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Am I expecting too much from my lab puppy?
Posted on 7/19/20 at 9:23 am
Posted on 7/19/20 at 9:23 am
He’s a 4.5 month old black lab. I’m just working on basic obedience commands. Sit, come, down. With rewards he’s 100%. Without he is 50:50 maybe less. I know he understands me but sometimes is stubborn. Most times he’s outside he is on a leash. I run with him 3+ miles off leash and he stays with me the whole time. Am I expecting too much at this point? I’d like him to be 100% without reward at this point but maybe I’m wrong.
7
Posted on 7/19/20 at 9:30 am to Success
Stop using treats so much and start forcing him to listen. Only say the command once and if he does not obey then make him sit, come, etc. If you say it multiple times then he thinks he doesn’t have to listen to the first few.
Also, I’d look into running that much with a puppy.. I don’t think you’re supposed to run them like that when they’re still growing and developing especially if it’s on concrete.
Also, I’d look into running that much with a puppy.. I don’t think you’re supposed to run them like that when they’re still growing and developing especially if it’s on concrete.
Posted on 7/19/20 at 9:48 am to Success
4.5 month old lab is still kind of young. Be careful on how much pressure you put on the pup. Too much pressure early on can take the drive out of a dog.
Do you plan on retriever training the dog yourself or sending it to a pro?
I’m having a dog trained right now and my trainer told me not to worry to much about obedience as a young pup. He said just to get him fired up about chasing and retrieving bumpers and to make it fun. He will work out the obedience part when he gets the pup. Basically the only commands he knew were here and sit at 6 months old.
Do you plan on retriever training the dog yourself or sending it to a pro?
I’m having a dog trained right now and my trainer told me not to worry to much about obedience as a young pup. He said just to get him fired up about chasing and retrieving bumpers and to make it fun. He will work out the obedience part when he gets the pup. Basically the only commands he knew were here and sit at 6 months old.
Posted on 7/19/20 at 8:43 pm to Success
I field trialed labs for about 20 years but this info is worth what you paid for it.
First question - where did your training info come from? A book? Videos? The internet? Who is it?
First absolute statement - before you train the dog you have to train the trainer. Read that ten times if you didn't get it the first time.
Now my thoughts:
I wouldn't run him 3 miles. Dogs don't run like that unless there is a real reason to do so. His training running is more than enough. Do you swim him? OCD lesions are quite common in labs and other large dogs because they over exercised. Be quite cautious with that. Labs don't reach full skeletal growth until 9 months.
Hard headed labs are a part of life. You will have times in your lives when you have a test of wills. The last one will be right around two. Break up the training with some play at this age. You got to make it fun. Be patient but firm. Obedience will come with repetition and time. The stronger the bond between you grows the more he will want to please you.
Find a place to swim. Water helps cool him off and when they get hot they're like football players....they lose attention to detail, get sloppy, etc.
There are a number of good books out there. Richard Wolters Water Dog is a good one but the book I have given to friends the most is an old one, by D.L. Walters.
Training Retriever to Handle. Do yourself and your pup a favor and buy it and read it.
One last thing. The most important part of your body is your hand. Your hand brings love and gives direction. NEVER EVER EVER under any circumstances strike your dog in the head with your hand. In fact try not to ever strike your dog with your hand on his body.
Good luck. I would trade ten years of my life to have one more year with any of my three labs. All had totally different personalities and physical characteristics but when that tired dog lays down against you to sleep you know you've done right by him. I'm too old to do another so I am jealous!!
First question - where did your training info come from? A book? Videos? The internet? Who is it?
First absolute statement - before you train the dog you have to train the trainer. Read that ten times if you didn't get it the first time.
Now my thoughts:
I wouldn't run him 3 miles. Dogs don't run like that unless there is a real reason to do so. His training running is more than enough. Do you swim him? OCD lesions are quite common in labs and other large dogs because they over exercised. Be quite cautious with that. Labs don't reach full skeletal growth until 9 months.
Hard headed labs are a part of life. You will have times in your lives when you have a test of wills. The last one will be right around two. Break up the training with some play at this age. You got to make it fun. Be patient but firm. Obedience will come with repetition and time. The stronger the bond between you grows the more he will want to please you.
Find a place to swim. Water helps cool him off and when they get hot they're like football players....they lose attention to detail, get sloppy, etc.
There are a number of good books out there. Richard Wolters Water Dog is a good one but the book I have given to friends the most is an old one, by D.L. Walters.
Training Retriever to Handle. Do yourself and your pup a favor and buy it and read it.
One last thing. The most important part of your body is your hand. Your hand brings love and gives direction. NEVER EVER EVER under any circumstances strike your dog in the head with your hand. In fact try not to ever strike your dog with your hand on his body.
Good luck. I would trade ten years of my life to have one more year with any of my three labs. All had totally different personalities and physical characteristics but when that tired dog lays down against you to sleep you know you've done right by him. I'm too old to do another so I am jealous!!
This post was edited on 7/19/20 at 8:48 pm
Posted on 7/19/20 at 9:17 pm to Success
SO much bad advice posted here.
First off, NO running the dog at this age. Way too young. Let him play at his own pace, but no structured running until fully developed which is 1yr+
Training wise... when you say "with rewards", does he know the reward is there? Are you broadcasting that? Showing the treats? That's bribing, not rewarding. Stop the bribes immediately, keep the rewards. Trust me, there's a difference. While teaching a new behavior, the reward is often given every repetition. As soon as they understand the cue, you start to use a variable reinforcement. Sit, treat...sit, down, treat. Sit, good boy (no treat.) Variable reinforcement is VERY powerful, it's why gambling is so addictive.
There is no need to completely remove the rewards however. Do you work for no paycheck? You start asking more of the dog, longer attention spans, more behaviors before a reward, but keeping that chance of reward open will keep them working with excitement and motivation.
Watch some Michael Ellis videos on youtube. He trains with food rewards, shifting to toy rewards, will introduce pressure once the dog knows what is expected. His dogs work at very high levels with enthusiasm. I've followed his strategies with my latest pup with great results. She is 7m old now, working off leash around the neighborhood and in other public places...a happy dog that likes to work.
First off, NO running the dog at this age. Way too young. Let him play at his own pace, but no structured running until fully developed which is 1yr+
Training wise... when you say "with rewards", does he know the reward is there? Are you broadcasting that? Showing the treats? That's bribing, not rewarding. Stop the bribes immediately, keep the rewards. Trust me, there's a difference. While teaching a new behavior, the reward is often given every repetition. As soon as they understand the cue, you start to use a variable reinforcement. Sit, treat...sit, down, treat. Sit, good boy (no treat.) Variable reinforcement is VERY powerful, it's why gambling is so addictive.
There is no need to completely remove the rewards however. Do you work for no paycheck? You start asking more of the dog, longer attention spans, more behaviors before a reward, but keeping that chance of reward open will keep them working with excitement and motivation.
Watch some Michael Ellis videos on youtube. He trains with food rewards, shifting to toy rewards, will introduce pressure once the dog knows what is expected. His dogs work at very high levels with enthusiasm. I've followed his strategies with my latest pup with great results. She is 7m old now, working off leash around the neighborhood and in other public places...a happy dog that likes to work.
Posted on 7/20/20 at 11:33 am to Success
Also these guys are pack animals, need to learn that you are the alpha of the pack. A good way to do this is walking on leash. You are not teaching them to be tethered to you, you are teaching them to pay attention to you and follow your lead.
Put them on the leash, start walking, then stop a few times as the dog gets ahead. Don't jerk them hard or violently, just a little surprise, and they'll start to pay attention to you and understand who is boss. Do this for 100 yards a few times a day and that dog will do well.
Final pointer here, do not maintain constant tension on the leash as that teaches the dog to be tethered to you rather than follow your lead. Give gentle but firm tugs.
It's a lot easier to train other behaviors after they understand chain of command.
Put them on the leash, start walking, then stop a few times as the dog gets ahead. Don't jerk them hard or violently, just a little surprise, and they'll start to pay attention to you and understand who is boss. Do this for 100 yards a few times a day and that dog will do well.
Final pointer here, do not maintain constant tension on the leash as that teaches the dog to be tethered to you rather than follow your lead. Give gentle but firm tugs.
It's a lot easier to train other behaviors after they understand chain of command.
This post was edited on 7/20/20 at 11:34 am
Posted on 7/20/20 at 12:24 pm to Success
On my 5th lab and have never trained with treats. They want to please and be praised by you. I always tried to keep the lessons short, especially when it is hot.
I typically train early in the morning and late in the day. Also keep it fun with praise and rubs. Some days young dogs just don't want to work... accept it and try again later. Getting frustrated just adds to the problem. Take a breath it is basically still a puppy.
If you put the time in it is going to make a very good hunting companion. Don't worry about that.
I typically train early in the morning and late in the day. Also keep it fun with praise and rubs. Some days young dogs just don't want to work... accept it and try again later. Getting frustrated just adds to the problem. Take a breath it is basically still a puppy.
If you put the time in it is going to make a very good hunting companion. Don't worry about that.
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