# How to Initiate Training



## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Hey everyone,

Tux has done an excellent job today (his first full day in his forever home.) Only three accidents, all on the turf in his ex pen, and *several* successful trips outside. We've been able to do a really good job of being purposeful and consistent. After he has an accident, he's been taken outside and given a chance to do it in his potty area. Each time, he has failed to eliminate, and he has immediately come back inside straight to his crate for fifteen minutes. Then try again. He's crated for 15 minutes after each unsuccessful attempt to potty outside. Once he successfully eliminates outside (usually on the third successive attempt after an accident), he's praised profusely and given a nice long playtime out in the yard, which he seems to *love.* He's also allowed to stay outside of his crate once we come back inside, either with us (in our arms or laps) or in his ex pen. So anyway, that's all going really, really well.

My question is this: Everything I've read says to start manner training immediately, but Tux is nowhere near being able to even begin trying to sit. He's got his name and paying attention to us down pat already. He's so extremely social that those two things were no problem. 

But, how do I get him to settle down and try to sit? I can't even get him to pay attention to the treat long enough to let me bring it up over his nose...and he *loves* these treats.


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Lindsay,

A really helpful book is The Focused Puppy by Deborah Jones. It talks about clicker training and helps to provide a structure for teaching. You will first need to get Tux to associate the clicker sound with a treat. Then you will be able to use the clicker, luring and shaping to teach him how to learn. Right now there is so much new that it is understandable that Tux isn't really focusing on you. I am sure others will have more suggestions. I will probably need you to remind me of this next week when I bring Leo home.


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## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Pucks104 said:


> Lindsay,
> 
> A really helpful book is The Focused Puppy by Deborah Jones. It talks about clicker training and helps to provide a structure for teaching. You will first need to get Tux to associate the clicker sound with a treat. Then you will be able to use the clicker, luring and shaping to teach him how to learn. Right now there is so much new that it is understandable that Tux isn't really focusing on you. I am sure others will have more suggestions. I will probably need you to remind me of this next week when I bring Leo home.


I can't wait until you have Leo home. Then I'll have another new Hav Mommy to relate with!!


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

I have the expen set up; toys, food, crates, grooming tools shampoo and conditioner purchased; vet appointment scheduled and puppy class registered. NOW I just need my puppy! Somehow I will get through the week. :biggrin1:


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## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Haha! You sound like me. I "rationed" my preparation to help tide me through the week. I scheduled his first vet appointment as soon as we found out we were getting him. The next day I borrowed his pen from my brother and took it to the car wash and got it all cleaned. The day after that I bought his collar, leash, and tags. The day after that I made his grooming appointment. Then finally it was time to tell our kids and go buy the rest of his supplies.  I passed the time by reading every training book I could get my hands on...over and over and over again.


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

So funny! Yesterday I bought several yards of fleece fabric on sale-dark brown with light paw prints. TONIGHT, I carefully measured and cut it into appropriate sized pieces for Leo to sleep on in his expen or crate. So silly but the waiting is very hard.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

DapperTuxedo said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> Tux has done an excellent job today (his first full day in his forever home.) Only three accidents, all on the turf in his ex pen, and *several* successful trips outside. We've been able to do a really good job of being purposeful and consistent. After he has an accident, he's been taken outside and given a chance to do it in his potty area. Each time, he has failed to eliminate, and he has immediately come back inside straight to his crate for fifteen minutes. Then try again. He's crated for 15 minutes after each unsuccessful attempt to potty outside. Once he successfully eliminates outside (usually on the third successive attempt after an accident), he's praised profusely and given a nice long playtime out in the yard, which he seems to *love.* He's also allowed to stay outside of his crate once we come back inside, either with us (in our arms or laps) or in his ex pen. So anyway, that's all going really, really well.
> 
> ...


Glad to hear the potty training is going well.

It is comendable that you are so excited about getting little Tux trained. But remember that he is a LITTLE baby, and BRAND NEW in your home. You mentioned how over-excited your children were about him coming into the house... Just think how it must be for him! He will settle in over the next few weeks and become more and more receptive to learning. But whether he learns the "sit" cue this week or next, really isn't going to make any difference in a year!

Even with adult dogs, one of the most important qualities a trainer/handler can have is patience. Sometimes it can take a long, LONG time to teach a dog a new behavior, and it's not entirely clear why. It took me more than 6 months to get Kodi to hold his dumbbell (necessary for a formal retrieve in competitive obedience)

Keep working with your little cutie, for just 30 seconds to a minute, several times a day. Continue with gentleness, patience and humor, and before you know it, things will begin to click!


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## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

krandall said:


> It is comendable that you are so excited about getting little Tux trained. But remember that he is a LITTLE baby, and BRAND NEW in your home...He will settle in over the next few weeks and become more and more receptive to learning. But whether he learns the "sit" cue this week or next, really isn't going to make any difference in a year!
> 
> Even with adult dogs, one of the most important qualities a trainer/handler can have is patience.
> 
> Keep working with your little cutie, for just 30 seconds to a minute, several times a day. Continue with gentleness, patience and humor, and before you know it, things will begin to click!


Thank you for the reminder and encouragement, Karen! I think Ian Dunbar's books made me a little paranoid that I'll mess Tux up if I don't do everything exactly right from the first minute. (Part of the reason that I found his books more than little comical.)

More than anything, I want to make sure that I'm not accidentally reinforcing bad habits. You know?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

DapperTuxedo said:


> Thank you for the reminder and encouragement, Karen! I think Ian Dunbar's books made me a little paranoid that I'll mess Tux up if I don't do everything exactly right from the first minute. (Part of the reason that I found his books more than little comical.)
> 
> More than anything, I want to make sure that I'm not accidentally reinforcing bad habits. You know?


I know exactly how you feel. I had YEARS of training experience with horses (30+) but Kodi was my first dog, and I didn't want to make any mistakes. I DID make mistakes... there are things I will definitely do better with when I get another pup someday. But you know what? I didn't "ruin" him. He has been my "learning" dog, and it has been a wonderful journey we've been on together.

Havanese are very forgiving, and very easy to train. (I wouldn't advise this, but most grow up into very nice pets with or without any real "training". ) Just the fact that you are so invested in getting it right will keep you from letting any behaviors become ingrained "bad habits".

I think the thing with Ian Dunbar is that he is speaking to the masses of people who think that raising a puppy is all fun and play and don't do ANYTHING to raise that puppy into a polite, social member of the family. I can tell, just from all the questions you've been asking that you don't fit into that category. While books are great and this forum has lots of people with lots of good ideas, I STRONGLY urge you to find a local positive-based trainer that you like, respect and trust who can guide you. Sometimes, the problem with books and forums is that you get too MANY opinions, and it gets confusing.

I am very fortunate to have a great training center not too far from me, with wonderful instructors. I still read... a LOT, I participate in this forum and I attend workshops and seminars with top national trainers when I get the chance. But I have learned SO much from these people (who have become good friends) who are right near me, and whom I can reach with a quick phone call. Another tremendous resource is my breeder. We are in touch on a semi-regular basis, and I know I can ALWAYS turn to her for good advice if I'm stumped with a problem. Good breeders have a vested interest in seeing that their puppies do well in their forever homes!

So, by all means, keep up the good work, but take a deep breath, relax, and ENJOY these first fleeting weeks with your new baby. They go bay SO quickly!!!


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## Olive'smom (Nov 21, 2012)

Tux sounds like he's doing great! I started clicker training with my Mr. Olive the 3rd or 4th day after we got him. It was quite tricky at first because he wasn't food-motivated at all and seemed to have no desire to earn a treat. After finding one that he really liked (had to try a few cause he's picky) the training really took off. If you get a clicker and "load" it (clicking and immediately treating so Tux associates the sound with a treat) then it can be great to start every training with a "look at me" time, when you tell him the command and click and treat when he makes eye contact with you. You may have to put a treat on your nose at first, but I found this really helped Olive to direct his attention to me during training.

As a semi-neurotic myself, I read 6 books about puppies before we even brought Olive home. I remember vividly the fear of "messing him up". But I can virtually guarantee you, given what you've said about all the prep you did (and your efforts not to enforce bad behaviors) - Tux is gonna be fine!!!! Good luck!


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

When we first brought our puppy home we did not do any formal training with him the first couple of weeks other than housebreaking cues. I didn't do the food in the kong (even though I followed a lot of Ian Dunbar's other advice!). We had a great dog breeder and we relied on her for a lot of advice. She was most concerned that he ate and drank in his new home, so we fed him in a small dish (actually a flan dish) in his crate. We wanted to make it as easy on him as possible until he adjusted. So mainly he played a lot and the only thing we focused on was getting him pad trained (first two weeks) and outside trained after that. 

After he was more settled in we took him to puppy kindergarten at our local dog training club. They use positive based training. That was the first "training" he had, other than the "big party" every time he went to the bathroom! It was very nice to go to the class not only for the experience but you can ask trainers for help on any other questions, hear what other dog owners are dealing with etc. They also help you to understand the phases your dog goes through in his development. The class was very safe - clean and everyone had to carry the dogs inside. Initially he didnt seem to like the class that much, but one night, he seemed to change and started to really love it. We're continuing to take classes. We just finished a Crate Games class and we start a new class tomorrow night. The trainers at the dog club said that Crate Games was the best next step because he'd learn to think and learn self control. He LOVED that class by the way. In our new class we will use the clicker. 

Dont feel like you have to go overboard in this intro period. We didn't and our dog is a very good little dog. He is still a puppy (five months now) but I am very impressed with how well-behaved he is. We have a lot to do - he needs to get better on the leash for example - but I think he's doing really well!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

SJ1998 said:


> When we first brought our puppy home we did not do any formal training with him the first couple of weeks other than housebreaking cues. I didn't do the food in the kong (even though I followed a lot of Ian Dunbar's other advice!). We had a great dog breeder and we relied on her for a lot of advice. She was most concerned that he ate and drank in his new home, so we fed him in a small dish (actually a flan dish) in his crate. We wanted to make it as easy on him as possible until he adjusted. So mainly he played a lot and the only thing we focused on was getting him pad trained (first two weeks) and outside trained after that.
> 
> After he was more settled in we took him to puppy kindergarten at our local dog training club. They use positive based training. That was the first "training" he had, other than the "big party" every time he went to the bathroom! It was very nice to go to the class not only for the experience but you can ask trainers for help on any other questions, hear what other dog owners are dealing with etc. They also help you to understand the phases your dog goes through in his development. The class was very safe - clean and everyone had to carry the dogs inside. Initially he didnt seem to like the class that much, but one night, he seemed to change and started to really love it. We're continuing to take classes. We just finished a Crate Games class and we start a new class tomorrow night. The trainers at the dog club said that Crate Games was the best next step because he'd learn to think and learn self control. He LOVED that class by the way. In our new class we will use the clicker.
> 
> Dont feel like you have to go overboard in this intro period. We didn't and our dog is a very good little dog. He is still a puppy (five months now) but I am very impressed with how well-behaved he is. We have a lot to do - he needs to get better on the leash for example - but I think he's doing really well!


I think that's fine, but it's also fine to start training at home, before your puppy K class starts, as long as you don't over do it, and get either yourself or the puppy frustrated. Kodi wanted to figure things out and learn from day one. Now, he was also a bit older, at 11 weeks, and the Kings had done the hard part as far as potty training was concerned.

But our puppy K class wasn't slated to start until two weeks after I got Kodi, and he was a BUSY boy. He already needed a "job" in those early days. So I chose to have a trainer come to our house for a couple of private lessons. She taught me how to get started with the clicker, and we started to work on loose leash walking, sit, down, "baby recalls" (where someone sits at each end of a hall, and you call the puppy back and forth, giving treats and pats when he arrives) ... I can't remember what else at this point.

We also had "puppy parties" with several neighborhood children, who would sit in a circle on the grass and each call him over in turn.


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