# Need training sugguestions for new pup



## Jason Caldwell (Dec 11, 2008)

Hi all,

I am the proud owner of a 13-week old male GSD pup that is presenting me a desireable problem: I am enjoying spending so much time with him that I am running out of ideas to keep him stimulated in training.

So far he is doing well with sit, down, stand, fetch, rag work, gunfire, water retrieve, speak, free, and stay from distances of 50 yards. 

I have adjusted my schedule to work him every morning for 40 minutes and every evening for 40 minutes. I am carefully working on OB while switching to what he likes: freestyle play and fetch and rag work. 

One unusual thing I do with this dog is work him on a field near an abandoned playground. There is a very large and tall metal slide that the dog seems to enjoy more than a typical human child. Dog will chase me up the ladder then go sliding down the slide without a prompt. At the bottom of the slide I'll give him a food treat. We do this a few times then back to the OB.

Any training ideas for this guy? I think this pup is expecting more out of me and at this point I'm scratching my head for ideas. I am open to any sugguestions. Dog will be a PPD and home companion.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Jason Caldwell said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am the proud owner of a *13-week old male GSD pup* that is presenting me a desireable problem: I am enjoying spending so much time with him that I am running out of ideas to keep him stimulated in training.
> 
> ...


 
GEEZ, take a deep breath....if that isn't a typo on the dogs age and/or the things you are doing with him, I'd say your moving rather quickly.....


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## Jason Caldwell (Dec 11, 2008)

He's the only dog in the kennel right now and I've found myself with more time during the week for training...beats weeding out the flower beds, also beats trying to train him when puberty starts kicking in.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Slow down with the OB and work a lot of prey. Playing with him is great but slow down on the formal OB.

I like doing this too but think way ahead. Let him be a pup so that he won't always look to you for direction when he's older. To much OB will do this to a lot of dogs. He may not be one of those but don't find out when it's too late. ;o)


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## Jason Caldwell (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks Jerry. Good advice as always. I'll watch wading too deep into the OB at this point.

PREY WORK: I like to back tie pups when doing rag work, but to wear this guy out I'll run away from him and just drag a towel behind me. Whenever he gets any part of it I let go and let him show some possession. Also, sometimes I'll stop in a parking lot and roll a mini-tennis ball and let him chase that for prey/ball drive. Dog loves to chew on empty plastic water bottles. I'll sling those around and let him chase those. Also, I'll put the dog on a leash and hold him with one hand while I have a flutter pole in the other hand. Lure on the end of a flutter pole is just an old hand towel. I wave the towel around in front of the dog until he's frustrated and then let him go after the towel. When he re-bites, head shakes, or backs up while biting I let him have the towel.

Any other prey drive game sugguestions?


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I don't think you're pushing it. Your puppy's rate of learning is faster now than at any point in its life. This will fade away in 1 - 2 weeks. Also aptitute for retrieving is formed up to 16 weeks. A dog that doesn't retrieve by then is unlikely to learn to retrieve later in life. 

I don't see any focus/eye contact, emergency recall (and extension of focus), neutral to other dogs (another extension of focus), food refusal (another extension of focus), foundation for heeling (another extension of focus). Oh - and I would train the out also (and extention of food refusal, therefore also from focus).

Don't overdo focus for a future bitework dog. You'll need him to be more aware of his surroundings. Versus me training service dogs that have to be completely tuned into the handler.

Did I mention I train focus first and build almost everything off of it? :lol: And I teach a puppy foundations for EVERYTHING very, very young. Keep it short, fun, don't put too much pressure on a pup, but introduce the concept that corrections can happen. Those are LONG sessions for a puppy. I get away with long sessions too by only working 10 repetitions of any given behavior in a row. Switching between something slow (like stay), then something fast (like recall), and something play (retrieve, tug), then a short break. And start over that cycle. Works beautifully.

Other than that, I'd be playing fetch with anything and everything you can imagine. (Again, biased service dog trainer here, but crosses over to ring sport too) Light and easy, make sure you don't create conflict on the return/out.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Jason Caldwell said:


> PREY WORK: I like to back tie pups when doing rag work, but to wear this guy out I'll run away from him and just drag a towel behind me. Whenever he gets any part of it I let go and let him show some possession. Also, sometimes I'll stop in a parking lot and roll a mini-tennis ball and let him chase that for prey/ball drive. Dog loves to chew on empty plastic water bottles. I'll sling those around and let him chase those. Also, I'll put the dog on a leash and hold him with one hand while I have a flutter pole in the other hand. Lure on the end of a flutter pole is just an old hand towel. I wave the towel around in front of the dog until he's frustrated and then let him go after the towel. *When he re-bites, head shakes, or backs up while biting I let him have the towel.*
> 
> Any other prey drive game sugguestions?


Just because a puppy bites doesn't mean it is the right thing to do to build the pup. I don't see a lot stuff here that I wouldn't do with my own pup. But for sure I wouldn't want to back tie my own pup and work it myself outside in the very beginning. There is to many things to go wrong. 

The fun prey stuff with the ball is great, but always have a reason for doing something start moulding it into a retrieve, instead of having a puppy free for all. 

Another thing I bolded and underlined a part of your quote. What are you trying to achieve with this? Basically I see you rewarding for shitty grips and frantic behaviour. If you are trying to build a calm grip and a forward pushing grip you are going about it backwards rewarding for what he is doing now. I'd never do that with my pup .. but that's me. 

As well everything seems like it is for free for your pup. I'd start making him work towards things I wouldn't just give him a ball or a plastic bottle just for the sake of giving him it. What does that teach him? To be lazy down the road?


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## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

Jason what are your hopes & goals if this dog works out?

My toughts are if you are going to persue competitive protection sports then you probably need to lay off the formal OB and just play with the pup. Start working with a good trainer who you trust to guide you.

Julie


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

Jason Caldwell said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am the proud owner of a 13-week old male GSD pup that is presenting me a desireable problem: I am enjoying spending so much time with him that I am running out of ideas to keep him stimulated in training.
> 
> ...



The best thing you can do right now is put the dog on a leash and walk the earth.


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## jack van strien (Apr 9, 2009)

If you do let him bite make sure he has a full grip,giving him the towel as soon as he gets any part of it is creating problems down the road.
Slow down.


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## jack van strien (Apr 9, 2009)

Testing pups for gunfire is the easiest way to make them shy of gunfire.I would stay away from that,find a club.


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## Aamer Sachedina (May 6, 2008)

Geoff Empey said:


> Another thing I bolded and underlined a part of your quote. What are you trying to achieve with this? Basically I see you rewarding for shitty grips and frantic behaviour. If you are trying to build a calm grip and a forward pushing grip you are going about it backwards rewarding for what he is doing now. I'd never do that with my pup .. but that's me.


Geoff, I'm interested to hear how you encourage a pup to build calm grip and a forward pushing grip? I realize from your response that you don't reward with the toy/rag when the dog rebites or clamps and shakes or pulls. How do you encourage him to push forward at this stage?


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## Mike Jones (Jan 22, 2009)

At this rate your pup will be ready for a BH at 6 months or a straight jacket. You should definitely slow down and just play with the pup. Work on building a relationship with the pup so that later on he will want to work for you.

Too much obedience early on can kill the working drive...so be careful.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

CHILL with all that OB nonsense. Let him do his thing as a pup at only 16 weeks. Bond with him first. Do some imprinting first of some early bitework and ball stuff, expose him to differing enviroments, bring him to where adults dogs are being worked and let him watch, expose him to varying length car rides, take him to a populated areas. You will have plenty of time for all that good stuff as he starts to mature and progress. OB should be the last thing done after all the foundation has been done depending on discipline. Put just enough OB on him so you can co-habitate and thats it. JMO


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## Jason Caldwell (Dec 11, 2008)

I haven't posted in awhile, and posting on behalf of this pup has reminded me what a great forum this is. My friends and family have zero interest in dogs, and for some time, the dogs have been the biggest part of my life apart from work and my family. In many ways, when it comes to dogs, I am on my own. Using this forum, however, reminds me that other people look at their dog's poop and say, "Hmmm, I think I'll back off the lima beans in this week's raw diet." It's so nice to know there are other kindred spirits who've lost car bumpers and headrests to their dogs, simply b/c they spent an extra minute too long in the grocery store. 

I appreciate all the comments in this post. I promise I will raise this pup right, keep him out of strip clubs, and help him to have full and deep grips. 

To anyone who posted on this thread, thank you for your time and consideration.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Jason Caldwell said:


> I haven't posted in awhile, and posting on behalf of this pup has reminded me what a great forum this is. My friends and family have zero interest in dogs, and for some time, the dogs have been the biggest part of my life apart from work and my family. In many ways, when it comes to dogs, I am on my own. Using this forum, however, reminds me that other people look at their dog's poop and say, "Hmmm, I think I'll back off the lima beans in this week's raw diet." It's so nice to know there are other kindred spirits who've lost car bumpers and headrests to their dogs, simply b/c they spent an extra minute too long in the grocery store.
> 
> I appreciate all the comments in this post. I promise I will raise this pup right, keep him out of strip clubs, and help him to have full and deep grips.
> 
> To anyone who posted on this thread, thank you for your time and consideration.


Strip clubs falls under differing enviroment exposures :lol:, good luck with the pup.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Leave the strip clubs in there for sure.

I don't know about slowing down the obedience, but I have no idea if you are any good at it either. If the dog is going to work, he will work regardless of doing a bunch of fun ob.

If you are going at a good, but not fast rate of progression, and the pup is not laying flat out on the floor at the end of the session, maybe you don't worry about it.

The worst thing I read was "wearing" him out with chasing the towel. 

Maybe you don't do that every day.

So, if you are having fun, and the pup is alert and not falling over, maybe it is no big deal.


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## Laura Bollschweiler (Apr 25, 2008)

I too have a 13-week-old GSD puppy. But I'm on the other end of the spectrum!

He kinda knows his name. 
He knows I'm pretty cool but don't try to hump me.
I started teaching him to speak on command after I had a couple gin-and-tonics. 

And I'm done.

The other stuff that we do is training but not really. I took him out tonight at training. There were people sitting at the bench waiting to play with him. I took him out and made sure he wanted to play with me first. He thinks I'm pretty goofy. Then he got to see the rest of the puppy maulers. Once he wandered away and I hid from him til he realized I wasn't there and started looking for me, so I ran away from him around all the people. When he caught me we had a party.

Then we took a walk around the field, just him and me with no toy. When he got out in front and acted like he was leading me, i quietly turned in a different direction and he caught up. I want him to know I lead him. I choose where we go. When he comes running at me full speed, I might say "here" when there's no doubt he's gonna be here.

So I guess I reached my "training goals" tonight. He doesn't do any of the cool things your pup does, but I have a pup who thinks I'm the center of the universe (so far) and we like to explore together. He thinks playing with me is better than playing with other people.

And then I put him away before he wanted to.

Oh, he doesn't retrieve at all, so I've put that on hold til I can figure out how to convince him to. He chases after a thrown object and runs off with it and won't come near me with it. He's kinda possessive that way. I keep telling myself, they're not German Retrievers!

When I read the original post, I thought, dang that pup's in high school while we're still in kindergarten! Oh, well, so we have to drive the short bus to Schutzhund.

Just wanted to share life at the other end of the spectrum! It's fun and goofy. 

Laura
P.S. I've never had a dog that I had to take away the metal bowls after they're done eating. He plays with them on tile and it is obnoxious.


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## Sam Bishop (May 8, 2008)

Laura - thank you for your post - you are making me feel less guilty! My 3 month old doesn't do any of that stuff either - but he also thinks I'm pretty cool and the world is a good place....especially if there are tugs in it - that's about as far as we've gotten We'll be on the ringsport short bus 8)


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## Martine Loots (Dec 28, 2009)

Jason Caldwell said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I have adjusted my schedule to work him *every morning for 40 minutes and every evening for 40 minutes*.


:-o Go on like this and by the time he should be ready for competition there will be no dog left...


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I took my pups everywhere with me, not to socialise them but to see what sort of pup I had when confronted with things that weren't just in the back yard. No long walks but interesting outings to the woods, water, busy towns, etc.

As for training, I didn't start the ob heeling early enough in my mind for the type of dog the older one is and I regret it

Watching a few of our handlers tripple on to the field for protection work, I drool when I see the Malinois "stargazers", the GSDs focused happily on their handlers, etc. They bite well and in between heel like trojans. With today's near disqualifications for forging in transport, etc. there's not much room for mistakes.

The OB heeling I got right in the end but it has needed a lot of pressure to get him focused on me and not the helper during protection heeling and had I consequently done "Futtertreiben" from my hand, from about 10 weeks then I'm sure I wouldn't have been faced with this problem which has cost a lot of time to correct.

I would, however, do it slowly and make it fun, increasing it until the dog heels correctly with focus on you but for short sequences.

I agree with Martine that if you do all that you do and in twice 40 minutes daily there will be no dog left maybe. But on the other hand, there maybe no competition trials by the time Buster and I get our act together.....


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

A pup needs to be a pup first  we dont send kids to school when still in daipers so lets not overwork the pup before its ready to do so....5 to 6 months would be more then early enough....this is a time to just grow up and do the puppy thing and nothing more  besides he may think its fun now but trust me he will get bored or annoyed...hell i loved my first day at work...trust me it aint that much fun now tho 

just my 0.32 cts


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## Doug Zaga (Mar 28, 2010)

Alice Bezemer said:


> just my 0.32 cts


Euros??


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Alice Bezemer said:


> A pup needs to be a pup first  we dont send kids to school when still in daipers so lets not overwork the pup before its ready to do so....5 to 6 months would be more then early enough....this is a time to just grow up and do the puppy thing and nothing more  besides he may think its fun now but trust me he will get bored or annoyed...hell i loved my first day at work...trust me it aint that much fun now tho
> 
> just my 0.32 cts


Why does a pup need to be a pup? What function does it have later in life? What does it do? You give it freedom so you can take it away later? To create conflict?

(And off topic, why does a kid need to be a kid? So that they are not prepared for life?)

I raise _working_ dogs. Yes, it takes SKILL to work a puppy intensely. My pups NEVER get bored - that is a problem with the trainer - NOT just because of training young. But on the other side, I get a dog that is happy to work 8 - 12 hour days.

By 8 months old, most puppies around here can pass a pass a service dog certification test (although won't be certified until 18 months or older).

(And also off-topic, my 3 yr old kid is at the same level as a 5 year old. Now I should put him in public school and let him be stupid ](*,))

Why do we have mediocre dogs and a generation of stupid people? Because we let them "just be kids." We don't expect enough out of them. "You will get what you will tolerate." I've learned the hard way and I don't tolerate much anymore - and I get some damn good dogs.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

anne...do you do other types of training besides service dogs?


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Anne, in some points I would say you are right, but in general, the whole just gives me the shudders.It brings back some literature I read about children going down the mines at 8 years' old, being part of armies, etc. As for kids not being able to be kids, very often having to take responsibility for their youngers, and very often not being able to be completely as daft as they want to be, I would draw the line. They will always have a feeling they have missed something in later life.

I learnt to read at 4 years old - practically taught it myself but in all other issues I was allowed to be a kid with all the nonsense kids get up to. My mother was strict but a wise woman, thank God but not quite as clever as her daughter:-D

Now back to pups. What is the point of training a young pup as though it were a young dog? Bitework is ridiculous, the pup hasn't got the formed character to face a decoy very often. Obedience, mostly physically not in the position to do most of it.

Tracking, will be probably also physically and mentally not able to competently do more than 10 metres and without pressure.

The difference between kids and dogs is, you can't ask the adult dog what he thought of his missing "Kindergarten" (read Alice's thread).

I have a funny feeling in the back of my head about this but cannot put it into wording as political history would forbid me!!!


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## Tammy St. Louis (Feb 17, 2010)

i am all in for training your pup when its young, but 40 min is too long 

do 4-5 ... 5 min sessions, keep it short and fun and them wanting more,


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Anne Vaini said:


> Why does a pup need to be a pup? What function does it have later in life? What does it do? You give it freedom so you can take it away later? To create conflict?
> 
> (And off topic, why does a kid need to be a kid? So that they are not prepared for life?)
> 
> ...


its pretty simple...we expect a lot of our dogs even as pups...expectations are not the same as putting presure on a pup tho...my expectations do not kill the dogs drive when hes a pup where as overdoing it in presure most probably will


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Doug Zaga said:


> Euros??



nope $

if euros the id say 0.35 cts 

we dont do the whole 1 or 2 cent coins over here


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Joby Becker said:


> anne...do you do other types of training besides service dogs?


Now? Just pet clients. I used to raise GSD's and Mal's for future police/protection sport - I worked at a breeding kennel. Raise pups up to 4 - 8 months to sell as a prospect pups / green dogs.

Training started at 4 weeks with a place command which turned into crate-training. Positions, prey drive stimulation without screwing with grip, play retrieve, out, beginning of heeling. Mike Ellis puppy stuff, plus some tracking games. Because we didn't know what the dog would be used for as an adult, I couldn't focus on anything specific. For example, if it was going to be a sport dog, I could have really pushed the heeling. But that's not appropriate for a police K9... The only rule that was strictly enforced with correction was face-biting. There's no sport or discipline in with a dog may bite a person's face. (Except that CRAZY video of training face bites! :-# )

If you know exactly what you are training for, is there a reason to hold back? It's not like he's teaching a B&H in prey drive or something stupid that would get his dog locked in prey. He's not putting pressure on the dog that would cause it to shut down. A pup can do rag work with a decoy. A pup can be desensitized to the movements that will be opposition as an adult. (Stroke the dog with the stick, tap a clatter stick on the ground, etc) A little bit older pup can get started in the foundation for defense ("If I bark, the bad guy will go away") Given that you need an amazing training decoy that won't screw up your dog... Who HASN'T seen a little puppy work with a decoy? 

What club will let him train bitework if he isn't already training OB? There are a lot of types of clubs out there, but a common theme is "No OB, no bitework."

Scent pads and starting out with 10 foot tracks are fine. Curves can be introduced with double-laid tracks.

If your pup is bored, do more. If performance or enthusasm goes down, do less. Any stress signals, do something totally different (like go for a walk and let the pup explore) and quit for a week.

Yeah Gillian - not shooting for child labor here. But no reason why he can't clean his room, make his bed and fold washcloths.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Why not indeed, I had to, too, but at what age are you recommending this?


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Why not indeed, I had to, too, but at what age are you recommending this?


ASAP. Bitework/tug play interrupted by teething, of course. The last puppy I got at barely 6 weeks old, and we started flirt pole and tug play the same day. Had her in a weight pull harness, and training at weight pull events by 8 weeks old. I spent all day training her. She had the foundations for everything she learned before she was 14 weeks old. After that, it was a matter of developing it into finished behaviors.

At that time, I believed that a young dog should not be expected to stay - that a stay required more maturity than a young dog has. I didn't start until she was about 8 months old. The damn dog never did learn to stay. ](*,) The next puppy learned stay FIRST. Huge difference!


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

lol, I understand you but I meant, how old are your kids when you start them "working"?


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Aamer Sachedina said:


> Geoff, I'm interested to hear how you encourage a pup to build calm grip and a forward pushing grip? I realize from your response that you don't reward with the toy/rag when the dog *rebites or clamps* and shakes or pulls. How do you encourage him to push forward at this stage?


You just don't reward for shit grips such as the pulling, thrashing, chewing and piano biting which some people call "rebiting" I never said not to reward for the pup "clamping" that's a whole different good thing. With our French Ring group even though full grips are not judged in our sport that's what we train for (full) anyways. We want all our dogs to not be satisfied unless they are pushing up against the decoys bones through the suit. LOL! :-D 

This technique works for dog that are genetic pushers as well as pullers to sensitise a puller into thinking to win it has to push. It's pretty simple really. 

Requires a helper so this is with 2 people. The pup starts in a comfortable harness, with the handler operating the line. You use an age appropriate bite item like soft soft Jute or French Linen smallish tug, wedge or a Chamois rag. The decoy can start the pup in prey with a flirt pole but move the bite item to hand after the initial prey game. I like to do a slow drag into the helper with a tug or wedge. I think there is a place for a flirt pole it brings out a lot of prey but it also covers up low drive and you don't get a clear picture of what the pup really is. I would rather see my pup want to engage the helper with a toy, again that's me and probably beyond the scope of this thread. 

So the pup is always under tension on the harness so if he doesn't clamp down on the item it is easy to pull the item and frustrate him. If the pup loses the item frustrate the crap out of him/her. Re-engage the pup after the frustration, he should clamp this time if he is driven enough for the toy. The helper animates the item as a reward for the clamp but with very little side to side movement more like little pops away from the pup, like you are trying to steal it. If the pup is a puller he/she will hunker down and start doing the reverse hump trying to win the item, this in itself is not a bad thing as it shows the pup wants to win. But.. it is bad biting form as we know as it doesn't encourage the pup to go forward. 

So the helper deanimates and starts to* twist* the bite item *down* and away from the pup while the pup is pulling the item and the handler keeps the back tension on the harness. The pup then with the tension on the harness starts to feel that he/she may lose the item and clamps harder and should slow down on any prey shake. The handler then loosens the tension on the harness just slacken it a inch or so, as the handler will need to be ready to apply the tension again. Then the pup should regrip but deeper and fuller, (for fear of losing the item) then handler has to reapply the tension on the harness. 

Then you can reward the pup with the item and walk her/him around or cradle him with his prize. But the second he/she reverts to thrashing or chewy piano biting when the dog is carrying or cradling, the game is over. If you let the young dog get away with that you are just reinforcing that behaviour and regressing the grip development. What I do is take the harness and suspend my pups 2 front feet off the ground and have the helper animate another bite item he spits out the one in his mouth and engages the helper. Then the game starts all over. Nothing is for free for my pup anymore. 

It's ebb and flow, push and pull on the harness with the bite item. (short version) This technique translates well to a bungee with older dogs as well. 

Sorry for the longish explanation I'll try to get some new video of it the next time our team works my pup. A one minute video would save me lots of typing! :-\"

Here is a short video of one of my pups from my bitches January litter showing somewhat the technique. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S-O4eSM3-k

As well as myself working my personal pup, a litter mate to the pup in the video at 13 weeks. He is my upcoming competition prospect. You can see me doing the twist on the bite item to get him to push into the item, plus the little pops on the bite item to build his clamping full grip possessiveness over the item. When I took the video I worked the pup by myself and you can see it fell apart near the end of this session. That wouldn't have happened if I had him in a harness and some one else either working him or handling him for me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viMqjxSdeeg

Better yet Aamer I know you are in Ontario come to Montreal one weekend or to the Ringsport group I train at in Kawartha Lakes. I hope to go to Kawartha Lakes in the next few weeks,. Then we could show you the technique in person. 

Hope this explains and helps.


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## Martine Loots (Dec 28, 2009)

Tammy St. Louis said:


> i am all in for training your pup when its young, but 40 min is too long
> 
> do 4-5 ... 5 min sessions, keep it short and fun and them wanting more,


Exactly :wink:


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## Aamer Sachedina (May 6, 2008)

Geoff Empey said:


> Better yet Aamer I know you are in Ontario come to Montreal one weekend or to the Ringsport group I train at in Kawartha Lakes. I hope to go to Kawartha Lakes in the next few weeks,. Then we could show you the technique in person.


Geoff - thanks for the post. Didn't realize there was a ringsport group in Kawartha lakes. Just wondering if anyone I know trains up there? How many dogs - Mals vs. GSDs?

It's not too far away from me - about an hour and 10 minutes from my place to the town of Kawartha Lakes as per google maps.

-Aamer


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## Jason Caldwell (Dec 11, 2008)

I think shooting a hand cannon off around a pupp is a bad idea. Let me be more specific. When the pupp was 10 weeks old I crated him in my vehicle and parked my vehicle 20 yards away from the range with the windows up and air blowing. What he heard was muffled pops. A week ago I put him in a down and threw a lady finger firecracker off in the woods and watched for his reaction. A second or two after it went off i said free and he got up and ran to look about the noise in the woods. When he was in the woods I threw another lady finger off in some bushes and then he came running out of the woods and into the bushes. That's it for loud sound exposure thus far.


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