I know there will be no standard answer for this question that will fit every young dog out there, but I'd just like to get some opinions from those who have had experience raising a working dog. What are the most major mistakes one can make when raising a working puppy that will have the greatest impact on its future as a working dog? I am interested in the areas of detection, protection and tracking/trailing. Also, what are the most common mistakes new handlers/owners make with young dogs? I have Ed's videos pertaining to raising working puppies and work with many experienced people. I would just like to get some outside opinions and a general feeling from the users on this board. Thank you.

The nbiggest mistake you can make is not to educate yourself.

You have 100 times more to learn than your dog.

THe second biggest mistake is to get impatient and try and train too much to soon.

TGhere is nothing else to add to this question.

Ed . . .I appreciate your response and like I said have been seeking education in many forms. I feel getting educated opinions from others with more experience than me is a good avenue in my quest for information. I was hoping for some more specific recommendations/experiences in order to learn as much as possible. I don't mean any disrespect so please don't read my reply as such. I just seek as much knowledge as possible.

One thing I learned is that you can't take a training method and stick that into an existing dog...you have to work with the dog as an individual and not expect cookie-cutter results. More often than not, if you're having problems with a dog, it's YOU who's doing something wrong, and not the dog himself...

Welcome to being the proud owner of a working dog.

I guess ii feel the best advice for a new working dog owner of a puppy is DO NOT give harsh corrections nor tell your puppy NO NO NO. You will feel like you have a little aligator on your hands.. after your hands. They will go after anything that moves don't shake a leg or toe either. Let something else become their favorite thing... The secret is to have plenty of things around to substitute your extremities for. (smiles) Play and play with your puppy.. chasing balls play tug then after a hearty session... put them up (crate them) to think about it for a while.

In this way you are training them for later on... they will be in a crate on the way to training and in a crate at training and crated between their sessions.

Please NEVER use the crate as a punishment area. You don't even have to start formal obedience until they are a year old when they will be old enough to understand what they are being told NO about. Teach them the basics with food and reward system. Platz & platz with an article (for tracking later on) Sitz, Hier Start their heeling. This can all be living room training. Everytime you give a treat.. make them earn it. These working dogs seem to automatically be easy to train... it is in the blood.

Keep it fun and you will have a puppy that will fall inlove with you. AND ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM THE HANDLER... not the other members of the family...

Well, is that the kind of stuff you are looking for? Sure hope so as it is past my bedtime.

CATCH YA LATER,
MA

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CATCH YA LATER,

MARSHA MAE A

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QXnrzOQLDp0jhgxO3Fqs1w?feat=directlink

so what age do you think is the best time for a working dog to start formal training?

hi ed,just wanna ask from experience in working dogs,how do you compare the dutch shepherd with the gsds,in performance?just need an experts advice.thank you

 Quote:

so what age do you think is the best time for a working dog to start formal training?

In BR it is 6 weeks

Greetings


Johan