I'm new to training and handling GSDs and will be picking up my first dog from the airport on Friday. I am determined to do everything right from the start, though I'll admit to being terribly worried about making some error in this critical first stage. I purchased this dog in particular because of its previous training. He is aparently ready for a BH certification. After reading Frawley's ground rules, I have established that I must assume the dog is untrained and therefore must learn how to train it. More important than that, I have little knowledge of my own and must learn quickly. So my plight is this, which DVDs will teach me what I need to know about training and bonding with this 11 month old possibly trained working dog? It is my ultimate goal to have a personal protection dog with a strong bond to me and mine, though I realize that stage is probably two years away.

well in my opinion when you first get the dog, don`t worry about all that training yet. Build your bond first. ALways carry some food on you. Whenever the dog looks at you or comes toward you say good boy and give him a small piece of food. Hot dogs are easy. Do this for a few days and you`ll notice you`ll become the most important things. Call his name. as soon as he turns toward you or looks at you "good boy" give a piece of food. before you know it the dog will want to be with you all the time. Go for walks or even hiking. Then when it`s time for training find a trainer. You can pick up a video or 2 if you want just to ease your mind cause people get excited when they get a new dog. All the videos that ED sells are labeled so get one for what you are planning to do with your dog. Good Luck

Hi Brooke! Congrats on your new dog. We have gotten tons of value from the Bernark Flinks video "Building Drive and Focus." We have the added benefit (which I consider a luxury!) of an experienced on-site trainer who subscribes to those methods (adapted for each dog). The drive building work has clearly contributed as we have progressed on the track, in OB work, and in protection work with "my husband's" dog.

One of our dogs we sent away (but in the USA) for training/titling who just came home about 1.5 weeks ago. We had yet to meet Dave back then - now we have an excellent resource for *live* training.

We greatly respect Kimba's trainer/handler, but are going through some of the same issues you are - re-building a bond with the dog newly home, and just having fun. She's *my* dog now, at least for handling purposes, and most of our work over the last 1.5 weeks has been play and toy reward based, with a bit of OB worked in. With our trainer, she did some light tracking last Saturday, just so we could see where she is. We spent most of our "evaluation time" in the two-toy game (with OB) and changed up several things. She took a few sleeve grips just for evaluation purposes to fully establish our "go forward" plan.

I value every article, DVD, and discussion board piece of information I can find here. I like keeping a very open mind. But a GOOD trainer to work with first hand is also invaluable - I hope you have access to one!!

Best wishes,
Beth
http://www.JolietSchutzhund.com

This dog is too young to go hiking! DO NOT hike or over exert your dog until at least 18 months IMO.

John

"Building Drive Focus and Grip" will be very good for bond building!

How on earth did you know I was going to take Kaskal hiking?! Wow, you guys are just too good, almost mind readers I'd say! I can hardly sleep at the moment as Kaskal's flight arrives tomorrow. My passions are hiking and mountain biking, I was lucky enough to come across this invaluable site and read in one of the numerous articles to not jog or in my case go biking with young dogs. Thanks for the valuable input, I was seriously considering the video on Drive and Focus but ordered the First Steps of Defense thinking my dog was too young to benefit from the first. No worries though, I won't start defense for some time, I just wanted to educate myself. I'm really pleased with this advice, it has certainly answered my question. I'll be ordering the video on building Drive and Focus. Thanks again, Brooke

Not doing anything with your dog until 18 months is rediculous. IMO you can hike your dog at 1yrs old if you want. Just not on a crazy terain. Keep it simple and not overly long hikes. I would also swim the dog.

Brooker,
Congrats on your new stud, I am picking up a female on Monday so I am pretty eagered to get her too. Is he coming from Germany?
By the way it will not take you 2 years to have a strong bond . As for hiking or any physical exercise , take it easy at 11 months they are still growing and can easily have joint problems with too much activities.But exercise is a good thing for dogs, as you know for yourself if you mountain bike and hike.It's a good thing.

Every DVD that ED has to offer is great. Once you start with the basic obediance and then the first Two Bernhard DVD's Focus and Grip and Introducing your dog to the Helper,
you will created a bond with your dog that no other dvd's will show/give you.

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