Is there a definitive guide to Sheltie puppy training online?

T

Tala-n-Roffy

Forums Novice
Hi all,

We became the proud owners of two shelties a week ago. We have never owned dogs before. They are littermates and now 9 weeks old. Unfortunately we bought them from a pet store without doing much research first. We are now realizing what a huge mistake that was, but they are ours now regardless. They have kennel cough and we are medicating them for that.

They are currently crated together. Should they be in separate crates? We are noticing this week that they are much more bonded to each other and don't respond to us as much. Also, we need help with potty training and obedience training. Curious when to start leash training as well.

I bought some books on Shelties and puppies at the local Half Price Books, but some of the info seems out of date and conflicts with other things I have read on the web. I am hoping there is a guide on the web we can read, rather than posting here a million times in the puppy area. :) Any help would be appreciated!!

Also, can someone tell me how to upload a picture her? We have Tala (female pointy ears) and Roffy (Male floppy ears).
 
Hi and welcome to our forum. What's done is done, and now you are commited to doing all you can for your new puppies. I'm glad they are together and did not spend too much time at the pet store. You will be able to search this forum for alot of information. If you want an updated book on shelties, others can provide that information, I don't have or know of any.
I do however, have one shelite, Sandstorm, 2 years old, and I have potty trained a few dogs! I have never had two dogs at the same time, but many on this forum have that wealth of experience. It is great that you want to crate train- very important. Take your pups outside to potty every hour during the day, and right after they have eaten. Have a designated area for them to pee/poop, the pups will eventually get the message, if you are consistent. Expect accidents, as they are so young and will not be fully trained for a few months yet. The pups will also let you know eventually when they have to go out- they will whine or circle near the door.
They should be in their crate when you cannot watch them closely, and at night to sleep.
On the forum, at the top you will see a search icon, that will become very valuable to you I am sure. I am also sure others will post as well.
 
Welcome to the world of Shelties. Yes, while pet stores aren't a great source, I agree -- they're yours, you love them, and now the goal is a happy, healthy life!

1. Separate crates.
2. The best book I know is The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. I swear by it -- I have four lovely Shelties who are the joy of our lives! I'd say, if you have it, use it. If you don't, get it on Half.com or other used site. It's a wealth of information for crate training, feeding, etc.
 
I would crate them seperatly and spend time with them as an individual. Siblings do tend to bond togather.
 
Hello and welcome! Good luck with your new little pups. Many of us have unwittingly gone the pet store route until we knew better. At least your pups have a great home and we wish you much luck with them!

I had one pet store Sheltie years ago and found her much harder to housetrain than my breeder pups. The reason is they spend their entire lives in crates in the pet store, so crate training takes longer since they are used to doing their business there. The first thing I would do is separate them into two crates. That is one reason why they're bonding with each other and not you. They will certainly be bonded to each other, but keeping them together isn't a good idea. They need their own space, especially as they grow.

For training purposes, the crate should be large enough for the pup to lay down, stretch out and stand up in...about 2 1/2 times their body length. You can get crates with dividers so you aren't buying multiple crates as they grow. You want to give them smaller spaces so they'll get the idea not to mess where they sleep. When you aren't there, or when they're sleeping, they should be in their crates. Let them out to play right after they've been outside and done their business. You'll still have accidents, but Shelties are very smart and will learn quickly.

As for books, I recommend Puppies for Dummies, The Puppy Whisperer, and The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller. All available on Amazon.

You can upload pictures here by becoming a premium member. There are instructions on the toolbar above. Good luck and keep us updated!
 
Tala-n-Roffy said:
Hi all,

We became the proud owners of two shelties a week ago. We have never owned dogs before. They are littermates and now 9 weeks old. Unfortunately we bought them from a pet store without doing much research first. We are now realizing what a huge mistake that was, but they are ours now regardless. They have kennel cough and we are medicating them for that.

They are currently crated together. Should they be in separate crates? We are noticing this week that they are much more bonded to each other and don't respond to us as much. Also, we need help with potty training and obedience training. Curious when to start leash training as well.

I bought some books on Shelties and puppies at the local Half Price Books, but some of the info seems out of date and conflicts with other things I have read on the web. I am hoping there is a guide on the web we can read, rather than posting here a million times in the puppy area. :) Any help would be appreciated!!

Also, can someone tell me how to upload a picture her? We have Tala (female pointy ears) and Roffy (Male floppy ears).
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome! Everyone has provided some great information for you so far. I will only echo what they have said.

Definitely get them separate crates. Also, make sure you take time to work/play with them individually. For example, take one puppy out and play fetch, teach a trick, etc...Then, switch puppies. They will be much easier to train if they bond closer to you than to each other.

I think it's never too early to start any of the training that you mentioned. Starting leash training is easy, and you don't have to jump right away to walking through your neighborhood. I think the best way to start is to find a very light weight leash and attach it to your puppy's collar. Just let them walk around the house with the leash on (just letting it drag). That will help them get used to the feeling that might make them uncomfortable at first. When my puppy was 12 weeks old we just worked on having a leash on and walking to the end of the driveway at our own pace. If she hated it or looked uncomfortable, I had pushed her too far and we went back a step (to either just dragging it around, or I would hold one end and she could explore while I followed her).

There are some really great threads on here with house training tips. But Ann is right, a puppy who is used to going to the bathroom in their crate will take a bit longer the train. The key to house training is consistency. The more you can commit to watching your dog, the better chance the puppy has. The fastest way to house train is to never allow your dog the opportunity to make a mistake. That means taking them out every hour (when you're home), after eating, sleeping and playing. You throw them a party every time they go outside and go to the bathroom. It also means watching them every second that they are not in their crates. If they start to go to the bathroom, make a noise (clap or yell "unh-unh!") and pick them up and rush them outside. If they finish outside, you throw a party. If they go to the bathroom inside, and you don't catch them in the act, just clean it up (use a special spray like Nature's Miracle) and vow to be more watchful next time. Correcting them after the fact will just confuse them.

Ann mentioned that you can post pictures by becoming a Premium Member, but you can also post your pictures to a free sharing site like Photobucket or Shutterfly and share the link here.

Welcome to the forum!
 
It is VERY difficult to train littermates so you have to separate them as much as you can, take for separate walks, etc. They will bond much more to each other and you, humans, will be left out.
There is excellent puppy training program on line going by Susan Garrett calls Puppy Peaks, it not necessary for Shelties. Montly cost something around $40. I am very happy also with rental DVD for dog training, Bowwowflix, has lots of stuff to watch.

Otherwise I would advise getting pups in puppy classes as soon as they get 2 shots series
 
I have raised two brothers from the same litter together, and while it does take twice the amount of time because you have to separate them and work with each with each one on their own. But it can be done. Start by separate crates, even put them in separate rooms. They need to build their own sense of identity, and not rely on each other so heavily. That will create a bond with you. It does take a lot of work and not an easy task to deal with two, but once they break that close knit bond between just them and start bonding with you it is for the better. And you want to start it sooner rather than later before they hit that teenage stage and then they will totally blow you off!:smile2: Mine are now 18 months old and are to the point where they could honestly care less if their sibling is any where around. Dont get me wrong they still will play chase and play kill each other but if I take one out to a class or the store they dont miss them. They just think of each other as just another dog in the pack.
 
Lightplum said:
I have raised two brothers from the same litter together, and while it does take twice the amount of time because you have to separate them and work with each with each one on their own. But it can be done. Start by separate crates, even put them in separate rooms. They need to build their own sense of identity, and not rely on each other so heavily. That will create a bond with you. It does take a lot of work and not an easy task to deal with two, but once they break that close knit bond between just them and start bonding with you it is for the better. And you want to start it sooner rather than later before they hit that teenage stage and then they will totally blow you off!:smile2: Mine are now 18 months old and are to the point where they could honestly care less if their sibling is any where around. Dont get me wrong they still will play chase and play kill each other but if I take one out to a class or the store they dont miss them. They just think of each other as just another dog in the pack.
Click to expand...

That is what we suggested with Shiraz and Sangria. They played for several short sessions together during the day and then really did nothing else together for the first 6 months and even went to puppy classes on different nights. Sangria did quite well but Shiraz had a bit more issues bonding with her people but she had the most indenpendent temperment in the first place. I wasn't so sure I wanted to let the girls go to the same home but the family did a good job. They agree it wasn't easy. Now they are almost a year old and don't have to have so much restrictions and spend more time togther.
 
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