Here is the most suitable collar for a Saint Bernard puppy (left) and for an adult one (right). As you can see, they share the same leash: it's not worth purchasing a smaller one, which would suit him only for a few days.
The collar is different:
- leather or nylon with a buckle for the puppy;
- steel choke chain for the adult.
Beware of the size! The Saint Bernard is large as a puppy already, and has a very broad neck. It is better to take the dog along when you go shopping for collars to avoid mistakes.
Instruments considered absolutely inappropriate are:
- a short leash, which teaches the puppy not to pull;
- a steel chain leash, on which the puppy could break a tooth when he gnaws it and could really hurt the master's hands if the puppy pulls.
THE LEASH: A LONG REASSURING HAND: |
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First experiences
on the leash could be very leisured... or too exciting: it all depends
on the nature of the puppy. Let's remember that the dog, since he's
a puppy onwards, has to entertain a friendly relationship with the
leash and never view it as a compulsion.
The few first times we put him on a lesh, try not to force him: go where the puppy wants to go, don't force him to follow you. Only when he's familiar to the leash, you can begin to demand of him a more "civil" conduct. The leash has to embody for the dog a prolongation of the master's hand, and can constitute a bond of friendship and trust. If the first approach was traumatic, the following work would be very difficult: so it is of extreme importance that the puppy considers the leash as a pleasant means and not view it as an enemy, but it is equally important to respect it and not consider it a toy to play with. Avoid mistakes: - hitting the puppy with the leash (not even as a game); - leave the leash at disposal of the puppy, letting him nibble it or play with it (would we ever let him nibble our hand?). |
First impact with the collar could be a little annoying for the puppy: some ignore it, but others start scratching themselves as crazy, and others try to take it off irritated.
To eliminate the problem feed the dog right after you put his collar on: so he won't think about it any more.
Once we start demanding the puppy to follow us, instead of us following him, it would be a great help to keep a small treat for him in our hand (and work when the puppy is on an empty stomach): trying to take the food, the dog will follow us without paying attention to the leash. cercando di prendere il cibo, il cane ci seguirà senza pensare alla costrizione del guinzaglio.
When he's familiar with the leash, he'll try to take us where he wants. Stop him with a sharp "no!", a command he should be familiar with by then, and pull the leash slightly but firmly. Let's not engage a "push-and-pull" with him: by pulling the leash the dog is induced to doing the same... with the result he's a Saint Bernard and he wins! A slight but firm pull of the leash will disorient the puppy and invite him to pay attention upon the leash: it will strengthen our "no!" and make him understand we don't wish to be "towed" around.
First walks are a very useful socialisation exercise: the puppy should meet as many people as possible. All the people he meets during his few first exits should be cheerful and friendly: he needs to gain trust in humans.
Ask people we meet to bend down to the puppy, pet him and to let him sniff them: if we don't wish to do it with strangers we could arrange it with a friend, asking of him to spend a few minutes in pleasant "planned encounters".
It is very important for the puppy to learn to socialize with his fellow dogs. Adult males, if they have a balanced temperament, are usually very friendly towards puppies; females, on the contrary, are known to become aggressive (not the Saint Bernard females, almost always very good tempered, but those of other breeds).
First approach between dogs should be with both of them on a leash, under the vigilant eye of the master who shouldn't keep them (if they feel kept their aggressiveness is stimulated). If we see the other dog being friendly, let the puppy free to play, watching that the game doesn't become too rough.
Last stage of socialisation: introduce to our puppy human "puppies". It may seem an unnecessary stage if one thinks of the vast literature on the Saint Bernard as "saver of children", "perfect baby-sitter" and so on: but it is time now to discredit a myth or two.
Usually dogs are no great fans of children: they love the household youngs, but often fear the foreign ones. One has to admit that frequently children do their best to present themselves to the dog in the worst possible manner: they emit sudden and acute sounds, act unpredictable, pull their ears and tails and so on.
The Saint Bernard is truly a good dog, an excellent dog, around children: but between "enjoying being together" and "bearing" there is however a difference. Later on, in the chapter "il San Bernardo e i bambini" we shall speak of the positive re-conditioning of children who fear dogs.
I would like now to ask you to positively condition the puppy towards children, that is to introduce to him children of good manners, who love animals and who can act civilized around them. This kind of positive approach could develop in our puppy a true "love" for all children (and not only "his own" ones), instead of simple "goodness" which hides at times the desire to... leave as soon as possible!
During his first walks it could happen to come across an object (or a sound) frightening to the dog. Do not force him into facing the obstacle with harsh words and pulling the leash, neither run to his rescue, taking him into your arms and petting him: instead try to reassure him by gently talking to him, "facing" the obstacle first and making him understand with tenderness and patience there is nothing to fear.
The sitting position is natural to the dog, he assumes that position several times a day. Start by saying "sit!" each time we notice he's about to sit: that way the puppy will start to bind together the command and the position.
After some time pass on to the real training: hold the puppy for his collar with your right hand and put your left on his hind giving the command "sit!". As soon as he assumes the position praise him and pet him. Repeat it two to four times a day, until he does it himself.
The hand on his hind shouldn't apply pressure but merely attend: pressure could induce an opposite reaction in the puppy.
There are different ways to teach "ground!": the less compulsory is the one advisable for the puppy, it consists of making a dog sit and putting a fine treat in front of him, which you'll slowly put on the ground. At the same time you'll give the command "ground!".
The puppy will bend his head following the food, and will automatically end up stretching his front legs. As soon as he reached the position praise him and let him eat the food. This exercise should also be repeated not more than two to four times a day, until the puppy starts following the command.
As training continues it won't be necessary to show the puppy the prize: at the beginning the gesture of the hand towards the ground will be enough and at the end the simple (voice) command will do. At the end of the exercise though, the puppy must always recieve his prize.
Once the puppy performs well the command "sit!" and "ground!" you can teach him "stay" although one should not expect too much from a few months old dog.
Put the dog in a position you prefer, stretch a hand towards his muzzle and give the command "stay!" and then make a step back. If the puppy tries to follow us, stop him with a sharp "no!, stay!". When the puppy understands he has to stay put, even for just a few seconds, you have to praise him a lot. During the following "lessons", as the puppy will understand what you wish of him, you can step back a little more.
This is a very difficult exercise for the puppy, and requires a lot of patience. You can try it out once or twice a day.
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THE BEST AGE TO TRAIN THE DOG |
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A lot of people
still think you should wait until the dog is at least one years
old to start training him, supposing he is unable to comprehend
earlier than that.
But an eighteen-year-old reasons better than a six-year-old, too: yet you don't wait for one to come of age to send him to school! As the child, the puppy has a more open and elastic mind than the adult: he is like a sponge, ready to absorb instructions. Furthermore, an adult Saint Bernard size can make him a truly difficult subject to "handle". Recent schools of thought in the training department, tend to be ahead of times, starting a sort of "primary school" for the puppy, on to the elementary, the highschool and so on to the... university, as the dog grows and his pyco-physical development completes. Training is of course appropriate to suit the capabilities of the different ages of the dog: a two month old puppy can't concentrate for more than five minutes, but can learn basic exercise through play, and growing he will be clear about the notion of "work-play" which is the ground for any valid training. The work with rescue dogs, usually starts when they are about six-seven months old, and goes on when they are adults. |
