Tips for basic training for 6 month old rescue pup?

[Elibean]

And for me, as I've never done this before (last dog was older, dog before that I was a feckless teen and she was horribly untrained)

He has been with us 3 weeks. He is lab x with/possibly beagle + probably staffy, castrated. He didn't have any training when we got him, but is a sweetie.

He is house trained, but doesn't really know how to ask to go out - just vaguely sits near back door. We're just careful to take him out regularly.

He has learned 'sit' and is very reliable as long as I have treats to hand! He has great recall, and runs to me to sit and get a treat the minute I call him, even 8/10 when playing with other dogs. Unless its his favourite friends.

He can sit and stay, if I have a treat, for about 30 seconds - a work in progress.

He is learning to 'sit' when greeting, though will still jump up at kids especially when excited to see them in the morning. He's not bad on the lead, except when scared or reluctant to go out - then he just sits down or pulls back towards the house.

Should I be teaching him 'lie down'? 'Heel'? Anything else I'm not expeienced enough to think of?

Am conscious he will soon be a big teenager, and want to use this window to help him be the happiest, most welcome dog possible. Especially given that he is going to be a bit of a staffy-cross ambassador in the area I live in

Forgot to say, no local puppy training class for him - apparently he's too big/old.

Would have to go further afield for dog training, though will happily do that if needs be - vet thinks he'll be easy to train as very treat orientates, so maybe no need.

Do have card of puppy training lady (who is a vet. nurse, word of mouth says very good but also very strict) who will do 1-1 at home if we want.

So much info and am just a bit ...want to do whats best!

Thanks, pugmill - very helpful, will check out DVDs and KC info. I've seen lots on training new pups here, on the new puppy threads, but although I'm sure its there somewhere I've not been able to pick out anything on the slightly older pups like ours!

Let me know how it goes for you

I've been reading through this site - 3lostdogs.com/ - and have found lots of useful stuff.

thanks, KC - love the clip at the top! Is it possible to buy here, I wonder? Will investigate.

I don't know. I signed up to the emails and really like the way she sets it all out as being simple for simpletons like me :)

Just signed up for the e-book and video clips - hopefully. Am a techno-twit

Thanks again, I like the way she explains things too - lots of it is wisdom I've picked up from here in the Doghouse, but its all in one place and I like her humour!

KC, they are brilliant - and Katie is a sweetheart. Something went wrong with my order, in that I ended up paying and not receiving any links - so I emailed her, and she got straight back to me, sorted it out, and offered advice on Mouse if I ever wanted it.

Thanks again

He sounds just like our 6 month old puppy who we've been training since she was 8 weeks old!

Keep going just as you are. Work on walking on the lead until it's perfect; continue with the recall until that's perfect too. Work on wait - it's brilliant for calming them down and making them concentrate. I'd also start working on heeling without a lead - it's always useful.

I've never bothered with training them to lie down - I can't imagine a situation where making them lie on the floor would be useful. I stick to a rock solid, failsafe sit.

It's always better to get a few commands absolutely perfect than have a whole host of them which aren't so good.

It sounds like you're doing really well so far.

You're very welcome Elibean :)

Thanks, daisydot

I tend to agree about the 'lie down' one, though he's caught on very fast to that - and will roll over (unasked) just to make sure!

That said, he has bouts of utter adolescent/puppy nuttiness where grabbing the kids' toys, chewing pens, looking for food on the counter etc are all far more exciting than listening to a word I say. Possibly for about 1 hour per day - the rest of the time he's either flaked out or calm, so not too bad.

Heel off the lead.....how on earth do you do that one? I need instructions for beginners, remember!