Training your Weimaraner

Training sessions | Pack Instincts | Housetraining | Toys | Treats

Training begins before you bring your puppy home. It is unwise to make rules up as you go along, and most unfair to the Weimy. Sit with your family, and set out some ground rules for the dog, such as:

• will he be allowed upstairs
• will he be allowed on the sofa
• will you allow him to beg for food
• will you allow it to race out of the front door to greet people
• will you allow him to wrestle with toys you are trying to take
• will he be allowed to lick your faces
• will he be crated while you are out of the house

These are just some examples, I'm sure you can think of many many more. Its also important to agree on the commands that you will give. Its no good some family members teaching the pup to 'sit' while others are using the command 'sit down'. Animals don't understand English, they understand the sound of the word. You will end up taking a much longer time to train if you don't be consistent in what you say, and the pup will be unhappy if it is confused, and desperately trying to please you.

Behaviourism

So, now you have got your new puppy, where do you start with training ?. In this article I have the intention of giving you an idea of some training ideas which are based upon the behaviourist school of thought. First, a quick explanation of behaviourism. This is a psychological concept developed to the antecedents of human behaviour, for instance, why we react in the ways that we do. The theory was first tested with (Pavlov's) dogs.

The general idea is that behaviour is shaped by environmental forces, it is learned (as opposed to inherited), and it is learned by the reaction that is received after displaying the behaviour. For example, puppies crave your attention and love, if they do something good, and you respond with love and praise (positive reinforcement) the pup feels good, it eventually will unconsciously associate the good feeling with the behaviour. Treats are another form of positive reinforcement, there is a note about the use of these at the end of the article. Pavlov sounded a bell, and gave the dogs their dinner at the same time, soon, the response of salivating (which would have happened at the sight or smell of the food) began to occur as soon as they heard the bell.

The same principle of association applies with training words such as 'sit'. Your pup will learn to connect the word with the action if you push him into the position whilst saying the word. Remember though, the pup will not learn this in one session, so perseverance and patience are necessary. Your reward will come eventually when you have a dog to be proud of !, and then you will repeat the behaviour!!.  Incidentally, you must ensure that the command is given the same time as the action and not a second before or after.

Negative reinforcements are used in much the same way, your pup pees on the rug, you shout 'NO' and look angry, the pup feels sad and will soon make the association.

Rewarding bad behaviour?

Think for a moment about how you could accidentally give a positive reinforcement for bad behaviour and run the risk of the undesirable becoming a learned response. One example which comes to mind is the pup who scratches the cupboard which contains the biscuits……….'ah' I hear you say, ''isn't he cute, he knows where the biscuits are kept already !', you open the cupboard and give him a biscuit. Within a few weeks the door is destroyed, and the dog just won't stop scratching it and waiting for his reward. Not so much fun now, and not so easy to undo a learned response. Behaviour can be un-learned, but this is a slow and tricky process, much better to ensure that you don't need to resort to this. It is a good idea to consider attending some training classes to socialise the puppy with other people and other dogs

Weimaraners are extremely clever creatures, having got away with it once, they are capable of wearing you down until they rule the roost. I have known a couple who gave in to their 70lb dog, and it slept between them every night ............ugh!

Training in all situations

It is amazing how Weimaraners need to learn the lessons outside of the home as well as inside ! My first mistake was to assume that Molly would automatically do as she was told wherever we were, this was not the case, she would 'sit' great in the house, but once outside it was a different story. The more situations you expose your dog too, then the better trained it will be in the long run.. There are loads of different situations, like in the car, on the road, in the town, in the countryside, at another persons house. Each place needs a training session in the basics.

The puppy must have its booster inoculations first, and before it is introduced to any other dog, or even ground that another dog has been on. Parvo virus is alive and kicking !

Training sessions

Training sessions should last about 10- 15 minutes, and should be carried out around three times a day. Your new puppy will be worn out and bored by sessions which last longer.

Always end the session on a good note. If you find that your pup is getting bored, and is not responding as well as you think he could, then pack up, but before you pack up, ensure that he has done what you wanted him to. For instance, if you want him to sit, and he does a few times, and then goes 'deaf'' (as Weimy's do !), then ensure that he sits one more time before finishing. Don't be tempted to think 'ah well, I was finishing anyway'. The dog will see this as a victory, and may think that he can always pack up when he wants. Again, being rewarded for the wrong behaviour

Pack Instincts 

All dogs feel most secure in a pack with a pack leader to look up to. Dogs are pack animals, and it is vital that your dog learns that they are at the bottom of the pecking order, serious trouble can occur if this lesson is not learnt before the dog reaches adolescence.

There are some practical ways that you can teach your dog to be bottom of the pack. When your puppy is eating a chew, make a point of taking it away from them and pretend to eat it. If they growl, then say 'NO' in a very firm voice, if they allow you to do this, then praise them with your voice. It may look cute to see your pup guarding their food dish, or their chew, but guaranteed, you won't find it so funny when they are full grown and guarding their (your) favourite chair !.

It has been suggested that a dog should always be fed after the family have had their meal, this would happen in the wild, the more dominant dogs would take their food first, and the ones at the bottom of the pack take second sittings !. It will help your pup accept his place. If you find that you do have problems with you and your family's role as pack leaders, then the following may help. The person that the dog is being aggressive towards must take charge of the dog for at least a fortnight. They must provide the food, the exercise, and ALL the attention, other family members must ignore the dog for this time, they could also be responsible for teaching the dog a parlour trick. Gradually, the dog will accept that this person is the hand that feeds, and will accept the hierarchy the problem should be solved. If the problem still exists, then contact us immediately for advice. Don't let bad habits continue, thinking that the dog will grow out of it, they invariably don't, and a stitch in time saves nine !

Housetraining

A good breeder will have begun rudimentary housetraining before the pup came to you. At around 8 weeks, your puppy will begin to learn the places that he can and cannot go to the toilet, however, his ability to control the urge is not yet fully developed. Beating the pup will not make them have control quicker! When your pup does have an accident, and being babies, they all do!, pick him up and say 'NO', again in a firm voice. He will eventually get the message. Be persistent, and don't lose heart.

Housetraining will be quicker if you learn to read the signs, and watch your puppy's behaviour. In Behaviourist terms, the association between wanting to go, and heading for the door will be learnt quicker if you make the mental connection easier for him. When the puppy wakes, or directly after feeding, he will often want to relieve himself, take him straight to the place that you have chosen, and say your command (remember to use the same word or words every time, this applies to all training. (If you start by saying 'come', don't change it to 'come here boy' or 'come on)

At other times, watch your pup like a hawk !. If he begins to circle, sniffing the floor, you can be sure he is looking for somewher to go . Pick him up and take him to the place, and give the command. Give your puppy an enormous amount of praise if he displays the required behaviour. We begin with newspaper next to the whelping box leading a trail to the back door. Gradually remove the newspaper until only one piece remains, with another piece outside the door.

Other breeders say that you should never allow them to go in the house, they should learn from the start that it is unacceptable, and that newspaper indoors can't be distinguished from newspaper outdoors. The choice is yours, but whichever, perseverance is the best way forward. If you find that your pup persistently goes to the toilet in the same place, like in the middle of the lounge carpet, then you could try moving his bed to this place. Instinctively dogs will not soil the area in which they sleep. One word of warning, if your puppy does soil where he is not supposed to, ensure that you clean it up immediately and get rid of the scent so he is not tempted to repeat it, he is sniffing for a familiar place.

Teaching Your Pup His Name

The pup will learn his/her name by association, hearing the sound of the word, and seeing you looking and smiling. When you have the full attention of the pup, like when he is heading towards you, call his name, and give lots of fuss when he gets to you. Sooner than you imagine, he will come trotting when he hears the name called. Its best to ensure that the room is quiet when you do this, so that the tone and sound of the word are not lost in the cacophony of noise.

Its probably best if you only call is name when you are sure that he will come to you. If he is in the garden happily sniffing round, don't stand at the door, call his name, and expect him to come to you. You may be stimulating the wrong response: that it is ok to ignore you for a while. There is nothing worse than seeing a dog owner shouting his dog's name in the field, and the dog happily ignoring them !.

Toys

Weimaraners are particularly playful creatures, and like nothing more than a good game! There are many different types of toy on the market, and the ones that are best for you are selected through personal choice. I would strongly recommend that you do not buy any kind of tug toy. We did with our Weimy and she loved it ! ! The problems came later when we taught her how to retrieve, she much preferred us to chase her, and wrestle the ball from her mouth, a problem we are still trying to solve.

I have been told that you should never try forcebly to get a toy out of a dogs mouth, as they latch onto it, and enjoy watching you struggle. They invariably win ! Don't make the same mistake as us, when your pup brings you his catch, put your fingers gently in his mouth at the point where there is a gap between the teeth, give the command, and take the object gently.

Frisbee is a great game with a Weimaraner, they can judge its speed, chase it through the air, and catch it in their mouths with very little training, it is wonderful to watch their agility, and obviously it is great exercise for them and for you ! Begin by rolling it on the ground and letting the pup catch it and bring it back, then progress to low throws. The dog will soon learn to catch it in the air, and will perform some of the most breathtaking aerial gymnastics !. Most pet shops sell tough polyutherane frisbees which last longer than the plastic toy ones, and there is less chance they will get a shard stuck in their throats.

Balls are a very popular toy with dogs, but your Weimy has extremely strong teeth and can devour a cheap ball within seconds !. This is dangerous as well as expensive, the pup may well choke on the bits. Pet shops sell polyurethane types which are much tougher, and although they do cost more, they are cheaper in the long run. If you find that you can't throw the ball far enough, or you don't like getting your hands dirty, then you could try a ball on a rope, they can be thrown much further and you don't get dog slobber on your hands !, we love them !

Whichever toy you choose, its best to keep it hidden away in the cupboard, the toy should be thought of as yours and not his, and only let the dog play with it when you choose. You may find that if the dog is given the toy to keep for himself, he will bring it over to play in the middle of Coronation Street, and will be difficult to convince that you are busy !

A last word on throwing sticks. I have heard of some horrendous accidents happening to dogs retrieving sticks. One dog in particular was running with the stick in her mouth, she tripped and the stick went clean through her neck. I am at pains to make sure mine don't pick up sticks, and if they do, I confiscate them.

Treats

A word on treats. Throughout this article, the emphasis has been on reinforcing good behaviour with the voice, praising your pup, and making him feel like he is the best thing since sliced bread !. Many people find it easier to train their pup by providing a more tangible reward, like a biscuit, or a chew. You may have the type of pup who doesn't care that much if you seem happy with him or not !, but certainly does care about food. This comes down to personal choice, and whilst treats are a good learning aid, there are pitfalls that you must be aware of.

First, if you show your pup the treat, and then ask him to do what you want, he may only respond to your commands when you have a treat. Do you want to have pockets full of biscuits in every coat ?. It may be better to give the treat every second or third time that the dog has done well, that way they don't expect it and will perform happily thinking that they might get a treat.

Second, treats are fattening, and if you use one every time you train, you could end up with a Weimaraner the shape of a Labrador ! Allowing your dog to get overweight is cruel, it makes them much less healthy, and ruins the whole conformation. I often find it is the kindest people who allow their dogs to get fat, not realising that it is far more kind to keep them fit and healthy.

Conclusion

If you remember nothing else from this article, I ask you remember just three things, that training your pup requires consideration of the three P's: · Patience · Perseverance · Praise If you heed these words, and treat your dog with the love and respect that he deserves, you will have a faithful and loyal companion who is an absolute joy to spend time with. Alternatively, you could end up with a vicious, unruly dog which discredits the breed and you through no fault of his own.

I hope that buying your Weimaraner was the best decision you have ever made, and I hope that the breed gives you the pleasure that it has given me.