# Stupid Newbie Questions



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Ok.. I read all these training posts and I must admit so much goes over my head. I want to know.. and I know I will eventually but meanwhile.... 

Gabby is 5 months old. She has lost her puppy teeth, adults still working their way in. I am doing some "hold" work with her but more to the extent of familiarization of the word. I have her take a paint roller, tell her 'hold' for about 3-5 seconds, then give. I try to do it before she thinks about mouthing. If she offers the hold longer I let her. That is what I am doing there, and I believe I should not go farther until her teeth are in, am I correct? 

I am working on her obedience, and she is doing well. I did realize I was allowing her to break on a longer sit or down, because of MY lack of attention, and I will improve on that, and make her completely understand you stay in position until a new command or release. We do some bumpers still staying pretty short. Some on long line, some off. She does return in all circumstances. 

However reading Anney's post about Slater... should I be working on whistle commands too? Where in the big picture does that work start? I have Evan's program, and to be honest I have watched the puppy and basic obedience. I think we have watched the hold, and intro to FF for our lab. I don't remember seeing anything about using the whistle yet. Should Gabby know the whistle commands before we start the FF? I think we are still a bit away from the FF as we are just getting to hold. 

I also think Gabby is almost ready for cc for obedience. We are letting her wear either the e collar or bark collar (similar feel) around the house, on walks, romps to the park etc. Just getting her used to having it on. Then I just need to get with someone to be sure I do it right. My husband cc'd his dog, I don't consider him an expert. 

Spring is coming... I want to hit the ground running in so many ways.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

All great questions that I'd like to know the answers to as well.

I did start the whistle with Gibbs for 'come' and have just begun 'sit' but I don't want to mess him up. LOL. I'm going to wait until our club's field work days start again.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> I must admit so much goes over my head.


*echoes* I was watching somebody else's video with her practicing the T with her golden and thought her dog was awesome. I didn't pick up on any mistakes, though there apparently were mistakes or "bugging". 

Watching the whistle training in that person's video, I'm itching to try it with Jacks. Only I'm afraid to do it on my own. I did it YEARS ago with my previous guy when we were doing the retrieve classes but that was years ago and I forgot more than I learned.


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## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Maxs Mom said:


> Gabby is 5 months old. She has lost her puppy teeth, adults still working their way in. I am doing some "hold" work with her but more to the extent of familiarization of the word. I have her take a paint roller, tell her 'hold' for about 3-5 seconds, then give. I try to do it before she thinks about mouthing. If she offers the hold longer I let her. That is what I am doing there, and I believe I should not go farther until her teeth are in, am I correct?


Right. But for now you can go further with "Hold", and make corrections for mouting and drops. That's a key reason for doing it. Take care of that now so it doesn't become a side issue when you begin to FF.


Maxs Mom said:


> However reading Anney's post about Slater... should I be working on whistle commands too? Where in the big picture does that work start? I have Evan's program, and to be honest I have watched the puppy and basic obedience. I think we have watched the hold, and intro to FF for our lab. I don't remember seeing anything about using the whistle yet. Should Gabby know the whistle commands before we start the FF? I think we are still a bit away from the FF as we are just getting to hold.


I believe she must be following Lardy, or some other method. The only whistle work you need to use right now is for "Here", which you can tie into your CC to "Here" sessions. It's very simple. Just alternate verbal & whistle.


Maxs Mom said:


> I also think Gabby is almost ready for cc for obedience.


Only "Here" for now.


Maxs Mom said:


> Spring is coming... I want to hit the ground running in so many ways.


Patience!

EvanG


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

As newbie who only started approximately a year ago with a one year old dog--I did the whistle recall but did not do whistle sits until after FF, CC, and started pile work.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

just to stir the pot, I did the whistle sits first. The Monster Boy is so solid on a sit command or sit hand signal from any distance, it just made sense to add the whistle to it, it was easy to whistle and give the hand signal for sit, and then phase out the hand signal.
So start teaching Gabby the hand signal for sit, you will need it for Utility anyway! I've found most dogs seem to learn hand signals faster and respond to them better than verbal commands any way.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Ok... who said I was doing Utility. LOL Might train it but I don't like the out of sight stays... 

Gabby has some sense of the whistle and I think it is from the breeder. We take her to a trail to walk with all our dogs. Art puts the e collar on Quinn, so he can control the freight train. He also has the whistle to work her with that. So we are out, Gabby is 3-4 months old, he does 3 longer blasts on the whistle to come in, and Gabby WHEELS around and runs full speed to him. She did that EVERY time he did it. Yes I had treats and made sure he gave them to her. The breeder took Gabby out when she would work her dog who was starting prep for SH, I wonder if she picked it up watching the other dog. Gabby is smart, smarter than I am that is for sure.

I certainly can start introduction just didn't know if I should have it trained by "x" point. 

Thanks all!! Evan I will have lots of questions as I progress I am sure. I appreciate your feed back always.


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