Training a puppy?

Question

I have a puppy who I love very much. She is a beautiful doggy named Nana and will turn 1 in February. Being a new trainer, I'd like to know how to teach a couple of things:

How to teach her to like her kennel.

How to be good while I'm away.

(not so important) How to teach her how to fetch or catch a ball or frisbee when I throw it.

PLEASE help me!

Answer 1

You sound like you are interested in training, so I'll give you a tip you'll enjoy forever if you use it.

Clicker training.

At first, I was not a believer, but I've been converted to the ways of the clicker and could not go back to the 'old ways' of training that the other posters are listing.

First of all, get a good clicker training book, or do a search for clicker training. Try one like this: http://www.clickertraining.com/home/

Once you've got a handle on the basics, you can start conditioning your doggy to like her kennel. Begin by clicking for any movement towards the kennel, and gradually require her to get closer and interact with it before clicking. Don't force her into it, but reward her anytime she goes in voluntarily. The kennel should be a fun place with snuggly blankets, a favorite toy, and a bone, where she will want to go and hang out even when she doesn't have to.

How to behave when you're away is a slightly more difficult job. Hopefullly you haven't been letting her do horrible things and develop bad habits for the last year! ;) If you have, stop that immediately by confining her, either to her kennel, a small room, or outside while you are away so that she can not continue to form new and reinforce existing bad habits. Depending on what breed your dog is, she may take a while to mature. I've had dogs that arent' fully mature (aka trustworthy with free-roaming in the house) until they are about three years old. Some mature much sooner than that, but you will have to be the judge of how much freedom she can handle, and how much risk of destruction you are willing to deal with. It's really too broad of a topic for a discussion forum like this. Email me for more help if you like.

As for retrieving (fetch), it's pretty easy to teach. There are some good clicker training articles on the matter on the site I gave you, or try this popular one : http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/retrieve.html

Best of luck, and congratulations on becoming an enlightened dog trainer!

Answer 2

Puppies should be introduced to their kennel at about 10 weeks old. Put a blanket,a t shirt with your scent on it and a chew toy inside. Never ever use the crate for punishment! Leave the door on the crate open all the time and hide treats in it. The pup will learn to love this space.
No pup should be unattended in the house until fully pottie trained. The pup must be Fully trusted , no trash digging,no pottie,no tearing things up, alot of that will happen with maturity of the pup the other comes from you teaching it right from wrong.
Teaching a dog new tricks means one thing: Consistency,consistency,consistency!! Use dog treats and repeat it over and over.
Good luck with Nana!

Answer 3

Tell her to get in the kennel, but you might have to pull her neck fat(it doesn't hurt them unless they are adult dogs) to force her in beacause she might not like the kennel when she does go in reward her soon she will find out eventually. If you are away put her in a room with some food and water and fence the doorways with those fences they use on toddlers, but put chairs in front of them because she might jump over them.

Answer 4

macy,

i have 3 labs and read a couple of books on how to train them. specifically to your questions =

1. kennel. it should be as nice as possible and try to give him bones or treats when in it, therefore he will associate positive things with it.

2. good while away. it is a tough one. first, try to leave home just after he has done a lot of exercise so that he will be tired and less of in a mood to behave badly. this is essential. second, try to leave home in progressive longer periods of time. first time just for 10 mins, and then increase 15 mins each so that he learns to cope with it. everything should be progressive. third, always leave toys or a big bone so that he focuses his energy on it instead of on your shoes!!

hope it helped.

Answer 5

2 help her learn about the kenal bring her 2 it and put her in their and close the dog open it again 20second after then give her a treat keep on doing that till she gets 2 know it more do that for about an hur every day Remember 2 give her treats.