[mike32108]

We are wondering what we should teach our GSD with the professionals for week 7/8 since we can choose. It will be one thing per week?

Hello, we are taking our 6 month German Shepherd to dog training. 4 basic 4 advanced. Prior to starting we taught her all the basics, sit, down, out, etc. week 1 was a come to sit, week 2 is place, week 3 heeling on leash week 4 is distance obedience, week 5 is sit, down, stand off leash at a distance while remaining in the same place, week 6 is emergency sit. Week 7/8 we can pick what we would like.

they suggested maybe a through command and long distance send out/place command. What are your thoughts?!

Thanks a lot!

 

[car2ner]

Through is easy enough for you to figure out on your own. A send out and place at distance is harder to do by yourself.

 

[CactusWren]

Having gone through 4 obedience classes, what I would want is not more commands, but strategies for getting them to obey the ones they know. This can include proofing under a variety of circumstances, gradually increasing harder distractions, learning how to use a scale of rewards, learning how to use toys as rewards, phasing down/out rewards, and handler technique.

What I've focused on, as a pet owner, is the walk nicely and the recall and really bearing down and getting those as good as they can be. I would much have preferred to learn how to get those really good than learn the 30+ commands that Jupiter knows and only sporadically obeys.

 

[Fodder]

I am finding 'place' very good for keeping sane.

Most of the time I treat it like a really fun game where he gets to run from one side of the room for a sit/wait over to his bed for a 'place.' We go back and forth for several minutes. Treats and praise fall from the sky!

Then I can use 'place' to get the energetic puppy out from underfoot.

call me boring but i’d spend both weeks 7 and 8 on off leash recall with distance & distractions.

OP, I moved these suggestions over from the other thread. Please refrain from creating duplicate posts in multiple areas of the forum, it can get confusing...

 

[davewis]

Interesting perspectives.

It depends on your priorities for your dog. If quiet walks around the neighborhood are your thing, a solid loose leash heel is great. If you want to be able to play fetch in the yard, a reliable recall is going to make that possible.

If you don't have the time or energy after work, and family care, to practice (and make mistakes) on your own. Going over the basics with an instructor while increasing distance, duration, and distractions can make your pup a more pleasant household companion.

I like high energy dogs with an inquisitive nature. A reliable place helps keep them out of trouble.

For my dogs and me, the process of training is just as important as the results. We do a lot of useless but fun tricks. I find it very enjoyable to work together with the pup. Watching his little doggy brain try to understand what he needs to do to earn his reward based on the weird noises and motions I make is great fun.

To be fair to humans, I like to think the sounds, motions, and actions I make have a logical relationship. But, to a dog, it must be a lot like us trying to look at his posture, gait, how he holds his tail, and how he glances around to figure out what he is thinking and how he is going to react.