Training strategy for rescue 'older pup'

[elsielouise]

Sooooo Lurcher pup comes home on Monday and whilst I am fairly confident with general training and my current three are pretty good, I am wanting a plan for starting training including housetraining a 17 week pup that was dumped and then has been in kennels for six weeks and is completely untrained in every way. my husband is much less experienced and though confident is prone to getting frustrated if I 'tell him' what to do.

I am therefore looking for a good book or website that I can get him to read and we can both then follow the principles and even language and make sure we are working together.

I want a positive reinforcement approach suitable for the pup that will take into account we have existing dogs. I am undecided on a couple of things eg not sure for example how to crate train with my current pack who only really use their crate in the car as we have a dog room.



Anyone that can offer any help would be much appreciated. I looked at about twenty 'training' books this last week and most are too basic/conflicting/too general/cost fifteen quid and didn't get round to actually talking about method til page 68!

I've done training clubs several times myself and taken my husband who wasn't impressed. We would consider private lessons with right trainer also if anyone recommended in S.E

 

[Booboos]

If you PM Cayla she has a great puppy training guide she could send you.

There are a few books on clicker training (positive reinforcement), I quite like;
"Go click!" by Elizabeth Kershaw

If you have a look at the Association of Pet Dog Trainers website you may be able to find a trainer near you. Personally I find group classes enormously good fun and a lot better for puppies in terms of socialising than 1 to 1, but if you have specific issues than 1 to 1 may be the way to go.

 

[elsielouise]

Thank you

I did clicker with my first Jack and it's a good technique but I know it won't suit my husband. I also know he won't go to group classes. That sounds really negative and it isn't really, he works f/t and I don't work at all so I am the 'trainer'. he will follow a technique happily if it is based on evidence from someone else rather than me 'just telling him".

A husband thing am sure.

I suppose what I am really after is some way of making sure he doesn't contradict the work I am doing that is not too onerous after his eleven hour day and two hour commute.

Some days we hardly see each other so would be good to have a common philosophy. I don't really want to use C.Milan approach as I think it can be too punitive but something that isn't patronising or for inexperienced owners.

Maybe a working dog style approach would suit?

 

[Star_Chaser]

Toilet training do as you have done with any puppy. Take it out at regular intervals every couple of hours to start off with till it gets the hang of things, when it goes use a keyword (anything you wouldn't normally use) and repeat whilst going to the loo, once finished lots of praise. You'll be able to phase out the praise and just use the key word soon enough. Much easier a dog goes to the loo on command. Don't reprimand for any accidents is pointless unless you see it just clean up and move on.

Find yourself a good local training class, its good for bonding as well as teaching the basics and manners around other dogs. Lurcher don't let it off lead to start use a long line until you have a good and steady recall.

If you leave food and water bowls down be worth taking them up same with toys and bone just to remove anything that can cause an argument.