Question:
When to start dog training?
ajcowgirl
2012-02-15 21:46:40 UTC
I've been wondering this for a while. Someone else's post just inspired me to ask this, as they mentioned that they were told not to train their lab pup till she was 10 months old. When I had a golden retriever they told us not to train her till 6 months cuz she'd be too young and wouldn't even be able to concentrate and absorbe anything before that... so we waited till 6 months. But my ex's family got a labrador mix puppy and started taking it to training classes when it was like 3 months old, and thier puppy did wonderfully, it learned really fast and it didn't have a mental breakdown. I just wonder why people reccomend such different ages to start training?

Also, the lady who told us that our puppy shouldn't be taken to training classes till 6 months was a certified trainer at our local humane society. We ended up taking our pup to her class when she finally was 6 months. It all worked out, I'm just so curious about this!
Twenty answers:
marci knows best
2012-02-15 21:54:53 UTC
10 months??? What are they thinking??? Start with Puppy Kindergarten as soon as puppy shots are finished. A great way to socialize the puppy and begin the obedience process. They don't learn much, but get the idea of respecting you and learn a few doggy manners. Then at 6-8 months, start Basic Obedience. If you have an interest when the dog is about a year you can go on to Advanced Obedience or Agility or some other doggy sport. You continue using the commands the rest of the dog's life, training is an ongoing process.
2014-09-27 11:29:39 UTC
There are a few real keys to dog training, whether you are trying to train your dog to come when called, sit, stop barking or any other behavior. Understanding their importance is critical to achieving rapid results that are long lasting and help develop the bond between you and your dog.



CLICK HERE: http://tinyurl.com/TheDogTrainerOnline



The first is simple; you must win your dogs mind. If you don’t achieve this first then you will be struggling the all the way. When I talk about winning your dogs mind what I really mean is that your dog looks to you for all the decisions. Before you do anything else watch one of the amazing video sites that show you the 5 Golden rules to establishing yourself as the pack leader. If you aren’t putting these in place then you are setting yourself up to fail. Just at the crucial point where you really want your dog to listen they will go and do their own thing. For sure your dog may play ball occasionally or even most of the time, you may even have a dog that is obedient 99% of the time, however if you want a dog who always listens to you and does as you ask then you need to win your dogs mind.



The second key to success is to motivate your dog. It is really important that you discover what it is that your dog enjoys both in terms of exercise and play but also in terms of a reward. If you can make the experience enjoyable then you will both achieve more and look forward to training.



Some dogs love to fetch, others love agility, and other dogs simply love obedience training, or swimming out into water and retrieve. At least to start with find out what your dogs love is and help them develop this, what I am saying is work with your dog. The other point to recognize is to make training enjoyable reward your dog.



The three main rewards are:

Food- anything from a single dry biscuit to a whole piece of sausage!

Affection- pats, cuddles, lots of high verbal praise

Toys- games, throwing a stick or object, chasing your dog etc

Your dog is always going to work harder if you are fair in your training. Even if you do not want to use food you should make sure that you use affection accordingly when your dog does well



If you want to use food rewards then always follow these simple tips:



Always vary food rewards

Do not give food rewards every time

Never let your dog know what the reward is

If your dog doesn’t come first time then do not give them the reward

The third key to achieving perfection is practice! Learning how to encourage behavior that is closer to what you want than the last is the third key to success. Again this is where rewards come in so handy! Motivate and then show your dog what it is that you want and there is no need for any negative training!

One of the best sites that shows you all of this and more is The Online Dog Trainer, put together by top Dog Trainer, Doggy Dan.



CLICK HERE: http://tinyurl.com/TheDogTrainerOnline
2016-04-03 10:59:43 UTC
Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://tinyurl.im/nZxmN



A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.
2016-04-14 07:33:51 UTC
Dog Training is all about getting your canine to behave well, but some people do it for sports and other entertainment purposes. Some of the other reasons people train their dogs are:



It rewarding since you get a sense of accomplishment once a dog can do something new.

It is a good opportunity to bond with the dog - this is important for the dog and for the owner.

You can make money when you train dogs as a business or for sport.

Training the dog is fun and it challenges the owner and the dog.

Different trainers have different techniques for training their canine. However, some techniques are more effective than others. To learn about the best techniques, visit a registered dog trainer, talk to a veterinarian, or do online or offline research.

There are several types of training that you, or a professional, can explore to train dogs and these are:



1) Behavior and obedience training: One training that is universal is behavior and obedience training. This is done on dogs of all ages, but it is better to start when the canine is a puppy because as they say, it is hard to teach old dogs new tricks. Behavior and obedience dog trainingbrings out the best in the dog and it makes understanding each other easier.



2) House training: House training is very important and it should also start when the dog is still a puppy. House training is all about training the dog to have house manners and to respect your space. There are several techniques used for this and they include crate training and pad training for training the dog to 'go' outside.



3) Positive reinforcement: Positive reinforcement is a new type of training approach and it is all about rewarding the dog for good behavior or for learning a new trick. All animals tend to perform better when there is a promise of a reward. Possible rewards are snacks, interaction with other dogs, giving the dog your attention, or giving the dog tug toys - the reward should take into consideration what the dog likes because dogs are different.



4) Negative reinforcement: Negative reinforcement training approach has been used for many years where the dog is punished for failure to learn or to behave properly, but this does not work because it only makes the canine scared and causes it to lose confidence. Negative reinforcement techniques included beatings and electric shocks.



5) Trick training: Trick training is done for fun, by those who want a sports dog, and those involved in other entertainment activities such as the circus. You should choose the dog carefully to avoid frustration because some dogs are easier to train than others.



6) Teething: It is important to train dogs when they are teething because they are under a lot of pain and they usually chew on furniture such as table legs, shoes, and even wallpaper. Possible training techniques for discouraging the chewing are bad-smelling sprays on items that are at risk and giving the dog chew toys.



7) Command training: It is possible to train dogs to follow commands. These commands include 'sit', 'attack', and 'fetch', among others. This requires patience and there are various techniques of dog training that can be used to achieve this such as giving rewards.



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kougaswoman69
2012-02-15 22:12:03 UTC
Personally, the younger the better in my opinion. You want them to gain SOME focus and respect for you early on. I usually train my dogs around two months, or 8 weeks. My youngest dog I bottlefed and started training her at 8 weeks old. She learned sit, stay, down, roll over, shake, beg, and she was fully house broken in 3 weeks. Puppies are like babies. They soak in a lot of stuff early on. I trained my oldest dog(7 now) around 6-9 months old, but I was 12 back then so it took a long time and she was horrid to train. She chewed a lot of stuff up, ran away a lot(we lived out in the woods kinda, so she just wanted to explore) but always came when called, etc. She's good now, but she wasn't fully housebroken until 1.5 years old. Anyway, train them as early as you can, but no earlier than maybe 5-6 weeks as they would be hard to train at that age. There's no harm in trying, but they probably won't be able to absorb the training.
2016-04-02 04:32:31 UTC
Dog training are excellent and very helpful to build you a stronger relationship with your dog. Read more https://tinyurl.im/nZxmN



After I started training my dog, he became very attached to me and loves to stay by side as long as he can. But just going to them won't help. You have to practice what they teach you outside of the class and you need to keep up with it at least every now and then after the class ends otherwise they'll just go back to previous habits. This course is a really good place to go for dog obedience classes. It get's your dog around other people and dogs to socialize while getting the training you need. As for electric collars, I would say to not get one. In my experience, they're only a negative effect on your dog. I mean of course you're going to need to correct your dog, but being positive and encouraging your dog works a lot faster and easier.



Every dog is different, so unless you have a german shepherd or a really smart dog, it might take a while to train her. You might get frustrated with her, but go easy. She's still a puppy and has a lot of energy. A backyard or somewhere to run will help her get rid of a lot of energy that might cause her to misbehave from boredom.
Lacey UD, RE
2012-02-15 22:15:11 UTC
I start training puppies the second that they walk through the door. Training involves the puppy learning his name, to wear a collar, to walk on a leash, house training and basic happy obedience. The puppy classes that I teach allows puppies as young as eight weeks old as long as they have been vaccinated for distemper and and parvovirus for two weeks.



Back in the "olden" days puppies were started later in training because the methods were harsher because they were much more punish based. Nowadays, training is much more positive and treat based. This makes training very puppy friendly. Plus research has shown that when puppies learn to learn and as well socialized. before they are 16 weeks old they will retain that training much better then when trained is started after that age. Starting training after 16 weeks of age causes a large window of opportunity is lost.



Personally I don't know why anyone would want to wait until a puppy is 6 months or older to train it. To me this is like trying to teach a 14 year old teenager table manners and how to be polite in mixed company.
choc chip muffins
2012-02-15 22:05:40 UTC
10 months??? That's a while dogs learn best when they are younger. That's why the 3 month old learnt really quickly. It's best to start training a dog when it gets all it's shots.



The people who said 10 months old obliviously don't know much about dogs. Though you should let your dog get used to it's new home otherwise it will be to confusing for the pup. Also you should make sure your dog isn't to excitable otherwise the other dogs will be distracted.
CORNWALL
2014-12-02 12:16:21 UTC
Honestly, an untrained dog can be a real pain - a risk to himself, his owner and to other people and animals. Owning an undisciplined dog may result to:

- Destruction to your home

- Social isolation

- Accidents

- Injuries

- Legal claims against you

- Stress to all concerned

- The dog being unwanted



Canines that always get their own way will believe that life revolves around them and for that reason they must be important. Since dogs are looking for controlling different resources than humans, their bid for power usually goes undetected until it’s too late. Obedience and house training your dog and ensuring he’s not raised to a top position inside the home will keep your relationship with him well-balanced in your favor, as it must be for satisfaction all round.



If you want a free copy of my dog training ebook "how to housetrain any dog" just send me an email at dogtraining@goodtips.info



I'll send you immediately the ebook (100% free) and some tips on how to live better with your dog.
Inge
2012-02-15 22:01:06 UTC
when we got both of our dogs, they were being trained already, at six weeks old our breeders had started.



all puppies know food is good, so you can start treat training right away.



i would never wait ten months...your dog would be so behind...and i couldnt live with a dog for that long if it didnt have any manners and just ran wild.



i wouldnt take them to puppy classes till they were older either, but training in the home starts asap for me.
France
2016-02-16 21:04:26 UTC
I'm doing basic obedience right now. My trainer hasn't once handled my dog. He has shown me how to handle my dog by using his own dog but that's about it. The reasoning is that I need to learn how to do these basic corrections and what not myself. Learn more https://tr.im/aKHLv



I have never considered sending my dog away for training. I guess I haven't found that much of a problem with him to even think about it.



Again, it may also have to do with the level of training you are looking for etc. No idea lol. I'm not a trainer. I think a first time dog owner needs to learn simple commands and how to handle their dog themselves as well.
almundgirl85
2012-02-15 22:00:30 UTC
I agree that it definitely depends on the type of class. Going to a basic obedience with a 3 month old will just annoy you, your puppy, the trainer, and the other participants. However, most training places I have seen have a puppy version that helps your puppy to learn respect, starts the dog on learning some basic basic commands, helps to socialize the puppy, and helps to acclimate you to owning a puppy if you're newer.
Amelia
2015-09-21 05:29:07 UTC
This Site Might Help You.



RE:

When to start dog training?

I've been wondering this for a while. Someone else's post just inspired me to ask this, as they mentioned that they were told not to train their lab pup till she was 10 months old. When I had a golden retriever they told us not to train her till 6 months cuz she'd be too young and...
2016-04-06 21:45:54 UTC
Everyone begins training a dog with a number of unknowns. First, no one can truly know how a dog will react to training and even if you know the breed, there can be differences with each individual breed. Another unknown is the type of dog training that you use. Some dogs do well with food based reinforcement and some do not and owners will need to learn as they go along. While most of the unknowns with dog training can be overcome quickly, many owners make some pretty common mistakes while they are training your dogs. To avoid those dog training mistakes, it is important to be aware of them and that is exactly what I will be doing in this article; alerting you to common dog training mistakes that every owner has or will make at one time.



Mistake #1: Not Setting Firm and Consistent Rules: One of the most common mistakes that owners will make actually has nothing to do with the physical act of dog training and is actually a daily occurrence that usually plays in the background. As every parent will tell you, children require rules and dogs are no different. There should be rules set in place the moment that a dog is brought home. This means that if you have a rule for no dogs on the furniture, then you need to stick with it, regardless of how cute a puppy is. Not establishing those rules right from the beginning can lead to long term behavior problems and your puppy will quickly learn that he can ignore the rules and eventually simply ignore you. It is important that you avoid this dog training mistake right from the start and make sure that everyone in your house will follow the same rules with your dog to ensure the best success.



Mistake #2: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: Okay, this may be a little confusing since dog training consists of the repetition of an action but while repeating an action over again is fine, repeating a command is not. When it comes to dog training mistakes, I would say that this is the biggest mistake that owners will make and I have been found guilty of this little offense myself. It is only natural to repeat a command when a dog doesn't listen but it is something that you should train yourself not to do. When you repeat a command, you are teaching your dog that he doesn't have to listen to a command every time. This means that a command stops having any affect on the dog and you end up having to retrain with a new command, which can take time and can be very frustrating for both you and your dog.



Mistake #3: Rewarding Bad Behavior: Although there are several types of dog training available, most trainers and owners will use positive reinforcement training, which consists of treating your dog, usually with food, whenever he does something positive. While this is an excellent way to train your dog, many owners make the mistake of treating the wrong behavior and end up reinforcing bad behavior. Bad behavior in dog training is anything that you don`t want your dog to do. So, for instance, your dog is in the kitchen while you are cooking a meal. At first it may not seem like he is doing anything but spending time with you and that may have been the case in the beginning but when you drop your first bit of food, or you toss him a little snack, he will quickly learn to beg whenever you are in the kitchen. Fast forward a year and you have a full grown dog under foot whenever you go to the kitchen simply because you have reinforced that begging in the kitchen is okay. To avoid rewarding a dog for a bad behavior, don`t praise him, comfort him or treat him when he is doing something you don`t want repeated. So if he barks at the door, don`t praise him for being a good guard dog and if you drop some food on the floor, pick it up yourself and take it to his dog bowl if you want to give it to him. By controlling the environment, you can quickly stop yourself from rewarding his bad behavior.



Mistake #4: Saving it for a rainy day: The last common dog training mistake that I am going to mention is the desire to put off training. Many owners feel that dog training should be done after a certain age but it has been shown time and time again that the longer you wait, the harder it will be to train your dog. Dog training should begin as soon as you bring your puppy home. It starts with establishing rules and house training first and then it quickly moves to basic training such as sit, down, stay. Puppy socialization class usually begins around 11 weeks of age and from there you will quickly start dog training. Never leave training until your dog is 6 months of age or older since many negative behaviors are established by that time. In the end, if you are aware of the dog training mistakes that you can make, you will find that you are less likely to make them and your dog will quickly respond to dog training with only a small amount of fuss.



Before You Spend MORE Money On Expensive Dog Trainers or Products,

Watch This Video First!



https://bitly.im/2Xdem



Discover the powerful dog training secrets to eliminate over 30+ common behavioral dog and puppy issues with step-by-step instructions from one of the world's most skilled dog trainers!
2016-04-05 08:23:01 UTC
The saying may be true that dog is man's best friend, but many can attest to the fact that it doesn't always start out that way! The simple truth is, some dogs are more inclined than others to behave themselves. Regardless, all dogs need some form of training to improve their behavior patterns.



Some dogs have the bad habit of tearing up the front yard, while others just can't seem to stay out of the garbage can. Still others appear as though they will never get housebroken. There are even dogs that never seem to take a liking to other human beings, always snarling, growling or even biting strangers and relatives alike. Nevertheless, no dog is beyond training if taught properly how to behave. Starting with dog training basics, dog training problems can be a thing of the past.



The number one approach that always works without fail begins with finding dog training help that can show the owner proper dog training behavior that will have that incorrigible little scamp settling down in no time flat! You don't have to seek professional dog training at great cost to you to succeed in training your dog. With some powerful tips on dog training found through a great selection of dog training eBooks available on the market today, you can train your dog in the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the cost.



Finding the best dog training book isn't as difficult as it may seem. Thanks to the Internet, you can find the perfect dog training manual that best fits your unique situation. By plugging into Google phrases such as 'dog puppy training' or 'dog training at home', you can find a wide selection of the best dog training books out there to learn and then teach your dog how to behave.



The number one dog training tip is to understand that your dog is not beyond training. In fact, your attitude and approach will have great impact on whether your dog gets trained or not. After all, nearly every dog wants to please their master. You need to keep in control of the training and not allow the dog to control you by getting upset or losing your temper. If you respond to his bad behavior by first understanding why he behaves that way in the first place, you will go a long way in gaining the upper hand and seeing him come into submission.



Any dog that exhibits a bad personality doesn't need the situation compounded with your bad attitude. You need to remain calm and show patience and a positive reinforcement when your dog obeys your command. If you don't allow your impatience, anger or frustration to affect your training approach, you will strengthen his desire to respond to the training in a positive manner. He will be more inclined to listen than to resist your commands.



It is also important to keep in mind that your dog didn't become a bad dog overnight. This being the case, you aren't going to change bad behavior overnight either. Even though the end result may not be the docile dog you were hoping for, by remaining consistent throughout the training procedure, your dog will change for the better. By remaining consistent with your approach, you will be surprised at the results. It is almost a certainty that your dog will begin to respond in a positive manner by becoming a better behaved dog.



Because your goal is to train your dog to behave, the effort you put forth to accomplish this goal will be rewarded by a dog that is much more obedient than when you first started the training lessons. Instead of allowing your dog to frustrate you and possibly end up taking the dog to the pound or, even worse abandoning him, once you have made up your mind to be the master by applying proper dog training techniques to your misbehaving dog, you will be glad you did.



Not only will he be easier to manage, he will be a real delight to you, his owner!



Before You Spend MORE Money On Expensive Dog Trainers or Products,

Watch This Video First!



https://bitly.im/2Xdem



Discover the powerful dog training secrets to eliminate over 30+ common behavioral dog and puppy issues with step-by-step instructions from one of the world's most skilled dog trainers!
2015-01-27 23:49:50 UTC
Learning how to train your dog will improve your life and hers, enhance the bond between you, and ensure her safety and it can be a lot of fun. Dogs are usually eager to learn, and the key to success is good communication. Your dog needs to understand how you’d like her to behave and why it’s in her best interest to comply with your wishes. Check here to learn how to train your dog properly https://tr.im/4ade8
Elaine M
2012-02-15 21:48:46 UTC
Puppies learn from the day they open their eyes. You should be using the right command words and doing 5 minute training sessions from the day you get the dog.
2014-06-26 05:50:18 UTC
You can download dog training course free in http://allfreedownloader.com/free-download-big-list-dog-training-system/
haloween games
2012-02-15 22:00:56 UTC
Start on the way home! ;) By the time my golden was 4 months she knew sit, down, spin, jump, crawl and go potty! She is now a civilized doggie! ;) All dogs are smart so start STRAIGHT AWAY!
Ashleigh
2012-02-15 21:57:15 UTC
The first 16 weeks of your puppies lives are the most important when it comes to learning! http://doglady.com.au/ this lady taught me alot. My dog is now super obedient. :) and I only attended the puppy class. :)


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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