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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Hello, I am in the process of training my 4 mo old female GSD to stay in the yard. I walk her around perimeter of my yard everyday and when I get to the edge of the property I tell her to stay in the yard (using a happy calm voice) She doesn't even seem interested in leaving the yard yet. Should I wait until she is 100% trained in staying in the yard before I take her for a walk off our property. I have only had her for 6 days, so she isn't 100% comfortable on a leash yet, but she is doing excellent. One more ? Should I be training her being that she has only been with us 6 days. I'm sure she's still getting used to her new surroundings. Thanks
 

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I assume your yard is not fenced in? I would not trust her loose in your yard without someone being there with her until you have a reliable recall on her. What if a squirrel runs by and your puppy runs after it and she gets on the street?
Oh BTW... does your puppy have a choke collar on her ??? She is a little too young for that I think..
 

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I'm a little confused. I take it your yard is not fenced? I don't know that I would ever be comfortable using that method for boundary control. I have seen dogs that wouldn't take one step off their own turf but they weren't trained to do it. It just seemed to be their own thing. I know you didn't say that was your intention. Perhaps you meant would taking the dog off the property be undoing what you are trying to train in re: to the property line. I can certainly understand how the dog could become confused by it. Or even possibly be confused about walking off the property, meaning either the property line is ignored or she's reluctant to cross the property line even on a leash.

I'm not sure you can ever train them too soon. Just the intensity of it has to be adjusted for age.

I was never a fan of the choke chain as an everyday collar for 2 reasons. One is a safety thing, (although I did have a Lab that managed to hang himself with a regular collar on a slat fence). The other thing is that I use a choke collar any time I am training the dog. They soon learn when the slip collar goes on it's time to go to work.
 

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She's adorable - congratulations on your puppy.


As far as the back yard is concerned, personally I would never be comfortable letting a dog run loose in an unfenced yard, even if they are perfectly well-trained to come when called. There is just so much that can happen, and even a dog with a completely reliable recall in all other situations can and will go after something if it is interesting enough.

A young puppy who's exploring her world and will probably start testing to see what she can get away with once she gets a bit older seems very much like tempting fate. Sure, you can work with her on staying within the yard boundaries, but the safest way of letting her outside will be to be with her and keep her on a lightweight long line, such as a cotton tracking line or even cotton laundry line (provided it has a good handle on your end so you don't end up with rope burn).

I also agree with the poster before me that it will probably be quite confusing to her when you walk outside the property. On one hand, you're trying to teach her to stay in one area, but on the other hand you're telling her it's okay to go out of it. Very confusing, especially for a little one.

I'd just start putting a leash on her and walking her off the property, and consider getting some sort of fencing so that she can be in the yard safely. Even livestock / kennel fence (the kind that is large rectangles or wire) is a better solution than just leaving her loose in an unfenced yard, especially so young.

Training starts the second you bring a dog home, regardless of their age. Just keep sessions short and fun.

And like the posters before me, I have to echo the sentiment about the choke chain. Like any kind of training collar, they should not stay on the dog all day long. If you have to leave a collar on your dog all day, make sure it's a well-fitting flat nylon or leather collar that has your information (phone number, etc.) attached to it.

Use the training collar only when you're actually training, and only when the dog is really old enough to have a need for a training collar. I don't think a choke or a prong should be on a dog before at least 6 to 9 months of age. At your pup's age, a flat nylon collar should be sufficient. If she's quite a handful, a nylon martingale is the next one to try.
 

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Originally Posted By: Historian

Training starts the second you bring a dog home, regardless of their age. Just keep sessions short and fun.
totally agree!! she's smart even at 4 months. there is a lot she will learn in a short amount of time if u stay consistant, and PATIENT!! lol
 

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Thanks for all your help. First things first. I am getting rid of the choke chain for know. Oh, and after reading all of your replies. There really is no point in training her to stay in the unfenced front yard if she'll never be unattended off leash in the front yard. Thanks for the eye openers.....
 

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