# Sending puppy to training school



## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

I am thinking of sending my puppy for training when he's a little older. There is a really good training place in my city but i have to board the dog at their premises and i can only see him after two weeks. Its really expensive but i'm willing to spend the money if it means a well balanced dog. Is it ok to send a puppy away like that? or should i find a place where i can go with the dog for training?  Thanks


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

I wouldn't do it. The problem with train and board places is that you have no idea what they are doing with your puppy while you aren't there to watch them. Some places use harsh techiniques to get quick compliance. Plus, so much of training your dog yourself is building a bond and trust so that you work as a team. I've heard many people who have used a board and train say the dog won't listen to them when they get back. 

I think your better bet is to find somewhere to train that involves you in every part of the training. 90% of training class is training the handler to communicate with the dog.


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## spyla (Jul 1, 2010)

shadow went to borading_training when he was 4 months for 4 weeks. whole family was going out of country for a month so instead of putting him up at a boarding place I put him at a trainer place. He did very well. There is no issues with bonding or not listening. He is a big dog (100lbs) and I think he would not be the dog he is if I hadn't sent him. He is not 20 months now. we might go out of the country for a month this summer, if we do, he will be going to the trainer for "off- lead" training.

If you have the time / patience it is best to train your self but if not and can afford there is nothing worng in sending to borading/training. Some people have very different thought about it. I love my dog very much but he is not the only thing in my life

Don't let people bully you into not sedning him away for a short period. Do whats best for you and your dog.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

It would be much better (and probably a whole lot cheaper too!) to find a place to teach you to train him yourself. You're going to miss out on a terrific bonding opportunity if someone trains him for you, plus you'll still need to learn how to handle him yourself. You'll also miss out on an important phase of his development, and will have no control over what methods of training are being used when you're not around. Are there any group classes there, or decent trainers you can hire to help you?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree with Debbie. Train yourself along with your dog...it will be an enjoyable experience for both of you. Send aways can be a disaster, so if you decide to go that route,_ trust_ who has your dog. 
Ask for references of people who've used this place and ask if you can meet the people and watch their dogs~ show what they've accomplished. If you can see the dogs, watch their body language, are they engaged or just compliant to their handler?


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks for the advice. Its just that in Sri Lanka its hard to find a place where i can go with my dog to get training. This boarding place is the police academy. I'm having real trouble training my puppy and he's not becoming any more obedient than before. He is now doing whatever he wants to and hardly listens to me. I'm thinking that i'm not a good dog owner. So maybe its best if i send it away???


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

priyankumupal said:


> Thanks for the advice. Its just that in Sri Lanka its hard to find a place where i can go with my dog to get training. This boarding place is the police academy. I'm having real trouble training my puppy and he's not becoming any more obedient than before. He is now doing whatever he wants to and hardly listens to me. I'm thinking that i'm not a good dog owner. So maybe its best if i send it away???


If you think it's you then all the more reason to be involved in the training. You need to change the way you are relating to your dog so that he learns to listen to you. Like my first post said, most training classes are to train the owner (especially if they are new to dog training). 

If sending him away is the only option, then it is better than nothing but please research how they are going to train him. As someone else mentioned, talk to people who have used the program before and see if they are happy with it.

Do you have access to dog training books and DVDs to help you learn about behavior and better ways to train? You can have the best trainer in the world train your dog but training is a lifetime thing not once and done. If you don't learn how to communicate with (train) your dog, you will eventually be back where you started.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I agree with all advise.

I know your in a very different country than us..Can you check with local veternarians to see if they can refer YOU to a good trainer in the area?? How about the breeder you got the puppy from? Check with them and ask about training. 

You need as much training as your puppy, to help you learn how to handle situations, and teach your puppy to grow into a well mannered member of society..


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

These video clips are free and helpful;
Leerburg Streaming Video
Many police trainers use compulsion based training, because they want to get the dog trained quickly....they don't have the luxury of time shaping and setting foundations that we pet owners do.


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

JakodaCD OA said:


> I agree with all advise.
> 
> I know your in a very different country than us..Can you check with local veternarians to see if they can refer YOU to a good trainer in the area?? How about the breeder you got the puppy from? Check with them and ask about training.
> 
> You need as much training as your puppy, to help you learn how to handle situations, and teach your puppy to grow into a well mannered member of society..


I did talk to my vet. He suggested i get a trainer to come to my home and help me work with the puppy. I agree with you that its me who needs help. To understand the language my dog is speaking. right now we seem to be in two different worlds.


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

gsdraven said:


> If you think it's you then all the more reason to be involved in the training. You need to change the way you are relating to your dog so that he learns to listen to you. Like my first post said, most training classes are to train the owner (especially if they are new to dog training).
> 
> If sending him away is the only option, then it is better than nothing but please research how they are going to train him. As someone else mentioned, talk to people who have used the program before and see if they are happy with it.
> 
> Do you have access to dog training books and DVDs to help you learn about behavior and better ways to train? You can have the best trainer in the world train your dog but training is a lifetime thing not once and done. If you don't learn how to communicate with (train) your dog, you will eventually be back where you started.


I did watch nearly 15 videos and read a few books as well. I just can't seem to find a way to communicate with my dog. I feel like i'm loosing my mind. If i can't find a place to train him, i will have to send him to the police academy. It seems that they train more protection oriented dogs. But its better than having a dog who doesn't listen to me. I really want a good dog.


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## Kris10 (Aug 26, 2010)

How old is your dog? I looked back and you only got him on 2/22 right? He may not have much of an attention span yet. Whatever training you do should be in short sessions. Play with him! He is a puppy and play provides learning for him too, and bonding for you both.

Please be patient. It will take time for BOTH of you to learn, but the bond you will share will be so worth it! What commands have you tried to teach him so far?


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

Kris10 said:


> How old is your dog? I looked back and you only got him on 2/22 right? He may not have much of an attention span yet. Whatever training you do should be in short sessions. Play with him! He is a puppy and play provides learning for him too, and bonding for you both.
> 
> Please be patient. It will take time for BOTH of you to learn, but the bond you will share will be so worth it! What commands have you tried to teach him so far?


He is 9 weeks old. I know it will take time for him to learn. But what upsets me if that he has learned but refuses to do those commands unless he wants to or there is food. He won't ever do so without food. 

The vet told me that he is behaving like this because he is living in the same room as me and is thinking of me as his litter mate not his master. should i put him outside of my room and only go to him when we play or i take him out? will that help?


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## Kris10 (Aug 26, 2010)

priyankumupal said:


> He is 9 weeks old. I know it will take time for him to learn. But what upsets me if that he has learned but refuses to do those commands unless he wants to or there is food. He won't ever do so without food.
> 
> The vet told me that he is behaving like this because he is living in the same room as me and is thinking of me as his litter mate not his master. should i put him outside of my room and only go to him when we play or i take him out? will that help?


Is your family helping you with his training at all? 

As far as not doing what you ask without food, this is the start of training. Through repetition he will act on command eventually. If you have watched training videos and read books surely this must be covered somewhere.

Re: The issue of only being in your room, I think you should get him out to socialize with people and to experience other surroundings. I am not sure what your vet meant by him thinking of you as his littermate because he stays in your room. You DO want him to look to you for guidance and obey you, but I think that has more to do with your actions and good training than his living environment.

I wish you luck.  All of these issues you describe are typical puppy behaviors and require time, patience and effort to work out.


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

My dogs all sleep in the same room as I do (in crates) and it has no bearing as to whether or not they view me as their equal or above them. 

Your dog is a PUPPY and that's why he isn't listening. Period. He doesn't already "know" the commands... he's still learning. He might know them one second, and forget them the next. He is a PUPPY.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Much better to go to classes with your dog, then you learn along with the dog. And you are in charge of what happens to your dog.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

In home training would be good, especially for you- but if you're not well suited to training at this point I don't think sending him for training would be bad. Maybe if you see the success someone else has with him you might be more patient and encouraged to continue training him yourself.


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## Blazings (Jan 24, 2011)

I'd never let someone else train my dog. But that's just a personal thing.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

We're still talking about a nine week old puppy?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

priyankumupal said:


> He is 9 weeks old. I know it will take time for him to learn. But what upsets me if that he has learned but refuses to do those commands unless he wants to or there is food. He won't ever do so without food.
> 
> The vet told me that he is behaving like this because he is living in the same room as me and is thinking of me as his litter mate not his master. should i put him outside of my room and only go to him when we play or i take him out? will that help?


He has NOT learned! There is no way a 9 week old puppy "knows" his commands, he is not simply refusing to to them. It's completely unrealistic to expect him to be obedient at that young age - he has virtually NO attention span yet! 

And your vet is wrong. Having your puppy with you will help form a bond which is important for developing a relationship, isolating him will not. Have you seen this thread about being a pack leader? http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ant-understand-become-better-pack-leader.html


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> He has NOT learned! There is no way a 9 week old puppy "knows" his commands, he is not simply refusing to to them. It's completely unrealistic to expect him to be obedient at that young age - he has virtually NO attention span yet!
> 
> And your vet is wrong. Having your puppy with you will help form a bond which is important for developing a relationship, isolating him will not. Have you seen this thread about being a pack leader? http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ant-understand-become-better-pack-leader.html


I didn't know that a puppy doesn't know him commands at this age, how big should he be to know his commands? I need help, thanks for helping me.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

How long have you had this puppy? How much time have you spent training him? That's going to determine how well he's trained more than anything else. I got my last puppy at 10 weeks old and the two prior puppies at 9 weeks old. Even if you've had him for 2 or 3 weeks that's still VERY little time. Keep in mind that he's like a human toddler - would you expect a two year old child to be perfectly obedient? Of course not! They're not mentally capable of it, and neither is a very young puppy. 

When I bring home a new puppy I'm working with them several times a day, every day. Since they have very short attention spans it may be for just a few minutes at a time. In addition to that, I will mark (with a clicker or my voice - "yes!" any time the puppy does something I like, and reward it with a tiny treat. If you reinforce him for looking at you on his own, without you even having to ask him too, he's going to start doing it more and more, and then you can put it on cue by naming it. 

With my last 3 puppies I had between 3 and 7 weeks of training on my own at home before they started puppy class. And they did know quite a few commands, but they still had to learn to listen to me and pay attention around the distraction of the other puppies, so it was almost like starting over at first. 

I wouldn't expect reasonably consistent compliance to commands for several months, depending on how diligently you're working on his training. This link has lots of good info for training puppies: Digital Dog Training Textbook | Dog Star Daily

And lots of good training videos here: YouTube - tab289's Channel


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> How long have you had this puppy? How much time have you spent training him? That's going to determine how well he's trained more than anything else. I got my last puppy at 10 weeks old and the two prior puppies at 9 weeks old. Even if you've had him for 2 or 3 weeks that's still VERY little time. Keep in mind that he's like a human toddler - would you expect a two year old child to be perfectly obedient? Of course not! They're not mentally capable of it, and neither is a very young puppy.
> 
> When I bring home a new puppy I'm working with them several times a day, every day. Since they have very short attention spans it may be for just a few minutes at a time. In addition to that, I will mark (with a clicker or my voice - "yes!" any time the puppy does something I like, and reward it with a tiny treat. If you reinforce him for looking at you on his own, without you even having to ask him too, he's going to start doing it more and more, and then you can put it on cue by naming it.
> 
> ...


He's only been with me one week. He is 9 weeks old now. I know i'm hoping for too much too soon now. I play with him when ever i am home and train him a few mins each day. I am studying so i need to be away from home for about 5 hours mid day. Still even with that, all my free time i spend with the puppy. 

Thank you so so much for the videos and the link. i'm off to check them out now.


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## spyla (Jul 1, 2010)

9 weeks is tooooooooooooo young and one week too short to teach him anything. When I got Shadow @ 8 weeks, it took couple of weeks just for him to just understand his name fully let alone learn commands. You need to find resources and try to train him for at least a few months before giving up.

Not everyone is trainer but you need to give it a whole hearted try before you give up and 1 week is surely not a good try. After that you want to send him for training. thats fine.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Lots of people let puppies just be puppies until they are older and have more of an attention span. I like to get mine out after their second set of shots and take them to puppy classes. I do very little training with them at home prior. Usually I start puppy classes at about 10 weeks old. 

And even then, I do not care if the puppy gets the basic commands we learn in class or does them properly. We have lots of time to straighten the sits and get them solid. What I am working on is the bond between the puppy and me, being out and about amonst people and other dogs. And when you start early, they do not always feel the need to pull your arm out of its socket on leash.

So I do work on things, like stopping and digging in when they pull, or turning around and going in the other direction. 

If at the end of six weeks of puppy classes, the dog will sit for a treat, come to me and get a treat, lie down and get a treat, and walk nicely, I am happy. I am not there for obedience, I am there for the experience. After a week or so more, I will start a basic class with the pup. 

At the end of six weeks of basic training, my dogs sit and down, heel and come, will do a 1 minute sit stay and a three minute down stay, will stand, will do two kinds of finishes, and usually a number of rally signs. Perfect is in heaven, and certainly not after six weeks of basic training -- at least for my dogs (I only train during the class itself). Usually heeling is where we need improvement and I have repeated basic to improve heeling before moving on with some of my dogs. If you are out there with the dog daily working on this, my guess is that your dog would be better than mine.

But again, classes are fun with lots of praise. Treats are intermittent now, and used for new things, or when something is done perfectly. And I am not concerned so much with the dog being perfect, but that the experience is positive, and the dog is getting plenty of exposure. 

Next I generally take the CGC class with the dogs. In that class we actually practice the ten tests:

Meeting a friendly stranger
Sitting nicely for petting
Grooming and Appearance
Sit and Down 
Stay and Recall
loose lead walking
Walking through a crowd
Audio and Visual distractions
Meet another Dog
Supervised Separation

I expect my dogs to pass this test at the end of this time. 

With that out of the way, I am ready to start training obedience and rally, and be a little more interested in technique, getting it in, sitting front and center and all that stuff. Pup is usually between eight and ten months old by now. I go slow and enjoy the ride. I am usually ready to show them by a year old. But as they are girls, we take lengthy breaks twice a year.

I also try to do different stuff with them during the first year, like conformation, beginner agility. Usually six or eight weeks of this kind of stuff. 

By the end of a year, a have a well mannered dog that I can take anywhere and is easily managed. The pup and I both love training, and are not bored, because it usually happens just one time a week or less. After their title, I generally sign them up for at least one set of classes per year just for fine tuning, or to work on a more advanced title.


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