If I had to do it over again with my pup....

**2thDoc** · 03-20-2006, 09:43 AM

well, i was just wondering what all you dog owners would've done differently with your dogs when they were puppies.

I have an 8 week old boykin puppy and he has already slept in the bed, taken a nap on the couch, and pretty much followed me everywhere.

kennel training?
house training?
food choices?
collars, leads?

just wanting to get some insight.

**Stripa Swipa** · 03-20-2006, 09:49 AM

Kennel training is invaluable IMHO.

**Candor** · 03-20-2006, 09:57 AM

1)kennel/crate training
2)start with gentle obedience early. There are no discipline corrections, just rewards at this age. Get them used to the idea that "here" means something positive and that sit is easy.
3) simple retrieving of a balled up sock down the hall
4) exposure to things to build confidence
5) overlook them enough that they don't insist on being the center of attention
6) put a collar (not an ecollar) on them but just for acclimation

**HuntinCosta** · 03-20-2006, 09:59 AM

thats all great bonding, nothing wrong with that as long as you're ok with it, (IMO) definantly do the crate training. I like Pro Plan (What I feed), Eukanuba, Science Diet, and for the money my vet reccomends Purina One. Cheaper, get it anywhere and is good quality.

I think at a young age like that you should start enforcing desire with your pup. get a medicine bottle and fill it with bb's so it makes noise. toss it for the pup and get it excited about retrieving. you can enforce obedience stuff later so dont put alot of pressure on obedience at a young age. get him where he loves retrieving and loves you. work with sit, lay, and stay and give him treats to teach it positively. With all that you have a great foundation, then at 6 months you move on to force fetch.

**2thDoc** · 03-20-2006, 11:30 AM

how about some crate training tips? just throw him in there with some water and lock the gate...or coax him with food? have him sleep in the crate at night? nap during the day? tell me more....

**BrownDog** · 03-20-2006, 11:39 AM

http://www.retrievertraining.net/crate/kennel.htm

also check out http://www.retrievertraining.org/forums

A good book like the Smartwork books can be helpfull also

**skyduck** · 03-20-2006, 11:57 AM

Here's a mistake I made with my now retired chessie. I use to take him to a little pond every day to trow some bumpers for him to work on his swimming skills.(he had trouble with that the first year LOL)Anyway, He then thought anytime he was around water if he broke and swam out there he would find a bumper to bring back to me. My fault, because I would always trow something to get him out of the water so he would come back to me. He was good about not breaking from the boat cause we worked on that, but walking up to the landing or hunting from dry land was a problem that I caused. Is this the kinda stuff your looking for?

**2thDoc** · 03-20-2006, 12:22 PM

yep. bring it on.

i had a boykin that used to go everywhere with me and was set on the fact that the front seat was his. hence, the need for some kennel training tips.

my boykin will still sleep wherever the hell he wants to. its just my idea of a family dog, although I plan to take him hunting every time i go....

**Stripa Swipa** · 03-20-2006, 12:27 PM

The only thing I'm religous about with the crate is that's where she sleeps at night. Other than that, the couch, front seat, my lap etc etc is all hers. However, if for any reason I say kennel, she heads straight for it and stays there happily. It makes travelling a breeze. You CAN have it both ways.

**2thDoc** · 03-20-2006, 05:18 PM

**Catdaddy** · 03-20-2006, 05:26 PM

Damn,looks like he will bite. Might consider some anger management training too.

**Tater** · 03-20-2006, 08:16 PM

[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Good looking pup!

**HuntinCosta** · 03-21-2006, 08:51 AM

where did you end up getting your pup from

**2thDoc** · 03-21-2006, 09:21 AM

chris and joni bishop

www.thegoosepond.com

**ACC/Boykin** · 03-21-2006, 09:45 AM

Nice looking pup doc.

**clemsonqwacker** · 03-21-2006, 10:03 AM

If I could do it all over again with my last dog. I would have spent more time socilizing him with other dogs having good dispesitions and tried to put him in situations with people where he was not the center of attention. I would have also identified his tendency to want to be the alpha dog and incorperated tactics in his early training to avoid some problems later on.

**daytripper** · 03-22-2006, 10:53 AM

Well I'll be in this boat week after next. I get back from my honeymoon and pick up my new lab pup. For what it's worth 2th crate training makes your and his life easier. My now 10 year old lab will run to his kennel even when I don't ask him to. It makes it nice when we have company or I just want him out of the way for something. One thing I hope to change with my new edition is for her not to be center of attention all the time. My current dog loves me to death and if I so much as clear my throat he gets up and comes over to investigate. Don't get me wrong I'm glad he loves me the way he does but his need to be under me all the time gets to be a pain in the a$$ sometimes.

BTW that's a great looking pup!

DT

**Tanner** · 03-22-2006, 12:13 PM

Great looking dog.Ive trained both my lab and beagle to kennels.And have since let the lab do as he pleases.It is great for trying to train them from going in the house.They say a dog wont mess where they gotta sleep so it helps out alot.I feed mine blackwood food dont know if yall heard of it or tried it but it seems to be pretty good gives them lots of energy and also gives them a pretty coat as well.

**deadduck** · 03-22-2006, 06:04 PM

2th,

Kennel training is a must. I do not always keep the dog in the kennel on short road trips but she knows if she rides out to hunt in the kennel it is time to work and that she is ridding her wet dirty butt back home in it.

I also spent every minute I could when I was home following her around and disciplining her so she caught on real quick what was expected. No jumping up on guests, no chewing furniture, etc. Also got her used to the boat. The time I invested early made it easy.

Now she has the run of the house, sleeps in the bed and understands the difference between work and play. Overall I would say I got lucky- great dog, but the time I spent with her when she was young was the key.

Great looking pup- keep shooting pics cause they grow up too fast.

**Duckman#1** · 03-22-2006, 10:53 PM

Make the crate a happy place for him, Don't use it for punishment.

Thread: If I had to do it over again with my pup....

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