The choice
of the correct collar and leash is very important and o a long away to making
training very much easier.
I’ve had
pups that were such good training
material that I have been able to use a very light link-chain collar as early as
ten weeks, but generally
speaking the pup’s first collar should be a very light leather collar that can
be adjusted to fit the increased size of his next as he grows
When the
pup is eight weeks old put the soft leather
collar on him as
unobtrusively as you can, while patting him and making a fuss of him. He might
object a little at first to the
collar being around his neck permanently, but he will soon get used to the idea
Even at
this early age – if you dog comes from a good training background – you can
introduce made to a very light leash made from very light leather or cord.
Let the
first introduction to a lead be a happy and pleasant occasion so that he will
have no memories of bad first experiences.
Nothing makes it quite as easy as small pieces of food.
Boiled
liver, dried in the oven, is absolutely irresistible for pups.
Take tiny piece of the dried liver in your left hand, while hold the very
light leash in your right hand gently coax the puppy to follow you your left
hand, which you hold just in front of his nose, encouraging him to go forward
Even if
you have excellent result from this
leash training exercise at your
very first attempt, don’t be tempted to continue too long.
The golden rule with all obedience
training is to stop when you are ahead.
Stop when the pup is doing very well and leave the slightly longer
distance for the next time.
Many
trainers and dog owners delay using a link chain training collar until the pup
is very much older and let the older pup wear a leather collar for quite some
time.
The decision when to introduce a link
chain collar depends on the temperament of
the pup. You will have to decide yourself when is the most suitable age.
When you
do decide that it is now time to
introduce your pup to the link
chain collar, make the process as
pleasant a process as possible.
Play with the collar and let the pup
play with the collar. Let him have
pleasant associations with it right from the start.
If you do this you will have an adult dog who will be only too pleased to
have his chain collar put around his next and in will actually nuzzle you and
put his head forward encouraging you to put the collar on.
Once you
have got the pup used to the idea of the chain training collar around his neck
you can use the same motivational method of encouraging the pup heal on lead –
at your left side – as you did right at the beginning – that is with small piece
of irresistible boiled liver.
Encourage
the pup to walk closely on lead at your left side for longer walks each day.
Encourage not only with your left
hand holding the liver, but also with your voice.
This is a pleasant, happy occasion and it is something that both owner
and dog should enjoy.
Later as
the pups gets older you can use a slight heavier link chain collar.
Opinions differ as to the correct length of chain link collar.
Some trainers prefer a shorter color because they believe that when the
pup is trained to sit it makes it easier to lift your hand up high to encourage
the sit.
I,
personally, prefer the slightly longer training collar, because you have
advantage of the whip-like action if ever the dog decides to lunge forward
unexpectedly, perhaps at a cat that runs past, or a motor bike.
As far as
the leads are concerned, make it easier on your hands by getting a strong, but
good quality leather lead of suitable length, or, if you prefer, a leash made
from soft, but extremely strong webbing.
At the
moment I am involved in Schutzhund training at a specialist German Shepherd Dog
Club, and the leashes we use are all made from strong, pliable leather.
My wife
however, prefers to train her young German Shepherd bitch at an all-breeds
training school together with a variety of different breeds.
While
visiting her training club the other day, I was amazed to see a
young trainer with a Great
Dane pup of about nine or ten months, using a chain
leash.
I asked
the young man why he wasn’t kinder to his hands?
I was surprised to hear that the Great Dane pup insisted on chewing all
the leads – a practice that he was unable to break – and so he had no option but
to use the chain lead.
]
To my way
of thinking, this was totally unacceptable behavior and should have been stopped
a long time ago,
but
because it wasn’t my club I smiled and said nothing.