A Secure,Confident Gundog With Options - Kennel Training
by Christopher D. Atkinson -Queensbury, NY
"Nice yellow Labs!" astranger said as I ran lining drills with my dogs at theschoolyard.
"I have a yellow too. Hesa good dog but we have to muzzle him when we go to work."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Hes chewed thecouch, kitchen chairs and a whole bunch of my wifesshoes"
For less than $80.00 he could havehad a responsible housepet, saved hundreds of dollars worthof furniture and clothing, and trained an intelligent sportingdog. Man and dog would have been happier had he kennel or cratetrained at the outset.
My dogs run NAHRA Field Tests inthe spring and summer and hunt waterfowl and upland birds inautumn. Still, they spend most of their lives as housepets.Frequently, theyre left unattended for 12 hour periodswhile Im at work. When I return, Im greeted by happy,secure retrievers whove done nothing but relax in myabsence. I owe this to simple kennel training.
Kennel training offers severaloptions. On the command "Kennel" my dogs will run andjump into my truck from any distance, two yards or two hundred.Theyll also hop into their crate, a canoe, or any confinedarea to which theyre directed. On trips, the kennel is thebest riding spot for dogs. With passengers in front, and the backloaded with gear, the kennel provides a protected, comfy spot tocurl up in without being crushed by a rolling bag of Uncle Stevescork dekes. Its also the best way to keep Fido cool duringsummer NAHRA tests while he waits his turn to run. (The vehicleis parked in the shade with all windows and tailgate open.)
The human view may be of aconfining, punishing prison. When properly introduced, however,the pup will think of the kennel as his secure, personal den, aplace to rest and relax.
The first benefit youll noteis how quickly and effectively pup housebreaks himself.For the working person, its the only way to go. Even if onehas hit the lottery and enjoys replacing baseboards and cupboarddoors, the old barricade-pup-in-the-kitchen method works poorlyand encourages bad habits.
When using an adult- sized kennel,insert a box or barrier in the kennel to create a floor spacedimensioned roughly to the puppys length in bothdirections. Some confused little guys will try to poop in thecorner and sleep on the other side in an adult kennel. If youhave the resources, a small kennel from which pup graduates to abigger one works well. (Hosing dog mess out of a kennel is mucheasier if you dont have to deal with a sloppy cardboardbox!) The kennel cleaning stage should last only a short while.
Crate training starts on pupsfirst trip away from mom and littermates at seven weeks of age.Plan a few days off work for puppys homecoming to allowquality time with the little guy to help him acclimate. Pupshould ride in his kennel on a towel or blanket which was rubbedon mom before leaving. Expect him to urinate on it in the nextfew hours. Take a roll of paper towels - youll probablyneed them. Its best to pull over every couple of hours toput the pup on the ground. If he eliminates, give plenty ofpraise and rubs. Get into the habit NOW of calmly but firmlycommanding "kennel" as you set pup back in and closethe door. Follow with verbal praise.
Give no water unless the drive ismore than six hours. Unless its over twelve hours, dontfeed him during the trip. Pups next meal should be inhis new dining room - his kennel. When home, immediately takepup to a selected outdoor bathroom location. If he goes, givelots of praise.
Pick a secure "familyspot" for pups kennel where hell hang out whilethe family does their thing. A family room may work well. Locatea water dish nearby and keep it filled at all times with fresh,clean water. DO NOT PUT THE WATER DISH IN PUPS KENNEL. Pupslesson is that when left in his kennel, he should relax untilsomeone gets home to give him relief. Water in the kennel willencourage drinking out of boredom and interfere with his learningto "hold it" until relief arrives.
Pups scheduled mealtimes aretraining opportunities. Soon hell learn to love the soundof dry dog food " clanging" in a stainless dish, and helldash for the kennel. Carrying his dish of food, call him by nameas you place it in the kennel. Put pup inside while commanding"Kennel" and give verbal praise . The pup will quicklylearn to dive in, stubby tail wagging, as he cleans his plate.Give pup five minutes to work on his food. After that, take itaway. Pup will see food again at his next feeding time. Go withthree feedings per day as prescribed on the chow label. When hesfinished, take pup outside. When he does his business, he shouldreceive plenty of praise. Continue to feed all meals in pupskennel, commanding "kennel" when hes to enter.
Your children can actually help inkennel training! They must understand that when pup is in hiskennel HE IS TO ALWAYS BE LEFT ALONE! Puppies tend to playoutside the kennel, only to suddenly suffer a sleepiness attack.Then theyll crash on the floor whenever and wherever thishits them. Growing up with kids, pups learn that when they liedown, kids want more playtime and will keep them awake. Pup willquickly learn that when hes had enough he can head to hiskennel for refuge and a nap.
Being single with no kids, Icalmly scoop pups belly off the floor and put him on hisfeet when he crashes, gradually guiding him toward his kennel.After a few repetitions, hell take a diving Pete Rose slideinto his kennel for a snooze! Whenever pup kennels voluntarily,always command "kennel" as he enters and follow withpraise.
In the first few days at home, pupshould spend short periods alone in his kennel. Gradually, extendhis solitary times over the next couple days. He should always gooutside to relieve himself before being kenneled (dontforget to praise). ALWAYS remove pups collar beforeleaving him alone in the kennel. I know of two differentoccasions where new pup owners returned home to find a deadpuppy, hanging by its collar. Pup should then be taken to hiscrate and told "kennel" as he hops or is placed in.(OK, I admit I cheat here. For the first few weeks I give a smallchip of dog biscuit AFTER PUP IS IN THE KENNEL AND IVELATCHED THE DOOR.) This is the only time that I usea "treat" for dog training, and it lasts for just a fewweeks. Pup will rapidly learn to leap into the kennel whencommanded.
Start pup with thirty minutesalone. When you return, immediately take him out to relievehimself. Dont check the answering machine or the mail untilafter pup has gone out. As with all dog training, be consistent.Pups lesson here is that if he holds it, relief will come.Now and forever, if pup "goes" in his kennel - dontmake an issue. Simply remove him and clean up - thatsall. Pup learns on his own that the kennel is the wrong place totake a "rest stop." The incentive to "holdit" is self- induced as he endures some unpleasant sessionswaiting in his kennel after an accident. Try a towel or a blanketfor a mattress. Some do well. However, if hes like my oldLab Champ was as a pup, hell shred any bedding hesgiven. This can lead to dangerous intestinal blockage (plustowels arent cheap). Champ spent his first two yearssleeping on the bare kennel floor. He did well on this plan.
If you must, provide one largenylabone for pup during crate time. (This may be helpful duringteething). Multiple toys, food, or rawhide are no-nos! Ileave nothing for my kenneled pups. The goal here is forthe student to learn to relax when left alone. Encouragingchewing in the kennel may promote undesirable habits.
Gradually increase the time pup isleft alone. Remember: a seven-to- sixteen week old puppy has amaximum six hour capacity to "hold it." Until pup isfour-to-five months old, he must be let out after four-to-sixhours. Hire an assistant to let pup out at lunch time if you cantmake it home. Make sure that the helper is consistent in usingthe same commands and sequence that you use in kenneling,feeding, etc.
For the first couple weeks, setyour alarm when you go to bed and let pup out after three-to-fivehours of sleeping in his kennel. Hes learning that this ishis spot for sleep, and he wont want to soil his own bed.You must show up frequently enough for pup to know that reliefwill come, and if he holds it, life is much more pleasant.
This program is the best for anyRetriever pup that lives in the house. This is also THE LOWESTRISK method to condition the hunting pup to gunfire. (Gun-shydogs are made, not born!) After pup loves mealtime andenthusiastically leaps into his kennel, (I wait until twelveweeks of age) hes ready to associate a loud bang withpleasure. Using a .22 caliber blank pistol with crimp ammo, beginpups mealtime as normal. As pup chows down, go outside andpop off one round (Having an assistant shoot while you watch pupis even better). Pup may lift his head. As soon as pup resumesfeeding, tail wagging, give verbal praise. Reading pupsreactions, continue one shot session during a mealtime per day,gradually getting a few feet closer to pup. If pup shows anysigns of stress or discomfort, IGNORE IT! DO NOT"CODDLE" PUP AND REINFORCE THIS REACTION. Eventually,youll be shooting over pups head as he happily cleansthe bowl without flinching!
A Lab shouldnt have to bemuzzled unless hes been injured and is trying to bite,confusing the pain with someones attempts to give firstaid. If only Id written this plan for the stranger at theschoolyard and more importantly, for his poor yellow Lab.
back to: RetrieverTraining.net
by Christopher D. Atkinson -Queensbury, NY
"Nice yellow Labs!" astranger said as I ran lining drills with my dogs at theschoolyard.
"I have a yellow too. Hesa good dog but we have to muzzle him when we go to work."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Hes chewed thecouch, kitchen chairs and a whole bunch of my wifesshoes"
For less than $80.00 he could havehad a responsible housepet, saved hundreds of dollars worthof furniture and clothing, and trained an intelligent sportingdog. Man and dog would have been happier had he kennel or cratetrained at the outset.
My dogs run NAHRA Field Tests inthe spring and summer and hunt waterfowl and upland birds inautumn. Still, they spend most of their lives as housepets.Frequently, theyre left unattended for 12 hour periodswhile Im at work. When I return, Im greeted by happy,secure retrievers whove done nothing but relax in myabsence. I owe this to simple kennel training.
Kennel training offers severaloptions. On the command "Kennel" my dogs will run andjump into my truck from any distance, two yards or two hundred.Theyll also hop into their crate, a canoe, or any confinedarea to which theyre directed. On trips, the kennel is thebest riding spot for dogs. With passengers in front, and the backloaded with gear, the kennel provides a protected, comfy spot tocurl up in without being crushed by a rolling bag of Uncle Stevescork dekes. Its also the best way to keep Fido cool duringsummer NAHRA tests while he waits his turn to run. (The vehicleis parked in the shade with all windows and tailgate open.)
The human view may be of aconfining, punishing prison. When properly introduced, however,the pup will think of the kennel as his secure, personal den, aplace to rest and relax.
The first benefit youll noteis how quickly and effectively pup housebreaks himself.For the working person, its the only way to go. Even if onehas hit the lottery and enjoys replacing baseboards and cupboarddoors, the old barricade-pup-in-the-kitchen method works poorlyand encourages bad habits.
When using an adult- sized kennel,insert a box or barrier in the kennel to create a floor spacedimensioned roughly to the puppys length in bothdirections. Some confused little guys will try to poop in thecorner and sleep on the other side in an adult kennel. If youhave the resources, a small kennel from which pup graduates to abigger one works well. (Hosing dog mess out of a kennel is mucheasier if you dont have to deal with a sloppy cardboardbox!) The kennel cleaning stage should last only a short while.
Crate training starts on pupsfirst trip away from mom and littermates at seven weeks of age.Plan a few days off work for puppys homecoming to allowquality time with the little guy to help him acclimate. Pupshould ride in his kennel on a towel or blanket which was rubbedon mom before leaving. Expect him to urinate on it in the nextfew hours. Take a roll of paper towels - youll probablyneed them. Its best to pull over every couple of hours toput the pup on the ground. If he eliminates, give plenty ofpraise and rubs. Get into the habit NOW of calmly but firmlycommanding "kennel" as you set pup back in and closethe door. Follow with verbal praise.
Give no water unless the drive ismore than six hours. Unless its over twelve hours, dontfeed him during the trip. Pups next meal should be inhis new dining room - his kennel. When home, immediately takepup to a selected outdoor bathroom location. If he goes, givelots of praise.
Pick a secure "familyspot" for pups kennel where hell hang out whilethe family does their thing. A family room may work well. Locatea water dish nearby and keep it filled at all times with fresh,clean water. DO NOT PUT THE WATER DISH IN PUPS KENNEL. Pupslesson is that when left in his kennel, he should relax untilsomeone gets home to give him relief. Water in the kennel willencourage drinking out of boredom and interfere with his learningto "hold it" until relief arrives.
Pups scheduled mealtimes aretraining opportunities. Soon hell learn to love the soundof dry dog food " clanging" in a stainless dish, and helldash for the kennel. Carrying his dish of food, call him by nameas you place it in the kennel. Put pup inside while commanding"Kennel" and give verbal praise . The pup will quicklylearn to dive in, stubby tail wagging, as he cleans his plate.Give pup five minutes to work on his food. After that, take itaway. Pup will see food again at his next feeding time. Go withthree feedings per day as prescribed on the chow label. When hesfinished, take pup outside. When he does his business, he shouldreceive plenty of praise. Continue to feed all meals in pupskennel, commanding "kennel" when hes to enter.
Your children can actually help inkennel training! They must understand that when pup is in hiskennel HE IS TO ALWAYS BE LEFT ALONE! Puppies tend to playoutside the kennel, only to suddenly suffer a sleepiness attack.Then theyll crash on the floor whenever and wherever thishits them. Growing up with kids, pups learn that when they liedown, kids want more playtime and will keep them awake. Pup willquickly learn that when hes had enough he can head to hiskennel for refuge and a nap.
Being single with no kids, Icalmly scoop pups belly off the floor and put him on hisfeet when he crashes, gradually guiding him toward his kennel.After a few repetitions, hell take a diving Pete Rose slideinto his kennel for a snooze! Whenever pup kennels voluntarily,always command "kennel" as he enters and follow withpraise.
In the first few days at home, pupshould spend short periods alone in his kennel. Gradually, extendhis solitary times over the next couple days. He should always gooutside to relieve himself before being kenneled (dontforget to praise). ALWAYS remove pups collar beforeleaving him alone in the kennel. I know of two differentoccasions where new pup owners returned home to find a deadpuppy, hanging by its collar. Pup should then be taken to hiscrate and told "kennel" as he hops or is placed in.(OK, I admit I cheat here. For the first few weeks I give a smallchip of dog biscuit AFTER PUP IS IN THE KENNEL AND IVELATCHED THE DOOR.) This is the only time that I usea "treat" for dog training, and it lasts for just a fewweeks. Pup will rapidly learn to leap into the kennel whencommanded.
Start pup with thirty minutesalone. When you return, immediately take him out to relievehimself. Dont check the answering machine or the mail untilafter pup has gone out. As with all dog training, be consistent.Pups lesson here is that if he holds it, relief will come.Now and forever, if pup "goes" in his kennel - dontmake an issue. Simply remove him and clean up - thatsall. Pup learns on his own that the kennel is the wrong place totake a "rest stop." The incentive to "holdit" is self- induced as he endures some unpleasant sessionswaiting in his kennel after an accident. Try a towel or a blanketfor a mattress. Some do well. However, if hes like my oldLab Champ was as a pup, hell shred any bedding hesgiven. This can lead to dangerous intestinal blockage (plustowels arent cheap). Champ spent his first two yearssleeping on the bare kennel floor. He did well on this plan.
If you must, provide one largenylabone for pup during crate time. (This may be helpful duringteething). Multiple toys, food, or rawhide are no-nos! Ileave nothing for my kenneled pups. The goal here is forthe student to learn to relax when left alone. Encouragingchewing in the kennel may promote undesirable habits.
Gradually increase the time pup isleft alone. Remember: a seven-to- sixteen week old puppy has amaximum six hour capacity to "hold it." Until pup isfour-to-five months old, he must be let out after four-to-sixhours. Hire an assistant to let pup out at lunch time if you cantmake it home. Make sure that the helper is consistent in usingthe same commands and sequence that you use in kenneling,feeding, etc.
For the first couple weeks, setyour alarm when you go to bed and let pup out after three-to-fivehours of sleeping in his kennel. Hes learning that this ishis spot for sleep, and he wont want to soil his own bed.You must show up frequently enough for pup to know that reliefwill come, and if he holds it, life is much more pleasant.
This program is the best for anyRetriever pup that lives in the house. This is also THE LOWESTRISK method to condition the hunting pup to gunfire. (Gun-shydogs are made, not born!) After pup loves mealtime andenthusiastically leaps into his kennel, (I wait until twelveweeks of age) hes ready to associate a loud bang withpleasure. Using a .22 caliber blank pistol with crimp ammo, beginpups mealtime as normal. As pup chows down, go outside andpop off one round (Having an assistant shoot while you watch pupis even better). Pup may lift his head. As soon as pup resumesfeeding, tail wagging, give verbal praise. Reading pupsreactions, continue one shot session during a mealtime per day,gradually getting a few feet closer to pup. If pup shows anysigns of stress or discomfort, IGNORE IT! DO NOT"CODDLE" PUP AND REINFORCE THIS REACTION. Eventually,youll be shooting over pups head as he happily cleansthe bowl without flinching!
A Lab shouldnt have to bemuzzled unless hes been injured and is trying to bite,confusing the pain with someones attempts to give firstaid. If only Id written this plan for the stranger at theschoolyard and more importantly, for his poor yellow Lab.
back to: RetrieverTraining.net
