Hi all,

I figure I'd get more responses if I posted here. I have already posted in the "Dog Training School" section but have only had one response. I hope this is allowed and I hope I get the answers that I'm looking for. I'm a first time GSD owner and new to puppy/dog training and I just want the best for my puppy and me. Thanks in advance guys!

Here's what I posted:

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and new to puppy/dog training. I just recently purchased an 8 week old GSD Female puppy and she's absolutely the best! I've been looking into something more than a Petsmart type training school and want training with ecollar. I've found two schools that seems very reputable in my area. 1st place I found is called K-9 Companions and they have references such as Rampage Jackson and Travis Barker but they do not train with ecollars.

2nd was Sit Means Sit. Now, I've read that this forum and the owners of this forum do not support anything that has to do with Sit Means Sit. I did a search but all I could find were old 2001/2002 posting of the sit means sit guys (Fred and RIch). So could anyone here explain to me why Sit Means Sit have been so disliked and support on this forum? TO be honest, I had my area Sit Means Sit training come to my home and give me a demostration with their dog and I was really amazed. His dog gave him total attention and listened to his every command on and off the ecollar and what was most important was that the dog was excited to do as his owner commanded.

The reason I ask because I have been lurking in this forum and found many valuable information here so I've come to really respect the opinions and advice of the people/mods here. If anyone in my local area have better suggestions on trainers here or can clear up my confusion on Sit Means Sit I would greatly appreciate it. I thank all in advance for their input.

BTW, my puppy's name is Isis. She's very very smart. She learned how to sit within a day and she' pickin up on the down command and I'm trying to get her to sit back on from the down command. She's doing really well. Potty training is a little more difficult but I'm doing all I can and using what I've learned from reading through this forum.

Thanks!

Johnny

Johnny,

Sit Means Sit is avoidance training at it's finest, which is not the way to train a dog. I know several people that started out with that method and quickly realized it was a method of training that was not right for the dog.

Carol, thank you for the reply. What does avoidance training mean? SOrry I'm a complete newbie with puppy training and terminology.

IMO, and I may be off a bit, is that you teach the dog to avoid what you do not want him to do with negative reinforcement (corrections) from the collar..

I did this with my first Malinois, she kills cats.
Under instruction, I used the e-collar and when she got close to the cat I would nail her with the collar.

She now "avoids" the cats. If she sees the cats, she leaves or comes and sits by me and will not move. She gets visibly nervous if we are working obedience and one or more of the cats comes around. If the cat gets too close to her, she will get up, move away and go back into a down/stay or what ever position she was in at the time.

I wish I would have done it differently but the damage is done and now I have to move on and use the positive reinforcement methods which work MUCH better. My young Mal leaves the cats alone because she knows that I am much more fun and rewarding than chasing the cats....it is also working with the older Mal as well. She still has to wear the collar though.

P.S. WELCOME to the forum.

You might consider doing a lot of the initial training yourself, say up to 6 months or so, then going with Isis to a training class. (I like her name, btw.) If you have a chance to go to a good seminar in the meantime, that would be fun too.

For example, you could consider getting one of Ed Frawley's DVDs, the one called Basic Dog Obedience: http://www.leerburg.com/302.htm . Ed also has great training articles http://www.leerburg.com/articles.htm and podcasts and e-books that would give you tremendous amount of information. Reading these articles would also help you in becoming more aware of what you're looking for in a training class.

I would also first go to a training class and watch one session, if they let you, and see how you like the method being used. If they don't let you watch, I think I'd steer clear.

I don't know anything about K9 Companions, but even if they don't train with the e-collar, it's not something you need to put on your pup for some time anyway. However, if the class would involve lots of other puppies or dogs, that IMO is too much distraction under which to train a young puppy. There are different phases of training and distractions are introduced slowly and only after the commands have been 100% learned. It wouldn't be very fruitful, and not fair to the pup (or you). Makes stress where there doesn't need to be stress.

Edited to add: sending you a PM.

Sandy,

You are awesome, excellent advice. I should have thought of that to add as well.

Training your own is fun, rewarding and builds bonds beyond belief.

With Ed's DVD's and help from reliable trainers, there is no reason not to go that route.

Even if you are a beginner, you can do it. All of us here were beginners too.

Thank you Carol and Sandy! Isis live with my parents and I only see her on the weekends (well considering Isis is technically their puppy but I claim her to be mine =P) So I'm going to have to talk to them and make sure they are COMMITED to taking time each day to train her with my brothers help. Training her on our own was another option of mine but I'm just worried that if we do not train her properly, she'll just be a mess when she's older and that was my main concern. I'll definitely look into the dvd's and I think Roni has a training seminar in Vegas this weekend that I'm considering going to. Thanks again and if anyone else has more input or can recommend other schools in the Corona/Riverside area I would be more than welcome to listen to.

This forum is great!

Welcome Johnny, its a great site with tons of info. I started with a bad trainer and regreted it, it really set me back. Its smart to check around and ask advice. You can learn alot here. I second reading some of Ed's Ebooks so much info. Good luck and post a pic of your pup in the welcome section, so we can see her.

 Quote: Johnny Ling

So I'm going to have to talk to them and make sure they are COMMITED to taking time each day to train her with my brothers help.

When all family members are involved in training it is really important to make sure they are doing the same thing with her training.

If you can, print off some of Ed's articles or e-books and have them all read them. Sit down with them and watch the 8wks to 8 months DVD if you can swing it.

My husband used to do different things (he does not mess with the dogs that much) until I started the DVD's and he got to listening and then finally started watching them with me.

Ideally, one person should be the dog's primary caretaker, but if this is a family venture and all members are old enough to teach, then I do not see a big issue (maybe some small ones) unless they all try different techniques to train the pup with.

The biggest thing is making sure that when one person is working, playing or feeding the dog that the others stay out of it (like if Mom is working on sit then Dad and Brother need to not try and help since it will confuse the pup). This will help a lot.

Hi Johnny, and welcome.

My best bit of advice would be to get Ed's Your puppy 8 weeks to 8 months DVD first, as Isis is only 8 weeks.

We did lots of training with Teagan from a young age (probably too much) and did a few courses. I'd think about a puppy socialisation course, but I'd really recommend the DVD. I got it a little while ago when we were thinking about a new puppy, and I learnt loads, along with the website articles.

An e-collar administers corrections - and a young puppy hardly needs these whilst it's learning new stuff.

Get the DVD - you won't regret it!

Rob