When Did You Start Training Your Doberman?

DanielRush

DanielRush

Novitiate
It seems like "when" to start training a Pinscher puppy is up for debate, some people say as soon as possible others says to wait 3-6 months before starting. I was curious for those of you who have been effective at training your dogs, when did you start training them? From puppyhood? Young adult? Older?
 
Certain simple commands can be taught from day 1 like sit, down, watch, etc. While other skills must wait until a more age appropriate time like the jump or the wall in Schutzhund or Agility. As long as training is fun and positive it can start at any age. I would encourage people to start training as soon as possible because training can be a great way to build the bond between dog and owner and can help teach them to respect you before they get into that frustrating teenage phase.
 
The training in realality starts the first time your eyes meet up with theirs.

Start early like Jess says...the basic simple commands start right now.

I started late and I know now that was a mistake all in me. Ignorance, laziness and my plain GOOFY butt attitude were my downfall, but once I started my Dobegirl strange to life. Jess mentioned the bonding...it truly is a way to connect with your Dobe like no other.

Cya
 
Yep - day they come home. I actually enjoy teaching fun tricks along with the compulsory stuff, Ashra (and puppies in general) sees it as a game. She's actually more excited to play "the circus game" than when she sees the leash come out. I've taught her on average a trick/command a week, so at the moment she's up to around 23 I think :).
 
I titled dogs that I got when their ages ranged from 3 months to 2 1/2 years. The very first step you can do regardless of age is attention work with invisible food. When I get a dog, the first thing I do is train them to look at me by putting a piece of cheese in my mouth, calling their names, and spitting it into their mouths when they look at my face. They learn to catch it very quickly while learning attention. Then you can move to the basic commands.
 
obbanner said:
I titled dogs that I got when their ages ranged from 3 months to 2 1/2 years. The very first step you can do regardless of age is attention work with invisible food. When I get a dog, the first thing I do is train them to look at me by putting a piece of cheese in my mouth, calling their names, and spitting it into their mouths when they look at my face. They learn to catch it very quickly while learning attention. Then you can move to the basic commands.
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That's a great idea to keep them focused on you ! Thanks'
 
Yup, we start on it from day 1 and the last 2 breeders we got our pups from started simple things before they ever came home so it all makes a huge difference.

Back when we got our GSP it was recommended that you wait until they're 6 months to start, and the training club we went to absolutely would not allow pups younger than 6 months in a class and wow was that a struggle compared to the way things are today....
 
Do they do things prior to 6 months??? So if they are doing things they are learning things either positive things that help them group up to be good dogs or they are learning that they can do what they want which makes them unmanagable. The only people who say wait have never trained a reall dog maybe a virtual one.

It is as much about training the dog to learn to love training as it is training. At 6 months they are much wilder and harder to work with.

I start my puppies at day 3 with the Bio Sensor Exercises and from then on they are experiencing new things and places through the rules of 12 - It is proven that their little minds are most open and receptive to this early training. Once an opportunity passes that time is lost forever. By 6 months the dog has already formed opinions and they are dog based if they have not had positive human direction or training and socializing.
 
Actually, I think training never stops! LOL To me, it's all training, no matter what you are doing. Even in play, there is training. Everything I do with them is some type of learning process. Sometimes, for both of us! ;) I'm always looking for some reaction, response and respect. That attention to me. I try and keep tiny treats in my pockets all the time too. :D
 
JanS said:
Back when we got our GSP it was recommended that you wait until they're 6 months to start, and the training club we went to absolutely would not allow pups younger than 6 months in a class and wow was that a struggle compared to the way things are today....
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It's been so long ago, I forgot about my first Dobie, Inky. She was eleven months when I got her. Although I didn't buy her with personal protection in mind, I decided to train her for personal protection. The trainer wouldn't train dogs under a year old. We started with obedience until her birthday, and she did so good in obedience, the trainer recommended I show her in AKC, which is what got me started showing.

The personal protection was for a genuine threat. I had my office in East Orange, NJ, in the early 80s, where a woman was stabbed to death in the lobby of the police station, to give you an idea of what the neighborhood was like. I wanted a dog that was alert to threats and could intimidate with a command, and if necessary, defend me. Inky was very good at her job.
 
I can't imagine waiting until 6 months. With those razor teeth, my arms would look like raw hamburger and I would be broke from vet bills from all the wrong things eaten. Not to mention all the mess I would have to clean up from not potty training. Absolutely start from day one and then it is everyday after. Almost everything we do is training or reinforcing what we have learned.
I also keep treats on me and the only down side from that is when I forget to take them out of my pockets and hubby decides to help with laundry and doesn't check pockets.
 
obbanner said:
The personal protection was for a genuine threat. I had my office in East Orange, NJ, in the early 80s, where a woman was stabbed to death in the lobby of the police station, to give you an idea of what the neighborhood was like. I wanted a dog that was alert to threats and could intimidate with a command, and if necessary, defend me. Inky was very good at her job.
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Wow, that's scary if it happened right in the police station... :eek:

I also keep treats on me and the only down side from that is when I forget to take them out of my pockets and hubby decides to help with laundry and doesn't check pockets.
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LOL, my pants pocket is never without treats and I even have some in there when I go to work because I go straight outside with the dogs when I get home.
 
I also keep treats on me and the only down side from that is when I forget to take them out of my pockets and hubby decides to help with laundry and doesn't check pockets.
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Haha~I hear ya there! I love whenever I reach into a coat, jacket or jean pocket and always come up with either a dog treat or a Tic Tac!! :rolleyes:
 
I think as soon as the puppy comes home is the best time to start. Yes they are babies essentially but they do comprehend alot at a young age. They can understand and learn basic simple commands such as sit, wait, down, come and stay. Those are the core commands they need to know, especially stay and come. The sooner they are taught the better and safer for you and the dog. A good solid stay command means the difference between a dog running off in a situation and a dog remaining safe. A solid recall also means less danger for a dog or other people.
Dobermans are very smart and some can be incredibly stubborn as well, I know I have one. She hates her recall command and often refuses to come no matter how we attempt to teach it to her. The only thing that has managed to work with her is leaving a long line on her when I let her out. I monitor her from a window and she responds well to any command I give her such as stop or leave it, unless she thinks I want to play in which case I have to go outside and demand obedience. She knows that line gives me access to her at any time and usually if I step outside she will listen then. Bella on the other hand is a little easier to manage, though she does have her stubborn streaks when she sees Nexus taking off to disobey me.
 
DanielRush said:
It seems like "when" to start training a Pinscher puppy is up for debate, some people say as soon as possible others says to wait 3-6 months before starting. I was curious for those of you who have been effective at training your dogs, when did you start training them? From puppyhood? Young adult? Older?
Click to expand...
Yes I also say from the day you get your doberman is the best. Hopefully your breed has already worked with all the pups some. Just remember lots of fun and play when working that way they always associate working as a fun time.
 
I agree with all of the above, with both our puppies as well as our rescues training began the moment they came home. With our puppies the first thing we teach is to sit and leave it at meals until we release them. From the beginning we want them to know the good things come from us and that we control the good stuff. Our hand are always in the food the first several weeks to keep the puppies from getting food aggressive. I think it is important to establish a good bond but the puppy also needs to know from the beginning who is in charge.

Once they have had all their shots we get them into a puppy class to continue their socialization in a controlled environment with other dogs, usually at this point they are way ahead of the other dogs in class, only because we didn't wait for a class before we started training.
 
Saint started learning house manners on day one. She has an amazing recall and will sit before I even get the word all the way out.lol. Those are the only commands she knows without fail. She halfway knows down, has no idea what stay is....she doesn't think its necessary. She also sits and waits for her food everytime. I should probably work on other commands but she is so well behaved that I don't have to tell her what to do.
 
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