I just got a Cane Corso pup (15 weeks old). I have watched the Pack Structure DVD many times but I ahve a few questions:

1: I know that the DVD says to keep in crate, take out ONLY on lead, and right back into crate until quitet and submissive in crate. No fun play, or "gushing' just yet. MY pup is still kind of "skittish" in her new surroundings and getting used to me. I have read that lots of praise, and food treats with new puppy. How does this relate to the PAck Structure foundation training? I want desperately for the pup to be "pumped" to see me, and be excited, but I also want to do the proper foundation training with her.

Any info would be greatly aprpeciated.

Thanks

Adam, some of that pack structure info was meant for adult dogs. (ie social isolation) You definately want to be interacting with your pup a lot, and using the crate as a safe place to put him when you can't directly supervise him.

Have you considered tethering him to you? I didn't do this with my pup, and I really regret it. I think it's probably the fastest way to lay a strong foundation for pack structure, and it has the added benefit of strengthening your bond with the pup as well.

Beautiful pup, by the way!

Adam, I had the same questions when we got our puppy 9 months ago. (She is now closing in on a year - wow!) We ended up doing some kind of hybrid meaning we definitely played/interacted with our puppy but also used the crate quite a bit. We would play with her 10-20 minutes outside, on the deck, and in the kitchen (we tried best we could to do more outside than in, so if accidents happened it was outside), and then we would come in and put her in the crate.

Puppies are a lot of work. And so there were times when I needed "my" time, so I used the crate. I would leave her there for 30-60 minutes, get stuff done and then bring her out again. Depending on house training needs, that was about time anyway. I have to admit, there were times when it was just nice to have her in there, even when I was available.

As she got older, we started tethering, which is also great! We probably started about 4-5 months. If I was in the kitchen, she was tethered to me as I made dinner. If I was in the study working or in the family room watching tv, she was tethered to me. But if I was moving a lot (cleaning up the house, doing laundry etc), into the crate she would go - just made it easier for me in the beginning. As she caught onto the idea, she accompanied me more around the house. Now she follows me everywhere without being tethered (but still loose leash).

At about this time (4-5 months), I also started marker training. Started with the "yes" and then simple "sit" and "down". Something about that also made her understand she was "working for me" helping her further see me as the pack leader.

In general, we were working to communicate to her: we are glad you are in our pack - I want to interact with you - this is a safe environment - the crate is also a safe environment and sometimes as the pack leader I get to decide that is the best place for you.

Not sure that is strict pack structure communication, but for a puppy it seemed balanced and fair. I am VERY new to this forum and need to learn a ton more!!! That was just our experience. Hope it helps :-)

Thanks for the info. I was pretty much thinking about doing a "hybrid" type of structuring becasue I want to bod before the isolation part.

Good thing that my idea was kind of validated a bit.

Thanks for the info. Keep it coming if anybody has it.

How did you folks address the "no petting" rule and how the puppy interacts with the rest of your family?

Thanks

In the beginning, I was predominantly the one who interacted/played/pet our puppy, but not exclusively. For the first 2 weeks, it was me with the occasional play time with me and my husband (maybe for small time in evenings and several more times on weekends). He would greet her when he came home - nothing too big. He also helped with taking her out and feeding from time to time.

My kids (12 and 14) were away at camp, but had they been home, they would have been included in these occasional playtimes and small "hey, you're cute" moments. I just would have limited them a bit. When they did get home, they would take her outside "to wear her out" for 10 minutes or so a few times a day - I was always present! I stepped in with the necessary "NO bite" to show them how I wanted them to handle her. Eventually, when we got to tethering and she was more accessible, there was a little more freedom for the kids and my husband. Probably a month later, the kids started helping me feed her.

So we were not exactly strict again. She did interact with family members, but mostly with me. When she was in the crate, we did our best to ignore her. When she was out, we interacted. Puppies are adorable - hard not to gush - and we did our fair share, just not all the time.

I kept stressing that we had a lifetime with this dog and if we established a little structure first, they would have a better chance of developing a really good relationship with her later. It paid off. She loves my husband, adores my son and hangs out with my daughter, and looks at me as the leader of this whole wooly bunch :-)