When do you start teaching your pup to count?

[Lance-CO]

Had some conflicting opinion when you start a pup to count. I attended a FT when my pup was around 4 1/2 mos and told some of the people I talked to that I have started doubles w/ my pup. They were suprised and told me to stop before I ruin my pup. I did not stop but lessen my multiple marks to at least twice a week instead of 4-5 a week. Just recently, I found out from my pro that multiple marks or at least doubles were good to train your pup to count even as earlier than 4 mos. Just curious how many people in RTF trains early w/ their pup on how to count?


Angelo

[cakaiser]

I don't think it hurts them to start early, we may do some hand thrown ones, but not a lot. The problem usually is with mechanics, things can get crazy pretty fast. We mostly start more formal doubles, or easy triples, after they are FF, and will deliver and heel reasonably well.

My feeling, they either count, or they don't.

[Anthony Petrozza]

I Heard "if You Want Trouble Run The Double"

[JusticeDog]

I think the main concern is to avoid head-swinging, which is what doubles can do to a young pup.


I had two that looked like back-up singers for Stevie WOnder after I removed them from their first pro, and took them to Greg Bartlett's. The one can still be a head swinger to this day, 4-5 years later. Hard to stop it once it starts...

[cakaiser]

We personally have never owned a dog that was not a head swinger, early doubles or not. If you do, Susan, you are one fortunate woman!

Love those flyers!

[2tall]

In the Jackie Mertens video, she teaches doubles to pups still on the check cord. We have been doing this with our 13 week old. We use a second throw for him, but he has seemed great with it. Well, he is on a rest break for a few days, so I don't guess we have ruined him yet

[Sundown49 aka Otey B]

Angelo, mine learn in the whelping box.........x number of pups into how many nozzles Momma has.......LOL......sorry I could not resist that one..

[FOM]

Don't bother at a young age - I'd rather have a puppy who can mark a single, quiet on the line on the line, semi steady, focused, returns and ready for more......at that age still a puppy in my opinion.....I want them exploring, getting into trouble, prefer to swim vs. not, well socialized and absolutely psycho about birds or bumpers......plenty of time to learn how to count.

Steady diet of singles......

FOM

[Angie B]

I throw doubles and delayed triples as young as 12 weeks. It starts to teach them memory. Jim Van Engen taught me this. A hallway is good for the doubles or the corner of the house. You don't do them often just maybe once a week or so. The big thing I think is getting them using their brains. Kinda like kids. We do a lot to stimulate children mentally and socially. Why wouldn't we do this with dogs? It works great!!

Angie

[Jayne]

We teach our pups doubles young. However, you need to make sure they can handle singles well first. Jim Van Engen told us years ago when we were going to put our first pup in with him (Flyer) to start doubles as soon as possible. Do one double setup to three single setups. We had one dog that was a horrible head swinger (prior to sending dogs to Jim), he went back to all singles until we got the head swinging under control. Bottom line, I think if you have a dog that can handle doubles (doing singles well) then do doubles. With Flyer I was doing baby doubles at nine weeks old in our house.