When To Start Training

[bethany.cole2013]

I was wondering. For those that have started your puppies, when have you started their protection training? When is the most optimal time to begin protection training on a dog? This is something that I've always wondered, because you do see some relatively younger dogs competing and I wonder when they were started and when is it normal to start them? Also, what do you do when you first start their training (exercises, etc.)?

[Jax08]

Have you visited any clubs yet?

[bethany.cole2013]

Originally Posted by Jax08

Have you visited any clubs yet?

No. I don't have a dog that I am going to do protection training with. This is just something that I've wondered and was wondering when everyone else has started their training and what they have done.

[Jax08]

You can still visit the clubs and learn

[martemchik]

Most people that have started early have trained a dog or two before that.

I know people that have a pup (its from one of their litters) they have 3 dogs that are SchH3 so they know what they're doing. They started prey work with most of the pups naturally while playing in the whelping area. The pup they kept, she's 13 weeks old. Has awesome obedience. Knows heel, front, sit, down. It's cool to see. But they know what they're doing and have a well established plan.

A club would lead you towards that goal but you wouldn't reach it as fast. Most people I see doing Schutzhund, start very young with their second dog. They know what kind of behaviors they need to work on in order for the dog to succeed in the future. As a newbie...you'd have no idea what to do without joining a club and getting good training advice IN PERSON.

I started training my boy for competition obedience at around 1 year old (it became obvious I wanted to do it). If I had started earlier, he'd be a lot more advanced, but I didn't know I wanted a competition dog when I got him. The original plan was for a regular stay at home pet.

[lhczth]

I start them when they are ready so it depends entirely on the dog.

[bethany.cole2013]

Originally Posted by lhczth

I start them when they are ready so it depends entirely on the dog.

How do you know they are ready? What do you look for to tell you the dog is ready?

[martemchik]

Originally Posted by bethany.cole2013

How do you know they are ready? What do you look for to tell you the dog is ready?

This is not something that you can explain over the internet. It's something that comes from years of experience and watching other dogs as they grow up and train.

[lhczth]

Yup and for those without the experience they have to rely on the experience of the helpers and their training director.

Most people are in a hurry and don't have the patience to wait. I find myself waiting longer than I used to. I also know my dogs.

[Chris Wild]

Like Lisa, the more I've learned over the years and more dogs I've trained, the longer I find myself waiting to start protection. We now wait to start dogs until they show the full mix of drives that we want to utilize in protection. They need not be fully developed yet, but they need to be present enough to tap into somewhat. We might do a little bit of puppy work when young, but then put the dog up until the range of drives, not just prey, is accessible. We play tug and such of course with them ourselves, and we do develop some things and encourage certain behaviors (and not allow or discourage others) when playing tug, but the primary work with a helper doesn't happen until the dog is ready and the drives are there. Since some of those drives aren't there in pups and require maturity, that means waiting until the dog is ready. When that happens depends on the dog. It may happen at a few months old, or it may not happen until way over a year or even longer.