"just a dog"

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

I have a beautiful 3 month old GD named Kizmet.  I love her and can tell she is very smart.  She is great with my kids and is not very distructive yet.  I see everyone with their comments about training and how important it is.  I have never owned a puppy before and all of my childhood dogs were mutts and given to my family.  I Loved them! they didnt do special tricks but they were wonderful, they listened and they knew the standard comands.  My Husband had the same experiance so he does not want to pay for our puppy to take classes (even though we have the means to do so) because he has no problem with Kizmet being just a great dog.

I do what i can but potty training has still not been mastered although i know it is close.  She has sit and off pretty well but still needs work.  I feel like I could be better but all in all i think she is turning out pretty great.  my one complaint is that she choses when she wants to listen to me calling her or not....

 

Does she really need special training to be like my childhood dogs? Or am I shorting her on needs by not making her the smartest, graduate from every class offered? 

Thanks!

Holly

 

 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Holly - I think that this comes down to your families desires and expectations for Kizmet.  If she behaves in a manner that is acceptable to you then all is fine.  Some people enjoy the training process as do some dogs.  My Rooney loves to go to training, he is very smart and this is something that he is good at, and he knows it.  Stuart is my "just a dog, dog" and I love him for that - his boundless energy, his quirks and yes he'll sit on command - most of the time.  He'll walk on his harness very well, most of the time - you get the picture.  I don't feel the need to prove anything to anyone with my boys - nor should you with Kizmet so it isn't about shorting her.

[Moe]

When I think of just a dog, I want one that walks nicely on a leash, is potty trained, doesn't jump, doesn't bark too much, is respectful of human food and the table and doesn't go on the furniture. This takes a ton of work. I don't think you need to go to any classes but you still need to train the dog. They just don't become good dogs on their own. I haven't learned anything in the 4 classes that I've taken that I hadn't already read in books or watched on youtube training videos. I love the classes - they keep me honest and consistent with my training. My goal is to have a dog that can hang out even when there is a house full of people and be well behaved. I don't care if she does tricks or becomes a therapy dog but it still takes work.

I found the dog bells on the door worked wonders. She was completely housebroken by 12 weeks. Love the bells.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You said this so well. All of it.

I think classes help because they motivate you and make you accountable. When you know you'll have to demonstrate that week's lesson in front of the class, it motivates you to practice. But I agree, if you know what to do, you don't need a class.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

I took several classes because I enjoyed them. Both dogs always got excited to go and they usually got to romp afterwards so that was an added bonus. I would highly recommend Puppy Manners in Woodinville. Personally, I'd take Kizmet to at least one session of classes. You will learn so much from the owners/trainers and their facility is amazing!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Training a dog isn't really about teaching them to do tricks; it's about helping them to live in the world, and more importantly, in your home, comfortably, with a clear understanding of what is expected of them and what they can expect from you. Training strengthens the bond between you and your dog, it helps ensure your dog's safety, and it makes life easier for both of you.

Your family dogs growing up may not have had formal training classes, but if they listened and knew standard commands, somebody trained them. They weren't just born knowing those things. People with a lot of experience with dogs can train them without classes or direction, but as a first-time owner, the use of a professional training program would probably be a good idea.

I don't want a dog who jumps up on people when they come to my door. I don't want a dog who sits by my table and begs when people are eating, or grabs food out of a child's hand.  I don't want to have to keep my bread on top of the refrigerator so my dog won't take it off the countertop. I want leave my dog alone in the house while I run errands and not have to worry about what I'll find when I get home. I don't want to have to worry that my dog will run out the door when my grandson's friends hold it open too long on the way in or out, and I don't want my dog to get hit by a car because he ran out that door, or his leash broke one day while we were out walking and he wasn't trained to stop on command and ran into the street. I want to be able to take a walk with my dog on a beautiful day and not have him pulling, jumping, and barking every time he sees another dog. I want to be able to take him everywhere that dogs can go and not be embarrassed, stressed or worried. I don't want the vet or the groomer to have to muzzle my dog to cut his nails or give him a shot. I don't ever want anyone to be frightened or annoyed by him. I don't want to pay a $3000 ER bill because my dog didn't know the "leave it" or "drop it" commands when he got ahold of something that could harm him. 

None of these things comes naturally to a dog. She has to learn them, and you have to know how to teach them to her.

If you read through many of the discussions here on DK, especially in the Puppy madness or Training Groups, you will see lots and lots of people having problems with excessive barking, chewing, going in the garbage, jumping up on counters and people, eating inappropriate things, running away, not coming when they are called, jumping on children, begging at the table, and the list goes on. Training is how you solve these problems. Training makes life with your dog more pleasant and easier for both of you.

I want my dog to be relaxed, confident, and comfortable because he knows how to behave and never has to wonder what is expected from him. That's why I train him.

Here's a good article that expresses this better than I can:

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/whytrain.html

 

 

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Well said, Karen.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Yeh, what Karen said. I love reading your posts!

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

Me too!

[Christine & Shelby]

Great response Karen!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Holly, Your little doodle is adorable and I love her name. You may have figured out by now that we are a bunch of doodle addicts and to most of us our doodles will never be 'just a dog'. Our doodles are an intregral part of our families and are treated as one of the family. Whether you do formal training or not is a personal decision and there is lots of training you can do on your own if you wish to. Puppies at three mos are usually not a problem, it is as they become older and try to assert themselves that problems can develop. Training with your pup either formally or informally helps you to bond with your dog as well letting them know what is expected of them. Yes there are some naturally good dogs but most good dogs are the result of training not luck. It is easier to train and prevent problems than it is to solve them when they occur. I have a good dog most of the time, we didn't do formal training but we did train. When we have a problem now I know it is my failure not the dogs. I guess the short answer is that training is good for all of you and if you could get your husband and family involved it will make your life a whole lot easier. It can be fun for all of you and a great bonding experience for the whole family.

[Christine & Camus]

Training classes, IMO, are for us more than the dogs.  The classes teach us how to teach/train our dogs.  Some dogs are very easy, they are born to please, learn quickly and listen.  And, then there are dogs who learn, but choose when to listen.  My guy is a bit of a combination, he listens very well at home, the exception being barking outside, but when distractions are present away from home he wants to be a dog - and choose when he wants to listen.  More training is in my knucklehead's future.  If your husband is adamant about no formal training classes, perhaps you could ask if you could sit in on a class (without your puppy).  In that way you could learn a few of the basics.

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

I want to add that classes can also be wonderful socialization opportunities.  We primarily took Rooney to his Puppy Class just for the socialization.  I didn't learn anything there that I didn't know from my own research, but Rooney learned a lot from his interactions with the other pups.  We also learned a lot about him and his dog socialization skills by being able to observe him in that setting.  When I looked for the next level, Beginning Obedience, I specifically looked for a class that still allowed monitored "free play" for the dogs at the beginning and end of class because I knew at only 5 months old, that was what Rooney really wanted out of his "training class".

Kizmet has a lot of ages and stages yet to go through.  Rooney has been a great pup but at 6 months old he has definitely entered a new phase where he tests the boundaries much more often.  Training is a great way to establish yourself as the leader in your relationship with your dog and that is something that I'm finding has to be re-established as they go through new ages and stages.  As others have said, classes help keep that training consistent because you know you are accountable.

We won't be participating in any classes this summer because our schedule is too erratic to accommodate a regular schedule, but I am already missing the routine and accountability of a weekly class.  We will definitely be back in class come fall.