# When to start teaching commands



## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

The best time to begin training for commands is the minute you bring them home. It is best to work with one command until they get it, then begin moving onto another command. Take it slow, and remember to keep it fun! Are you using treats for beginning training, kibble can be used as well and actually its the best way to go if you can because it won't cause any stomach upset on a young puppy.

They can bounce of the walls at times can't they....lol Oh, and Congratulations on that new puppy!


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

When I bring a new puppy home, I give her a week to adjust to the new life first.. then we begin training.. and they are not yet commands.. just vocabulary and association.. you can teach a lot of things, but you wont be able to move it to a command for a while.. she is just a baby .... the one thing you can work on is potty training... 
I move the vocabulary to commands at about 6 months.. 
putting her on a leash while teaching gives you a little more control..so maybe the first thing you need to do is get her used to the leash..leash her up to take her out to go potty..


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## GOODTIMN (May 30, 2005)

I have been knee deep in dogs for about 30 yrs and I also own a teaching facility and first off remember the pups brain is still in growtht until 4 months of age, the first thing I teach is their ""NAME"", then I work on calling them to me with their ""NAME"" (recall) and this may take about 2 weeks to a month and I dont make them sit or do anything when they come to me, I just give them a super great vocal---''GOOD DOG''. Once that is accomplished then I teach ""WAIT"" whether it be for a treat or to just go outside, the sit is the last thing I teach in personal/obed. because it is the easiest to teach. There are so many other things that matter way before the sit!!!

But for just my opinion I would teach---NAME--(recall) come when called with NAME--WAIT...then after about a month work into the next stage, focus/attention........which is a whole nother chapter of teaching, but your not truely ready for that yet, but remember this is only my opinion and with this teaching I get wonderful results...

I never ""OVERLOAD"" mentally, my young pups to soon...


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Outside of their name, one of the first things I ever taught as the word NO. And I started right away on wearing collar and after a couple of days to get use to it, then i put on first leash and start trying them to get use to it, first in the house, then in yard and then we got for walks. Some gave trouble, fighting it, others took it right in stride.
Oh, and potty training. Right from the first if i see them squat I tell them NO and take them outside.


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## mrod (Apr 12, 2006)

The potty training thing I think we have under control. Most of the time she will come to her name. Certain distractions keep her from coming sometimes. We have been working on "down" when she jumps up on things and also no bit.


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## Liams_Mommy (Jan 11, 2006)

We had Liam in a puppy class by 9 - 10 weeks of age. I think the socializing was very beneficial and it taught him the basics too like leash handling and sit, stay, recall, etc. It taught US the basics too...we were a bit clueless


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