Hi,

I'm anxiously awaiting to pick up my new gsd pup in 5-6 wks (he's 3wks now). This will be my first schh pup, and I'd like to minimize my screw ups as best I can. I've watched "Raising a Working Puppy", "Preparing Your Dog for the Helper", "Building Drive and Focus", and "Training a Competition Tracking Dog".

Now I'm trying to compile a list of do's and dont's and a general timeline of what to train and at what age. This is what I have so far, feel free to correct or add anything.

8wks - General Bonding, tethered at all times, no corrections.
No bite corrections, redirect bite to toys. Start easy drive work w/ toy on string. Can use orbee, rag, or tug.

10wks (or ealier/later?) - Start socialization and taking to new places.

12wks - Start training the "hier" and “into arms” command.

4 – 4.25 months - Teach the Aus command by flanking dog when in arms. Only done once a day for a few days, then test the out before correction. Goal is using the out 1 / 10 times. Kick toy away and immediately go back into drive

4 - 6 months - Teething. No tug work, can still work on drive.

5-6 months - Train – Sitz and Platz in drive. Continue drive and focus work.
--------------------------------------------------------
Now for questions:

Is it okay for family and roommates to give pup pat on the head? or will that still cause him to see other people as petting machines?

I'm terrified of having dog aggressive pup if I don't allow the pup to interact w/ other dogs. Am I worrying for nothing? Should I allow pup to have some interactions with dogs I trust?

Thanks a lot,
Michele

Anyone, anyone, Bueller...

Michele,

Timelines are great for certain things, but it all really depends on the puppy.
A rough outlook is good, but do not rush the pup into anything. If the bonding is not going well, it may take longer than what you have planned.

I only allow people to pet my pups if they need the extra socialization, otherwise people are asked to ignore the pup or dog. This goes for roommates and family as well.

I agree with Carol, I wouldnt look for any strict timeline. For the most part your training will go in an order that you are looking for him to progress in before moving forward. Sometimes that goes quick and sometimes it doesnt and sometimes you have to back-track. I thought the Raising a Working Puppy had the answers to your questions on socializing. I've never seen it but your questions are a lot of why I wanted it. Anyway, my opinion is a little indifference to other people and dogs is something I would prefer. One other thing to remember is who are you going to train with.The right trainer and helpers make all the difference in the world.

Steve and Carol,
Thanks for the advice. I would agree with you both that a strict timeline shouldn't be followed. Thats why I was looking for a general timeline for when to train certain things. Even Ed mentions age appropriate things to teach a puppy. I guess what I'm trying to gather is age ( or signs) of when a puppy is developmentally ready to learn something.

I know what you mean Michele, and I'm sure there are general time frames but other then just making it fun for the puppy no matter what you are training, I don't know exactly what they are. I can tell you that with the two Rotts I've owned they were nothing alike. I think it will all be specific to your puppy.

I wasn't going to say anything but I'm somewhat curious as to what everyone else thinks. Perhaps I am just being close minded but the thought of teaching the out to a 4-4.25 month old puppy by flanking it seems harsh and incorrect to me. I have the D&F DVD so I know what the method is but I personally cannot see that as a good idea for teaching the out to such a young dog.

Aside from that, I don't really go on timelines with puppies. I know of what needs to get done and worked on but in the long run I let the pup decide. How fast or slow the pup is moving along and maturing etc determines what I'm doing with the pup at the time. That said I don't train SchH dogs I'm saying this in a general sense for any training and handling of puppies.

To be honest, I've never seen it and have only heard it in negative enough terms that I would think you are right. I used treats and traded for an out.

I'd never heard of it before until it came up in both "Building Drive and Focus", and "Preparing Your Dog for the Handler", and one of Ed's articles about teaching the out. I just assumed thats what you do to a schh pup. I'd normally teach the out pretty early in a pups life too w/ treats or trade. But all three references make a good point about the method, and why you should wait until the pup is older (ie. 4-5 mths).

Am I misinterpreting Ed and Bernard Flinks (sp?) ?

Edited by (04/06/2008 05:53 PM)
Edit reason: didn't specify what "older" meant

Michele, I cannot speak for Ed or B. Flinks but me personally I would not *teach* the out with the flanking method with such a young dog. 4-5 months is still a very young dog, still very much a puppy. I don't think I have read the article you are talking about by Ed (teaching the out) could you give me the link to it?

I can see the flanking method for reinforcing the out but not for teaching it to a 4-5 month old puppy. But perhaps I am being dense.. does anyone here have experience teaching the out with the flanking method on a 4-5 month pup?