# Boundary training



## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

So. We pick up our puppy on Monday. 

We live in a quiet neighborhood and have a larger front yard than back yard. We are at the top of the horseshoe, so we spend most of our playtime in the front rather than the back.

The front yard is not fenced, and I don't want to install an invisible fence. I also don't want to use an e-collar.

How successful is boundary training if started very young? Our girl will be 7w when we get her and she will start preschool on July 13. 

And, should I use a harness for her while she's learning? or will the correction be more...memorable (?) if I use her regular collar?

Please don't throw tomatoes - it's been a long time since I've had a pup! : My Kelly quickly learned our borders - I think we'd had her about a week and was able to teach her off-leash. She's so amazing...


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

Um...did I say something inappropriate?  :curtain:


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## The_Artful_Dodger (Mar 26, 2009)

I'm not sure what you mean - you plan to pop the leash everytime the puppy goes over the boundry? This sounds like a bad plan to me - I think it would be MUCH more likely that the puppy would become fearful of walking on a leash than for the puppy to make the connection about the boundry. Plus -even if she did make the connection - she would know that if she is not wearing the leash, then no correction would be coming. At 7 weeks she is just a baby and expecting her to learn something like that is not realistic. But I wouldnt really trust it with an adult dog either. It only takes a second for something tragic to happen. 

If I were you I would keep the pup on a leash or at least a long line while you are outside playing with her. I definitely would not leave the pup alone outside and expect her to stay in the boundries. Just enjoy your puppy and build a strong bond with her, and start working on basic puppy-level obedience.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

When Brady was in puppy classes, the instructor / owner of the school was telling of a story of how her dogs had run across the street that day to greet her neighbor. Her dogs were VERY WELL trained, and had a lot of titles. That was when I realized that no matter how well trained your dog is, you can never trust them 100 percent.

We do have an invisible fence.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I started to respond earlier, but it was getting too complicated and I was between running errands at work... 

 <- This was how old my Jacks was when his border training was solid with him just dragging the leash. I think he was about 5 months old then. Best guess. I remember I was so proud I was taking pics of him following me everywhere. Without me holding the leash. 

So I would go out every day to walk the border (mainly the front and the one side of the property nearest the main road). If he crossed the border, the verbal correction would be "No. Home" followed by a quick leash correction.

As soon as we could walk the perimeter without him stepping across the border, I gave him more leash to walk on.

As soon as he could walk the perimeter with a looser leash, then we graduated to a longer leash. Make sure you have a long line to work with, because you want your dog to learn to make good choices without any corrections from you, particularly if you are a distance away. 

At the same time, he would always be dragging a leash around the property. And was given plenty of time every day to get used to the yard and used to staying in the yard without running off. 

He first dragged a long line around. Then he graduated to dragging his regular leash. Or sometimes we went back and forth based on how hyper he was that day.

Every time he made good choices or came running to me, I would throw him the biggest party ever. 

And most importantly, every single time he came inside the house - he knew (and still knows) that he's going to get a treat. This should encourage your dog to go running for the house when it's time to go in.

And no, he's not afraid of the leash. If you keep your training sessions FUN, use treats, use lots of praise - your dog is going to be getting excited every time you tell her that it's time to go train. 

And don't be in a hurry. Don't rush the border training. My guy became trustworthy pretty early in his life, but he was a clingwort of a puppy.  Our other guys were quite a bit older before they graduated to the shorter leashes. I think Danny was showing in obedience trials a YEAR before he finally figured out that "home" means "home".


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

Thanks, all!

I know that it won't happen quickly (I was completely shocked when Kelly got it, but she was 7), and I'm committed to work as long as I have to. It's just my preference to not have the fencing, that's all.

Megora, thanks for your post. I will start walking the perimeter with her as soon as I get her. We start puppy classes on July 13, but I think I'll email the trainer and ask about this, too. 

Is it silly to introduce the idea of it to the pup so young? She'll be 7 weeks.


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

The_Artful_Dodger said:


> I'm not sure what you mean - you plan to pop the leash everytime the puppy goes over the boundry?


No, that's not the plan. I don't like popping _anything_.  My plan is to just walk with her around the perimeter with a lead just long enough to keep her where I want her several times a day. I don't think I'd start 'correcting' for a couple of weeks, but even then it would be simply guiding her back to where I want her...which is why I had the question of the little harness. I want something that will be gentle on her bones, KWIM?

I really don't expect her to learn this early, and I know it may take a year, but I really believe it can be done. 

Megora - would you suggest that while she's learning or while she's outside that I have lots of her fun stuff and/or people in the yard? Do I want to make her yard most attractive? I plan to have Kelly outside, also, while we're out there...


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> Is it silly to introduce the idea of it to the pup so young? She'll be 7 weeks.


Or not silly, but possibly not necessary as your puppy will be following you around like a little duckling for the first couple weeks. I know I have other pictures I've posted in the past, but my guy was offleash when he was that little. At least the first two or three weeks. I put the leash on while training, while taking him out in public, or while going on our mini-walks.

It's never to early to introduce that border. I don't think a lot of people have their puppies on leash just yet though and I don't want people pop correcting a puppy that young. On that I agree with Dodger. 

What I would do is keep the puppy within the set border and gently bring pups (carry or guide) back inside that border with a firm "no home" and let the pups resume playing in the "safe area". 

And also if you cross that border line for walks, remember that it is only when you have the leash on and are walking out with the puppy. I'd even use a release word, like 'OK' before crossing that line. 

And yes, I would most definitely get her used to being outside and playing in the yard.


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## The_Artful_Dodger (Mar 26, 2009)

mamabear said:


> No, that's not the plan. I don't like popping _anything_.  My plan is to just walk with her around the perimeter with a lead just long enough to keep her where I want her several times a day. I don't think I'd start 'correcting' for a couple of weeks, but even then it would be simply guiding her back to where I want her...which is why I had the question of the little harness. I want something that will be gentle on her bones, KWIM?
> .


Oh ok! I was just worried when you mentioned the correction being "memorable" that you meant it would be harsher so the puppy would remember. Some people in my parents neighbourhood leave their dogs off leash on thier yards, but I never thought about how they trained them. It still makes me nervous though, since I know that there have been times that those dogs have gone on the road. (Shortly after my parents moved in they found an extra lab running around inside thier house!).


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

Megora said:


> Or not silly, but possibly not necessary as your puppy will be following you around like a little duckling for the first couple weeks.
> 
> What I would do is keep the puppy within the set border and gently bring pups (carry or guide) back inside that border with a firm "no home" and let the pups resume playing in the "safe area".
> 
> And also if you cross that border line for walks, remember that it is only when you have the leash on and are walking out with the puppy. I'd even use a release word, like 'OK' before crossing that line.


All good stuff. Thanks! 

And Dodger - thank you! I used the word 'memorable' for lack of another. I can understand why you were concerned.  And the image of an extra dog running in your parents' home made me giggle! I have 4 kids and often have an extra or three in the house/yard.


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

You know, I hadn't planned on clicker training. I wonder if we'd be a bit more successful using a clicker...

Thoughts?


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

Alrighty! 

I've contacted a trainer in Cleveland - Marie-Josee Gatian. Anyone in CLE have any experience with her? I like her bio and she's been quick and positive in phone and email communication.


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