Stephanie,

I would keep the puppy tethered all the time so he is not able to get rocks in your backyard or anywhere. When Teddy was a young puppy, he likes to eat horse's poop. I kept him tethered and taught him the "Hey" command to teach him leave the poop alone. I would reward him all the time with praise, food, and toy. He is a food motivated which helps a lot with him not eating horse poops. I always carry treats with me all the time during the walk or anywhere. You can begin this with a rock, and teach your puppy "Yuck" or "Leave it." Then redirect your puppy with something appropriate or reward a treat.

Joey,

Your pup is too young for a prong-if he is scared of walking at night using a prong IMO will only make him more scared. Hes a baby, you need to check into marking training and try that route-save the prong for if and when you really need it down the road.

All puppies for the most part act like crazy beasts - see sampson in my sig post? he was horrible and at 18 months he still is, just not as bad he used to just push me to total frustration and when that happened I would just put him up in his crate until he would settle down. Get a crate if you dont have one.

You can practice the "leave it" command with him but I would do it with motivational training, I think a way you can train it is have a treat in your fist, let him know its in there and he'll probably go nuts trying to pry your hand open but the minute he stops, looks away, mark and give him the treat, you can probably do this too with the treat on the floor with your foot over the top of it so he cant get to it. I'm sure theres other ways to train it but thats one way - no corrections at this point. Motivational training takes longer to see results then compulsion training IMO but its worth it in the long run, you will have a much happier dog and a great bond with the dog. Prong collars have there place, all 3 of my dogs wear them when out walking but they are large adult dogs.
I would let him explore as much as possible right now as long as he's not getting into something thats bad for him. Lots of toys and fetch games in the back yard are great to wear out a puppy.
Remember having a Puppy is fun!!!

I think everyone has what works for them and for my GSD pup, it was the prong collar as Ed counsels in his 8 weeks to 8 Months DVD. I tried the treat route with Sophie and it did not work. I tried that for three weeks before I got to the "Yuck" part of Ed's DVD. It took my dog literally no time to figure out "Yuck". Now, I don't have to pull the prong on her for "Yuck" after only one week. Now, she either ignores what she used to try to get our I say "yuck" and she knows. All I can say is the prong worked for us and our bond is greater every day.

Joey will have to figure out what works for him. All we can do is say what worked for us. I have tried to follow Ed's training technique to a "T" where appropriate, and it has not failed, including the prong collar.

Stephanie

Now we're putting pinch collars on 12 week old puppies!!!????

I mean, they're so easily distracted at that age. Why would one?

12 weeks old huh? Oh well, something for everyone I guess.


If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Hey, I thought we were all on this site because we supported and believed in what Ed Frawley teaches in his videos. Again, I am just following what Ed teaches.

Yes, that is true that everyone has there own way to train and in the end will do what they decide is best for their dog. I'm just saying you can use a prong collar to correct just about any problem and it usually works really quick-but quick is not always better IMO and especially on a 13 week old pup. I would always try marker training first and give it time to work - marking training takes time and it works if done properly-
Ed's DVD's are great - I have a ton of them - they are definitely part of my "training bag" - along with a lots of other stuff. But I will stick to what I said before that IMO I think 13 weeks is too young for a prong on a pup

Hey, don't get all defensive on us Stephanie.

I don't know what Ed says on that particular video. Shrug, I've had more then one dog I wanted to strangle at 12, 13, or 14 weeks old. But I always found some other way to deal.

If you're happy, and the dog is happy. Then everyone here is happy.
However, I still wouldn't advise a pinch on a 3 month old dog. Especially enre for the op's issue.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Randy, I'm guilty of using prongs on puppies at about 12-16 weeks, depending on the pup. I don't do anything with the collar but allow them to self correct if they get really wild on a walk. I keep a loose leash at all times, but a properly used prong is great for guidance and direction- not just correction.

I like them to get used to it; I have found they are more responsive to them and require fewer "real" corrections as they get older if they already have a concept of the prong. They also seem to fight it less than if they have never worn one and get one much later. It seems that they are more likely to "take it personally" if used for the first time at a much older age...whereas if you just use one all the time, it's not seen as a punishment. I often use them on both rings to get a pup used to them. Maybe my dogs are the exceptions, but I have not seen any ill effects from early prong introductions. On the contrary, actually.

I do ONLY USE SPRENGER prongs; have you guys seen how sharp and nasty generic prong ends are? Sprenger's prong ends are nice and smooth and ROUNDED.

 Quote: stephanie irwin

Stephanie,

I also agreed that a prong would be too young until I saw Ed's DVD re the "Yuck" command, which is why I had to start using it because my pup was eating rocks, and unfortunately, we have a lot of limestone rocks in our neighborhood because of driveways (the intention being less concrete is better, but not for dogs!) Once I heard Ed explain how dangerous it is for dogs to eat rocks, and given that fact that I was having to either yank her every few seconds or try to pull rocks out of her mouth before she swallowed them, I thought his advice was sound. He made it a "no other option" deal with a pup acting like mine. It just so happens that the prong also helped get her going on a walk as well and her behavior has greatly improved in all respects.

I too agree that dogs should be able to run around and just have fun, but it is never too young to leash train a dog, particularly if the dog is going to get regular walks as part of their exercise.

Everything in moderation...

Stephanie

Yes some extecise is great but ed does not use a prong in that DVD I own that.

He teaches yuck like he teaches every else. When they do the comaand they get a reward. I have never pronged my dog and they both know the yuck well I use leave but you get the idea.
even now they still look for a treat when they leave something.

Yes moderate extercise is fine but at this age playing ball in the back yard should be fine. I would at least wait ell six months for real walks you can leash train in the back yard.

I did and will always.
I tought come sit stay down all that in my back yard and leash training they did great.

I am with randy on this one.
Thats all i can say.

If your dog is not food driven mabye they are prey. I think corections so young can turn on you later on down the road.