How to start out a working pup

[Leader]

I hope this will start some interesting posts:

Here goes:

What do you think is the best way to start training a working rott?

There are those that say you have to start training at an early age.....obedience, proper manners, socialization etc.

Then there are those who say its better to let the pup's confidence and natural potential develop before starting any real training, around the age of 6 or 8 months. These usually say the pup should live in a kennel, with the handler deciding on play time and socializing with other dogs (to avoid strong bonding with a dog and encourage strong bonding with the handler).

I've more or less tried both, but since the two rotts are so very different, I don't have enough perspective (know what I mean?)


Leader

[damp]

It all depends on the pup’s temperament and maturing (and also very much on the owner’s ability and knowledge and experience of raising/training a dog.

The most important is to teach the pup manners and leadership. The only words/commands a pup younger than 8 – 9 months NEEDS to know is:
“NO” which in my home means, knock it if of NOW (no matter what you are doing)
and
“Good boy/girl!”
When/if these words are understood and establish in the pup’s brain, it’s a peace of cake (well easier ) to teach real commands after the “teen age months”, where the males start to cock leg and the females have the first heat.

Before that age/maturing the best “training” is play, fun, building up the drives, if you want a happy dog, who enjoys to work the rest of it’s life.

Allow a pup to be pup and teach it manners.
Allow a young dog to be a young dog and start to teach it commands and obedience.
Allow a matured dog to be a dog and “polish up” the training and obedience.

Control and obedience is directly proportional to a dog’s freedom!!!

[LynnS]

Bella is not a *working dog* but she comes from a working background and a lot of the Sch people I have met have a similar philosophy to Damp's. Pupppes learn so quickly I am not sure why you would not take advantage of that period by teaching basic obedience at a young age. As long as training is positive and fun (no corrections) what is the harm?

[lblax]

Originally Posted by LynnS

Pupppes learn so quickly I am not sure why you would not take advantage of that period by teaching basic obedience at a young age. As long as training is positive and fun (no corrections) what is the harm?

the harm is young puppies that are learning obediance, screw up just like a young kid and when they do you cant just ingnore it because you are laying the foundation of the whole dog so you have many problems from this either you have to correct him or let it go and either way he is getting the wrong message. so for me its this way
!.socialization/manners
2.drive building/ bite work
3. obediance
by the time he has a good start on socialization and is mannerly and once he is confidant then he will be able to handle the corrections if nesscary. in my opinion 8-10 months is a good time to start ob.

[Mattweiser]

Originally Posted by lblax

!.socialization/manners
2.drive building/ bite work
3. obediance
by the time he has a good start on socialization and is mannerly and once he is confidant then he will be able to handle the corrections if nesscary.....

I agree with this training schedule.. only I push it out further... Specifically for Rottweilers. I wait until closer to 6-8 months to really start doing bite work. And then closer to 12 months to start really teaching OB... Now having said that, I will free-shape OB as early as 15 weeks... but to actually require downs, sits, retrieves, heel.. I can wait on that.

I have a Malinois pup right now, that I am just starting in bite work/drive building, and he is 13 months next week... I am just not in a big hurry with my dogs.