re: Puppy training

The modern form of the electric collar is probably the greatest tool ever invented for dog training, but in the hands of someone that doesn’t know what they’re doing, it’s the worst. SportDog, TriTronics/Garmin, and Dogtra are the most widely used brands. .

That being said, the collar should not used to teach. It is used to reinforce. Obedience must be taught to the dog first and then you can collar condition the dog (IE introduce him to collar pressure reinforcing commands he already knows). You are totally capable of obedience training your own dog and your dog is totally capable of learning. Training him yourself will help you build a bond with him if you make it fun for him. It just takes time and consistency. It is a process and you are not going to wind up with a perfectly obedient dog in two weeks. Also, both you and your wife have to be on the same page if you want him to learn.

While he is a puppy, make everything fun. You have to teach him what you want before you correct him for doing the opposite. It could also be fun for you and the pup to sign up for some local obedience classes. It’s totally fine to start by using treats to train (hot dogs are cheap and easy), but don’t get too reliant on this. Phase out as the dog matures and gets older. If you start early and stay consistent, you’ll wind up with a well-mannered dog that wants to be with you and willingly does what you command because it wants to make you happy.

Some recommendations for puppy obedience:

10 Minute Retriever. This is a book written by John and Amy Dahl primarily focused on hunting dogs. Everything starts with obedience though and their obedience chapters are great. They also walk through collar conditioning. Their methods are explained very well and the book is very easy to follow. Find on Amazon.

Pat Nolan. Watch all of his videos on obedience. They’re excellent. You can teach an 8 week old puppy sit, heel, and here with 5 minutes of consistent work before meal time. Pat also has several videos on collar conditioning. My current dog is 8 months old and picked up three handed casting in a day. I believe it’s because introduced her to it with Pat’s methods when she was 12 weeks old. Check YouTube and his website. Pat is a fantastic dog trainer and gets puppies to do amazing things.

Cornerstone Gundog Academy’s Foundations video. These guys’ products are really expensive and I’m not really crazy about their advanced gundog methods, but obedience is obedience. Their videos are top quality and I’m pretty sure if you buy one of their programs, you get access to a support group on Facebook which I’ve heard is very helpful. Note they do not use electric collars. But again, obedience should be taught before it is reinforced. Find on their website.

ETA: socialize, socialize, socialize. Bring pup everywhere with you. Feed store, hardware store, park when he gets his shots, etc. It may not feel like it, but this is training. I would make trips to Lowe’s just to walk around with my puppy. Every new experience you can introduce pup to at a young age works towards him becoming a good citizen. Socialization is key to avoid negative personality traits like anxiety, aggression, etc. It helps you develop a confident, well-mannered dog that is easy to be around.