# When to start obedience and protection training



## Andy24 (Jun 2, 2016)

Hi,
I Have a GSD of almost 3months named Lucky,i read a lot of opinions on when to start training but I have different answers.
So when to start a more advanced obedience training,like heel,stay and other more advanced stuff? (Lucky knows come,sit,lay,NO,too wait until I say he can eat and other little stuff to make our life easier)
And after obedience training when can i start a protection training?

for now I play a lot with him with a rope or a towel, he loves to play with my older dog and he likes when I throw him a treat in the grass and send him sniff to find it

I also have a female golden retriever Sunny of 5years,with her I made just a basic obedience training when she was like 4/5 months old, but with Lucky I want a better trained dog.


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## Strikker (Dec 2, 2015)

Beautiful pup BTW! I worked all my puppies in obedience beginning through the more advanced as fast as they could learn it, adding the time element to the lesson as they got older. I kept our practice sessions short to help them stay focused and gradually added time as I felt they stay focused. I am a great fan of group lessons to help puppies work around other dogs and people as distractions. I did not start protection with Kavai until she was 18 months and what I felt well trained. I have heard two schools of thought on this, the trainer I was working with start his puppies early. I had good results waiting and felt it easier to teach protection when working with a well trained dog. I will not start Rocco or Beya in protection for at least another 6 - 8 months.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

Because of weather we haven't brought our pup out to practice this spring. She's been on the field about two times and she is nearly 9 months old now. I do tug and outs and a little heeling in the yard. Our trainer always suggests letting puppies be puppies. I do like to work her strengths and entourage her drives.

Our boy did simple protection work as a pup. Our trainer is well experienced and could read him well enough to know what to teach him at what stage. At two, we still have to work on some focus and obedience. He has a nice grip and a good out but doesn't want to take his eyes off of the helper. Again, with the weather and "life happening" we've not been on the field much and we are going to have to do "catch up" work. 

All that to say, do what you can but how fast you go depends on the pup, your energy, etc. It is hard to say "by this age your dog should be able to do ..............."


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## Nihal (Jun 6, 2016)

Obedience training should be started from the first day you get a puppy! It takes time and patience.. At this age he can learn basic commands quickly but some advanced stuff need time.. Anyways puppy is so cute  Mine is 14 weeks old and knows sit,stand,heel,high five,stay,jump! You should start teaching advanced stuff no matter how much time he takes to learn! Have patience.. Good luck


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