[nagdu] Owner training

[Julie J.]

Robert,

I got all three of my dogs from shelters.  Tia was a very young puppy, 
about 5 weeks old.  Belle and Monty were older puppies 8-9 months old.  
I don't remember what the fee for Tia was, both Belle and Monty were 
right around $100.  I looked a bit at breeders, but wasn't too impressed 
with what I found.   More recently I've been looking at Boxer breeders.  
Puppies from breeders I'd be comfortable purchasing from start around 
$500 and go up from there.  I will not purchase or adopt a dog from 
anyplace that won't let me interact with the dog until I am comfortable 
with my decision.  I'd be extremely wary of a breeder that won't let you 
visit with the puppies.  I'd also expect a good breeder to be able to 
help you choose a dog with the qualities you are looking for.

When I was looking for a dog this last time, I started by calling and 
talking to the current caretaker.  I'd ask them a lot of questions about 
the sort of temperament their dog had, what training it had had, fears, 
any odd behavior etc.  If that info sounded promising I'd go look at the 
dog.  I spent about an hour with Monty before I decided to take him 
home.  I also had an agreement with the shelter lady that if he didn't 
work out I could bring him back within the first month.    During that 
hour I did several temperament tests, saw how he acted around other 
dogs, cats and with strangers.  I took him for a short walk and asked a 
million more questions.

I think if you work full time and do not have someone at home to help 
with a puppy, owner training is probably not the way to go.  If your 
employer was agreeable you could start with an adult dog that could go 
to work with you almost immediately.  I've tossed around the idea of 
finding someone to be a puppy raiser for me, but I haven't exactly 
figured out how to make it work yet.

I work part time, 20 hours per week.  My schedule is extremely 
flexible.  I set my own hours to meet the needs of my clients, my 
meeting commitments and my personal life.  If I'm in my office I 
generally work no more than 4 hours in a row.  A few times a year I 
attend workshops, training things and a teen leadership camp, each of 
those lasts several days away from home.  I trained Monty outside of 
work time until he was fully trained.  I now take him to work with me 
and to all my classes, meetings and when I travel for work.  Before he 
was fully trained my family would take care of him when I had to travel 
for work.

I have read some of the articles on the Leerburg web site.  I agree with 
some of it, but I think he tends to be more punitive than I am 
comfortable with.  Again to each his own.   I read a lot of info from 
all sorts of dog trainers.  I just finished the book, "Merle's Door".  
It's not a training book, but it does have lots and lots of good info in 
there.  It really made me think about human dog relationships in new and 
often uncomfortable ways.   I also recently read, "Bones Would Rain from 
the Sky" another excellent read about dog and human relationships.

Sorry for the confusion about operant conditioning.  I realized when I 
reread my message that I made no sense there.  I think I was thinking 
faster than I was typing and things got cross wired! *smile*

What I'm saying is that I lean toward less punitive training methods.   
I do not set the dog up for failure, ever.  If a dog I'm harness 
training whacks me into an obstacle we rework it.  If need be I will 
heel the dog around the obstacle to show him what I want.  Then I'll 
have him work it so he can have success with it.  I do not give leash 
corrections for behaviors the dog has not learned.   I don't think 
that's fair.  I don't learn like that and I don't want to train like that.

Now if Monty who is fully trained misses stopping at a curb, which he 
did this afternoon I will give a leash correction.  He was excited about 
getting home so he could eat.  He chose rushing home over cautious guide 
work.  I am absolutely certain that he knows to stop at curbs.  He has 
demonstrated that skill a couple thousand times.  His messing up was his 
choice not a lack of understanding.

And about the Pet Co obedience classes, avoid them like the plague.  I 
have heard nothing but horrible things.   I'd recommend finding a local 
trainer that you like and attending obedience class there.   I do think 
it's a good thing for dogs to be around other dogs  both for free play 
and to learn to behave even in the presence of doggie friends.  That was 
a major hurdle with Monty.

Best of luck with whatever you decide,
Julie