How much training is too much?

[bmgagnon]

I plan on spending as much time as I can with my puppy as she grows up, training her the best I can. How much time should I devote to training every day? Is every day too much for a puppy, or is a few times a week sufficient? I am going to stick to a routine around the same time of day for consistency purposes. Any help would be great.

Bri and Heather

 

[ROM Newf]

Several short sessions (no more than 5 min each) each day are better than one or two long sessions. Puppies have very short attention spans so keep the training sessions short and upbeat. Newfs tend to get bored easily when repeating exercises continually. Change of pace and routine goes a long way in keeping puppy exuberant (along with lots of positive motivation and reinforcement).
Have fun and good luck.
Linda

 

[Elizabeth]

I agree with linda except for the 5 minutes only part

Gracie had a longer attention span than my yorkie, and we were able to do longer sessions. I think it depends on the dog, and your patience. Consistincy and a positive attitude go a long way when training a ball of fur that you really want to spoil
Always keep in mind, Do I really want a 100+ pound dog doing this ________? fill in the blank accordingly!

Elizabeth

 

[Annie Milliron]

We pretty much tell people in our puppy classes to train several 5 minute sessions a day. And, once you've trained, back that up with going out and playing with your puppy. Postive reinforcement is always good.

There are several things you can do while watching tv... inluding commands like "watch me".

Most importantly, training has got to be fun for the pup. If you are stressed, or in a bad mood... don't train. Go out and play. If you persist in training, your puppy will pick up on your negative energy and become frustrated. That's never a good thing!