Raising and Training My Boxers & All Breeds

On this page I'll share information I've gained from experience with my own dogs.

    I have been around & owned dogs since i was a little tyke. My dad had all types of bird dogs he raised & trained in Indiana. Setters/pointers, they all were great. When he moved to Texas he exchanged them for Coonhounds. Us kids had a collie/black&tan coonhound cross. You couldn't ask for a better companion. She came as a 6 week old pup, and we had her for 13-14 yrs.She protected us /watched us and did whatever we wanted or needed.

    Anyway back to training. I watch my dad train & work his dogs and did the same, until I realized he was doing this WRONG!!!! Sorry to say. But his methods were cruel, to say the least, sorry Dad. To him you never touched/loved/or talked to a working dog, and I sorry to say again I know alot of trainers/workers that still do this. A dog has feelings, can think, figure things out for theirselves and comprehend things, to other peoples beliefs.

     In my lifetime which is 55 years, I have watched; studied other trainers; put together & taken away some until I got what and how I wanted to train. The Book from "Monks of New Skete", are basically how I train. I love the way they descipline their dogs, its not cruel and gets their attention. They hate to be ignored.

    First and above ALL you have to have the love and trust of the dog. This is # 1. If you don't have that you will NOT get what you are looking for. Yes you might get results but not the best results. There are all types of trainers and all have their Own ways. I am NOT saying mine is the best but it works for me. I am also a canine behaviorist, retired vet tech/groomer and all breed researcher including mixed breeds.

Tip 1: Reward and Praise

Training a dog or other animal isn't that different from raising a child: you have to communicate, love them, and you have to offer lots of praise. It doesn't hurt to always be ready with a small piece of your pet's favorite treat, either. I do at times.

I start training at 7-8 weeks of age. Oh don't have a heart attack, you only do 5 minutes, they lose their concentration quickly , and by the time they are 4 months old they all have basic obedience training. Plus know what "out" means.

I have even trained "old" dogs. Surprise, surprise. Can't teach an old dog new tricks! Sorry you can lololol. They all are eager as long as they get love.

Tip 2: Feeding & Care

Feed them , but please do not Over Feed. If they are a large breed pup, overfeeding them will/can cause hip dysplasia, arthritis, heart problems, etc... Do not under feed either. ask your vet, which his breed does. Or your kennel breeder, IF you trust them, and their kennel dogs/pets are in great frame.

They need 3 different sessions of vet visits where they get their vaccinations they NEED or they will catch things that are DEADLY to their health!!! And at 3-6 months they will need a rabies vaccination. Then yearly boosters.

LOVE LOVE LOVE your dog/puppy. Pay them attention, talk to them, play with them, teach them things. Basically like you would your own child, but you do not have to whip them. They ALL can be trained/taught to respond . I am not saying not to discipline them, there's ways of this without whipping them. You can do a shakedown, which is not like it sounds, or a putdown, which again is not like it sounds. these work.

When I start a puppy that I am keeping, I usually try with a tidbit they love to eat. I put the piece just above their nose and begin to raise it as I am going toward their hindend, saying "sit" as I do this. Wha-la they "sit"!!!!

Same with down after they have sit I put them in a sit and go to the floor with the tidbit saying "down" wha-la they down!!!!

Don't pull on a lease when trying to get them to walk with you. They are scared, somethings on their neck and it can get tight!!! To get them to do this get a tidbit let them smell it and call them as you go, if they sit or pull back let them smell it and go again. To get them to come to you bend over clap your hands and say "here Puppy puppy or their name if they are use to it.

Out is a training word used to save their life or to stop whatever they are doing.

I'll update this page frequently so check back often!