training book

Question
Hello, I recently got a new labradoodle puppy (currently 2 1/2 months). I started training about a month ago, but I want to train the right way. could you give me the name of the best book/video you know of about general and specific training? Also, is it bad to feed your dog two different brands of food at the same time (ex. nuro puppy & science diet puppy) or swich dog food brands? Thank you very much for your time!
         Marcus

Answer
Hi Marcus;
My opinion of training by a book is, anyone can write a book or make a video and sell it.
The ONLY training video I would put any credence to is the video for teaching the Tellingtouch method of animal massage.
There are so many books out there, and no way to know whether or not the writer knows anything about what they are writing about.
Serving on the answer boards of a couple of these websites, I have heard some of the most far-out statements about how to train.
There is one expert one some of the same boards I serve on who fosters Labs for an organization that trains dogs as Service dogs.
They tell him exactly what is to be done and how it is to be done, for the year he cares for these dogs. He has them from a puppy to one year old, when they can be actueally started on their training.
This is the only experience he has. Up until about 14 years ago, he was a person who believed dogs are utilities and should be kept in the yard. You know, the old farmboy, kick em and make em move, type of dog owner. his phiosophy is all dogs are to be trained exactly alike, and for all situations, and there are no grey areas.
He sets himself up as an ecpert and sounds off nastily against experts who really have experience with animals.
He has been taught what is to be done with Service dogs. That is a whole different kettle of fish than raising just a family pet, a guard sdog, a hunting dog etc.
a seeing eye dog is NOT taught to let everyone pet it, but you want your family pet to allow people to pet it.
An Irish Setter cannot be scolded with as firm a voice as you would use on other breeds, or you will cow the animal, and it will live with it's tail between it's lefs. they are super sensitive animals.
If you try to train a Rottweiller with the gentler tone you would use for an Irish setter, you will raise a dictator that will have you pegged as a sucker who is easy to control.LOl
Some books recommend training with treats. Giving  treat when the dog does a thing right.
I had a friend who had a hard time potty training one of her children. she hit on the bright idea of giving her a coolie every time she sat on the potty nicely. In just a couple of days, the bright little kid was plopping down on her potty every few minutes, demanding a cookie.
You will gt about the same reaction from a dog. also, what hapens when you don't have a treat to give them, and you give a command?
I NEVER give a treat for obedience. I use only praise as a reward.
You ALWAYS have that with you.
Treats are givn just because i love them.
I like the trining classes given by a qualified trainer that teaches a class, and the owners control the dogs and handle them.
This is the way I prefer to train a dog tht does not belong to me.
I think it is important for the dog to learn the owner is the alpha and they are the little kid.
Also, when the trainer exolains it to you, and you give the command, you know HOW to properly give the command.
Once you have gone through a class like this, you know how to train any dogs you get in the future.
When you take a breed you need to understand any quirks you are likely to come up against, like the overly sensitivity of the Irish Setters.
Petco and Petsmart stores have such classes on wekends.
They are fun for the handler and the dog.
I recommend you get into one of these classes.
Most chapters of the Humans Society have these classes too.
Some rescue groups have these classes.
If there is a Petsmart or Perco store near you. Find out if they have these clsses and go and watch a few times.
I generally don't start a dog in actual obedience like I teach in a class,
an immature puppy can have a difficult time doing the laces for an hour.
Like trying to get a three year old to sit still for math class.
I start with training as soon as I pick up a puppy.
I raise my animals just like I raised chilfren
You need to understand what they need from you, and how to show them what you want.
the first think they need to learn is what "NO" means.
I don't hit!
When a puppy nips too hard in play, I pick them up and look them in the eye and say," No, don't bite hard"
You us a firm tone of voice but you don't speak as shaply as when they have been told and shown a few times, and they just won't listen.
I will tap their nose with my finger, but that is hard to ecplain in print how i do it. It is miore like I place my finger on their mouth, firmly, and say "NO".
when they don't nip hard, i praise them a lot and tell them what a sweet puppy they are, what a good puppy they are.
Keep the correction short, sweet and firm. Heap the praise on lavishly, like they deserve a dog of the year award.
When I correct, there is, in my voice, that is NOT the way it will be done" the actual word is a short and firm "No"
when I praise, there is in my voice, tis is the best puppy in the world, broad smiles and he happy sounds of a totally happy with you, mommy!
I love em, hug em, baby talk to em, and just really make sure they know how pleased I am.
What they want is to please you and get this praise.
What they dont want is to get chewed out and be out of favor.
They can't know what you want, unless you show them.
Use the same words fr the same command. After you have had them for some time, and talked to them a lot, they will learn to understand your language like any foreign speaking pewrson would, and you can use more words to correct them. But at first, stick with simplicity, and the fewer words to correct, the better.
The way you hold a leash, tug on a leash, all that is too hard to explain in a book. Better to be actually SHOWn how to do that. the proper way to each a long sit, and stay are better shown to you. A video would be much better than a book. You could at least SEE how to do it, but you have to be careful about the source of the video. You want to know the person doing it actually is doing it right.
I have not looked into credible videos.
I just went to the American Kennel Club site.
Go there and look at the menu on the left.
about halfway down it saus dog owners. click on that, and  
on the page that takes you to,look under Yraining Sources.
Click on training clubs.
That takes you to a page with a may. Click on yout state.
You will get a list of the AKc training clubs in your state, and you can fine one close to you.
That should get you into trainig classes.
I would recommend anything that is sanctioned by the american Kennel club.
go to
  www.akc.org

You say your puppy is a Lab. When he/she gets into his/her senior years, these dogs can have bad Arthritis problems. Hip Dysplasia is more promenent than it used to be. I personally think it is a lot because of the crap we put into our enviornment, as well as there being less responsibility with the way some people breed.
I got the video to learn the Telling Touch method of animal massage. This is the best money I ever spent .
Breeders of thoeoughbred horses, high dollar breeding cattle etc pay big buck for an animal massage therapist to come once a month, and before each race etc, to massage their animals.
I have gotten so much good out of this video.
I have stopped excessive barking ,aggressiveness, fear of thunderstorms, and other hard to correct things, with just a few minutes massage a few times.
I also can give my Arthritic dogs much pain relief, with fewer medications.
My son's Lab/Chow mix was run over by a truck. this dog had to be remade almost all over. He was run over from his hind legs over his body and his head. It is a marvel he survived, He was 2 weeks in the hospital before he could be released, and then he had to have round the clock care, so he was brought to my house. He had to have help walking to do his business. The Veterinarian told my son it woulf be 4 to 6 months befre he had all his mobility back, if ever.
With a 15 minute massage on his front quarters and hind legs, and a nice long general massage several times a day, by my 5 year old grand daughter ( she watched the video and learned how to do it right) that dog was frisking around the yard, playing some with my dogs in 2 weeks.
His Vet was astounded, and ordered the tapes so he and his staff could learn it. He thought the only source to learn the massages was the schools that offewr this as a degreed subject.
We had a Rip tearing thunderstorm, and that dog and my English Setter were both terrified. My grand daughter and I massages their face and ears, the way we had learned from the video, for 5 minutes, and both dogs lay down at our feet and slept through the rest of the storm.
My Setter was a little over a year old then. she is 14 now, and has never been afraid of a thunderstorm since, and it only took one 5 minute massage.
To read about that massage method and order the video, go to
  www.lindatellington-jones.com

If I can help in any way. Feel free to write anytime.
Charlotte


PS. Hope I haven't made any typos. Mush toko long to check over. LOl