When to start training?

[2 Devils]

I have a pup that is 14 weeks old now. I plan to do some herding with her along with flyball. I know with flyball I need to wait a few more months. But when do you start introducing puppies/dogs to herding? I know that we cannot do anything serious but not sure what good "protocol" would be...

[juliepoudrier]

IMO, unless you have a small area and some puppy sheep, you need to wait until the pup is big enough to actually catch stock should they run. If you have well dog-broke puppy sheep, you can start earlier, but a lot depends on the maturity (physical and mental) of your individual dog. It might help to find out how old similarly bred pups and siblings from previous litters were when they were started. If your pup comes from late-maturing lines, then you would probably want to start it later (and vice versa). At any rate , when in doubt, it shouldn't hurt the dog to start it later rather than sooner.

 

You could certainly show sheep to the pup now and gauge its reaction to help determine if it's ready or not. If this is the first pup you've started on sheep, get expert help/advice--a person who's started a number of pups should be able to watch yours and judge its readiness.

 

J.

[Sue R]

Some folks will expose their pup to "puppy" sheep or ducks at about four months of age, for a few minutes, just to see "what's there". They might bring the pup out monthly or every few weeks and do the same thing, no pressure, just seeing what the pup does for only a few minutes.

 

I didn't begin to train Celt until he turned one year old, when I started him at a cattledog clinic. He was ready and I was grateful that I'd waited.

 

There are much more experienced folks on this board who can give you much better advice than I can.

 

As for flyball, I wouldn't begin any sport that puts stress on joints until a year or more of age. Playing with a ball tossed along the ground to avoid jumping and twisting is a good start.

[laurie etc]

Hey Kim - FYI - quite a few of your pup's littermates have seen sheep and are "way turned on". At her age, she's not ready for serious training, but I'd suggest you call her breeder and set up a visit back to the farm - I'm sure she'd love to see Tempe and there are some really great puppy broke sheep just right for her first exposure.

[juliepoudrier]

Just remember that even if a pup is really turned on, that doesn't mean its ready for training pressure. A good many early starters can be burned out/turned off/otherwise ruined (includng by allowing bad habits to start) by too much (or inappropriate) training at too young an age, just because they were eager and willing at the time. If your pups turns on and you want to start it young, try to keep everything low key and low pressure (e.g., I don't see a need to insist on a down for a young pup just starting on sheep)--why take a chance with the dog that should be your working partner for many years to come?

 

(Let me add that Twist started at 4 months, and was running in trials at a year old. But she was a very natural dog and I took a very hands-off approach to training her, which is probably what prevented her ruination by a novice handler--me. I did, however, get caught up in the whole nursery thing and was running her at a year old. In hindsight I can see what a mistake that was, and if there's one good thing about Jill's injury that year, it's that it made me put all my dogs up for a while, taking the pressure off Twist at what was probably a critical time or turning point.... Dumb luck for me. I think I've learned my lesson.)

 

J.

[Pipedream Farm]

Kim, you're dog isn't really ready for training until it's more mature mentally and physically (5-12 months, depending upon the individual). However, as long as things are safe (pup won't get hurt) and what your pup is doing shouldn't be corrected (to prevent forming bad habits); taking it to sheep occasionally shouldn't be a problem. The moment your pup starts doing anything that should be corrected, you should stop until it's mentally ready for that correction.

 

Mark

[kelli 1]

I am not an expert, far from it, but I am on my 4th puppy. I will never start a puppy until they turn a year old. Before that, they are not physically or mentally ready. We have a 10 month old puppy right now. We take him out on sheep about once a week, with absolutely no pressure. The only thing I get after him about is gripping, and then it's the hands-off method, unlike what our first trainers taught us. I started my first BC at the age of 7 months old, not knowing anything about herding. There are trainers out there, and no one take any offense, who will take young pups, just for the $$$, like the one's that we started with.

 

Find yourself a good trainer who isn't out to make a dollar from you and your young dog. I good trainer will tell you when your dog is ready and be honest about it.

 

Good luck.

[2 Devils]

Laurie - I may have to call Susan and see about taking Tempe out there in March just to see what Tempe thinks. She has been a great pup so far and pretty laid back. She is about 90 minutes away so I need to find the time to go out there.

 

Regarding flyball - I have already trained 5 dogs for flyball so I know not to start anytime soon. There are puppy things that I am doing though...

 

Basically you all answered my question. Letting her see sheep is ok as long as she behaves and doesn't do anything stupid and needs to be corrected. We wouldn't be able to get out to see sheep until at least March, possibly April and we wouldn't be able to do it very often... so creating bad habits should not be too much of a problem.