Puppy training

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:02 am

OK, we have a new pup - all is going great. Have been reading about and just bought a clicker - the basics are all going great.

Now my question pertains to starting young and hopefully preventing future problems.

The pup - Teddy - came from the shelter - don't truely know what he is breed wise, approximately 12 weeks old, our vet and others that we have encountered say he is lot of hound, possible some pit and boxer. Now, my biggest concern comes from what some guys (namely ones that hunt) have had to say about hound dogs as pets- say they are great and loving, but when they get their nose to the ground you will never get them back for hours/days. I know that hounds are hunting dogs, but I also feel with a pup that isn't ever going to get exposed to "going out hunting-with his owner" has a chance to learn to come back when called. The threads that I have seen, unless I have missed one all seem to pertain to a dog that already has a problem running away.

So anything extra outside of having a great recall to work with him over time?

As of right now I have not let him go off of his leash outside, we don't have the recall down 100% yet in the house. We have just had him a week and a half- there has been a lot of adjusting to living in the house, a crate-which he loves and goes in on his own when he I guess wants to rest or have his own space, just normal adjustments from being a stray to living in the shelter to living in my home, potty training - only 2 accidents have been my fault (or the weathers- trying to get enough clothes on to go outside ). I haven't yet given him any words to associate with his actions yet either. It is very amazing how fast they learn like this! I honestly can not remember what I did with our other dog to get her to sit, down, come - I am sure it was hands on with my hands on her butt or her legs to get her to sit/down and a long line pulling her towards me to come- but being an Aus. Shepherd -very smart and loyal and quick to learn (maybe she is just plain smart) I do remember that what I did do with her she learned quickly-- just as now with the clicker!

My other question is when I work with him with our fence and flags- we use the Petsafe Wireless fence - Is there a different way than what I used with our other dog for him to learn to stay within the boundry. Again I am thinking of him as a hound dog also.
In working with our other dog-Smudge- it took me several weeks doing a little at a time - I am sure she was actually ready to before I actually let her be free in the yard, but I wanted to make sure - anyways, I had done what seems to be the reverse of the clicker training I am reading about - sort of? OK, worked with her and the flags- whenever we go near them I would say "Oh, NO" as the beep in the collar started to go off (I do not overuse the word, have young kids I know what that word can do!!) and go to our porch for treats. Again I can not remember exactly what I did - but she learned that sound meant stay away. (This collar does have a shock correction if you want it to, but I have never gone to that- the beeps only. Basically with working him with the clicker and the positive training I would like to somehow incorporate that with the fence. I did see on one of the IMOTD shows there were several small dogs eating their feces in their yard and she had used flags to teach the dogs to not go where the feces was if the owners could not clean it right up- the owners were supposed to flag it. Now I cannot remember what she did with the dogs to get them to stay away from the flags - Does anyone know what I am talking about?
Thanks!
MJ

1GaPeach · Post by **1GaPeach** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:33 pm

the flags were used in relationship w/the "leave it" command. VS started by associating the flag w/ the leave it command. I'll try to describe it best I can:
Hide the flag behind back w/ one hand.
Bring flag forward
when dog approaches, use "leave it" command
when dog removes nose or self away from flag
reward w/ treat from other hand.
repeat

with progress on that she then used the flags to mark poop in the yard, when the dogs would approach, she used the "leave it" command to reinforce the association between the flag/words in a setting that wasn't her hand.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:17 am

Thanks, Great! I remember watching it and thinking that would work with the fence!
I have just started using the clicker and after a couple of days am doing the jaw dropping- Oh My Gawd this method works Super! We have just worked on the sit, giving paw, lay down. Has all 3, need to add the words to associate the action.
With a pup and this clicker training (and me being new at it) I have been afraid to take it to far - as far as length of time we work and have worked for approximately 5 minutes 4 x a day the last couple of days...when I finish and put the clicker and goodies away, he just looks at me, goes through the motions of what has earned him treats, when he does this I rub him and do my best to let him know he is doing good without the clicker and treats...with him being that young is it OK to stretch it out for longer as long as he shows the attention?

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:57 am

I have a question about soft stools. Teddy has been on our food for now almost 2 weeks and his poops are still quite soft. For those that are more knowledgable about the different foods what are your thoughts on the food that I am feeding him "Taste of the Wild" - the high prairie canine formula. I am feeding him according to the suggestion on the package for his age/weight. Also for his dinnertime I mix in about a quarter of the small size can of Innova's soft food with it.
www. tasteofthewildpetfood.com

emmabeth · Post by **emmabeth** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:14 am

Doesnt look too bad that food (dont think we have it here, i feed mine on raw meat, bones, veg, bit of offal and fish from time to time).

I suspect its likely that you are over feeding - manufacturers guidelines do tend to overestimate how much to feed (or Murphys Law decrees, someone would sue them for recommending insufficient food for their dog).

Try dropping the food down a little and see if that helps - dogs have fairly small stomachs so overfeeding can increase the volume and frequence of poos but also can make them softer as the food is not digested properly.

Are you feeding three/four meals a day?

If that doesnt work and you are feeding several small meals a day, I would then try losing the canned meat for a while as that could be unbalancing things.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:39 am

I am giving him 3 meals/day with a Cup/feeding (the suggestion is 3-4Cups/day for a dog his age/weight) and then the extra 1/4 of the small can with the 3rd meal. (Our other dog is doing just fine with it with her ration/age/weight - same feeding schedule with a smaller portion of the canned - just enough for her to say she is getting something extra)

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:35 pm

Yeah, sometimes canned/soft food will cause moister (loose) stools. If you want to give them something "extra," you could doctor it up with some fresh/frozen-thawed, or even cooked vegetables and cut up bits of apple (peeled). My dogs love frozen peas, by the way-- they work as a good treat/incentive, and are an extra source of fiber, which will help to add better "form" to the stools. Some people on another forum I visit have even suggested adding a bit of canned pumpkin to their dry food. And I've even started warming up just a bit (1/2 cup) of broth-- the same kind we use in our soups-- I made sure it's the low sodium variety-- and just pour some of that over their dry kibble to make it taste kind of fancy. It's also low fat/low calorie, so it won't promote excess weight gain, if that ever becomes an issue. And another advantage, is the broth costs a lot less than the special dog food gravies and other toppings.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:08 am

OK - I didn't give the canned with dinner the last 2 nights and his poops late yesterday afternoon were getting closer to normal looking

) (I also noticed and didn't mention in the earlier post, his having to go out in the middle of night - that also hasn't happened in the last 2 nights!

) - I had thought that was just him being a pup- could having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night also be associated with the canned food?

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:11 am

Ummm....I don't think so

But then, I don't have much experience with feeding canned, and my dogs are fully grown now. But it is quite normal for a puppy as young as your little guy to need to get up in the night to potty. If he's having accidents in the house, you'll want to set an alarm a couple of times during the night to take him out. It means you'll have to sacrifice your sleep, but it's worth it in the long run.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:11 pm

Ohh we are not having accidents in the house - we just had a couple in the beginning when it took me too long to get my jacket and shoes on, we haven't had any since we have gotten our routine down...but at night he barks when he needs to go out, and he hasn't had to the last 2 nights- just wondered if that was a coincedence or had to do with the food.

joji732 · Post by **joji732** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:12 pm

I had a lhasa that would forget his housetraining when he was fed something he was allergic too, so I don't think it's necessarily a huge leap to think a certain type of food could be connected to the dog needing to go out at night. And since the first ingredient in many (perhaps most) canned foods is water, that could help explain the problem too.

Mattie · Post by **Mattie** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:53 am

Joji your dog didn't forget his housetraining when he had something he was alergic to, he couldn't wait. Dogs don't think the same way we do, if they are in the habit of toileting outside they get very upset if they can't get outside and will hold on as long as they can when in the house.

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:45 am

I am very proud of little Teddy this morning....Last night I laid down and was reading- he was still out in the house(he goes in his crate at night to sleep) , I hadn't put him in to bed as it was early. Well at about 4:30 this morning I had a nose on my face and he whined to go out (during the week, I get up at that time-and that is when he first goes out to the bathroom). It was then that I realized I had fallen asleep while I was reading-and didn't put him in his crate for the night- but he let me know it was time to go out!
Under his circumstances- was a stray, being young, living in the kennel at the shelter, and then just living with us for really a short period of time (this weekend is 3 weeks)- I haven't allowed him to roam the house totally unsupervised (I am giving him more and more space/freedom in the house as I trust that he is learning--and learning very fast!!)- After I let him out, I checked out the house- everything was how it was supposed to be and no surprises anywhere! Very proud of him - he has come so far, just thinking how his life has changed in the last month!

mj702002 · Post by **mj702002** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:15 am

Are there any old posts or articles with a list format on the pros and cons of neutering males before 6 months old? ( I have just started skimming through some and will keep at it - just thought it would be quicker to ask

) )

Nettle · Post by **Nettle** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:50 am

mj702002 wrote:Are there any old posts or articles with a list format on the pros and cons of neutering males before 6 months old? ( I have just started skimming through some and will keep at it - just thought it would be quicker to ask ) )

Try www.homeopathicvet.co.uk click on 'Resources' along the top bar, then article on left of page.

There are plenty of others - perhaps someone else on here can provide the links