Retriever Rescue

Have any of you got a new pup or maybe a young Rescue that needs house training or just general training, please share your experiences with us, we can all do with some help from time to time...

We have been really lucky with young Toby... From the day after we got him he has cried to go out of the french doors when he needs the loo!

How lucky is that then! we use the usual newspaper by the door as well during the night and for those little accidents when we dont get there quick enough to let him out...

The best thing i can ever suggest to people is the strips of plastic carpet protector! its about £10 from B&Q and we get 2 lengths out of it in the dining area - we originally had it down for when the 2 girls came in with muddy feet!! - suffice to say I have a wife that thinks a pale beige carpet and 2 big labs go together!!!!

Anyway, when we got toby I bought another lot and we have the dining room carpet covered - with a strip of duck tape along each overlapped seam. Toby piddles, and how easy is it to wipe clean with some kitchen towel and a pack of those Flash wipe cloth thingies - 2 secs and its done, with no damage to the carpet.... it takes all the stress away which i think must help toby as we dont make a big issue from a puddle

I think we are lucky as he must have copied the girls and learned from them .... but - maybe he is just a really bright lad (proud dad speaking here!)

As for training - well the best thing we did was to go to puppy classes.. we went for the first time last night - for the first couple of weeks we just sit and watch another class so he can get used to being in the room with other dogs etc and get to know the other dogs that will be in his class... I have to admit it was just a little embarassing when they asked me to 'wake up my puppy and bring him into the middle to meet the other dogs'

With the best will and all the books in the world you cant beat the experienced advice of a trainer.. and even though we only watched we were given some very good avice and guidance.. more about what not to do than what we should do... and of course homework to be completed by next week.. He is quite good at sitting now but my homework is to teach him the down command - i feel lots of chicken will be needed for that.... and a cold glass of beer for me after each attempt

Sounds like Toby is doing really well, classes are invaluable they also teach the owners as well ad the dogs we went with Paddy initially to get him used to other dogs but he is very much a people dog and enjoyed being fussed over by the ladies in the group...we havent taken Lucy she is so totally different even though she is Paddys half sister (same Dad,) she is a lot shyer than Paddy, but she has leanrt a lot from him, and as time goes by she is gaining in confidence,she told off a young dog the other day that was getting quite personal with her, and told him to go away in no uncertain terms..

I am with Ian here, you cant beat going to puppy classes with your puppies, to get a well behaved dog and to seek advice when needed.

i have a golden lab puppy who is know 18weeks, she has been at her classes for the past 5weeks, she can do sit, down, wave goodbye!, give a paw and walks lovely on her lead!

I have always taken my dogs to obedience and agility classes and they always thoroughly enjoy themselves! so it is well worth the money and commitment as nothing worse than an ill mannered dog that wont behave!!
Ali x

i have a new pup (well a few weeks now) i have a new pup every year as im a puppy walker for the blind. my last pup went to bolton in september.
we train our pups to be whistle fed, this helps as when we are on a free run i only should whistle and they should come, dont always work but most of the time. we start to pepare the pups as soon as they come to us from about 6 weks old, we also have puppy classes but ive never been to one yet so i dont know what they are like.

Hi Everyone
Im new here !! My name is Gayle and I have a 7 month old Golden named Captain Jack
We have only been going to classes for 6 weeks (as I had an operation in Oct so couldnt get him started any earlier) and I cant believe how easy he is to train
He does get a little bit exciteable sometimes and just wants to play but I am so proud of him !!
My last dog was a beautiful Samoyed who I had for 10 years and he was a nightmare to train We were even banned from puppy class!!

Gayle

Welcome to the site Gayle...and Captain Jack!