Training Update and Bronze Award starts tomorrow!!

[BusyBee]

Hi!

Well, Sam is 15 weeks old now and is doing really great he seems to know what he needs to do before we do! I wanted to do an update because I believe that without the wonderful support and advice on this site things may have been different!

At the risk of tempting fate, in the house he has just been an angel he has mastered 'sit' 'down' and 'leave it', he no longer uses his crate in the day and is completely clean. My carpets, rugs and lino are all still intact and he has even learned that he is only allowed to play with his toys so Barbie still has all her arms and legs He is still a bit mouthy but doesn't bite at all (thank you Pam!). I owe a great deal to the producers of Kong toys especially the 'wobbler' Sam loves it.

As we are novices both with Gsd's and puppies I think we have probably gone a bit overkill with the training, but it does seem to have benefited us. We've had a two hour one to one session with a local trainer, in which we concentrated on recall, which is now fantastic even with distractions (however we were warned that this might change) and we were guided on the idea of positive reinforcement etc

We also attended the puppy classes at our local vets, which was spread over 4 weeks and this is where we discovered that our perfect angel Sam is a complete THUG!!
Oh yes.... he thundered around picking up baby cocker spaniels and tossing them to the side, mounted the baby Lab and basically nipping and gobbing off at any available pup, his particular favourite is to pin his unsuspecting victim and bounce on him with his front paws! eeek... terrified owners were scooping up there bubba's as my big heavy boistrous baby basically ran riot, all thoughts of 'sit' were completely forgotten, though his recall remained perfect. I was really unprepared! the classes were held in the vets waiting room a tiny space with 16 people and 8 pups, needless to say after the first class we kept him on his lead and he was a bit better behaved.

So we have spent the last couple of weeks trying to teach him some manners around dogs, unfortunately (of maybe fortunately) we live in quite a rural spot and rarely meet dogs when we are out, so we've enlisted the help of a friend who brings his 7yr old GSD round to be mauled by Sam, though he has learned not to nip her he stil yaps and yaps (this isn't fear, he is just demanding that she plays with him) we desperately want to teach the 'quiet' command but have not found anything (except dogs!) that makes him bark.

Each weekend we take him to a doggy day out, Bark in the Park etc and while he is leashed he is perfectly well mannered, we've also started to take him to doggy daycare for one morning a week, I've attempted to attach a video of his first session there (might not work!) where it is apparent just how bossy he is hopefullywe will overcome this soon.

So that brings us to his Bronze award classes that start tomorrow, I have no idea what to expect. From the class or Sam!!! just keeping my fingers crossed that he will not terrorise the whole class Think the class is run by the same lady who kept spraying another member and her dog on here....so might take an umberella with me!!

will let you know how it goes!

Sally

[BusyBee]

whoops here's the link.. hope it works

Videos posted by Dogmore Day Care, Dog Training and Kennels: 28 July 2011 06:29 | Facebook

[LOVEGSD]

It all sounds perfectly normal He sounds like a little star and I wish you every luck with the bronze awar, look forward to hearing all about it.

I was just about to ask where the link was but I see you've now posted it

I sometimes think older dogs are the best teachers for puppies, Diesel certainly steps in to reprimand any whippersnappers and in fact I was thanked by a lady with a very over-exuberant Lab puppy, he ran into Diesel and I mean into and almost took Diesel off his feet...lol...Deez immediately pinned him to the floor and growled, no teeth and no biting but this worked a treat and the lady couldn't thank him enough for teaching her pup greeting manners in 1 swift move...lol..

I'm sure the more dogs he meets the more manners he will learn, they do tend to get away with quite a bit whilst they are that age, once he gets to 6 months and beyond adult dogs will no longer be so tolerant.
xxx

[zetstaff]

Hiya mate xxx

Loved your update

Bronze is a little more intense than puppy class, it's the beginnings of proper obedience. It'll take a few weeks to settle in, half way through with Boris I almost quit he was soooooo naughty but I persevered + it paid off, makes you very proud

So you'll be fine mate, the main thing is to relax + enjoy, don't let people who snatch their dogs away from yours bother you

Oh + you always get some cretins who take the training for their lil puppies WWAAAAYYYYYYYYY too seriously so watch out for those too

Have a good time + let us know how you get on xxxx

[Stuart]

Nice update, and video, the vets class looks to be well attended the more the better for Sam,.. I wish you well with the bronze, thank you for the update

[GV9297]

Great video - and wow what an update - you have been busy and I am sure Sam is thriving on it! I loved the way he picked up the spaniels harness lol!

Just enjoy the bronze training - he is so young yet it doesn't matter if he gets it wrong but its all good socialisation for him.

[sami]

Loved the video, but then I love puppys. Think it all sounds normal would have loved to have seen the vet class!!!

Sami is very good as a trainer for younger dogs, not sure if that isnt because she is a miserable old cow though!!! She does tell the whippersnappers how to behave but without teeth thankfully.

[zetstaff]

That lab is a bit of a bugga

poor lil spaniel

Cracking vid xxx