Puppy Information Sheet

Our puppies are from purebred, UKC registered English Shepherd dogs. This is a herding breed developed in America and registered with the United Kennel Club. We are selling these pups for $600 with a $100 non-refundable deposit. Should we be unable for some reason to deliver you a puppy then we will refund your deposit of course. Before giving us the deposit we ask that you read this informational article. It covers puppy basics and some dog basics. We do not ask you to sign a contract but we do want you to be an informed buyer and to fill out our questionnaire so we can place the right puppy with you. Your satisfaction with your puppy will help provide the puppy with a caring environment which is our ultimate goal. Please take your time to consider this purchase and read thoroughly the entire article. If you wish to proceed with the purchase then please contact me to send in your deposit.

Summary

I. Puppy reality

Puppies are a blank slate within the parameters of their breed. They don't arrive already knowing where to potty, how to walk on a leash, how to sleep on their own, or the command for "come". They look to you for comfort, stability, and a sense of their pack. They are needy, they are messy, they require attention, and they need you in order to develop into a stable, reliable friend.

II. Puppy Hell

Puppies are babies and they are also adjusting to a new environment they have not known before.

You must know several things:

- puppies do not sleep through the night and must be taken out several times to go potty.

- puppies can howl and whine when alone as an instinctual response to letting their pack know where they are. This can be very irritating.

- puppies need to bond just as babies do so need interaction and love

- puppies should stay attached to you, or in a play yard when in the house and on a leash or a long line when outside- no exceptions.

-take puppy potty every hour on the hour whether he needs to or not to the same spot

- start crate training from day one. Be strong. It helps with potty training quickly and it will be worth it in the end.

III. Training

Use positive re-enforcement techniques. Never hit your puppy! I recommend a clicker style approach to training for easy and quick training that is positive. Keep your puppy safe from other dogs, from an older family dog, and from adult livestock.

Read the enclosed article for an in-depth overview of raising puppy.

I. So you think you want a puppy?

Everyone has the same image in their head- a bundle of roly-poly fur squished in an embrace of love. It's the puppy food commercials that make us idealize puppyhood and who can resist. They are so darn cute. This is true. But getting a puppy because they are so darned cute is like deciding to have children because babies are so darn cute. That stage is cute as well as lots of other uncute things, but is also over in a blink of the eye. Then you will have a bigger dog who still needs your attention, your training, and your love. Puppies are a blank slate within the parameters of their breed. They don't arrive already knowing where to potty, how to walk on a leash, how to sleep on their own, or the command for "come". They look to you for comfort, stability, and a sense of their pack. They are needy, they are messy, they require attention, and they need you in order to develop into a stable, reliable friend. A puppy that does not get its basic needs met will become anxious, agitated, and neurotic for life. If you are willing to give him that then you will be delighted by a playfulness you did not imagine, a warm bundle curled at your feet, a dog ready to be trained for your specific requirements, and a friend for life.

II. Puppy hell

So you have decided on a breed and you have picked out your puppy that your kids are holding in their lap on the ride home. But did you prepare your home for this moment? If not this is what needs to happen. Stop by the pet store and buy a shiny new collar, that will be able to expand as your puppy grows. Buy two leashes- a regular length leash and a long line leash. You can get one of the wind up leashes instead of a regular leash but still get a long line. Buy a name tag as well and have your phone number engraved into it. If puppy gets out of the yard then the neighbor knows who to call. Buy some good quality puppy food, and a water and food dish. Another important thing to have on hand is a crate and a dog yard gate. Crates are expensive so before getting your pup get that set up. The enclosed airplane approved plastic style crates are easy to clean and give that enclosed feeling dogs like. You will want to buy only one crate so get one that will fit the size that your dog will eventually be. Make it artificially smaller to fit puppy by putting some boxes or something in the back. Remember you don't want it to be so big that puppy will have his own separate bathroom in his bedroom. I will discuss crate training later.

When you get home put the collar and leash on the puppy and take it to where you will want it to go potty regularly (remember though that he has never been on a leash so he might resist- be gentle or just carry him). Starting now, every time you put the puppy there you say "go potty". At first, of course, this means nothing to him but eventually, through habit, it will. Now play with the puppy and let him know that you love him and will attend to him. This is what is happening in the puppy brain- everything I have known until now is different. My mother is not here, my siblings are not here and I do not like car rides and I don't know where I am. Even a confident, outgoing pup may feel overwhelmed and shy. It may play or it may just want to hunker down underneath something trying to feel safe. Follow its lead. He may not eat at first because of the transition but keep offering him food. Puppy does not know to come when called, so make sure the area is secure. He may run away from you the first moment you put him down and that would be a shame to lose him on the first day.

If you are bringing him inside he may piddle frequently out of nervousness so make sure you have him on a cleanable surface and don't let him crawl someplace where you can't reach him or where it is unsafe. Remember he is only a baby with a baby's brain for understanding things- so don't overwhelm him. But don't ignore or abandon him either. I suggest you get a dog yard gate you can put up in your house. This will be where puppy can hang out but still be around everyone. Line it with newspaper or puppy mats. Allow puppy out of it only when someone is directly interacting with him. At one end is where you should put his crate. Yes, crate. A crate is a safe place for dogs. They are naturally den animals and a crate is a dog's own space where he can turn off from family duties and know he will not be harassed. Some puppies will go right into it, others will whine as they are used to curling up next to their siblings when they relax. This is lesson number one for puppies- you are no longer part of a dog pack but a human family pack. Humans will now provide your physical and emotional support. As long as the pup is near you he should not complain.

Crate training- Crate training is an important part of puppy learning. As mentioned above a crate is a dog's own space, and answers the dog's instinct to live in a den. It also greatly helps with potty training. A dog is a naturally clean animal and will not soil his den. Using that instinct we train puppies to stay in their den at night so they won't wake up, wander to some corner where they feel free to pee and poop. What it does mean is you then must respond to puppy's need to leave the crate to defecate or he will override his natural instinct and start soiling his crate to his and your great dissatisfaction. Many people have their dogs sleep in their crates for their entire lives as that is where the dog is happiest and most relaxed at night. Others do it just for the first couple of years until the dog has matured and is more confident and reliable. The other purpose for crate training is for the safety and security of the dog as well as your household. How many times do you hear stories of the dog chewing up the couch or the new shoes, or even the wooden dining table. Here is what is happening in your dog's brain when you leave the home. The dog sees you as alpha leader. The job of alpha leader is to keep the pack safe. When you are not there he now feels he has the job of defending the home. A big house can be a lot for a dog to feel responsible for- especially a young dog. He will get anxious and go from room to room looking for safety. He may become nervous and start chewing to relieve his anxiety. However, if he is put into his crate, he will instinctively feel he is safe in his den and will "turn off", having no sense of time until you return. That being said, a crate is NOT a suitable place for a dog to spend ALL day in. Never crate your dog for more than 4 hours. If you must spend time away from home for the whole day regularly then I recommend you build a suitable dog run with shade and rain cover as well as a small house (his den) inside it. Also, keep in mind a dog's need for interaction. Many people will buy two dogs if they work regularly outside the home and are gone for many hours of the day. A dog is not meant to live a solitary life and another playmate can often help them burn off some energy that builds up during the day.

Hell night #1. You are all sitting on the couch watching tv or reading or some other calm activity and puppy is passed out at your feet or in your lap. You are thinking it is getting late and you might want to go to bed now. So you put puppy into his crate, say goodnight and go to bed. It is quiet for a bit until the most ungodly howling and crying emanates from the crate. Nothing you do makes puppy happy and no one gets any sleep all night. So let's back this up a few hours. Everyone gathers together on the couch in the evening and puppy looks sleepy. Take puppy outside and hopefully you will catch him going potty. This might wake him up a bit and he might be playful for another few minutes but eventually he will be sleepy again. Put puppy into his crate which is right by the couch. He might scratch or complain, but just keep talking to him while you go about your quiet evening activity. Soon he will settle down and fall asleep. He will be confident because his new pack is still sitting close around him. You can now go off to bed. If you wish to have the dog crate in your bedroom you will need to set it right next to the bed and then read for a while or do something until puppy falls asleep. In any case there is no hope of you falling asleep while he is still awake. Also, puppies at this age are not capable of going through the night without needing to go the bathroom, so be mentally prepared to get up at least a couple of times in the night to take puppy outside. If outside is difficult to get to then set up puppy mats in the bathroom and take him there, although associating outside with relieving himself is safer than letting him think there are good indoor places for him to pee. If you are a married couple then take turns taking the pup out. When you take him out (you should carry him as he may not make it without peeing otherwise) it is important that you do not interact, play, or even speak other than to say "go potty". Business only. Then put him right back in. Wait a few minutes for him to settle down. Then go back to bed. The next wake up call comes soon enough.

Hell night #2-5: Follow the previous routine exactly trying to keep to the same time schedule. Sometimes puppies will sleep hard from 8-10pm and then be awake ready to play just as you want to go to bed. So try to delay him from falling asleep in the early evening. Gradually move puppy into your own schedule. Each night try to stretch puppy's wake up potty calls further and further apart. By night 5 you should be able to start going through the night with an early wake up. Wait until puppy sounds frantic to go out, not just rustling out of wakeful boredom. You will have to play around with this schedule but in general most dogs will follow your training lead. All that being said, it is normal and typical for a puppy to whine, whimper, or even howl when out of sight of their pack. It is their instinctual way of alerting the pack that he is lost and it is done in such a way that leaves no doubt of puppy's whereabouts. This does not translate very well into a new human home where people really want to get some sleep. But do not punish the puppy for this. You will only make it worse. Punishing such a young puppy will only make him more fearful of his people and lead to many other problems. This stage will pass soon enough even though it may feel like hell.

III. Needs

So you have some food and a leash. What else could a puppy need? Well, the food does need to be high quality (save money on good food and spend it on later vet bills), but you also have to feed the right amount and feed at certain times. Put out only as much food as your puppy will eat at a sitting. Free choice food makes your puppy into a picky eater and he will not associate you with food arriving. Follow the recommendations on your dog food label as all dog food is a little different. When feeding little pup get him into the habit of earning it by telling him to sit and wait. Of course, he won't understand at first, but just like with going potty it will become a habit.

A puppy needs to feel secure and looked after, but also to learn to have fun so spend lots of time playing, wrestling, and doing tug o war with him. The enjoyment you both will get out of it will build a strong bond. Gradually he will learn who is the fun one of the family (usually children), who is the one to watch for cues (usually mom of the house), and who to really mind (usually the dad of the house with his deeper voice and stronger manners). But all three of those can be in one if he has only one human in his life.

Make sure that your yard is very secure, not only from him getting out but from other dogs getting in. He is small and vulnerable. Protect him like you would a child. In general never let him out without direct supervision (not from a window but someone out with him) and even then usually on a leash, unless involved in direct play. A lost puppy, a puppy hit by a car, a puppy attacked by another dog, a puppy stolen out of the yard, a drowned puppy, all happen and it does not need to. That would all be your fault. So watch him! If your puppy has joined a family that already has an older dog then care must be taken. The older dog will not be impressed with the puppy and will speak in very undeniably strong dog language to back off and stay out of his space. If puppy does not understand this a swift nip might ensue. Usually puppies come with a certain amount of social immunity that protects them from adult dogs but the older the dog the less likely he will be to want anything to do with puppy. Respect your older dog's space and keep puppy in line. NEVER leave the two together unsupervised. I have heard too many sad stories of puppy and big dog were let out into the yard and when the owner went to bring them back, puppy was dead. An older only dog might think the swiftest way to take care of a problem is to make it permanently gone. Protect the puppy! Respect the older dog.

IV. Training

There are many different ways to train your dog so I encourage you to do your research and decide for yourself but I will share some universals as well as some approaches that we have found easy and successful.

I have already covered crate training. Crate training- while it takes away from the snuggle effect- prevents a lot of problems down the road. So be strong and know this will be rewarding later. Crate training a dog later is difficult and hardly seems fair.

Dog mentality: Dogs are not that very long ago descended from wolves. They are a pack animal and as such find safety in a pack. The pack can be a wolf's natural family or it can be made up of an alpha male and an alpha female who are alone allowed to breed. Whether a pack of wolves, a herd of cows, or a flock of chickens, all social animals need to know where they stand in the order of things. This creates peace within the group. Look at a herd of cows coming from the range to the watering trough. The herd queen will drink first. Long and slow and take her time. No matter how thirsty the others are they wait. No pushing and shoving as they all know their own place and will get their turn. Once the queen leaves then the next ones come in and finally, with a little pushing at the lower levels (no one likes to be bottom) they all get their chance. Then following the queen they all file back out to the grassy fields. But if the second place cow thinks that the queen is weak or not doing her duties well enough she will challenge her and there will be a big tussle until someone is established quite clearly as queen. This is played out in all social animal groups including dogs. While you might want to be the dog's friend (and indeed dogs do recognize friendships) you first must make it clear that you are in charge and as such you will protect the pack- your dog- and the dog can look to you for leadership and guidance. If you are not providing that leadership or protection then the dog will think you are weak and that the job must now come down to them to be the leader. Most dog problems come out of this. Establish yourself as the kind pack leader who is strong, fair, and capable and you will have a loyal follower forever.

Some people cannot wait to take their puppies to dog parks for "play dates". I do not recommend this for several reasons. Dogs are not children who have been taught their manners. They see you as their pack members, not other dogs, and to bring them together with other dogs means that they have to go through all the work of identifying with a stranger dog and then they have to figure out where they stand in the wild milieu of dog park dogs where there is no pack order. And there are always those bully dogs that just chase and chase because they have declared themselves top dog. You also will see a dog being chased who runs over to its owner looking for protection but the owner just pets it and keeps on talking to the other human. The dog is looking to its pack leader for protection but his leader has failed him. Then we wonder when the dog turns and viciously bites another- he had to take matters into his own hands since his human won't. Also, dogs do not process events like humans do. They do not consider what went wrong and how they might have behaved differently. They don't undergo psychotherapy when they have a traumatic event to help them "get over" it. If a dog is suddenly attacked by a loose dog at a dog park he will be imprinted forever on the fact that other dogs are bad and will often become a dog attacker himself. It is just not worth the risk. A dog's world should be filled with you and only you as his pack can bring him satisfaction- everything else should be wallpaper.

So now, how do we train this little puppy that we have? I like to take the puppy and put him on a leash and everywhere I go, he goes. You can tie the leash to your belt or around your waist to free up your hands. I spend a good portion of my day in my kitchen and so I have a little spot under one of my wire rack shelves where I attach his leash and put a little bed for him. If I am done in the kitchen I take him with me. This way he is always within my sight and unable to create trouble. Take him out to go potty initially every hour on the hour whether he goes or not. This training teaches him that there is a time and place to go potty and soon he will start to associate with that. It is also good training for you so that you are not constantly cleaning up after him. This is a lot of work but if followed will lay a foundation of training and will lessen the impact of puppy hell on your household and furnishings. We also put up a dog play yard in the living room for when we are all gathered together but not directly interacting with puppy. This allows him to play with his toys but not use our shoes or a chair as his personal chew toy. Some dogs like a wide variety of toys to play with while others love to just chew on a favorite. This way he won't wander off while you aren't noticing to potty someplace else either. A special place for puppy will make your life much easier.

Be sure that puppy gets his playtime and exercise. Remember, a tired puppy is a good puppy. Be sure to also take puppy for walks getting him used to walking on a leash. A retractable leash is popular as it also allows puppy to run and play but also has its downside as he might run in front of a car before you can retract the line, or he wraps it around you, or he runs full steam ahead only to reach the end with a violent jolt to both his neck and your arm. Halter leashes are popular but really if you will eventually be using a collar and leash you might as well get him used to it now. Make whatever you do fun and irresistible. Make him look to you for pleasure as well as for leadership.

When teaching him his name and to come to you always associate that with a treat and a big excited exclamation. Imprint onto him that coming to his name means only WONDERUL things. Even if he has run off and chased the cat or chewed up a shoe. His responding to you is what is rewarded- not his previous action.

How NOT to teach a dog: Some people come home from work to find their loose puppy has, at some point in the day chewed something up and gone poop in the corner of the living room. In anger they will hit the dog with the chewed up item and rub their noses in the poop thinking they are disciplining the dog for his previous actions. Well, the dog has no sense of his previous actions and will not associate his behavior with his discipline. Instead he will think, yay, my master is home but now he is being mean and rubbing my face in this stinky poop and I don't know why so I will cower next time he comes home. You see, dogs, think in lots of moving picture frames. If you were able to catch him in the moment of chewing then you could reprimand him with a low growl "no" and command to "leave it" as you take away the item. If you caught him in the action of pooping in the corner, then pick him up and take him to his potty spot saying "go potty" even if it is too late, so that he knows he should only go there. But once that picture frame is past it holds no meaning for him. That is why hitting dogs rarely works because the moment is usually past and they don't know why you are hitting them- only that you are being mean, and you are someone to fear.

How TO teach your dog: We use a modified clicker training system which has proven to be fast, effective, and best of all, easy. Spend a day or two teaching your dog to associate the word "yes" with a high value treat- something really, truly, wonderfully, yummy. Just work on associating the word and the treat. No behavior related to it necessary. The word "yes" is the traditional click that you might use if you used an actual clicker but whoever has the clicker ready at hand. But your voice is always with you. The theory clicker training this is that you want to catch the dog being good and you want him to associate a treat with that good behavior. But like I said previously, they think in quickly moving picture frames so a click, or in this case "yes", is the short cut that provides that positive reinforcement within that same picture frame as the behavior, faster than what you can actually provide a treat in. So the "yes" is the bridge between a positive re-enforcement for a behavior and the treat itself actually arriving. Try to see through your dog's eyes and be quick on your response and always follow up the "yes" with the treat. When a dog does NOT do what you want do not scold or discipline. Just calmly say "nope" again and again and let him figure out what it takes to get the treat. He will be quite creative, but when he lands on the correct thing, quickly say "yes" so he can create a freeze frame of the correct behavior, and then give him the treat and lots of praise. This is something that you can do the rest of the dog's life. Usually once he knows something he doesn't need the immediate reward but dogs are like people and he will get lazy in his training just as you will get lazy in training him. So do training boot camp from time to time to brush up on skills. He will enjoy the time spent with you and will enjoy showing off his superior intelligence.

When your puppy is a little older and walks have become a time of training and not just exercise, be sure to have a regular length leash and train him to heal. This makes the walking process to be that of a team, him walking beside you matching your step and not dragging you down the street. We have all seen those dogs pulling on the leash to the point of strangulation with the poor owner behind barely able to hold on. That is not what you want and it certainly is not good for the dog. Look at a dog's neck. It is pure muscle. Now compare it to the size of your arm. Unless you are an extreme body builder, even a medium sized dog has more muscle in his neck then you do in your arm. A dog will naturally want to pull against a resistance. You need to train him to second think that. I highly recommend a pinch collar for walking your dog. Not for your little puppy. But as he grows you need him to start thinking about the consequences of pulling on the leash. Many people think that pinch collars are appalling but in reality they are just power steering for dogs. If you look at the design, they can only pull in so far and then stop. Unlike a choke chain that will close in ever tighter on a dog's throat, a pinch collar has a natural stop so a dog is unable to choke on it. The prongs put pressure on the dog's neck that he can feel unlike a regular collar that provides no feedback to the dog. This lets the dog know that he needs to slow up or the prongs will bite a little harder. When the collar is relaxed it sits easily on the top of his coat. By applying pressure, you are steering the dog to walk beside you not in front where you have no control. This is a collar you only put on for walks and then it must be removed afterward. My dogs love the sound of the pinch collar jangling as I go get it because that means we are about to go on a walk and that is their favorite thing to do. I can now walk with my dog alongside me with his leash loose and draped over his back, him keeping in step with mine. That is true companionship.

Some people like those halter style leads that go over a dog's muzzle. That is fine if you are convinced of it. I am not a fan because I feel like if someone had something over my face I would be pretty sensitive about it. Dogs breathe through their mouths, they cool off through their mouths and they defend themselves with their mouths. It seems that that would be a very vulnerable feeling for a dog and lacks respect. I understand the premise is to be able to train a dog more easily as he must follow his head, but a well brought up puppy who has already been trained with positive re-enforcement, and a dog who has been trained to a pinch collar so has learned not to pull when on a leash, certainly does not need this. I do not think it is more humane- not from a dog's point of view.

One of the most important things in training is to be sure to catch your dog being good so you can keep re-enforcing his good behavior. If you are needing to train him out of a bad behavior then set him up for it. Don't suddenly try when you are out of time or being distracted with other things. If he barks at people at the door without stopping when you tell him to don't just yell at him and then drag him off to be quarantined in the bathroom and then be done with it. Have a friend come by after explaining what you want to do and then with the friend left standing on the front porch you can now calmly train him to listen to you using the clicker, "yes", "nope" system. Do this several times. You want to be sure to be successful every time. You want him to concentrate on your commands and not on what he wants to do. Remember that every time you fail to make him listen you are teaching that he only needs to listen to you some of the time. Or cleverly, you can teach him to count by saying "lie down" for example, 5 times before he feels you really mean it. Dogs have very good hearing and really can hear you the first time.

When teaching a puppy to come you will want to put him on a long line and when you say "come" give a firm tug then be all excited when he comes to you along with his reward. As you want to expose your puppy to the farm be sure to put him on a long line at all times. Do not let a puppy in with larger livestock as they might hurt him and drive all his herding instinct away. When throwing the ball, keep him on the long line so you can give a tug when you want him to return to you. Work up to letting go of the leash so you can always catch it easily as he sails past you. Even when just playing have him on the line. Long line work is very important. It allows you to train your dog while maintaining control over him. Again, use the clicker-yes style of training so he will always be excited to come back to you and do as he is told.

There are a couple of exceptions to this method of training. The premise is that your dog wants what you are offering. But sometimes what you are offering is not nearly so wonderful as what he can find for himself- herding breeds are especially this way. Their herding instinct is built upon the predator drive to chase prey. Your puppy will be this way as well and perhaps no amount of calling him back will pull him off the chickens he is busy chasing. A chicken is a supreme reward for a herd dog. They run, they squawk, they flap and feathers go flying, they are fast running but not very nimble and can't fly away. If your puppy does happen to get a chicken he might just start chewing on it like a big chew toy. Protect your chickens. Do not let puppy into the chicken yard without being on a long line. If your chickens are like mine and like to go all over the property they will soon learn that staying in the yard and out of puppy's way is the best deal. Should your puppy actually kill a chicken, that is sad but do not think that you now have a forever chicken killer on your hands. It is not true that once a dog tastes blood he is always a killer. He will most likely grow out of this phase once he realizes that chickens are only so much fun for so long. But stay on him and let him know that chasing chickens is NOT ok. Train him using the long line and when he runs after them, pull back on the line with a stern "no".

The other exception to the rule is the problem of chasing cars. This is a major killer of dogs and cannot be allowed. But what do you do when the dog is streaking away from you full blast? First of all, your puppy should only be allowed outside on a long line in order to control his behavior at all times just as he is inside. But when he has outgrown this stage and seems to be a perfectly well behaved dog in all other manners but insists on chasing then the final control mechanism can be used. We use a field training collar. These are collars with a shocking mechanism in them. Please follow the careful directions when using one of these, but some will tell you to shock the dog until they do what you want. This seems to me unnecessary. A better understanding is to use it as you would use the word "no". Very quickly and in the moment. Obviously it is easy to abuse these collars and to over shock or inappropriately shock your animal. Only use it once they have been trained to it and understand what it means. Usually then the smallest level of shock can be used (feels like a buzz to you and me) to get their attention. Often just merely the wearing of the collar reminds them to give up the chase and leave it alone.

Another exception to the training rule is when puppy gets too mouthy. Herding breeds are very mouthy dogs and while playing he will want to use his teeth on you. That is not ok. We will sometimes keep a squirt bottle filled with apple cider vinegar diluted in water on hand. You will need to set puppy up for this correction as he needs to be corrected in the moment. As he starts to make teeth contact with you quickly squirt the water directly into his mouth (not his face and avoid his eyes) and the bad taste will cause him to back off. We will use this method for other back off corrections such as not getting up on the furniture, or jumping up on people. Again, this correction must be staged and you must be ready in the moment. Use the squirt with the word "off" firmly spoken. Do not hit the dog. Just make it a very unpleasant experience. He will be thinking about the bad taste in his mouth for a few minutes. But be sure you are praising and rewarding for every good move he makes. Be sure that all your training is intentional and carefully applied. Never respond out of anger or frustration. Your dog is looking to you for guidance and leadership. Don't let him down.

What temperament of dog are you looking for? A high energy dog will be a dog that can handle a lot of activity, a lot of change, and will love to play all day. The down side is that he will want to play all day and has a lot of energy. A lower energy dog will be a dog that might be shy or pulls away from lots of stimulation. He may hang back from high activity or even be grumpy if you interfere with his activity. The upside is a dog that is not very reactive and settles down easily. All that being said- puppies ALL have tremendous energy. They should ALL be interested in you and what you are doing. And English Shepherds especially are known for their ability to settle down when inside and all is quiet. Also, some dogs are "hard" dogs and some are "soft". This is not what you think. You can have a strongly protective dog that barks fiercely at strangers yet are "soft" and you can have fun, easy going dogs that are "hard". These terms are referring to how much it takes to correct your dog. A "soft" dog may respond instantly to a low soft voice correction with a lowered tail and even perhaps rolling onto his back submissively. A "hard" dog may need increasingly stronger correction. A harsh voice correction will be responded to with a smiley, proud, panty face deciding whether it's worth it or not. This is just the way the dog is and has nothing to do with high energy or calm temperament but you must adjust your training accordingly.

So just to sum up such a long section-

- Puppy starts to be crate trained from day one.

-Puppy should stay attached to you at all times, indoors and out.

-Puppy is either in his crate, in his play yard, on you, or on the long line. No exceptions. -Take puppy on a regular schedule out to go potty whether he shows a need or not- always use the term "go potty".

-Use the clicker-yes method for quick and easy training or utilize some other positive reinforcement training method.

-Be the pack leader and his protector.

-Know the temperament of your dog and train him accordingly.

-Have fun with him but do not treat him like a child, he will be happier being a dog, and ultimately your best friend.

V. Training the herd dog

There are special herd dog training classes that are fun to participate in with your herding breed dog. There are competitions (called Trials) that involve real livestock and there are set rules, and styles to this. I have participated in this for several years before but that is not my interest at this time and there are better people to instruct you on herd dog training than me. It is fun and a great way to develop a working relationship with your dog even if you don't even have livestock. All this being said consider herding as an advanced training level. All herd dogs MUST master the basics I have covered above before moving on to herding actual animals. A herd dog's whole training is based upon his need to exert self control over himself and to listen to his trainer immediately (obviously a herd dog who won't stop and stand but gives into his desire to plow into a herd of goats or sheep is not a useful tool for you.) So make sure his training is impeccable away from the livestock first. If he thinks the game is that he gets to chase livestock all over the place (which is highly rewarding for him- more so than your treat) while you stand there screaming at him, then he is useless to you as a work mate. Instead you will want to follow these steps:

1) Train, train, train your dog on basics. He should be perfect!

2) Expose your puppy to the livestock by him being attached to you at the hip or on a long line outside the pen. Have him follow you in your daily chores. Do not ask him to interact with the livestock, just follow you and get to know the routine.

3) Move into training him under distraction. Within sight and smell of the livestock (but not amongst them) put him through his paces. Very basic paces. Come, sit, stay, drop, etc. Get him to pay attention to you no matter what else is going on! He should be perfect.

4) Simple interaction. At around a year of age the dog should be having some sort of self control and his training should be well advanced. Try him out with the livestock very gently. Still use a long line that you can grab should he break from his commands. In a small pen with just a few animals have him follow you as you go around the animals. He needs to stay to the outside and hug the fence. The stock would prefer to stick with you than with old Fang back there so you must have eyes in the back of your head and by using a broom or a shepherd stick keep your dog off the stock and along the fence. A herd dog's natural breed instinct will be to round up the stock and the dog will run around and around them madly but you are asking him to do it in a controlled manner. Of course his wolf instinct will want to come out too and he may break from circling and just lunge in trying to grab a mouthful of wool. Don't let him get away with that. Do this simple exercise for no more than 5-10 minutes. Quit while you are ahead and he is being good. This is mentally exhausting for him and he will only get naughtier the longer you work him. Another start to this training could be with ducks if you have some. Some dogs get intimidated by the larger livestock so starting small is good. There are many more levels of herding from this but that is another entire book.

I just wanted to give you a feeling for how to start your herd dog on stock. Some people think they can just throw their herd dog in with the livestock and magically the dog will know what to do. This takes careful training based on their instinct but does not mean they can be of help to you without careful training.

Usefulness- Because I have dairy goats I use my dogs in very tight quarters. This is difficult for them because they have to be brave enough to stand up to the animals so closely and they must have good control so they do not panic the animals in tight spaces. But as anyone knows who has ever had goats, they can be pushy and willful. I need my dogs to hold the gates for me while I am going in with the hay. That gate can be left wide open with the dogs guarding it and the goats stay put. If goats get out they like to scatter to all different directions. I use my dogs to round them up. One dog is a heel biter and moves them forward while the other is a nose biter and runs to their head to turn them. At this point the goats usually decide they would rather go back to their safe pen than face the consequences. We have used dogs on our beef cows before but not regularly as we don't really need their help moving them from one pasture to another. But once in a while we get a stray cow that has escaped and using the dogs to stop them in their tracks and return to the safety of their herd has been very useful. One fun side effect is that one of our dogs decided that she would be the poultry police. She rounded up all the stray chickens outside their yard and was even able to eradicate the ones that had taken to roosting in our hay barn. She would climb the hay stacks and even walk along the rafters to get to them. They did not like that so they chose the safety of the chicken yard to stay in after that. She even keeps an eye to the sky against eagles, ravens, crows, and other raptors that would like to feast off of my chicken yard and chicken eggs. Again, harassment is a form of herding as it gets animals to think about their options and usually they choose the calmer path- even the wild birds of the air.

So now I have given you an in-depth overview of what to expect in this new life of dog ownership. Some of you are experienced dog owners and know the drill. Some of you had dogs as children but you were not in control of their training. Some just like the idea of a friend and companion and hadn't really thought about what to actually DO with them. Some don't do anything with them until they have an animal that is ill trained, that no one likes, that is a problem, and then out of desperation they sell that dog or worse just have it put down all because they themselves could not be bothered with doing the work that needed to be done. If you like the idea of a puppy but are not prepared to deal with the work of a puppy or handle the adult dog he will turn into, then buy a stuffed animal and hug that. If however, you look forward to investing of your time and money into having a life time companion then do what needs to be done and do it well. The pay off is so rewarding that there is nothing comparable in the world to it. I have taken the time to write this in hopes that this will start you on your way to doing the homework necessary to be well informed.

Thank you for reading this. If you think you are not up to a puppy at this time then thank you for withdrawing. It is better to be realistic now than have reality hit you in the face. If you wish to move forward then a deposit will secure your puppy with us and soon your forever friend will be on his or her way.

-Joan Schleh

GardenHome Farm

Dairy goats, Scottish Highland cattle, English Shepherd dogs

Puppy Questionnaire

This is to tell us a little something about your living situation and what you are looking for in a new dog. We like to match your desires with the proper puppy. Most people think they only need to find the right sex and color of a dog but really matching the proper temperament is the most important thing secondary to sex and color. But we will do our best to find you the right match in all categories. The person who would be considered the owner and primary caretaker of the puppy should fill this out.

Name __________________________________

I. Lifestyle

1. How would you describe your household? Please describe all the people living there and their relationship to you.

2. What is your household's daily schedule like?

3. What are some other activities that you could see the dog participating in?

4. What is the noise level of your home in your own description?

5. How do you see your new dog fitting into your lifestyle?

6. If you are away from home during the day what is the plan for the dog?

7. Do you have other animals in the home? What are they? How old are they?

8. Do you have farm animals? What are they?

II. Puppy Care

1. Assuming that you have read the puppy information sheet do you understand what caring for a puppy in general entails?

2. Can you be set up for your puppy's arrival with the necessary items by the time you bring him home?

3. All first shots and first de-wormers will have been given to puppy by the time you get him, however it is your responsibility to have him checked by a vet and to choose a health regimen that you feel is correct for him. If you take puppy to a vet within a week of buying him and the vet finds something significantly wrong with him then you are free to bring him back and claim a refund. As serious breeders of show quality dairy goats and beef cattle we take seriously the health of our animals. Only healthy puppies will be placed into their new home. Do you understand this?

4. Puppies are babies and can get into a lot of harm. They need to be attached to you, or in their play yard, or in their crate, or on a long line when outdoors (in a secure yard). Are you willing to do this?

5. Puppies are not the best car riders and often get car sick. If you want to take puppy with you on a car ride then I suggest you take him in his crate lined with newspaper or towels. Feed him very little before leaving but stop for potty breaks and water.

III. Family Needs

1. Things come up in life and hopefully all arrangements can be made. One arrangement you should make is that of a dog sitter should you need to go out of town or an illness keeps you from attending to your dog. Dogs are social animals and even if they have a dog run to keep them safe you cannot leave them there alone if you leave on vacation. Someone will need to come to not only feed but to play and interact. If you must leave and your puppy is still young do not leave him alone in his run. Either pay a kennel to keep him or preferably have someone come and stay at your house. I am not a kennel and am not set up to take other people's dogs. Do you understand all this?

2. Describe the perfect dog in your mind for your use.

3. Do you have any special family needs that I should be aware of in order to match the right puppy to you?