Looking for a dog and a good dog training system.

[MEMCruiser]

I am 43 and looking for first dog for our family. I have not had a dog since I was a kid. We had schnauzers that were completely untrained. I was wondering about a book or preferably a DVD set that will help me train a big dog. I will be doing most of the training but need a simple system that my wife can use when I am gone, which is about 10-12 nights a month.

We are going to have 2 acres with a couple of hundred acres around us with no houses and I am wanting a dog or dogs that will be mostly outside but still a good family dog. My kids are 8 and 4. According to neighbors there are lots of coyotes in the area.

I am leaning toward a German Shepherd Dog and a friend has 2 Great Pyrenees that can't say enough good things about. The standard dog here in Arkansas is a Labrador but not sure if that is what I should get, most of those are kind of hyper for my family. I am also considering getting two dogs so they have each other for companionship.

We also have an indoor/outdoor cat that still has its claws. I have enjoyed reading this part of the forum over the years and look forward to a good family pet with lots of great memories for the kids.

 

['74 UA FJ]

GSDs are great dogs and very smart. I don't think you need a dog training system. Just read up a little if you are unsure how to proceed. The most important thing is spending time with the animal. 15-30 minutes once or twice every day on the basics(sit, down, stay, come) will make your dog very well trained. If the dog lives outside and has freedom to roam and do whatever it wants to all the time, the training will eventually slip away if you don't continue to work with it.

 

[haryv]

Best to get the dog when its a puppy. Older dogs who are untrained are heard to break there habbits once they are set in. I am not saying its impossible but, Dogs communicate with sight first, then hearing second. So learn to train the dog with your hands. I think there is books on this subject and use standard for training.


I have trained my dog to sit, stop, backup, look up look down, go though my legs, give me a back rub "puts his paws on my back" gives me a hug "puts his paws on my sholers" turn right or left to chace tail. Walk to my left or right on command. I can tell him to stay and walk 100 yards and he will stay.

Lots of other commands I have taught him as well as words he has picked up. We picked him, because he came up to us at three months old, sat down looked at us. I said "beg beg" and he put his front paws up and fell backwards. We then picked him out of the litter. BTW, he was also the calmest dog out of the litter...that is future indications he would be calm when he was a adult.

 

[MEMCruiser]

Thanks for the inputs. Thinking of getting two dogs since we have 2 acres and I would like them to have a companion. Was thinking of a GSD and English Lab.

 

[rusty_tlc]

German shepherds are great dogs, very family oriented and loyal. I like standard poodles because they are extremely smart and anxious to please. I've lived with both breeds and love them both. I lean towards the standards because they don't shed and they don't aggravate any allergies I or my guest might have. The down side is the cost of grooming.

I'd suggest you hire a trainer to help if you have never trained a dog from scratch before, we did this and IMHO it was money well spent. the dog is happier because he understands what we want and we spend less time yelling at him. We are happy because we have a dog that behaves. It is possible to do it on your own but a trainer will shorten the training time and make the whole process a lot more enjoyable for you and the dog because trainers do this on a day to day basis and know how to communicate with dogs. I spent just about as much on our trainer as we did on the dog and would do it again if we get another dog.

 

[wob]

DO NOT get two new dogs or puppies at the same time. I cannot stress this enough. If you are retired or otherwise have countless hours of time to devote to training them individually, then go for it. Otherwise, trying to do any sort of training for two puppies at the same time will be fruitless. You'll have two dogs that you have no control over, and eventually you'll give away your problems to someone else or a shelter.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you're going to have multiple dogs, spread out their ages. I shoot for about five years apart. A five year old dog will tolerate and play with a pupply much better than a ten year old one will. As the pup ages, so does the other dog. The old dog will generally slow down at ten, and then you have a five year old dog to break in another puppy. If your older dog is trained, the younger pup will learn a lot from watching the older dog's behavior.

 

[Cuerno Largo]

DO NOT get two new dogs or puppies at the same time. I cannot stress this enough. If you are retired or otherwise have countless hours of time to devote to training them individually, then go for it. Otherwise, trying to do any sort of training for two puppies at the same time will be fruitless. You'll have two dogs that you have no control over, and eventually you'll give away your problems to someone else or a shelter.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you're going to have multiple dogs, spread out their ages. I shoot for about five years apart. A five year old dog will tolerate and play with a pupply much better than a ten year old one will. As the pup ages, so does the other dog. The old dog will generally slow down at ten, and then you have a five year old dog to break in another puppy. If your older dog is trained, the younger pup will learn a lot from watching the older dog's behavior.

I endorse this. This has been my general roadmap with dogs as well.

 

[Sporin]

For my last 2 dogs both went off for a week-10-days, to a pro trainer (who we also use for boarding). It's worth every penny to have them get the basics down solid with a pro. You then spend an afternoon there being trained yourself so you can continue working with them at home.

We are looking at English labs now that our last Lab passed and will for sure do the same thing. It's money well spent.

http://www.saddlebackpet.com/training.html

 

[canucksafari]

Consider adopting from the many excellent rescue organization out there. We now have adopted 3 dogs. They are also usually an excellent resource for training.

 

[MEMCruiser]

Our new pup.

 

[canucksafari]

Very nice pup. Make sure to anchor his cage to tie-down points in the back.