basic obedience

[Gridiron and Grouse]

We are picking up our vizsla puppy November 26th. Link to the pedigree http://www.lindensvizslas.com/Zack-Peggy.html

From everything I've read when they are young bird exposure is great and just let them be a puppy. However, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on books for basic obedience training. Little things to start when it's young. Also, if there are any great online articles etc. that you would recommend for someone who is about to bring home a puppy...things like when to teach it what. I would really appreciate it. Thanks again.

[gar-dog]

I found the Puppy Development I and II DVDs from http://www.huntsmith.com to be very helpful. They cover crate training thru intro to the field, birds, and gun.

[bobman]

for the first few months I teach with no pressure mostly just "come", just make a little check cord out of the same size braided line like you see on window blinds about 20 ft long let him drag it while hes exploring, then call his name followed by "come" kneel down and GENTLY reel him in and love him up.

Then release and do it again after another 10 minutes or so, let him get engrossed in things before you call him.

two or three times each time hes out is plenty, don't call him if you can't reach the cord, onkly say the command once then reel him in.

Lots of praise

I dont teach much else to bird dog pups, I just try to expose them to lots of stuff car rides ect.

[Sharon]

I found the Puppy Development I and II DVDs from http://www.huntsmith.com to be very helpful. They cover crate training thru intro to the field, birds, and gun.

I agree.

My best advice? Don't ask your pup to do anything you aren't going to make sure happens. Save you a lot of training time.
And start to crate train pup right away.

PS Another good way to teach "come" is to say it when the dog is coming towards you - at any time.
He'll connect the act and the word very quickly. Operant conditioning is still the best way to teach imo.

[Rob]

G&G:

Congrats on your puppy! Are you getting one of the males or females? I was up at the Keeton's a couple of weeks ago and the puppies all look great. They had one little fiesty female that I fell in love with. If I weren't set on a male, she would definitely had won me over.

I am getting a puppy out of the Kye litter just whelped. I have been waiting over a year, so I am getting pretty jacked up.

Rob

[Gridiron and Grouse]

We're getting a female. The Keetons seem great. We were on the list for a female out of Kye, but there weren't enough females so we went with one of Zack's pups. From people I've talked to you can't really go wrong with any of their pups. I'm really excited to pick her up.

Thanks for the advice. If anyone has any other good reading material please let me know.

[bolton12]

I found the Puppy Development I and II DVDs from http://www.huntsmith.com to be very helpful. They cover crate training thru intro to the field, birds, and gun.

This is a great source. When the pup devolpes more look into wing and shot a classic book written by a legendary trainer. Bob Whale. Congrats on the new pup.

[Rob]

The Keetons are great, and I don't think you can go wrong with either of these litters. Zack is a heck of a dog from what I've seen.

By the way, I don't know if it is what you're looking for, but I like the Perfect Start and Perfect Finish DVDs. But they are focused on bird training more so than obedience. Maybe we will run into each other at some point.

Rob