Question Boarding and Training

[bnk]

We are expecting our first child this spring and were contemplating sending Bella and Sampson to a 2 week "Boot Camp" for training/obedience. They both are very well behaved but as it is our first child we thought some additional intensive traing wouold be good. The thought of not seeing them for 2 weeks is heartbreaking (no visitis at all are allowed) and was wondering if anyone had any experience with this type of training??Thanks

 

[eckybay]

I've never tried any sort of training were you send the dog away...but I've always felt that it's best for the owner to be involved in the training as well as the dog so you learn each other's body language, use the commands consistently, etc. I'm sure some one closer to you can tell you of a good group class. Or even better...a one-on-one trainer that includes the owners and works with the specific issues that you have in the specific settings that you have those issues - your home and neighborhood.

 

[Pregreen]

I do know people who have tried "boot camp" training with hard to handle dogs, the results were not good. I don't know anyone who has sent well behaved dogs to this type of thing. If your dogs are well behaved and you need time with the new baby how about a doggy daycare/spa type set up for them? The last thing you need is someone undoing all of the training you have done and having to learn new methods to handle your own dogs.

 

[zennewf]

Well... I wouldn't do it. If your dogs are well-behaved, it sounds unnecessary. Right before a baby comes is a time to tighten up the pack, not scatter it. You don't know the effects of the place on the dogs, it may be mixed. Then add a new baby into the mix ... I think that's too much upset for the dogs.

I had two newfies when my first child was born. Honestly, they were in no way a burden or a problem for me. In fact, the opposite. It was a comfort to have them around during the early days of motherhood, days which can often be, paradoxically, quite lonely. It was nice to have a pair of newfies there.

Now my gals were older, both seniors. If I had two young dogs, and they needed lots of exercise and adventures off property, I would perhaps consider doing a dog spa/day care for them in the first couple of weeks. Just because your hands will be full w/ the baby. I'd spend your money on that.

We recently had Winston at a sleep away spa while my mom was here post-surgery. It was a lovely spot and the dogs slept with the owner and were taken on two hikes off leash a day. It was just right for W. and if you could find something like that in your area, that might be fun for your puppers.

I don't know if I'd time it right when the baby got home. It might be better for them to be there during the arrival and early days so that they bond and don't feel kicked out because of the baby.

 

[charityd]

The idea of doggie bootcamp really scares me. I agree that it is best for the owner to be directly involved in the training. If you do decide to send them away make sure you research the place carefully because some of the training methods these places use can be quite harsh such as pinching a dogs ear until it performs the desired behavior or forcing the dog to stay in a down position for hours. Even if a place taught only with positive reinforcement I think it would be very confusing and disorienting for the dogs.

 

[ladybugnessa]

I think that it's really important for the owners to be involved in training.

as for dogs and babies... i did not have newfs when i had babies. I did have another dog and she was well behaved and she was JUST fine with the baby...

if the dogs are well trained, they will continue to be as long as you continue to work on it with them.

 

[Angela]

No, I wouldn't do that. Mainly because I want to be involved in training my own dogs and also because once the dogs are at the camp away from you, you have no idea what sort of training methods the people will use.:shuffle:

 

[Murphy]

The only boot camp I would consider is Nana's Naughty Newf summer camp. When Murphy attends, he swims.. then has BBQ hamburgers for lunch by the pool.. more swimming.. popsicles.. and a very stern Nana giving commands.. For example a "sit" command is "sit your bummy wummy down"fftopic:

Ok all kidding aside.. boot camp for Newfs????? no way no how.. I wouldn't trust anyone .. expecailly for 2 weeks.. especially if you are not there. JMHO.. :shuffle:

 

[Sailorgirl]

It seems to me like it's usually the owners who need to be trained more than the dogs so I've never understood training where you aren't the one training the dog. Plus, my dogs are pretty well trained and if my mom or someone doesn't give commands properly you'd never know they'd been trained.

 

[newfam]

Completely agree with what everyone has posted! Training is "our" responsibility. A dog can and will be trained by anyone, however, if it isn't you, then that dog will not listen when you give the commands. JMHO. Consistency is the key in all training.

 

[Allise]

My husband had a german short-haired pointer that we sent away for 2 weeks for hunting training camp....this trainer had a list of good referrals and my husband felt confident that he was making the right choice...well, he came home skin and bones, afraid of thunder-with the added symptom of peeing out of fear, and we thought a case of kennel cough...which turned out to be damage to his trachea from aggressive collar corrections...he was never the same again... would cough for the remainder of his life whenever he got excited...I can not ever endorse training when I am not present working directly with my dog. On a more positive note I wish you the best of luck with your new addition...and ask that you send photos and proper introductions following the blessed event!

 

[victoria1140]

train them yourselves at home,also get a toy baby doll that cries and get the dogs used to you carrying it around and fake nappy changes, etc to get them used to it now

 

[Nasus]

Hmm i remember a NN member that sent their newf to boot camp or training camp... as i remember they didn't really want to do the time for training. Boot camp might be great for the trainer.. just think the dog will do whatever the trainer commands.. and when the dog comes home u have to follow that routine.. which means more work for you and hubby.. so with a first child i think u might have more on your plate to do than training for what u just paid for... unless u do what the trainer instructs with his words u have just waisted your money. Your newfs are well behaved then I would not as someone also said break up the pack... u need to introduce the new baby to the dogs.. and u never leave the baby alone with the dogs.. not that they would hurt him/her but they are big. I brought home a new baby to my first newf.. everything went fine.. and my girl just loved the baby for the rest of her life.. they were BFF!

 

[R Taft]

We have only ever trained with our dogs and our trainer tells us it is the best way.
And I think they should be there when the baby arrives and feel part of it. And make them still feel loved and not pushed aside. Newf being newfs, they will adore and protect you baby. Don't add to the changes by adding a scary sounding bootcamp.

 

[Baloo]

Ceaser Milan did and episode on 'bringing home baby'. It was very well done and established the baby as an alpha right from the get go with the parents doing the corrections. I personally would think boot camp will not help your dogs adjust to a new baby...they would still have to come home and learn how to behave around an infant.

 

[wrknnwf]

(no visitis at all are allowed)

And why do you think they don't allow visits? If people were allowed to drop in for visits, what do you suppose they would see? What do they have to hide? If your dog is happy at this facility, why would your visit have any effect?

This is not to say that there aren't humane board and train facilities out there. But if they are not allowing visits...No way! Would you put your child in a private school that didn't allow you to look in occasionally?

 

[CMDRTED]

I personally think you would be VERY UNHAPPY with the results. That kind of training is generally not for Newfs. You may very well get them back in worse condition that they went. We have such a facility here. I would not take mine there on a bet. There is a reason that they don't want you there, that is due to the way the "handle" the dogs. You would not be happy!

 

[LiquidBlue]

Everyone has already echoed my feelings about "boot camp", but I just wanted to add that introducing our dog to our daughter ended up being easier than I could have hoped. We knew Liloo, the dog, accepted her as one of the family when she started to lick Chain's, the daughter, feet The two are now the best of friends.(Good enough friends for Liloo to allow Chani to color her completely blue with a Sharpe marker when dad feel asleep) I think it would be shocking for the dogs to come back from a two week separation, which will be stressful on them, to a new addition to the family, also stressful.

 

[wrknnwf]

Blue Liloo, Liloo blue! Are you BLUE too, Liloo? Who?

I see a Dr. Seuss in there somewhere.

 

[Abbey]

Looks like you are getting just about the same response from everyone. I too would be very afraid of what might happen to my babies. I agree with the doggy day care idea. It sounds so much better for the pups and they can be home every night with you and learning their new nanny duties. Being sent away, enduring harsh treatment from strangers and then coming home to some one new......they might associate the two.