Training your puppy is a necessary aspect of puppy/dog ownership. Owning a large powerful breed makes it an even bigger priority and responsibility. All dogs, even the little ones need this, but a chihuahua jumping on you vs. a Rottie jumping on you will have very different effects. But before I get into my list I want to emphasize how important positive reinforcement training methods are for Rottweilers. The old school method of showing them you are the alpha is bound to get you a reactive, aggressive or nervous dog, and a nervous dog can become reactive and aggressive. My dogs all know I am the boss. I did not have to show I am the Alpha. I mark every good behavior with praise, love or treats, and any unwanted behaviors I redirect. My dogs naturally see me as the leader, the caretaker, the one all good things come from. So, I highly recommend researching positive reinforcement training and if choosing to hire a trainer making sure their methods align with that. Rottweilers may look intimidating, but they are big sensitive softies and asserting dominance over them crushes their sensitive hearts.
Potty Training: This one should really go without saying. Unless you enjoy floods of urine and feces and the diseases it can carry in your home, potty training is vital. Having a scheduled feeding until potty training is established, taking them out in frequent intervals, not allowing free reign of the house, taking them out after eating, sleeping and play will be a great start. Marking the behavior positively while it's happening (dogs peeing, mark it with "potty" and praise). NEVER RUB YOUR DOGS NOSE IN THEIR OWN MESS!
Crate Training: Some people feel as though crate training is cruel. It is not. There are so many benefits to crate training your pup. I am not telling you to keep your puppy in their crate for hours at a time. It is a safe private retreat for the like a den. A safe place for them to be when you have something out that could be dangerous to them, a place where an overtired chompy puppy can go for a nap, because they need lots of naps, a place where they can go to get away from being over stimulated and they need a break. A place where until they can be trusted you can put them to sleep at night, so they don't chew through cords or eat socks. It is a tool for other training, like threshold training. Eventually you can just leave the door open so they can go in and out as they please. Feed them treats in their crate, give them a fun chew or bone in there to give them positive association to the crate. Put the crate near where you are so they can smell you and they don't feel alone during the training process. If ever your dog needs an overnight stay at a vet or perhaps a kennel, them already enjoying their crate could make a stressful situation better. A dog who isn't crate trained being shoved into a crate would be more stress. NEVER USE THE CRATE AS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT, AND NEVER LEAVE THEM IN THEIR CRATE FOR HOURS AND HOURS DURING THE DAY.
Leave it: This is a vital skill to teach. Puppies are like toddlers; they get into everything they shouldn't. They are curious and learning about the world, they will put everything in their mouths. Teaching your puppy to not go after the thing they shouldn't (batteries, cats, other dogs etc.) is lifesaving, or at the very least saves you the cost of a massive vet bill. Spend time each day practicing this skill. use treats, place a treat on the ground, if your pup starts to go for it, pick it up. Keep doing this until they stop going for it. Then mark the action with the words, and give them a treat but NEVER GIVE THEM THE TREAT, YOU JUST TOLD THEM TO LEAVE. Give them a different treat so as not to confuse them. Gradually get the treat closer and closer that you want them to leave. You can also start using toys and other object for this. Eventually start placing the treat on their paw or nose etc. and they won't touch it or even look at it so they won't be tempted. But make sure to practice this skill regularly so they don't get rusty.
Threshold Training; See my last blog post on the details of this.
Recall Training: This is so important. You want your dog to come every time called to keep them it of dangerous situations. It's fairly easy to begin this. You can start by while in a safe area calling them over with sounds or whistles and excited tones, give them love or a treat or alternate which every time they come. Then when they start to head towards you, say "come" or " Max, come". Move your locations, at first stay close, then add distance. Then graduate to doing it with distractions, and then using a long line lead in public places. Always be very happy and upbeat, giving them lots of love. If they think every time, they come up to you they get something good, love, treats etc, then you become more high value then whatever else it is they are doing.
Sit/Lay Down: I grouped these 2 together. These are super basic and super simple skill to teach your dogs. Even a novice dog owner can easily teach these skills. Why did I put this on my list? Well because teaching them these skills helps with other skills and lays a foundation for them. Like the skill I am going to talk about next.
Settle: This is where having already learned to sit and lay down come in handy. Why is settle so important? Dogs get overstimulated, and they have this intense energy ready to explode out of them when overly excited. Teaching your dog to sit or lay down calmly is great for them and us. An overly excited dog about to go on a walk bursting out the door because they can't calm their overstimulated energy will result in you being dragged down the street. Teaching your dog to be calm and settle so they don't maul your guests for attention means guests can come and enjoy your home, company and dog. I would start this training using a leash. Put them in a sit or lay down. then just sit there. Don't look at them don't do anything just sitting holding their leash. If they break the sit or lay down, calmly put them back. Start for 1 minute, gradually up the time as they get the hang of it. Once they are doing the task mark it with the word settle. It important how your tone of voice is when using the command settle. It needs it be calm and quiet. Peaceful. Not so quiet they can't hear. Just softer.
Off: Have you ever had a big dog jump on you? It may be so sweet and cute when they are little but having 100+ lbs barreling into you is not pleasant. What if your dog does this to a child? Or an older person? Rottweilers to tend to think they are little babies, when they are really giant babies. They often do not know their own strength. When your dog jumps on you, it's important to turn your back. DO NOT PUSH THEM AWAY, when you do this, it becomes a game. When they jump, turn aways and say off. Then fold your arms and don't touch them. don't make eye contact. if they try to jump on you again, still turn away. DO NOT TOUCH THEM OR MAKE EYE CONTACT UNLESS ALL 4 ARE ON THE FLOOR. Wait to give them attention until they are sitting calmly, waiting. Then you calmly pet them. this helps them to learn if they want that love and attention, they are craving they have to be calm, sitting with all 4 paws on the ground.
Loose Leash Walking: I could write a whole book on this. But I am going to leave it at this, a Rottie puppy pulling, not so bad, a grown Rottie pulling equals, arms pulled out of the socket or dogs getting loose. If you'd like to enjoy walks with your dog this is a must. Here I am just going to direct you to watch some SOUTHEND DOG TRAINING videos on this subject. He has tons of them, he breaks it down really simply in a very easy to understand way, and he includes the proper way to hold a leash, and types of leashes to use. While I was working through Rafa's teenage years and touching up on some walking training (as many teens regress), for 2 weeks I was regularly going in to get my hips readjusted at the chiropractor. And he wasn't even really pulling, but he wasn't loose leash walking. Trust me your body will thank you for making this a priority.
Spot: This is great for all sorts of things. Like if you are cooking, or cleaning or someone comes over unexpectedly. You say spot they go over there, and they sit in their spot (a dog bed, rug or whatever you deem their spot). This one isn't too tough either. It's just about consistency. Put your dog on a leash walk them over put them in a sit, then a lay down, then say spot and treat. Walk away, do it again but extending the amount of time they stay in their spot each time. It's important to note, don't give them their treat until you have released them from their spot. I tend to release with an ok in a specific voice tone.
There is so many more things to do with a dog, if your dog is especially intelligent and full of energy, you need to try some brain work, Scent training is a great one, or obstacle course etc. But these things are the fancy things, they are fun, and it does touch on new skills while also utilizing their learned basic skills. But it is important to set the foundation first. It's great that your dog can do pretty poses or tear through an obstacle course, I teach all my dogs to dance which is fun but not important, Strong foundation first then incorporate other fun training that can utilize their training and push even more passed it.
I am not a trainer this is just my experience and opinion. I also highly recommend Southend dog training videos. They ae very helpful. It nice to have a visual. And he works with a lot of reactive dogs etc. Research, watch videos, learn all you can before you bring a new puppy home so you can put what you've learned into practice without struggling.
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