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you must request the behavior again.

Probably just semantics...however, I don't 'request' a behavior. Request to me means there is a choice. If someone requests I shut up. I don't... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I don't ask either. If I say it...you do it. Doesn't work well with the family...but seems to do wonders for the dogs.

Food to me has always been a pleasure and it seemed a natural progression to use food as a reward when puppy training. My puppy group all used food except for one German lady who wanted to use praise only. Her GSD did not progress as quickly as the rest of the class. She was into Schutzhund and comp. obedience and didn't want to "mess her dog up" with food as it wasn't going to get any later. Funny thing was that he was always looking at the other people (who had the food) and not at her.

We were taught to phase out the food gradually and/or introduce toys that the dogs loved. Although my dog loved his toys, he was not ball crazy like some of the borders or goldens I met later on in agility classes. But then, I really didn't introduce the ball until he was several months old. Perhaps that is why?

My dog has always worked well with food. Even now as a 9 year old he still gets treated occasionally. His obed is always excellent with praise, but add a treat here and there and his speed goes up especially on a recall where his laid back nature is very evident. ("Yeah ma, I'm coming. Just wait for me.") <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hy, you need to work with a control over your dog, the first excercise than you must be to work it´s a control and you can used a food or a toy, but you need to used a real price, believe me I trainned a lot of adults an puppies, but I have been begun to work over control. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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Todd,
I don't ask either. If I say it...you do it. Doesn't work well with the family...but seems to do wonders for the dogs.

I agree with Todd.
When you start letting the dogs decide, it's time for a change in methods. Thaqt's my thoughts <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

When the K-9 knows the command(has been proofed) there should be only one decision. FOLLOW COMMAND nothing else is allowed.
This is what our K-9's want. To be LEAD!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

If I may jump in on this discussion, I would just like to comment that in my opinion, 7 months isn't too young for corrections. I don't believe any age is "too young"...you just gear the correction to the age of the puppy and most 7 mo. old's...especially GSD's can handle corrections.
Case in point: In my current obedience class I have a very large 9 mo. old GSD who has been let to more or less, "run wild" because the owner was told by someone that because GSD's mature later than other breeds, they shouldn't even start training their dog until he's a year old! :rolleyes: Consequently, she now has a very large "puppy" who is "Alpha" and has IMO, the potential to become aggressive, because he doesn't pay attention to her half-hearted corrections. when I took him to show her how to correct him (using prong collar and leash) he growled/barked at me to let me know he did not like being corrected AT ALL. For the rest of the class, whenever we took a break and I looked over at this dog he was starring at me and would not break eye contact. When I talked to him there was no response whatsoever. Very unsettling to say the least! I see future problems with this dog/owner relationship and feel this dog is eventually going to bite someone.
Willow01

Willow1,

Welcome aboard. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

This thread has been around it seems like forever and now it's all over the map. It was supposed to be about training with treats and it has turned into many other things as well. I'm closing this puppy down. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />