Best piece of advice for new owners

[snowbunny]

What is the one biggest piece of advice you had, or have learnt since having your dog, that you would pass on to new owners? Or that you will remember to use the next time you get a new dog or puppy?

My number one is:

Reinforce heavily what you want later on. You cannot over-pay for the things you like. Don't rush to fade - it doesn't matter if you're still paying in to the behaviour a year down the line; you are building a solid base for a behaviour that will last a lifetime. I'm so glad I paid so much into Squidge being with me that she has always chosen to walk by my side whether on or off lead.

My favourite pictograph that I keep in mind for this is of a conical flask. As I put reinforcement into the flask, it fills up. The height of the contents is the strength of the behaviour. Over time, if we stop topping up, the contents can evaporate, and the behaviour diminish.



Because the flask is bigger at the bottom, it takes more to fill it up in the early stages, to start to get your behaviour. And because the surface area is large, the contents can quickly evaporate in these early stages. But if you keep on paying in, reinforcing and topping up the contents, the behaviour starts to get stronger. As you keep doing this and the flask fills, the diameter gets smaller, and so the behaviour increases faster for the same level of reinforcement. Once you have filled it up, the surface area is so much smaller that there is much less evaporation, and so less topping up is necessary to keep the behaviour at the same level.

Pay for behaviour you like. Pay a lot. More than you ever thought was necessary. The more you pay, the stronger that behaviour will be later on, and the less will be necessary to keep it topped up.

 

[Boogie]

Oh yes, especially when they are tiny.

This was brought home to me with Spencer and his lead walking. The amount of treats needed at first was loopy - every two seconds feed, feed, feed. But has it paid off - wow! Today we walked with a dog on the opposite side of the road - he was paw perfect

Now he gets a treat every 30 steps or so. I’ve found if I have super ligh value treats (like cat food) in a container and give it once or twice in a 35 minute lead walk he’s even better - he knows the food is there and works for it.

 

[Boogie]

In a similar vein - don’t do with pups what you don’t want a 27Kg grown Lab to do.

This was brought home to me by Tatze and the sweeping brush. What fun we had when she was little. Now I can’t sweep up around her - in her mind it’s the best toy ever, and - of course - her big teeth just destroy brushes in no time!

Lesson learned!
.

 

[Shaz82]

Yesterday I had a lady with a puppy ask for any advice I could give her. The first thing I thought of was teach puppy to rest and relax. She was constantly playing with it and it was following her around the house and she could not get anything done. I told her to sit down, take a break and teach the pup to sit with her and fall asleep. Right or wrong, this is what I still have to do with Maisy otherwise she will not always settle down and she gets on all our nerves. My life would have been easier if we had learnt this sooner.

 

[NicW]

As a new puppy mum, I will be watching this thread closely! Was already thinking I am using too many treats to reinforce the good behaviour, but I see from above I am not, it will pay off in the long run

 

[HAH]

Loving all the advice here, and it’s an excellent reminder for many of us to revisit!

Mine would be: everyone makes mistakes. There’s no such thing as the perfect owner, or the perfectly-trained dog - so never forget to just have fun, and prioritise the training that matters most to you and your lifestyle.

 

[Joy]

On off-lead walks - play, play, play. I learnt with Molly when she was around 9 - 10 months old that I needed to make being near me a fun experience. My memory of my Cocker Spaniel who I had from mid-eighties to mid-nineties is that she needed no training, she just did everything i wanted automatically. This can't really be true, but maybe it was easy because I did always play on 'walks', as I had a young child so couldn't walk a huge distance and needed to keep them both entertained while we were out.

 

[Jen]

Mine would be to enjoy them. Because they get big so quickly and they all come right in the end.

 

[Charlie]

Mine would be: everyone makes mistakes. There’s no such thing as the perfect owner, or the perfectly-trained dog - so never forget to just have fun, and prioritise the training that matters most to you and your lifestyle.

This is the best advice x

I would like to add, enjoy them every single day, because before you know it they are in their latter years. So ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY have FUN, FUN and more FUN!! Time is so precious xxx

 

[Cupcase]

My advice to new owners would be, if you want to enjoy walks with your adult dog, start teaching your puppy leash walking and recall in the home and not wait until you can walk them outside.
I taught a brilliant recall but I didn't teach on lead walking, I taught him how to lunge and pull on a lead without realising and now I struggle to control a 30kg lab.

 

[Leanne]

@snowbunny i love that!

Mine contribution would be.. don’t stress the little things. I spent so much time when Mas was little panicking that he wouldn’t sleep in a designated spot, that he was over/under weight/exercised/trained.

The majority of it was and is developmental. Just push the basics, every single day.

Oh and my biggest one. Genuinely.

Put every ounce of effort you can into walking to heel because when they are cute and tiny it’s hard to imagine in a few months your shoulder being wrenched from its socket because he’s seen a leaf.

 

[M.F.]

All of the above.

Especially train a reliable recall. And start that training from the moment you get your pup, rewarding it massively.

And don’t be afraid to be your dog’s advocate. You are your dog’s protector, and you’ll be tested often to do what’s not in your dog’s best interests, esp by those in authority, like dog trainers and vets. Don’t be shy to disagree when you know it’s not right for your dog. Like when a vet tries to manhandle your dog. Or a trainer suggests a cruel method. Your dog relies on you to keep it safe.

 

[Cupcase]

All of the above.

Especially train a reliable recall. And start that training from the moment you get your pup, rewarding it massively.

And don’t be afraid to be your dog’s advocate. You are your dog’s protector, and you’ll be tested often to do what’s not in your dog’s best interests, esp by those in authority, like dog trainers and vets. Don’t be shy to disagree when you know it’s not right for your dog. Like when a vet tries to manhandle your dog. Or a trainer suggests a cruel method. Your dog relies on you to keep it safe.

Oh I so agree with being your dogs advocate and it can be the most difficult for some people to do.

 

[Xena Dog Princess]

I always feel better every time puppy expert @Boogie posts - a new puppy every year, and every puppy teaches her something new! What hope do the rest of us mere mortals have

I wholeheartedly agree with what @snowbunny said. If I'm ever mad enough to do a puppy again, that'd be the main thing I'd focus on.

Oh and I'd absolutely train for calm around other dogs. I'd do so much work on just ignoring and not greeting and heavily reinforce that with treats.

 

[Lab_adore]

I would do just about everything differently...or more specifically start from the day he/she comes to you rather than delaying until adolescence. And very importantly train OH before the puppy arrives

 

[Natalie]

I'd agree with everything thats been said,
- recall, loose lead walking, settling down. I'd do it all differently

Just another small thing that hasnt been mentioned yet- I would never teach shake paw again, ever.

Monty uses it to get my attention and it bloody hurts.

 

[Selina27]

Specifically, off lead heel from day one, without a doubt.

In general, get to know the dog you have and train the one in front of you.

Find a good trainer (if you want to!), who gets both you and your dog.

 

[Loraseal]

All excellent advice here.
For me also, don't beat yourself up when you feel like all the training you do is not working.
Focus on what they have learnt...not what they haven't! (This is still WIP for me!!)

 

[kateincornwall]

Mine would be to have patience and a massive sense of humour ! Also , not to set expectations too high , they are babies with no manners , no sense of right or wrong , so teach them with love, kindness and patience, not expecting perfection because you wont get it ! x

 

[Boogie]

Mine would be to have patience and a massive sense of humour ! Also , not to set expectations too high , they are babies with no manners , no sense of right or wrong , so teach them with love, kindness and patience, not expecting perfection because you wont get it ! x

So true!