Can someone recommend a good puppy website?

[netbook]

We are planning to get a puppy in the new year and I need a good website for dp. He doesn't believe me that you need to do pack order training.

Things like making sure we eat first, go through doors first, ignoring it when you come home etc, all the conditioning things that I think are needed to establish who the boss is but in a puppy way.

Is he right, are they unnecessary? Or needed to make sure you have a well behaved dog what will listen?

He won't read a book (I will, any recommendations welcome) but he will read the internet for hours.

You don't need to do pack order training. It's a very outdated concept. The whole pack mentality theory is irrelevant unless you've got other, older dogs?

I can recommend a few books and websites. Do you want basic, first-puppy type books?

Completely outdated theories . If you need advice about puppies there's been a few threads on here lately that are worth a read . Victoria Stillwell has quite a good website if you want something for the OH to read and her theories are more in keeping with modern thinking.

Well I stand corrected and won't mention it again to dp or I will get a barrage of "I told you so"

Any recommendations would be welcome. We both had dogs when we were growing up but this is our first puppy.

I'm very excited!

Just to point out though, that there are still plenty of books and websites that talk about the pack order stuff. I use that as a good indication that they are rubbish.

See here for some common myths busted and here for a more detailed look at dominance myths.

Gwen Bailey's A Perfect Puppy
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Training
Jean Donaldson's Culture Clash

For more on how crap pack theory is if you're interested try

John Bradshaw's In Defence of Dogs
Barry Eaton's Dominance: Fact or Fiction

Websites:

Clicker Solutions
Kiko Pup

I think it is still important to teach them to wait at doors while u walk through and they eat after you etc. my dog never barged through doors and would always wait at the bottoms of the stairs and come up after us etc. same as car boot when it opens they wait to get in and out etc. x

Teaching a puppy to wait at doors is useful, but not essential, a dog who has been trained to wait at open doors is less likely to do a runner at any given opporunity. It also much easier to get to the door to open it if the pup is behind as opposed to wildly somersaulting off of the closed door in anticipation to go out

However it will only teach the dog that it has to wait at the door before it will be allowed out, not that you are Queen of the world. Similar to eating before the dog, all that will teach the dog is that you eat first, not that you are alpha bitch. Dogs have never read the books on pack theory, they don't understand it. They are in a way, very simple creatures, they do what works i.e what gains them reward either by way of food, affections, walks or games and they don't do what doesn't work.

Another one here saying please ignore any old ideas about dominance, but DO ensure a happy, well trained dog. I'd strongly recommend doing the Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, and they do a puppy one as well. Getting in and out of a car nicely is one of the tests in the Silver award, and even for Bronze they are expected to go through a door with you without hurtling/tugging etc. All great things to learn that will ensure pup is safe, well mannered and a pleasure to be around.

We are shortly starting classes with one of our fosters - I'm really looking forward to it, and the other thing that's lovely is that doing training together will really strengthen the bond between you. It's also great fun for the humans - at all the classes I've done, I've really enjoyed meeting other dog owners, and have great memories of lots of smiles and laughter in class.

Thanks for all the replies and links/books. I had assumed it was still the norm as one of the websites I was using to research breeds talks about it alot, but I stand corrected and now realise it's out dated and it's more about obedience rather than dominance.

There are local classes, which we will attend and a friend is getting a puppy this weekend so he will have someone to socialise with. We've got a Good set up at the moment as we both work from home so there is nearly always someone at home, they will definitely get loads of attention.

The problem is that although it was debunked many years ago, there are still a lot of trainers practicing old methods.

Great idea to go to classes, but before attending any it's a good idea to speak to the trainer and find out what methods they use, maybe even go along and watch. Only go to one that uses positive reinforcement, preferably run by an APDT member. Some general advice on choosing a class here. Please avoid anyone using harsh or aversive methods!

List of books here. DO check out your local training class as some schools are sill working on punishment based training.

General Dog Books

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know: What Dogs Think and K
now by Alexandra Horowitz
Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs by
Suzanne Clothier
How dogs learn by Burch and Bailey
Excel-Erated Learning: Explaining in Plain English How Dogs Learn and How
Best to Teach Them by Pamela J. Reid
Dog Language by Roger Abrantes
On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas
Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide: Interpreting the Native
Language of the Domestic Dog by Brenda Aloff

Books to help abandon the dominance theory

Dominance in Dogs: Fact or Fiction? by Barry Eaton (small but vital book - easy and interesting)
In Defence of Dogs - Why Dogs Need Our Understanding by John Bradshaw
The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
Oh Behave by Jean Donaldson
Dominance Theory and Dogs by James O'Heare
Bonding With Your Dog by Victoria Schade
The Other End of the Leash: Why we do what we do around dogs by Patricia
McConnell
Dogs are from Neptune by Jean Donaldson
100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs by Alexandra Semyonova

Training Books

The Complete Idiots Guide to Positive Dog Training by Pamela Dennison
Unlock Your Dogs Potential by Sarah Fisher
100 Ways to Train the Perfect Dog by Sarah Fisher and Marie Miller
Doctor Dunbar's Good Little Dog Book by Ian Dunbar
Clever Dog by Gwen Bailey
Getting in Ttouch with your Dog by Linda Tellington-Jones
How to Handle Living with Your Dog by Winkie Spiers
How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves by Sophia Yin
The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller

Puppy Books
Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey
Before & After Getting Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar
Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Scidmore

Clicker Training
Click to Calm by Emma Parsons
Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us about All
Animals by Karen Pryor
Don?t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pyror
Clicking with Your Dog: Step-By-Step in Pictures by Peggy Tillman
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs by Karen Pryor
When Pigs Fly! Training Success with Impossible Dogs by Jane Killion

Sorry if I went overboard but this is a list we give to all new dog owners taking one of our rescues.

I am sorry that your DH is right but read a few of these books and you will be telling him how to do it

Oh sorry best website ever for dogs puppies and training is Kikopup on you tube