This post also appears over at MyDogFinn.com our new home.
#3 Dog Training Classes
Finnegan was fifteen weeks old when we got him, which is older than most puppies, but it also meant he was fairly well potty trained. After two or three days he knew where to go which avoided one of the biggest issues with training a pet, all the was left to do was to teach him how to behave. Of course doing that is a much more complicated process than it would seem. There are thousands of things that go into training a dog so we decided to get some help.
After taking a look at some ads, reading around online for some reviews and calling a few trainers we settled on one that held puppy obedience and manners classes. The classes were officially a gift to Finn's Mom as part of her birthday present to help her bond with her new love. Each session was an hour long and build upon the last session, and there was even homework. For the first class we read all the pre class material, avoided a large breakfast for Finn (to help him respond to the treats) grabbed our towel and leash and set off. Finnegan was excited, it was still one of his first times out interacting with other dogs, but we were instructed to stay well away from the others and concentrate on handling our puppy. We learned the basics of how to make Finn sit, stay, behave on walks, wait at doors, go to his spot and more importantly we learned what we were doing that would cause Finn confusion.
One of the biggest revelations was that it didn't matter what we said to the dog, it was much more important what we did. This meant understanind everything from how we said a command, what other movements we made, our facial expressions, and even our emotional state. Dog physchology is a massively complicated issue and the classes were only the tip of the iceberg to understanding Finn. That is not to say there were not quick results. As a golden retriever Finn has been breed to please his handler and he was quick to respond to anything that smelled and tasted great too. By the end of the sessions, including all the homework, Finn was sitting on command, was able to lie down, come when called, and his general demeanor around was that of a well trained gentleman. The excitement of seeing our little guy go to school was amazing and just another reminder that he relies on us to teach him the things he needs to know and the way he needs to act.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Dog Training Classes - Ten Memories #3
Posted by Unknown at 8:04 AM
Labels: pet ownership
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18 Comments:
Woof Finn
Desert Pups here and we just are howling mad about your blog. It's pawsome. We're gonna add you to our favorite doggie blogs.
Woof, woof
Scuba, Keiko, Norman and Toby from Life Inside The Fence
Hi, I am a guide dog raiser in Seattle, WA. The puppy I am currently raising is named Shep. I love your blog and I love reading about other people's pet experiences. I also have a website where I sell pet supplies and i have a blog on it also about guide dogs. I built the site to try and help raise money for guide dogs and other animal charities.
I like your blog and the dog is so cute... and the story is emotional too like the one I read from the book I got from Pet Supplies store last week.
Any new updates? Hope Finn is doing well =).
Bea,
Finn will be moving soon to a new house and a new state. As you can imagine this puts a time strain on the rest of us (we're moving too) and the blog has fallen by the wayside as I decide what direction to go.
Most new updates will appear at http://mydogfinn.com feel free to check over there anytime.
Finn's Dad
I like your blog. Feel free to come by mine and leave a comment! Would you be interested in linking sites?
Why did you stop posting?
DogsDeserveFreedom
You know, I found it amazing how quickly and accurately my goldens responded to not only my voice, but also my facial expresssions, when we first got them. To this day if you make a certain face at them, they know what it means. Goldens are a very smart breed if you ask me.
Jaime
ThoughtsFurPaws.com
I love your blog, and Finn sounds like an intelligent dog! Just like my golden. I agree with Jaime that goldens are a smart breed. :)
Fin is such a beautiful dog... Plus smart too.. I love reading about the things thats keeping him busy..hope you keep us updated :)
We just adopted a Schnoodle (we think) and are in Sirius dog training with him right now. It IS so excited to watch them learn and turn into well behaved gentlemen! We just started a blog ourselves and are having a giveaway for an eco pet toy (West Paw Designs Eco Bone). Please come by and check it out :)
http://blog.themodernpet.com/files/category-contests-0026-giveaways.html
I had no idea there was dog psychology. I'm sending my pup to one!
Btw, great job on the dog training.
Wonderful blog! It's great to hear about your experiences in puppy ownership and training. Thanks for sharing :)
What a great blog.. Thanks for sharing your experience with puppy training, I think that is one of the biggest things that separates good owners from bad owners!
It is rather interesting for me to read the article. Thanx for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more soon.
Great post. I was going to write something similar. Will check this blog more often I think.
Cool. It's so much easier to decide when you can see what other people think. nice comments low cost pet insurance
i liked your blog and the dog is very cute and smart.
Canine Food Supplement
Right now, I am raising a St. Bernard. It's very friendly and a good companion for my kids. Despite its huge size, St. Bernards are very lovable and loyal.
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