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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Fran grew up teaching everything from chickens and goats to dogs and horses. These days, Fran works with DOG GONE IT rottweiler rescue, is registered with AKC as a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and continues to train dogs in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also writes a canine question & answer column for a local news paper, The Hilltop & High Desert Shopper News.
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Fran Williams
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[Edit]
8/7/2006
I just adopted a 4 month old Aussie. He was raised in a pen,
not housebroken at all. What should be the first steps I take to training? Thanks (kingnothing, Rhode Island )
This dog will need alot of socializing to get him over the trauma of being raised that way (very bad for there mental growth). He
needs to see and be able to hear everything so lots of walks, lots of outtings to get him used to the world. Do not be surprised if he
fears everything at first - his world has been very small, just get him get there.
Start of course with a leash and a good collar that he CANNOT pull out of. Keep treats in your pocket or pouch and
give treats when he does something good like a sit or just comes without pulling. Make him sit before you allow anyone
to touch him and have that treat ready to shove in his mouth. If you start him out sitting when he is going to be touched by
a stranger (or family member) then you will avoid him jumping up on people so that will not ever become a problem.
When he is doing well then take him to class! Let me know if I can help you through any more.
I am thinking about adopting a Lab/Rottweiler mix puppy. Have you had any experience with this mix? I am wondering if it will be a loveable,
friendly dog. I do not want a dog that is going to be aggressive towards my friends and family. (pmr715, Texas )
Wonderful, that's a very nice mix.
As for aggressive behavior, that stems from lack of training and lack of socializing a dog.
It is not the breed it is the OWNER that allows bad things to happen. Start out with basic training. A puppy can learn how
to Sit, Come, Stay and Heal before he is even 8 weeks old. Start your puppy on Come by having someone hold him or her
while you hold a treat and call the dog's name. Tthen say COME, and show the treat. When that pup comes praise it to high heaven,
then hold the treat a little above its head and say SIT. When it sits give the treat.
Put a nice soft collar on this puppy and using sweet talk and treats teach it to walk by your side. NOT ahead of you, but right by your side.
Have every friend touch and love on this puppy but make sure the pup sits before anyone touches it. This stops it from jumping on people.
When this pup has had all its shots, see what puppy classes there are in your area. Take the pup and continue from there. But if you do what
I have told you your dog will already be well on its way to being the best in that class. I have never taken a dog to class that was NOT trained.
Class gives a dog a great sense of understanding that the world is a big place with different people, different dogs and lots and lots of different
smells. So the more time you put into this pup at this stage the better off he will be as a safe and sane member of your family that you can trust
because you have shown him the right way to do things.
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