different strokes.

sorry pete , but gotta disagree with you 100% on the crate / den analogy thing .

giving the dog a place that is his own , where he will not be disturbed results in a more grounded dog .

in the reading I have done , I have learned that even a peek a poo is not that far genetically removed from their wolf ancestors , and that same instinct to dig a hole in the ground to live in , to relax , to sleep , to hide from threats , to bear their young can be more or less satisfied by us , their providers , giving them a reasonable substitute , which is a crate .

Fabio , use what works for ya , but I think a lot of us will agree that you are opening up a world of disappointment by giving a young pup free unlimited access to a room , particularly your bedroom .

Even if you don't believe in crating your dog at home, it's a skill worth teaching. If your dog ever has to spend time at a vet's office, emergency hospital, groomer, etc.--he will be crated. If he ever participates in any sport, he will likely be crated at the arena. The training club I attend has crates for dogs to use when they are not on the agility course. Learning how to coexist with a crate is a skill a dog needs to know.

I'm in the camp that thinks crates are a terrific training tool. There's no safer way of containing a puppy that you aren't watching like a hawk. And crating makes housebreaking a thousand times easier than without. I'm not sure I see the down side to crate training.

ETA: my Leonberger calms herself by going into her crate. I don't close her in, or even ask her to go in there. But at least once a day, she can be found in there relaxing. I think it is a space that she knows is 100% hers and she can go in there when she doesn't want to have to interact with anyone else. It's a retreat.

I agree that crate training is an essential skill for a dog to know, just like standing for a medical exam, getting a shot, nail trimming etc, etc.

when I do formal obed or agility at home I sure use a crate to contain the other 3 dogs while I train one, I am starting just for giggles to down the other 3 while I am heeling one a round them tho.

as far as containment solution it is clearly situational and context dependent.

I think dogs are as much wolves as Budgerigars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budgerigar are eagles, jmo.

Sorry guys but I asked info about which size of pen I ve to pick etc.

I already said that I follow crate and pen rules etc

I specify it again cause I didnt say to give freedom in bed room but someone else said

thanks for help !

Today ive met a friend with a little dog 6 months old, he will probally meet my dog cause we hang out together in my home but that little dog is without any control , jump on my sofa, running histerically everywhere, she still a pup but im worried can ruin my future dog.

Yup fabio , probably not the kind of dog you want to be hanging out with , at least not in the beginning .

he could be useful later as distraction training when that becomes appropriate , but the fact that buddy has let his dog get to that point is a strong indication that your goals for your dog will not match well with his , if in fact , he has any goals for his dog . it doesn't sound like it , or at the very least , doesn't know how to proceed to accomplish them .

sorry about the thread jack re the crate , but when you get dog people discussing key points , well . . . discussion will occur lol .

Thanks a lot mate

Meanwhile I've found a friend with calm 5 years trained dog that would die for a ball , very social with dogs and the owner is a friend that started training dogs last month.

He use my garden as training field.

that sounds better fabio . . . you want social , but not too social .

you want that other dog to be friendly and playful , but more interested in engagement with his owner/handler than he is in playing with your puppy .

imagine how you want your dog to be in the future . . . that's the kind of dog / handler relationship you want to be hanging around with .

Hi guys, its me again :-)

- Toys to play with ? -
I've to order some basic stuffs + some toys, I saw ED video about Toys, do you also suggest some toys ?

How do you rate intelligent games for dogs ?

thanks !

Ed lays out the best, most accessible and comprehensive road map for puppy ownership and raising.

I would purchase and study in the order Ed recommends the following products, I have personally purchased all the products except the Mark Keating housebreaking 101.

it seems that thru Ed's vast experience he has anticipated every problem and question and provided a solution to every aspect of puppy raising that could possible occur.

start here;

http://leerburg.com/newpuppy.htm


seems I have missed a DVD release, "relationship games" I have not seen this.

a non-Ed vid I highly recommend is; Susan Garret's "crate games" (check actual title), it is most highly awesome.

Ed does not seem to stock it, I assume he would endorse the content, not sure where you buy it.


the power of tug and power of food DVD's changed my life and the life of my dog's for the better, if there were only two videos that should be saved to rebuild society after the apocalypse these should be the two selected.