Puppy-training books/DVD's/website recommendations please

[Curlykale]

At long last we are getting a puppy and I want to make sure that we do everything right from day one and start as we mean to go on. For the first 2 weeks there will be someone at home with the puppy all day but after that it will have to be on its' own for 2-3 hours each day during the week.

I've been looking for some guidance online on puppy training (including housetraining and crate training as well as basic obedience training) but there are so many different 'trainers' and approaches to training I haven't a clue which one(s) are good and which to avoid. Can anyone recommend any books, DVD's, websites etc from personal experience?

[lonelyshoot]

We got a new puppy German shepherd back in February and we took her to Steve Stokes he has a website and books on there he is very good he trains police dogs as well so has a good reputation. No matter what size of dog he was great with them all

[rustylady]

What breed Curlykale?

[Two_Sheds]

Some people hate him, some people don't understand his methods, some people criticise him without bothering to watch his programmes, but ...


I highly, thoroughly, recommend Cesar Millan


*everyone* remarks how well-behaved, calm & friendly my dogs are when we're out walking (I walk other people's dogs too, for a charity). It's all down to Cesar

[Curlykale]

Thanks for your replies everyone. Rustylady, we're getting a female cockapoo. After spending a lot of time researching breeds we decided that the characteristics of the spaniel would really suit our family, and combined with the low-shedding qualities of the poodle (for the family members with allergies) a cockapoo sounds like the ideal dog for us. TS, I've had a look at Cesar Millan online and there is SO much stuff available it is confusing - can you recommend any specific books or DVD's? My daughter and I went to a dog training class tonight just to watch and see what they do, and what an eye-opener! There were SO many dogs with problems there - it's made me even more determined to make sure that we train our puppy as well as we can from the beginning! We are so excited!!

[Pineberry]

I would highly recommend clicker training. It's easy, you might be able to find clicker classes locally as it is quite popular. If not you certainly can do it yourself.
I clicker trained my ridgeback successfully myself, and my breed is nowhere near as obedient as yours. If its got poodle in it they should be very smart dogs.
Lots of books on it or try youtube for it, it's free. Honestly it is very easy, but does require some patience and perseverance.

[Andypandi]

Hi curlykale! I am getting my puppy soon and like you I have been doing my research. My puppy has been born and now I am just waiting for her to be old enough to come home. As you know the key is to start early and get them into a routine. Be consistent with everything you do with them and exercise as much as you can (obviously when they are old enough to). I have been told to take her out as much as possible to get her used to everyone and different environments. A puppy pen will also be useful as you can't watch them all the time when you first get them. I bet your family can't wait! A house isn't a home without pets

[Two_Sheds]

, I've had a look at Cesar Millan online and there is SO much stuff available it is confusing - can you recommend any specific books

I did.
It's in my link

[Two_Sheds]

I have been told to take her out as much as possible to get her used to everyone and different environments.

Absolutely, get them socialised. Do NOT pick your puppy up if another dog approaches: you're scared, she isn't. If you pick her up, you teach her to be fearful.

Cesar is all about behaviour. He doesn't teach tricks, or walking to heel, or recall. Your dog may do all the tricks in the world, but if she isn't calm & well behaved on her walks, you won't enjoy walking her.

If she growls or snaps at a dog, correct her. It is not OK, even for little dogs, to show aggression.
Ditto jumping up and chewing at hands. Nip it in the bud.

It is not their job to protect you. (really? a little dog is going to protect you? No. It's your job to protect you, and her). If you believe your dog should be allowed to growl and snap, you will end up with a dangerous dog that nobody likes and you don't enjoy walking because she plays up.

You must be in control: show her that you are protecting her, and she will have no need to snap, bite or bark.

Obvs, keep her away from 'dangerous' dogs. That means any dog that could kill her with one bite. Seek out friendly, calm dogs to socialise with in the beginning, and avoid any that are jumping around, barking & over-excited, no matter how friendly the owner says they are.
Over-excited dogs are only going to teach yours bad manners which you will spend a lifetime trying to correct.

This stuff is hard work, and most people really can't be bothered. All those dogs you see running off lead? It's because they are a nightmare on the lead, pulling and jumping around, so the owner has given up trying to control them.

Once you have the basic behaviour & good manners in place (it will take months of boring repetitious training & correcting), then you can work on the fun stuff, like tricks. They learn really quickly once they understand that the human is in charge, not them.

[Curlykale]

Oops Sorry TS! And thanks. I've just ordered the book you suggested. I must confess I was a bit concerned at the training class we watched last night as the trainer suggested that we bring our puppy to a class as soon as she has had her jabs as she needs to socialise with ALL types of dogs/personalities - but there were some dogs there I wouldn't want to introduce her to (boisterous, noisy and one or two were aggressive towards some of the others) as I think it would scar her for life rather than be of any benefit to her. You say not to pick her up if another dog approaches her, but I would worry that by the time it becomes obvious that a particular dog is going to be nasty and not friendly it may be too late for me to pick her up. My neighbour has a labrador who is generally ok with other dogs except small dogs/puppies - he bounds up to them, tail wagging, then at the last minute snaps at them. I've read that the most important time for socialising is between 8 and 12 weeks, but the breeder says we shouldn't take her out until after she has had all her jabs at 12 weeks. What did you do? I'm hoping we can take her out but just carry her everywhere until she is fully vaccinated.

I did.
It's in my link

[veggiechicken]

Do you know someone with fully vaccinated dogs. Let your dog meet and play with them. My vets run puppy clubs - perhaps yours does?
I have cavaliers and have never picked them up when other dogs have approached. For one thing, it encourages the strange dog to jump up to reach your dog, which can be more frightening for your dog than allowing them to meet at ground level. I've never met aggressive dogs, just overenthusiastic ones.

[Two_Sheds]

You say not to pick her up .. but I would worry that by the time it becomes obvious that a particular dog is going to be nasty

You don't pick the puppy up: you meet the strange dog first, keeping your puppy behind your leg.
Put your body (or just a leg) between the dogs, keep your dog on a short lead (not a stretchy lead, you have no control at all with a long lead)

You need to suss out the other dog. If it's a good un, friendly, THEN you can unclip your puppy and let them play.

If it's nasty, your puppy is safely behind you, on a lead, and you just walk away

[Two_Sheds]

My neighbour has a labrador who ... at the last minute snaps at them.

The lab should be on a lead then. Seriously, don't risk a bite. If it's not friendly, then don't socialise with it.

What did you do? I'm hoping we can take her out but just carry her everywhere until she is fully vaccinated

Puppies can't have too much exercise: their bones are too soft and should not be walked for far at all: literally just to the corner and back.

The first few weeks you should be intensively training with her, in the house: where her food is, where to do toilets, watching her for accidents, teaching her to use her bed, how not to bark, and preferably crate-training*, how to walk on a lead in the house/garden, etc

It's very time-consuming & boring, but will pay dividends in the future.

You can take her round the block, just don't meet any other dogs: cross the road to avoid them until her vaccines are done



*I'm a fan of crates, though I only use them on holidays now. The dog doesn't see it as a prison, to them it's their den, their private bedroom.
Very useful if you need to get on with the housework or something without the puppy being under your feet.

[Curlykale]

Thanks for all your advice; I can see I'm going to be back on here with lots more puppy-related questions over the next few weeks/months!

[Kitchen Gardener]

We have bred and shown Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for about 32 years. In addition we have run a variety of training classes. We always sleep and travel ours in crates ..... this is not cruel as some think and useful if you have visitors who are not doggie friendly. Most dogs/puppies will sleep quite happily in a crate and will not foul it. I would advise buying a large enough crate to accomodate a sleeping area and leave a space for a thick pad of newspaper or training pad (certainly until puppy is dry at night). Make sure that puppy goes outside after every meal and first thing in the morning/last thing at night and praise when it performs in the right place.

As for training classes, it depends what you want, show training, obedience for competition or just a well behaved dog (most likely). Visit a few and watch what goes on, avoid those who use sprays (these just frighten puppies), your trainer should be kennel club recommended. Have you thought about agility or flyball classes, these are great fun and keep an active minded dog busy as well as keeping you fit.
As for books and DVDs, there are stacks available so go along to library and borrow a few. Remember Cocker Spaniels are a working gundog breed and Poodles were originally bred to work with French fishermen so you have a mixture of two very intelligent breeds which must not become bored or you will have a destructive dog. If you have to leave puppy, leave lots of toys, try a Kong with a few biscuits inside. Hope this helps, using these methods, I can honestly say that we have NEVER had any damage and most of ours have been clean by the time they are about 16 weeks old.