1st puppy class... training

[dal]

Hi Everyone!  Time is flying - Cooper will be 14 weeks on Wednesday!  Anyway, he was a super crazy jumpy nippy new puppy and is still very jumpy.  Nipping has calmed down quite a bit.

I took him to puppy kindergarten on Saturday and we met with a trainer one on one right before the class.  The trainer told me I don't have much control over him.  She gave me some tips which worked really well Saturday afternoon and evening but I think he was also exhausted from all the excitement of the class etc.  My husband has much more control over him than I do yet I do 99% of the work?!  The tips she gave me didn't work as well for me yesterday but were still working for my husband.

The class went okay - he was definitely one of the more excitable dogs (maybe because he's a doodle?).  However, at the end, they split the dogs into two groups to play - the more tentative ones and the more excited ones.  They put Cooper on the excited side and he didn't want any part of the dogs.  He jumped on a few people then pretty much just sniffed around the walls.  So they moved him to the calmer side and he just crawled under a chair?!  Is this normal?  He was from a littler of only two but he did play with many adult dogs while still with our breeder.  Could he have just been so overwhelmed and tired from the one and one session then the class?  He was interested in the other dogs at the beginning of class - he would sniff their noses and such...

Just not sure what to expect since I've never done this before.  I am thinking of getting a private trainer to come to our house too.  The trainer Saturday made some comment about him being a great dog if we train him but if we let his behaviors go on, that's how aggression comes to be?!?!?  Is that true?  I have three kids, 6, 10 and 11 and her comment about aggression made me a little nervous.

I'm tired and frustrated today and I know this is a great place to come when feeling like that since you have all gone through this or are going through it.

Thank you all for saving my sanity during these early weeks!!

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

I totally know how you feel. Our learning curve was huge and I'm really glad now that early on I read, joined the doggy Dan site, hired a private trainer, went to two different training classes, and had this site. It seems like a lot and was overwhelming early on, but has been well worth the investment in training, consistency, and time. You will have this dog a long time, so investing the time and money now is well worth it. Rip is ten months now and we are coasting. My advice is to get the support you need, and that a tired pup is good pup! Keep up the good work, you will be happy... Best,

[dal]

Thank you!  Do you like the doggy Dan site?  I was debating trying it out.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Totally worth it!! We did all the leadership stuff. Quit after four months when I felt I had the hang of it...

[Mary ann & Lincoln]

Lincoln is 5 months now, but he is done his puppy class. He is very smart and learned all of the tricks quickly. He listens to my husband much better than he does to me. I have to really work at it, trainer said it is the tone of voice ( male vs female) . Lincoln also was fine in class on his leash, but as soon as it was off the leash time, he went to the people (looking for treats) and stayed to the edges of the walls., He is not a timid dog at all in other situaions or at home. He was very intimidated by the other dogs jumping around etc. We just signed him up for the intermediate class for more socialization and to learn the next set of commands. He is not around many other dogs since it is so cold & snowy and we don't take him to the park yet. I am sure they will get better! Takes alot of work and repetition.

[dal]

Oh sounds just like Cooper in the class setting - I thought he would be all over the other dogs since he isn't timid at all in most situations.  We too, have been stuck in this nasty weather and he hasn't been socialized much yet.  Interesting about the male vs female tone of voice.

[dal]

How old is yours?  I am calling the trainer today to set up an at-home appointment!  Glad I'm not alone :)

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

Awe. I wonder if you would get more responses from the training group?

Gracie is excitable (at least I think so), but when I took her to the vet's there was a puppy that sat beside us. I thought she would just be all over the pup (since she is all over our Barkley), but she didn't want anything to do with him. She only wanted human attention.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

Ashley, she would rather have Barkley to chew and bother. But, that gives me a break. I was just surprised that she didn't want anything to do with a puppy.

[dal]

I was thinking I should probably also post in the training group - that's the dog whisperers, right?

Yes, Cooper just wants the human attention; I was so surprised!

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

I was referring to the group that starts with Training in the title. I didnt know there was a dog whisperer group. I will have to check that out.

[Sheree Small]

I think that the socialization with other pups (and dogs of all sizes and ages is important). You want your puppy to be good with people and kids, but different types of dogs and various situations too. My thoughts are indivfdual training for you and the pup ( and family) and little by little increase the socialization too. Once they get used to playing with the other dogs and wear themselves out, they are calmer and easier to work with. Have fun. We are at 10 months and it's calmed a lot!!

[dal]

Thank you for the reply!  That's a good idea to slowly increase socialization - we have friends down the street from us who have a dog and a fenced yard so I am going to call them to see when we can get the dogs together - they had offered when I first got Cooper but I wanted him to get his vaccines first.  I will keep going to the puppy class too and let him take it at his own pace.  Hopefully as he gets used to it, he'll warm up to the other dogs.  I'm also calling a trainer to set up an at-home appointment.