The best time to start leash training is the day you bring your puppy home. Many have thought that you cannot begin leash training until a puppy is 6 months old. By then, most puppies have learned that if they pull they get more! So, stop it at the start! Prevention is always our best tool! When I have a litter, I start training as young as 4 WEEKS old! At that age, it is incredibly easy to use almost all positive reinforcement.
So, you thought this week’s article would be about dog training? Well, in essence it is, but I am sharing with you a personal experience to help reveal what it’s all about. A few years ago, my favorite little character, Kalidor and I traveled to Hamilton, Montana to perform before an AKC judge the AKC Tracking Dog test to earn his certification that would allow him to compete in AKC tracking performance events.
Kalidor is now almost 16 weeks old and the critical imprinting time is just about over. So far, he has learned to sit for petting, sit to come out of his crate, sit at all doors going in or coming out. He knows how to “Leave it” with food on the floor or in my hand. He is not jumping on people. He comes to his name even when he is playing with the other dogs. He sits and does down. He also watches me on command even in public.
Kalidor turned 6 years old this past week and in honor of him, I want to rerun a few articles I wrote that earned me the Idaho Press Club Award. More so, since I have some new puppies to take care of right now, I am not available to many who have requested my help. I thought this would be an excellent way to give those with new puppies some things to focus on! Here we go…. As many of my clients know, I am bringing home a puppy this Thanksgiving week.
Kalidor has been cruising right along learning all kinds of things including imprinting of behaviors I want to see the rest of his life. I have until he is 16 weeks old to teach him those vital things. Who he will be is a combination of genetics and experiences. Critical to me is the sport of competition tracking, so Kalidor has already had many experiences on the tracking field. More critically, is that I want Kalidor to focus on me with a calm, confident manner so he learns to “defer” to me in my leadership.
Kalidor has been going new places almost every day and meeting someone new every day. Socialization is so important, especially for a German Shepherd. This CONTROLLED socialization must occur very young, and hopefully before a puppy reaches 16 weeks of age. It should be with people and other friendly, adult dogs. All of these interactions happen on a loose leash.
Kalidor has learned his basic manners. He has not jumped on anyone since day two. I will not pet him or give him any reward for jumping up, EVER. He sits politely to go in or out a door including his crate. He has also stopped running through my legs. He almost tripped me many times the first 3 days. Imagine what would have happened had I allowed that behavior and he weighed 65 pounds! He would have knocked me over! I stopped the running between my legs by just gently squeezing my legs together so he couldn’t pass through.
Kalidor has been home almost a week. We have worked on house training by using a marker method and food to let him know that going outside is what I want. He has also learned that sitting by the door is how I open it. Now, when he has to go, he immediately goes and sits by the door! The other part of this is that Kalidor is not allowed to run free through the house unless I am just watching him or playing with him. When he is in the house, he is on a leash next to my chair whether I am watching TV or working on my computer.
This is probably one of the biggest problems people come to me with. I think of jumping as an invasion of my personal space and lack of respect from the dog, at ANY age. It is not “attention seeking” or “just being friendly”. The bottom line is that the dog has not learned some basic respect and that the people are the leaders. I also see jumping up as the dog's attempt to get "higher".
Many people these days have or will have multiple dog households. In addition, we meet other dogs along the trails all the time. This means that our dogs must learn how to meet and greet appropriately with the outcome being healthy relationships. Having said that, I also believe strongly, that many dogs are not social and do NOT want relationships with other dogs. When we find we have a dog that does not like other dogs, it is our job in all fairness to not push those relationships on them.
AFTER AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE, I WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK MARCH 1st!
