best tips you have

[pompousmaximus]

Beginning training in June when Bama Zou comes home with us. He will be roughly 3 months. Any tips to start the training? Haven't had to do the basics for a Lab in well over a dozen years.

Tips can include as much personal or professional advice as you would like.

Will be mainly inside dog, will crate train, will be living in Marceline, Mo. Just in case you know anyone or anyplace that does good work in that region of the country.

Books? Toys? Tools? Ideas?

[POPTOP]

You might want to give Bama Zou time to settle in and his personality to emerge. Definitely start crate training right away though. Once he settles in and you are sure he is UPD on all vacs, get into a good basic obedience class. In the house you might want to leave a collar and leash on if needed. If you want him out of the kitchen/dining room while you are eating, start that right away too. Start working on your daily routine and potty training right away.

My best advice, do positive reinforcement training, train with patience, love and tons more patience and love.

[Snowshoe]

What a good thread you've started. Someone BC (Before the board Crashed) did this and just asked everyone for one tip. She got so many good, different tips. Mine is, you CAN teach them a reliable recall by starting very, very young. COME is the first command my pups knew and they were solid on it in two weeks, making them 9 and 10 weeks old.

Teaching COME

[Meeps83]

The best thing we did was keep a leash on at all times except when kenneled.