Training obedience

[pantheman]

OK, so i have been reading through NTTF obedience course and they seem straight forward enough, but .......

 

At the moment, I am just walking the puppies loose around the orange grove, they run, play, fight and do their business.

 

I tried to introduce them to the lead today, wow what an experience Jack was just not having it, sulked, lay flat on the ground and when i manged to get him to walk was complaining as he was walking.

 

The bitch, she is a right nutter, but I love her, fights with the lead jumps around but generally will accept it, albeit jumping around like crazy.

 

If they find something to chew, and they know I won't let them, they trot off to finish munching it without giving me any notice. Is this normal?

 

Yesterday and today, If I called jack, he does come dashing back, and I give him a praise and stroke, if I get Lena to come she will just dash towards me and then then straight passed me. (little devil) and then not to me, unless I catch her.

 

As far as treats are concerned, I tried to give each one seperately a treat, but they didn't seem interested. Unless I let them go hungry for a short time maybe they will respond to it better?

 

The way I see them at the moment, is they are just too hyper to listen to any commands, given they won't even accpt the lead easily.

 

Am I mis understanding something? Am I doing it all wrong? Or is it normal for pups to behave like this??

 

I am worried about making a hash of it and I don't mind criticism as long as I am learning from it.

 

All comments gratefully recieved.

 

Cheers

[harv]

you've got to persevere with the lead, it shouldnt take long for them to realise it does them no harm,

its a bit wierd when they jump around madly but it will pass. be patient but firm remember they are still pups and you dont want too take that out of them too early,lots of praise when they do right change of tone when they do wrong.its a long and frustrating process but very rewarding when it comes right.

[gdunc]

Try putting the lead on (one at a time ) and then run - their natural reaction (and only option) is to run with you. After a period of this you'll find that they become a bit more savvy and you can work on improvements from there. If I recall it's cockers you have and if so you dont want to be forcing the issue of perfect heel position - just aim for reasonable on lead behaviour

 

As for recall - they're young and will be looking for you so try letting them run past you (again one at a time!) then immediately turn and walk away from them (no calling or looking for them) and they will inevitably run past you again at which point you turn and walk away. Do this three or four times then call the dog as they pass you - they'll most likely come in to you at which point you make a big fuss of them and possibly give them a treat. This should enforce a feeling that staying close to you is a good thing and that coming in when called is good too. You should alternate your direction when turning so that you are not always going forwards and backwards on the same plane. It'll take a little while but has proven successful for me with pups.

 

You're gonna have to carry out training them seperately for some time I would imagine.

 

Good luck

[new to the flock]

Did you try introducing the heeling and sit as I use in my program? With a treat they really like....cheese, hotdog, cooked liver, kibble etc....... Or was this out on your normal walk?

 

NTTF

[pantheman]

Did you try introducing the heeling and sit as I use in my program? With a treat they really like....cheese, hotdog, cooked liver, kibble etc....... Or was this out on your normal walk?

 

NTTF

 

Thanks all for the replies so far.

 

The obedience sessions haven't really began as yet, I was planning to do the walk at each visit and then put one away and work on the other and then swap.

 

I hadn't occured to me about those types of treats, I was thinking more along the lines of dog biscuits

 

I will find something they really like and try that.

 

Will let you know how I get on.

 

Cheers

[pantheman]

OK, heres my update on my pair of nutters

 

The lead now seems to be accepted. Jack doesn't complain anymore and he doesn't lie flat on the ground. The lead on and run advice was great thanks

 

I have now started the sit command, it has only been a couple of sessions but they are both responding to it well. In fact, as soon as jack thinks I have a treat in my hand he will sit. Its quite a thrill to see the creatures actually obey a direct command.

 

I still feel they are too young and they can just go hyper, especially if the see another person or dog. I give them a small amount of latitude, but I am slowly but surely restricting there running around untill the come when called and not dash off at the first sniff of a bone or any other munchable item.

 

The advice so far has been brill, I will keep it up at leat to get the obedience bit done before any serious training can begin.

 

As well as all this I still want to play with them , and I do believe they now know who I am.

 

Will keep you updated.

[Mrs Sweepy]

well done ,

you sound like your all having fun learning .

their is only one problem that i can see at this moment in time .

with your dog training.

and that is wheres the piccys .

of those two adorable fluff balls.

more pics please

xxxxsuzy

[lurcherboy]

How old are they?

 

Just being nosey.

 

 

 

 

 

LB

[pantheman]

How old are they?

 

Just being nosey.

 

LB

 

They are coming upto to 11 weeks. They told me they were 7 weeks when I got them, I have had them for almost 4 weeks now (4 weeks Sat).

 

I took them to the vets today for their 2nd set of injections. They were great, they sat at my feet no struggling and when I raised my hand as in a sit command they were sat. Brill I am so chuffed.

 

Hope they stay good, but i guess thats upto me

 

As for Piccys Mrs Sweep, soon my dear soon.

 

Cheers

[plinker]

i would be taking them out one at a time if you want to get there full attention, you really need to be getting a book to follow as you are going to get conflicting advise from here as we all do it the way we think is best, for example not all spaniel traininers would recommend giving edible rewards in training.you need to know in advance the methods you are going to use, you must be consistant.

good luck

[pantheman]

i would be taking them out one at a time if you want to get there full attention, you really need to be getting a book to follow as you are going to get conflicting advise from here as we all do it the way we think is best, for example not all spaniel traininers would recommend giving edible rewards in training.you need to know in advance the methods you are going to use, you must be consistant.

good luck

 

Firstly I do their usual walk, then I put one away and work with the other, then I swap them.

 

I have ordered the book by joe irvine (i think thats his name ) as recommended, just waiting for it.

 

But I am hopeful all will be well.

 

Cheers

[plinker]

i would be taking them out one at a time if you want to get there full attention, you really need to be getting a book to follow as you are going to get conflicting advise from here as we all do it the way we think is best, for example not all spaniel traininers would recommend giving edible rewards in training.you need to know in advance the methods you are going to use, you must be consistant.

good luck

 

Firstly I do their usual walk, then I put one away and work with the other, then I swap them.

 

I have ordered the book by joe irvine (i think thats his name ) as recommended, just waiting for it.

 

But I am hopeful all will be well.

 

Cheers

 

good on you ,your on the road to sucsess

[pantheman]

Hi Guys,

 

Well I just recieved my Trainig book by Joe irving. seems I'm gonna be doing a whole lotta reading now.

 

The pups are doing good so far and I hope to do more once I've got stuck into that book.

 

Will keep you posted.

 

Cheers

[pantheman]

OK, so I have been reading this book by Joe irving, but, it is quite a (IMHO) a generalised book. It is essentially for training from 6 months onwards and assumes the dog already obeys your commands. Can't say I'm impressed with the book, although I will still read on and see what other info I can get from it.

 

My pups just want to run around like nutters at the mo, and although I do give them some lee way I am now walking them on the lead more so. The book make no mention of the obedience training a pup should have so I think I need to look further afield.

 

I have read the first 3 chapters, but to be honest, they are not relevent to me now, as my pups are still at an early stage. Unless of course I have mis interpreted what has been said, but I don't think so.

 

My main aim at the moment is to get the pups to come to me when called, sometimes they will, sometimes they won't. Once they have a whiff of something or find something they want to chew, thats it, they don't want to know.

 

Sitting seems to be OK, they will even sit when I pick up their meal dish and wait patiently

 

Any pointers would be appreciated. I guess I sound defeated already, but I want to make sure I am not doing the wrong thing and teach them any bad habits I won't be able to break later .

 

I will persevere for now and see how it goes.

 

So, its nearly time for their afternoon walk and feed so I will be off.

[WGD]

Which Joe Irving book did you get? I have "Training Spaniels" and it starts from day one as I recall. The early chapters cover the period up to 6 months and where you should be trying to get to (sit, recall to whistle and a retrieve). NTTF has some good stuff pinned in the Dog section here too.

 

Don't get too demoralised, training two pups will be a HARD job.

 

Keep at it.

 

Cheers

 

WGD

[Mrs Sweepy]

dear pantheman,

welcome to my world .

you are in the same position i was two years ago.

my advice is try not to worry to much .if things dont go well one day in training .

they are still very very young .

mine are two now and we still have off days .(i am trying mr flock).

i think both my dogs were nearly a year old before i had even felt i had got anywhere with the training .

they have both just had there first shoot season .

the springer was fantastic .she was a real star .now she was the one we thought would be the prob as she is very head strong

the clumber well not so good (you can guess i trained him )and i must admitt some days after coming home from a shoot .

i really felt like jacking it all in .

you will have days right though the training were you will think what have i let myself in for.especially with two of them.

but then you have those little moments that make it all worth while .

and beleve me they do out weigh the bad times .

so try not to be to hard on yourself and enjoy then as pups.

and their are some really great people on here to help you out .

one of which has help many of us with are unruly hounds (now what was his name again )

any way enjoy those pups .

and like i said before MORE PICS PLEASE.

xxxxsuzy

[pantheman]

Well what can I say, I am touched by all the positive comments. THANKS VERY MUCH.

 

Your really are a good bunch of people and I am glad I have you support.

 

Went out with them again today, Lena (bitch) she is performing better than jack at the moment. At first I thought she would be the hard one, but, She is doing good.

 

I walked her round the orange grove without a lead (on her own) and she walked with me all the way zig-zagging infront of me and sometime through my legs. I would deliberately distance myself and call her, she would come belting towards me. I treated her each time and praised her. She will sit on command and today I had her stay even for a few seconds before she moved. Brilliant.

 

I then tried the same thing on jack. But I didn't trust him to walk with me so I walked him (almost to heel) then let him off the lead. He would be looking for something to munch, but he did come to me a couple of time half heartedly when I called him. Untill the end of the session he noticed our resident cats and he was off. Sugar, I thought he was going to get a swipe, but luckly the felines ran off. I eventually caught up to him and when a few feet from him called and he came, wow.

 

I was generally pleased tonight with them and I know they are young, but I just want to work with them sooner rather than later.

 

Thanks to NTTF for his obedience writeups thats what I am using at the moment.

 

Mrs sweepy I will post some pics this week, promise.

 

Thanks for all the encouragement, I really do appreciate it.

 

Cheers

[deeksofdoom]

Pantheman,

I think your expecting a bit much from these pups at the moment, they are only 11 weeks old give them a chance to grow up first. There's no panic with them yet. If I were you I'ld just be concentrating on getting them used you and their names(this can be used for the recall for the time being) and sitting, your not going to get them to walk to heal on the lead at 11 weeks. My pup who is 24 weeks didn't start walking to heal on the lead till a couple of weeks ago.

Don't worry you'll get there alright, good luck

regards

DOD

[pantheman]

Hello all, here is my update.

 

Both have learnt the sit command. Especially if they think I have treats. When I pick up their food dish they both sit and wait.

 

When I used to go the the door to open up for them they would jump around like crazy, now I say stop it and sit and they both calm down, sit and wait for the door to open.

 

previously when i was about to let them out they would be noses to the gate ahd as soon as it open bolt out, but I since read somewhere that they should not bolt so I now put on the lead say wait and they both sit, I open the door and it is a sight to see they both wait patiently ( I am amazed) until I tel them 'Alright' and they both dash out.

 

lena will walk within a few metres of me WITHOUT a lead and she responds to the recall command 8 times out of 10, until we get to an area where she knows they maybe bits of bone hanging about then thats it. Overall I am pleased with her.

 

Jack I walk round on a longer lead and he will come to me when i call, but when the lead is off he may come 4 time out of 10, so I keep him on the lead until I am sure he will come on recall more often.

 

If I say sternly NO, they tend to stop doing whatever it is I say no to, they have learn so much in such a small space of time. I am really happy with them. The fetch command will be the next one.

 

here are a couple of more photos (OK Mrs sweepy ?? As promised)

 

Cheers

 

Edited April 12, 2008 by pantheman

[pantheman]

Hello chaps,

 

Dogs are growing fast and they seem to be responding ok, but......

 

They have had all their injections now so i take them into another field. They scapper around not too far from me, but the problem is when the get a whif of something, getting them to come is harder. I call the names, they look up and they know they should come, but if the smell is good enough they won't. Little blighters. If i shout at them and look as if i am going to go over they will then come.

 

In the orange grove there are too many smells for them to listen, I hope they will grow out of that, because i getting a bit ticked off with it. If they find something to chew they just know that they shouldn't and when I call them they dash off like a kid would being caught in the act.

 

My other problem is when they see another person or dog, they just go nuts and jump all over them. Will they grow out of this?? If i shout stop it and tug on the lead they do tend to sit, but the tendency is to go for it again. Any ideas.

 

The fetching exercise is not so good, more inconsistant really. Jack may fetch successfully 5 or 6 times then thats it, he doesn't want to know. I swap them over and Lena with dash for it but sometime pick it up and wonder and sometimes just go to it and do nothing.

 

I dunno maybe i am just expecting too much too soon. At this stage i don't trust them off the lead, they would just bolt at the sign of a person / dog/ cat again not to mention if they find something they want to munch, even poop urgh!

 

I am reading stuff and watching a DVD, but is just assumes the dog will do exactly what you say. I mean how do you get the thing to pick up the dummy and bring it if he doesn't want to??

 

Anyway, I will persivere and see what comes.

 

Cheers.

 

And many thanks to all those that have assisted me both on and off the board.

[pantheman]

Ok chaps here is my update.

 

I am really pleased with mine tonight. I used pork kebabs as treats and I had a 100% success rate on the fetch. Amazing, i nearly peed myself. Jack would go dashing off and bring straight back to hand. I even threw the ball about 50m and he still went for it. Similarly with Lena. I thought she would be more difficult, but no, she did well. The HERE command was also doing good.

 

I then had them sit and I would walk backwards for about 4 or 5m and then call them. Wicked. From now on its pork treats.

 

I was so chuffed I will do this for a few days now to get them up to speed.

 

Thats it for now.

 

Cheers