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I neeeeeeed puppy school! — Brooklynian

I neeeeeeed puppy school!

carmen
carmen
edited November -1 in Brooklyn Pets
Bruno needs some manners and I need guidance training him (basic stuff like gtfo off the couch/do not eat $20 bills even if you manage to find them/ please come when you're called etc) plus a puppy class will tire him out and give me a shot in hell of maybe sleeping more than 4 hours.

Anyone have any puppy preschool suggestions, preferably in the park slope area?

Comments

  • anastasia beaverhausen
    anastasia beaverhausen
    I used to take Oscar to Dog's Den on 12th and 5th. At the time, they had a trainer named Mike who seemed pretty good.
  • stacey
    stacey
    Carmen I just sent you a PM
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    There's a place on 7th St between 2/3rd, across from the Bell House, where I've seen puppy classes going on. I saw someone from the park there and they said they really liked the class (they had a puppy).
  • domino
    domino
    You can do it yourself - depending on the breed.
    Repetition, repetition - did I say repetition? - and rewards.
    Eager to please breeds - labs, retreivers, shepards require less.
    Independent thinkers - dals, boxers, require more.

    Command + reward. Use an edible reward (like bits of hot dog, moving towards baby carrots) AND verbal. Eventually can be just verbal.

    You should also have a crate that the pup can consider his den or safe haven. Crate = good place.
    Housebreaking - same concept. But you have to set a schedule and anticipate the need to go.

    If you are having problems then I would go to the pros. FAST.
    Un-learning bad behavior needs to be immediate.
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    But a few classes never hurt to help an individual realize what they do that works and what doesn't work for their dog. Plus, it's good socialization for a pup.
  • carmen
    carmen
    Im really looking to learn techniques and to let him play as well. Aside from getting on the couch he's *pretty* good with me and when he's being babysat with most of my friends, but he can get really bratty with a select few (for example, my sister babysat him in my apartment for 3 days and as soon as she got here and put her bags down he hopped on top of her suitcase, looked her right in the eye and peed while she was yelling at him. He also barked at her a lot. He does NOT do these things to me!)

    He's actually been really great with housetraining and basic commands (he knows sit/down and we're working on stay) but he doesn't come when he's called even with using a leash and traditional methods and he bolts from me to under the couch when I try to take anything away from him which is really annoying and dangerous (since he tries to eat basically everything at this point.) He needs some manners haha.
  • anastasia beaverhausen
    anastasia beaverhausen
    Beatings work. Oscar is ruled with an iron fist.
  • domino
    domino
    He might not come because he associates coming to you with something not so good. If he learns that the command COME gets him a treat, he will be inclined to come. If COME means my people will take away my toy and smack my nose - hey, I wouldn't be running over either. Now a mango margarita . . .

    Agree with you - puppy school might be a good thing. Ask your vet for a good one-on-one. Although socialization is a good thing, if you want to focus on your dog and your techniques personal trainer is the best bet. Doesn't end up being more expensive since you need less classes.

    I don't believe Anastasia iron fist rule - boxers tend to get their owners under their paw very easily. You don't even realize it is happening. Next thing you know, the boyfriend is eating take out and you are cooking for the pup.
  • carmen
    carmen
    ...but I already cook for him :(


    For the record I have tried training "come"with the leash/food reward thing and he gets it for like..5 minutes then *poof* its gone from his brain.

    And Beave- I cannot catch him to beat him! He's like a little bullet ripping ass through my apartment!







    (disclaimer- neither I nor beave would beat our dogs. However it would be nice to be able to catch mine.)
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    I think doing the basics (like recall) in a class setting can really help b/c you and your dog learn to work with distractions, which is realistic. It's when your dog is off playing with other dogs in the park that it can be hardest to get their attention and practicing in a similar setting can really help.

    Plus, just getting a pro to do the recall training with you might show you some tiny thing you're doing wrong or that you could do better.

    Bruno's just a baby, so it might very well get better with time.

    Oh and this trainer, Viviane, is local. I know someone who has used her for individual sessions and liked her for the basics. Viviane is really mellow and nice at off-leash and her daughter (our walker) is great with my pooch, who isn't the easiest. Her website:
    http://www.pumpkinpups.com/home
  • anastasia beaverhausen
    anastasia beaverhausen
    Car, I'll see if I have my 20' lead still. This is what I trained Oscar stay/come on. The trick is to teach him to stay first. Once he realizes you're leaving and he's got to stay behind, he's THAT much more inclined to learn the "come" command. Especially when you're hunkered down and acting like a retard. They LOVE that.
  • anastasia beaverhausen
    anastasia beaverhausen
    Also, another thing I taught O is to sit when I come to a stop. Granted, I don't always make him do this because I'm lazy but it is a very effective tool in leash training a dog.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    NYS paid me unemployment to train my dog, it was great.

    ....but he was already a pretty good beast.
  • caseopele
    caseopele
    PM lulu's_momma, she's awesome!
  • dda
    dda
    I worked with my dog on doing a lot of the basics, but decided that I needed some help. I decided to do a few hours of private lessons and I really believe that it was money well spent. I worked with Rikke and she had a great plan of positive reinforcement that my dog loved.

    Not sure exactly what you need or how much you want to spend, but I really recommend Rikke (and she helped with a little annoying habit my dog just started). You can tell her Rudolph sent you (well, Rudolph's owner).

    http://www.rikkebdogtraining.com/

    Good luck!
  • dda
    dda
    I worked with my dog on doing a lot of the basics, but decided that I needed some help. I decided to do a few hours of private lessons and I really believe that it was money well spent. I worked with Rikke and she had a great plan of positive reinforcement that my dog loved.

    Not sure exactly what you need or how much you want to spend, but I really recommend Rikke (and she helped with a little annoying habit my dog just started). You can tell her Rudolph sent you (well, Rudolph's owner).

    http://www.rikkebdogtraining.com/

    Good luck!
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