TRAINING TIPS
submitted by Valerie Sharp & Sharon Schaefer
Training general reminder: dogs don’t generalize very well so any lesson your dog has learned in the house to perfection he may not perform in the back yard or any different location (or with different people or animals present). Practise all the lessons wherever and whenever possible, with as many different twists as possible, so that your dog has his best chance of becoming the successful companion you want.
Leash Training: Leash training should be a gradual, relaxed learning process not an out and out tug of war. You can start this exercise quite young, by first allowing the puppy to become accustomed to a lightweight collar around his neck for slowly lengthening intervals. Next tie a string or lightweight puppy lead to the collar and allow it to drag. Puppy will be quite surprised at first and may try to gnaw the leash, do not allow him to do this. Distract him with a toy or treat.
After he has become used to the leash dragging, pick up the leash and follow him around the room. Move on to gently guiding the puppy in your direction, using voice and treats. If puppy suddenly balks, stand still and give the puppy a little slack. Let him correct himself when he pulls against the leash. There is a fine line between the puppy correcting himself and you actively jerking him about. Puppy soon learns that if he sticks with you the leash does not tighten. Use your voice to praise and encourage him when he is moving nicely on lead. If you have an older leash trained dog, walk them together. Puppy will naturally want to follow the older dog and will put up less of a fuss. If you have started the early training exercises he will already be in the habit of following your lead. Soon he will be following you about like a...puppy!
The Loose Leash Game - put your dog or puppy on leash. Place some special treats, toys, or other people or dogs across the room. Lock your hands, holding the leash, to your chest (no corrections!!). Begin to walk towards the special attraction (no commands!!). As soon as the leash tightens back up to the starting line. Begin again, and again, and .... When your dog can walk across the room without tightening the leash they win the reward - eat all the treats or play with the special toy or play with other dog, person, etc.
Chewing: One of the biggest problems people have with their puppies is indiscriminate chewing. It is annoying to find your best shoes (and it is ALWAYS your best shoes) chewed beyond recognition. What you have got to understand is that the puppy is not being malicious. Puppies have GOT to chew. Just like the babies they are, they are teething. Provide the puppy with his own (legal) chewies, and keep anything you do not want chewed picked up and out of the way. If your puppy starts chewing something he should not, remove the item, tell him "no, bad chew or bad teeth", and give him one of his own chewies. Then praise him for chewing the correct item. It is not enough to tell him when he is wrong, finish the job and tell him when he has got it right!
Electrical cords are a major hazard not only to your puppy's health, but also as a fire risk. Limit the puppy's access to a room until it has been puppy proofed. Puppies do not need or deserve free run of the house. I would recommend a crate for your puppy's protection when you leave the house or he is unsupervised. Those of you who do not see the need to puppy proof have unrealistic expectations, and are bound to be disappointed when something you treasure is destroyed.
Yes, puppy can be taught that something is a "No, no", but until he has learned that lesson a few of your possessions will feel his teeth. I would not recommend giving the puppy an old, cast off shoe. The puppy will not be able to discriminate between his shoe and your best shoe. Rawhide chews, Nylabones, large bones (you can buy sterilised bones at pet supply stores), tennis balls, and braided rags are safe alternatives. Make sure he does not whittle his chewies down to a small enough size that he could choke on them or swallow them and create a bowel blockage.
Do not allow your puppy to chew on your hands or nip at your heels. This is a different behaviour than teething. This is how he would play with his siblings to determine his place in the pack hierarchy. You are the pack leader, do not let him get the idea he can challenge you for the position. His need to chew will taper off as he gets his second set of teeth well set in, but older dogs will still chew because they enjoy it. Set the ground rules early and everyone will be happy.
Editor's Note: It would be nice to have regular 'columns' or question-&-answer sections on areas such as Health, Grooming, Training Tips, Dog Humour, and so on.
Any questions or anyone willing to share/contribute in any of these areas (even for one issue) or others please contact me - Sharon Schaefer, Box 568, Ituna, SK S0A 1N0 306-675-4410 belglen@canada.com . The deadline for the next issue is late November.
GROOMING Ideas for grooming time - use a rubber bath mat for traction on top of an appliance such as washer or dryer. The dog is easy to reach and on a non-slippery surface. Just don’t let them jump down!
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