[Mike Schoonbrood]

What toys and training aids do you like to use when training a working puppy from 8 weeks old?

 

[Greg Long]

Well,
an old sweatshirt and old pair of jeans is what I use.I want to imprint them on civilian clothes first.Other than that just a leash and a collar.

Greg

 

[Jenni Williams]

How many articles of clothing do you have without holes? :lol: I think your way works great...just be sure to shop at WalMart.

 

[Greg Long]

Im not sure I have any without at least one puppy hole. :lol:

Some people dont find it humorous when they try to get my pups to bite a sleeve and they get bit in the leg though. :twisted:

 

[Jenni Williams]

How 'bout elbows and shoulders and ruined down jackets? :x :evil: :x

 

[Anne Jones]

I started out with a rag to imprint biting on offered prey item. But you should see the sweat shirts & pants that look like swiss cheese after having a land shark for a pup. I used to walk around with her hanging off my clothes. Graduated to tugs.

 

[susan tuck]

I start with leather rag, cotton tug, gradutate to soft beat up jute tug, & tennis balls. The toys that he has access to all the time are stuffed animal type toys. (my thing is Sch, not real life stuff) :lol:

 

[susan tuck]

Oh, & for puppy tracking, I prefer to use collar with leash under front leg for better control (also pup between my legs) in the beginning, then will slowly go to tracking harness when he shows consistency. So, I guess thats it for equipment for me for now!!

 

[Kristen Cabe]

Not a damn thing, as per my trainer. He doesn't do anything with puppies.

 

[Bob Scott]

Rag on a rope. Toy on a rope. The rope is the key for me.
Example: If you toss a ball for the dog, the dog runs and gets the ball. He now has his reward, and unless he's very people orientated, he no longer needs you. With the rag, toy, kong, etc on the rope, his interaction (tugging) with me is the reward. I want the dog to realize that all good things are WITH me, not just FROM me.
Kirsten, I'd rather train the first year of a puppy's life then compete with top dogs. There's NOTHING like seeing the lights turn on in a puppy's brain. :wink:

 

[Julia Tompson]

Really good advice here. I will have to try out most of the suggestions when the time comes. I like the idea of using human clothing. That makes a lot of sense and is cheap too.

 

[Connie Sutherland]

Rag on a rope. Toy on a rope. The rope is the key for me.
Example: If you toss a ball for the dog, the dog runs and gets the ball. He now has his reward, and unless he's very people orientated, he no longer needs you. With the rag, toy, kong, etc on the rope, his interaction (tugging) with me is the reward. I want the dog to realize that all good things are WITH me, not just FROM me......

Even though my youngest dog so far has been almost two, I'll still jump in here and say YES! It was a great day when I figured out that the attachment of me and the toy in the dog's brain was vital to me.

 

[Mitchell Kuta]

Hello to all here. I am knew but recognize several from Leerburg. My first tug was a rolled up pant leg from a pair of my Levis. Pants somehow got to small to wear and didn't know where to buy tugs from. Hello Kristine haven't heard from you in a while. How is the puppy?

 

[Connie Sutherland]

Hello to all here.....

Hey, Mitch, WELCOME!

 

[Greg Long]

Really good advice here. I will have to try out most of the suggestions when the time comes. I like the idea of using human clothing. That makes a lot of sense and is cheap too.

An old canvas \"carhart\" type coat works best for me with little pups.They cant usually bite through it.
I like to let them bite different types of material too.Like denim.

Greg

 

[Woody Taylor]

I started out Annie pretty quickly on Grappy puppy tugs...never really phased her from 3 mos. onward. The trainer brought one out one day when she was about 12 weeks and Annie was after that thing like a torpedo.

Made a huge mistake playing a lot of tug with her while she was teething (like, blood on the tug) and got very lucky in that she just loves tug and it didn't bother her that much. Bob and others have pointed out to me that I was more lucky than smart by a lot here.

However, I indirectly trained her on rags before then. I had left some jute netting in the backyard I had laid out for new grass before I got Annie...I could never figure out why she spent so much time tearing the h$ll out of that stuff when she was so little...once I discovered this and other forums, I realized what was happening. Genetics in action!

 

[susan tuck]

Denim sounds like a good idea, especially old & soft. I (unfortunately) have several pairs of levi's I've given up hope of fitting into again, but now I'm going to make tugs out of them. Thanks!

 

[Hil Harrison]

I use a cotton tug, little softish ball on a rope and a cut off leg of a pair of jeans. I Just tie two knots in....... one up the top so I can grab hold of it and one half way down. Best tug toy there is.