward is NOT punishment, but the withdrawal of reward.
As soon as puupy wakes up she will want to piss (and possibly shit).
Ditto after every meal.Make sure that she gets outside by running out
yourself while calling her. By the time she relieves herself she will be
outside. Pick a word (we use 'quicklies') and say it in a bright
encouraging tone as she performs. In a week or two she'll do it order.
Praise her to high heavens (**** what the neighbours think!). She won't
know what she's done right, she'll just associate your approval with
pissing on the lawn (or wherever you choose). Doing it outside is being
a good girl, clever girl etc. When (not if) she gets it wrong say
nothing, ignore her and clean up. Ignore her for another five minutes or
so after.

The same applies to everything else. Off and No and Oy! should be said
as if you mean them. Never give an order you can't enforce. No jumping
up (it's fun in puppy but not in a 100lb dog) if she's to be allowed on
the furniture it must be by invitation when YOU decide. She should not
be allowed upstairs at all.

The best investment you can make is in an 'indoor kennel' (a collapsible
gage) which can be her bed, her hide-away (respect this, especially if
you've children) and a place to leave her when she's not 'needed'. Again
choose a word (e.g. basket) that means go there. You'll save the cost
ten times over on furniture, carpets and skirting boards that she'd
otherwise chew when home alone.

Finally, if she's an only-dog, you'll probably need earplugs and a very
hard heart for the first few nights. An old-fashioned 'stone' hot-water
bottle (wrapped) and a loudly ticking clock nearby can help simulate the
warmth and heartbeat of the mother.Don't give in. Even at 7 weeks they
can sleep six hours at night. Before letting her out in the morning open
the back door and as soon as you let her out run out to the garden.

Most of all enjoy! They're not puppies for long. Retrievers are born
half-trained, spaniels die that way.
--
Derek Turner.

7-month old Cocker, 8-year old Labrador.
No Microsoft products were harmed (or even used) in the production of
this message.

 

<snip advice>

Cheers

 

<snipped>

Brilliant advice Derek.
It makes a change to see someone who "knows" the differences of praise and
punishment. So many people think that you beat the poor beast to half to
death to get it to respond. Including half the police force trainers!!
I have 2 dogs, both rescues, and OES (about 10 years old, we've had him 9)
and a 20 month Rotty.
The OES Jasper, had been beaten and abused badly when we got him, and hated
being near people. He has managed to come through that and is a fantastic
fella. Amazingly, considering his past, he has never growled or made any
vicious attempts towards humans.
The Rotty, Buddy, was 14 weeks when we got him from Wood Green, and is
great. A helluva lot more intelligent than Jasper ;o) and loves to play
fetch. Hates the water though!
And by god, don't they grow from little pups to big dogs in such a short
time!

--
Greybeard


FLHTCUI UK-07 Mk II
Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home!

ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk

 

Yah, and it's not something I can fathom. Dogs don't "know" anything abut
right and wrong, they just learn about rewards for doing "things". If they
don't do a "thing" (whatever it is) no reward, but if they DO do the
"thing", a good praising is all they want or need. Clobbering a dog does
**** all except invite a response you probably wouldn't want.

I've got 2 rescues too. A Boxer and a Ratter of some kind (Mongrel). Both
have pissed in the house once and both times it's obvious they were marking
their territory. Neither of them ever did it again and both respond to "Wee
wee" and go to the door wagging (what's left of their) tails They expect
something when they've done the deed and that can be a simple "Good lads" or
a "butt-nugget" (Wagg dry food chip).

Same with our Boxer. We couldn't touch his back at first, but now he'll
stand and let us rub it, scratch it and I'm sure we could kick it if we
wanted to. They learn to trust people fairly quickly.

He has managed to come through that and is a fantastic

He's in a place he's learned is safe. At least that's how I view the same
thing with my two mutts.

Our two play all the time. Annoyingly at times because they make a fucking
hell of a noise when they are. Growling deep and low while one (the boxer)
is lying down being dragged along the floor with a piece of rope by the
Ratter. The Boxer loves the water, Ratter hates it. Odd things these dogs

And a big dog (or two) jumping off your lap when someone walks down the
drive can be very painful too.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

That just sounds so *wrong*.

 

I think that just about sums it up really.
They really love plenty of praise, because they *really* want to please!

Wee-wee works for the Rotty, on demand, along with Poo-Poo! amazing
sometimes, I can poo on demand, but that big bastard does! ;o)
Jas just knows that when the doors oepn it time for business. He never poos
in the garden though for some reason, but if I let him in to the grassed
part of the garden then no problem!

It took a couple of years before he settled down to greeting visitors, now
he wont leave them alone;o)

My 2 are always playing in the garden when i'm out. Although, by some
strange reason, Budd, left Jas alone for a week or so just recently after he
had some major surgery. Bud seemed to know that playing was not on the menu
for a while. Back to normal now ;o)

Seconded!

I keep meaning to put a couple of pics on my website of them, but since I
haven't bothered to set up the website as such, yet, it seems pointless!
;o))

--
Greybeard


FLHTCUI UK-07 Mk II
Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home!

ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk

 

They look like a butt-nugget would look. Small and brown and the dogs
respond "Butt-nugget time" lie it's their birthday.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Yep. "Chops" (obviously the Boxer) wags his stump like **** if we say "good
boy" and he not only wags his stump, but deforms his head into a "dome"
shape when we say "VERY good boy", so we ask him if he's got hos "domey head
on" and he goes into a full on spazz emulation.

"Reg" (not our choice, he was called that when we got him) responds to "Good
boy" by not disappearing into his chosen hidey hole under the kitchen table.
I think he was made to spend most of his time under a table by his previous
bastards and really feels insecure. Or I should say "felt" insecure, coz
he's become an under the legs dog over time.

Neither of ours responds to "Poo" and Chops won't shit if anyone can see
him. He backs has arse into bushes, under trees, you name it, but never in
full view. His "spot"in the garden is out of sight from the door or window,
but we know when he's crapped because he charges around the garden like a
fucking idiot on speed immediately after. Yeah, the garden's well fucked.
Reg just takes two bottles into the shower and wanders back inside to get
his feet wiped (he doesn't like it, but he walks in now and then stops dead
and waits. Funny fucking things these dogs.

Reg used to jump up when I came in the door, but a few hundred times of
saying "No jumping up" and eventually he stopped doing it. Now he walks in
front of me and then stops dead so Iwalk into him. I'm sure he does it
deliberately. He also used to open the post, but oddly, I only mentioned it
twice to him and he stopped. I just looked at him and said "I know YOU did
this and not Chops, so don't fucking do it again". I reckon Chops was
thinking all day "You're in the shit newbie, they KNOW I don't eat letter or
chew interior bits and pieces". He had a odd look when I saw that first
chewed letter anyway.

Abso-fucking-lutely they know. I think it harks back to their forefathers
when a sick dog would be left behind by the pack. Chops cut his foot on a
discarded beer barrel once and had it in a **** off big bandage and Reg
would sniff it, then bugger orf. Never made a single attempt to play and
Chops did the same thing when Reg asn't feeling 100%. I fact, it was BECAUSE
Chops was ignoring Reg we first realised that he wasn't so good.

You've still GOT a second? Lucky bastard you are. Actually, so have I, but
my 2nd one is lodged just below my throat these days.

I now what you meam.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

As the first lot was so well-received, here's a bit more. The
'leave-it'-'take-it' game. The game is plated thus: take a treat (a
chunk of Pedigree 'Reward', a Vetzyme tablet, a bit of ox-liver dried in
the oven etc.) in the palm of your hand. Present it to puppy saying
(cross voice) 'leave it'. When (not if) puppy tries to take it close
your hand and say leave it in your low, stern, cross voice. Open the
hand again and repeat until puppy no longer tries to grab the treat and
sits there trembling and slobbering but still. Then in your happy,
bright, high voice say 'take it' and allow puppy the treat. Repeat three
or four times a day, extending the 'leave-it' period. Eventually you
should be able to balance the treat on the puppy's nose with a stern
leave-it and she will not move until you say take-it.

Why? because the 'it' in leave-it can apply to other dogs, cats, people,
rotting corpses they've found or piles of rat-poison. A stern
'leave-it', whatever 'it' is is invaluable and may save your puppy's life.

 

That is bollox. The important word is "leave". "It" can be fetched.

 

That sounds like a nice party trick if nothing else, and as you say might
actually be very useful!

Cheers

 

Quite true, but the important 'leave' can apply to anything, which is
what I meant. Indeed the 'it' could be omitted from take-it fetch-it
etc. but I like two-syllable commands and two-syllable names for dogs as
they give much more scope for intonation and expression. For example I
use 'work-it' with my spaniels to get them to hunt (work the ground).

 

When I was small I loved how they smelt but wasn't so fond of how they
tasted. Do they still come in a green tin with a picture of a lab on
it?

 

I am not sure you did. If you want to extend your doggies language
skills you have to understand what the leave command means to it.

If you want more scope and intonation try to discover how much your dog
has learnt about the subtle hand gestures you use when giving everyday
commands.

The last two dogs I had each had their own place for being at heel and
by use of different hand gestures I could get either, or both of them,
to come and sit at heel if I could catch their eye. As she got older
Star, bless her, had her own set of priorities of which the sitting part
was uppermost so it wasn't always as cut and dried with her.

 

Some excellent advice already, especially regarding punishment.
Remember the poor little guy doesn't want to lay dog eggs all over
your/his home so don't react in anger.

If you're ordering from Amazon I can definitely recommend "Think Dog!:
An Owner's Guide to Canine Psychology" by John Fisher. The title sounds
more than a bit bolloxy, but it's actually a cracking book. I did have
a copy until a couple of months back but gave it to a mate who was
struggling with a rescue dog.

 

I have two Labradors here with me, Poppy is about 14 or 15 months old
now and Rosie is just over 6 months old.

The best advice I can give you is MOVE EVERYTHING OF VALUE OUT OF
REACH OF THE DOG. Labs like your Retriever get bored very easily and
when bored they chew. Get a Kong Toy like this straight away
<http://www.dog-toy.co.uk/dogproducts/product_images/puppy_kong.jpg> -
You'll get them from any pet shop.

They are the ultimate accessory for chewie dogses. When they get
bored with chewing it stick a biscuit or a piece of meat in the hole
in the bottom and it'll keep the animal occupied for hours trying to
get it out.

Or if they're teething quite badly stick the Kong Toy in the freezer
for a couple of hours and then let them play with it - cold will sooth
their gums a bit. OR, if you're feeling creative stick Peanut Butter
over the small hole in one end (to seal it) and make some kind of
gravy soup mixture and pour it in the big end and then stick it in the
freezer until the contents are frozen and then give it to the dog to
play with while the yummy soup disolves.

Labrador + Kong Toy = Good thing.

 

Go to your vet and get a DAP diffuser or two. They are plug in devices that
release a pheromone scent which dogs can detect and which chills them out a
bit, which can help with shitting through overexcitement[1]. It can also
help with separation anxiety. Also ideal for the annual October-December
"fuckwits with fireworks" season.

If the dog does crap in the house, don't use bleach to clean it up. Instead
use a proper pet mess cleaning solution (from Pets at Home etc), as this
will properly breakdown the enzymes in waste that can attract the animals
back there. Bleach can generate ammonia, which actually encourages them
back! Don't scold them, they won't understand. Don't clean it up in front of
the dog, as you're giving him a focus for attention ("I did that and it
caused a reaction... I'll do it again). Get the dog outside or in a
different room and then clean it up.

[1] Seriously... they get all playful and excited, and forget that they are
meant to go outside for a crap.

 

snip

snip

Bit like kids really...

 

Depends on where they point their dicks, but I think the picture is of a
vivisection facility these days.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19