Best dog breed for the 'outdoors'? (For new dog owner too)

[Astrochelys]

@Tom I have a question, sorry after so many haha, but would you recommend private training sessions or group? I want to make sure that I will be spending my money wisely as group training is often a lot cheaper but if private training would be better in the long run.

 

[mike taylor]

This dog right here is smart ,protective ,and obedient . They can't take the heat but he will play for hours inside . You say bath time and he jumps in the bath .

 

[leigti]

Okay, all these pictures of adorable dogs. I have to throw mine in there too. She is a 13-year-old Springer lab cross.

I did a combination of both group and individual training sessions. Mostly individual. But I did one group session that was very basic and then later on an advanced group session with long recalls, distance commands, major distractions involved etc. The individual and advanced group class or with the same trainer.

 

[Tom]

@Tom I have a question, sorry after so many haha, but would you recommend private training sessions or group? I want to make sure that I will be spending my money wisely as group training is often a lot cheaper but if private training would be better in the long run.

Both. Its beneficial to work your dog around other dogs and the type of training they use at Petco and Petsmart is a good introduction to commands and behaviors for young dogs. Take your puppy through those groups classes at 6-9 months. Then at 12-18 months bring in a private trainer for a few sessions one on one with you and the dog.

 

[spud's_mum]

Both. Its beneficial to work your dog around other dogs and the type of training they use at Petco and Petsmart is a good introduction to commands and behaviors for young dogs. Take your puppy through those groups classes at 6-9 months. Then at 12-18 months bring in a private trainer for a few sessions one on one with you and the dog.

I took my dog to puppy club to socialise him at the vets.

 

[Astrochelys]

Thanks for the replies everyone! And those two dogs are gorgeous, makes me want to get one even sooner, tho I can't, so it makes me kinda sad lol

@Tom: How often would you say to visit the trainer at those ages? Once or twice a week? Weekends then practice by yourself at home or?

And I remember you said you use Pro-Plan for your dogs, is there a type of food one should stick to for a higher activity level? I'm going to try to steer clear of ones that contain grain, since I heard it's pretty bad for them. But I've also seen ones that contain mostly fish, would you say that's okay to feed them? Do you primarily stick to one or mix it up a bit?

 

[leigti]

You didn't ask me but I'm going to butt in here. As far as dog food, in my opinion, whether you feed dry, canned, or raw I would change up the protein source once in a while. Four instance one bag of chicken, then beef, then turkey etc. I would also switch brands because different brands put in different percentages of proteins minerals etc. I would not feed fish too often or for too long at a time. My friend fed her dog a chicken salmon mix for months and it almost killed the dog. The vet said it was too much fish and for way too long. This is just my opinion from research I have done. I feed my dog raw and canned but there are also very good dry foods out there too.

 

[Astrochelys]

Oh all my questions were for everyone lol, I was just asking Tom because we were talking about training haha

I'm taking your advice when it comes to feeding, I'll start with dry for a while then switch to raw. Which brand(s) would you recommend for dry? I keep on getting different opinions but I'd like an overall consensus on which would be okay haha

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I only feed “Chicken Soup for the the Large Adult Dog Food". I don't change up her foods because what my veterinarian friends have found is that tends to be the cause of many stomach and intestinal issues they see in the clinic.

 

[leigti]

Oh all my questions were for everyone lol, I was just asking Tom because we were talking about training haha

I'm taking your advice when it comes to feeding, I'll start with dry for a while then switch to raw. Which brand(s) would you recommend for dry? I keep on getting different opinions but I'd like an overall consensus on which would be okay haha

I think that is pretty difficult to get a consensus. Everybody has their favorite, everybody has something they wouldn't be their worst enemy, and it also depends on the dog. When I was feeding dry food I changed up the brands often and my dog never had any problems one time I fed a very well-known high-end supposedly wonderful dog food. My dog did not do well on it, her coat looked awful and she just wasn't her energetic self. I changed brands and she did great. Other dogs do great on that particular food. So it is a little bit of trial and error.

 

[Astrochelys]

I know this may sound pretty dumb, but is it really apparent how food effects the coat and the dog over all? Like would you notice the change right away or after a few months?

 

[leigti]

I only feed “Chicken Soup for the the Large Adult Dog Food". I don't change up her foods because what my veterinarian friends have found is that tends to be the cause of many stomach and intestinal issues they see in the clinic.

I have always heard that. Vets say don't change brands. Or if you do change brands they gave an elaborate ratio of how to gradually introduce the new one. My dogs never had issues. When one food got low I bought another one and mixed it together. I'm sure some dogs have had issues though. I think it just depends on the dog.

 

[Tom]

I took my dog to puppy club to socialise him at the vets.

The word "socialize" means so many different things to so many people. To me socializing dogs means my dog is over here with me, on leash and under control, and your dog is over there with you on leash and under control. Turning dogs loose at dog parks, or letting them sniff butts and noses serves no good purpose and in fact leads to major problems.

 

[mikeylazer]

The word "socialize" means so many different things to so many people. To me socializing dogs means my dog is over here with me, on leash and under control, and your dog is over there with you on leash and under control. Turning dogs loose at dog parks, or letting them sniff butts and noses serves no good purpose and in fact leads to major problems.

I wish there was a "love" button instead of just "like." Not enough people follow this anymore or ever did. If you are its master then control it and make it behave on your command on walks. To many people let their dogs walk them or just let them out in dog parks as opposed to walking them.

I think you should get an Irish Setter (just kidding). Although I am biased towards mine, their energy level and extreme brightness is too much to handle for many owners no matter how many walks you take them on a day haha.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the replies everyone! And those two dogs are gorgeous, makes me want to get one even sooner, tho I can't, so it makes me kinda sad lol

@Tom: How often would you say to visit the trainer at those ages? Once or twice a week? Weekends then practice by yourself at home or?

And I remember you said you use Pro-Plan for your dogs, is there a type of food one should stick to for a higher activity level? I'm going to try to steer clear of ones that contain grain, since I heard it's pretty bad for them. But I've also seen ones that contain mostly fish, would you say that's okay to feed them? Do you primarily stick to one or mix it up a bit?

The pet store classes are usually once a week and the private trainer will probably want to meet once a week too. You will practice daily on your own between meetings, but the trainer will give you specific directions for your situation.

I don't think dogs could have a higher activity level than mine and I just use regular ProPlan. Don't buy into all the hype and fads that you read about online. It is ridiculous. Millions of dogs are thriving on ProPlan all over the world. That's just another reason I like it. I can get it in South Africa, France, Mexico City or anywhere in the world I happen to be.

Sometimes "research" leads people to bad info. The same thing happens with tortoises. I disagree with at least half of every dog training book or website I read, and those are the good ones. Everybody has got an opinion...

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Tom, how do you feel about the Monks of New Skete and their dog training philosophy/practices?

 

[Tom]

Tom, how do you feel about the Monks of New Skete and their dog training philosophy/practices?

Jeez... I read their books 25 years ago... If I recall correctly I agreed with roughly half of what they had to say and disagreed with the other half.

 

[spud's_mum]

Urg sorry about this my phone is doing weird things!

 

[leigti]

I know this may sound pretty dumb, but is it really apparent how food effects the coat and the dog over all? Like would you notice the change right away or after a few months?

I think you can definitely tell the difference. I noticed a difference within two weeks of starting my dog on that particular food. And she improved within a week of me starting a new food. I gave the "bad" for my dog food to a friend and her dog did great on it. Finding the right food for your dog is important.
Do some research. But don't get too carried away, it will drive you insane if you worry about every teensy-weensy little characteristic of a food. I have seen people get in very heated arguments over which food is good and which is bad. I had my first dog for 17 years and I fed her food that I wouldn't even dream of feeding into my dog now. But it couldn't of been all bad or she wouldn't have lived for 17 years. When it comes to food and training I think that every experienced owner is a dog snob in their own way. But just like everything else in life I have learned that there is more than one way to do things. My care for my dogs has evolved over the years and will continue to.

 

[leigti]

Tom, how do you feel about the Monks of New Skete and their dog training philosophy/practices?

Are they still raising German shepherds? I never knew a lot about their training practices.