Building a puppy's confidence?

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Jaeger54362
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Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Jaeger54362 » Thu Jun 04, 2015 10:27 am

Hi all!

I joined the forum about a week ago and I've read some great information for training my future puppy. I see lots of opinions, strategies, and beliefs here on this forum (i.e. when to start live birds, how forceful discipline should be, different breeds, etc.) and I am curious what are the different methods to develop self-confidence in a puppy?

Thanks!

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kninebirddog
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by kninebirddog » Thu Jun 04, 2015 11:14 am

Biggest thing I would say about building puppies confidence is one you the leader acting continent and when puppy is nervous or scared that you do not reward it by coddling the pup petting holding and telling the pup itidok when it is cared as all you will be doing is rewarding the very behavior you are trying to avoid.
Also find a breeder who is interactive with their litters as they will be able to tell you an over all demenaer of a pup as they are raising them

Hope that helps.

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Sharon
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Sharon » Thu Jun 04, 2015 1:59 pm

Jaeger54362 wrote:Hi all!

I joined the forum about a week ago and I've read some great information for training my future puppy. I see lots of opinions, strategies, and beliefs here on this forum (i.e. when to start live birds, how forceful discipline should be, different breeds, etc.) and I am curious what are the different methods to develop self-confidence in a puppy?

Thanks!

You'll be (or are) letting pup run in the fields and woods. Don't keep calling him back. He will know where you are. Independent /confidence comes from being allowed to be independent.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

polmaise
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by polmaise » Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:29 pm

pretty much what Sharon said :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA7IK0fHlbQ

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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by trueblu » Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:53 pm

Once pup has had all of his shots, take him everywhere, Petsmart, fields, playgrounds with kids, walks in the neighborhood, running on his own, running with older dogs. Let the kids play with him, if you don't have kids, hire some. Once he is getting independent and bold introduce loose released pen quail, better with wild birds, hold a pigeon by the wing, don't let it slap pup, but let pup chase the bird while its in your hand, then let it fly, let him chase, catch it, who cares. Let him learn that there's dang near nothing in the world to fear. Never ever take pup to a gun range!! Dogs aren't born gunshy, but many are MADE that way. But any and all other noises are fine. If he shows fear of any noises, ignore him. He needs to think he's like Leonardo Decaprio, "the King of the world!!". Get him around as many people you can. Dogs kept around only a few people in quiet environments without barking dogs, running horses, sirens, etc. tend to become what my grandpa called "scardified". TIMID!!

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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by DonF » Thu Jun 04, 2015 6:55 pm

agree completely with sharon and tru blue. Inject what k9 said also. If pup get scared, don't reward it by babying it. Walks in the field with you ignoring everything but dangerous stuff are real confidence builder's.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by pato y codoniz » Thu Jun 04, 2015 7:16 pm

Sharon wrote:
Jaeger54362 wrote:Hi all!

I joined the forum about a week ago and I've read some great information for training my future puppy. I see lots of opinions, strategies, and beliefs here on this forum (i.e. when to start live birds, how forceful discipline should be, different breeds, etc.) and I am curious what are the different methods to develop self-confidence in a puppy?

Thanks!

You'll be (or are) letting pup run in the fields and woods. Don't keep calling him back. He will know where you are. Independent /confidence comes from being allowed to be independent.
This right here... seriously, just because your dog will come on command from a half a mile like he's got a rocket strapped to his back doesn't mean you should be calling him back.

I just jogged 10 miles in the mountains, with the a pup and a mature dog free running up and down canyons, and I only gave him 3 commands the whole time, a to them off the leash and gave then a "hunt", a come whistle when I was ready to leash them up for the walk to the car and "whoa" when I had them on the tailgate so I could inspect them after the run.

Jaeger54362
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Jaeger54362 » Thu Jun 04, 2015 11:21 pm

Thanks for all of the replies! So my follow up question would be if perfect obedience is needed before I head off into the marsh or field with him? I've read that at an early age, puppies won't wander too far. Is this true? My previous dogs were raised in a city in a fenced in yard so I never had a fear of them wandering off.

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Sharon
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Sharon » Fri Jun 05, 2015 2:43 pm

VERY common to worry about losing your pup and understandable.
At a couple months old pup won't wander that far. Make sure the area you are using is safe.
By the time he wants to really move out there , you will have a "come" command firmly taught, and I would have a locator collar on my dog.

If you are really nervous ( first dog not in the back yard as you said) no reason not to use a locator collar on a younger dog( if he's not too small)... NOT the e collar stimulation use yet.

( Don't set the locator collar to beep continuously for the pup. That will drive you and pup crazy. Just set it to use when you get worried.)
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

aulrich
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by aulrich » Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:07 pm

Just for clarification do you still live in town and have a fence and just getting use to a dog that spends most of it's time away from you when hunting. Or have you moved to the country no longer have a fence ?

Personally I have low tolerance for unattended dogs running loose, I live in a City but when I am up at the cabin the dog is outside alone very little. I don't want him wandering into the bush alone up there wolfs are plentiful and would make easy meat of a dog.

But other than that, I echo what the others have said, and say that stress free dog ownership starts with rock solid recall.

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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by polmaise » Fri Jun 05, 2015 4:13 pm

Jaeger54362 wrote: I am curious what are the different methods to develop self-confidence in a puppy?

Thanks!
The methods may be different but the outcome will /should be the same. Every exposure or experience is learning and it should be encountered and introduced as if it is normal. Then you have a young dog that is confident in it's environment. :wink:

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Sharon
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Sharon » Fri Jun 05, 2015 5:30 pm

Well said.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

Jaeger54362
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Jaeger54362 » Sat Jun 06, 2015 8:29 am

Thanks for all of the great advice everyone! So is there a specific age that the puppy should be before he goes on these unleashed walks with me in the wild?

polmaise
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by polmaise » Sat Jun 06, 2015 10:55 am

Jaeger54362 wrote:Thanks for all of the great advice everyone! So is there a specific age that the puppy should be before he goes on these unleashed walks with me in the wild?
No !
Since it's the second time you have asked then I wonder what chain you are pulling .

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Sharon
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by Sharon » Sat Jun 06, 2015 3:58 pm

It's not the second time he has asked, and so what if it is? He's a beginner and trying to learn. They are good questions.

When I started out , when the judge said , " Pick up your dog." , I thought I had to carry the dog all the way back to the car.

Newbies sure have to run the gauntlet on here.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

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DonF
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Re: Building a puppy's confidence?

Post by DonF » Sat Jun 06, 2015 5:37 pm

You cannot take a pup on these walks to soon. At seven of eight weeks the pup will depend on you and you won't get that far away, it'll go with you. You can throw it into heavy cover to soon, simply don't do that. Guide it to the cove and let it choose when it's ready to go in. You walk along the edge and when the pup shows any interest at all, you step in a couple feet and walk along letting the pup follow you.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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