I don’t think crate training is cruel at all given the dog has enough space to stretch. However my mother in law doesn’t crate the dog to train it. She does it bc her place is small, cramped, and she doesn’t want the dog on her furniture. She can’t stand the dog making noises or wanting to play. In THAT scenario I think it is cruel because she’s locking him in there all day and only letting him out in the mornings, when her kids get back from school, and then when he pees in the crate or she gets the urge to walk him. I’m sure not everyone treats their dogs this way and I’ve tried to get the dog from her many times although my apartment doesn’t allow pets. Also her dog doesn’t have any aggression he’s literally the sweetest dog ever but he’s always pulling on his leash, barking, and peeing in the crate. None of this is the dogs fault. All of this is the owners fault.

Dogs are den animals, it’s not cruel at all. It’s comforting to them.

@@wakandabih Oh, wow, I'm sorry. That's tough. Makes you wonder why she even has the dog. I hope you can help find a better home for him.

@Nani LVV - I didn’t see this when I posted my reply, but that’s not right. There are cruel uses for crate training like this but if you do it for the right reasons it’s great for the dog. My pup has a great place command for his crate (open door) when people come over. It gives him time to evaluate the situation and if all is good, he’s right out of it and in the business of smooches and pets.

Do you use a collar or a harness? Surely collar is useful for draft animal only UK 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@@davepowell7168 I use both on my American Bulldog, the harnesses is solely for lifting him onto and over things from stiles, boulders and out of deep water as our walks are generally beyond adventurous and he’s a stocky lad who can barely swim and whilst he has a 5.5ft vertical jump he’s not so stable on uneven surfaces. My Springer has a slip lead, no harness. She’s full working stock so she never moves more than 10 meters from me anyway and she’s easier/safer to pick up. Neither of my dogs “need” a collar or harness besides legalities. They loose lead walk, they heal, they recall, they have no reactivity and no interest in other dogs or livestock. It’s merely an accessory for legal purposes, thanks to the ever increasing restrictions being put on dogs.

@@Rawwhhh l had wondered if harnesses were just a fashion as my American bulldog pup enjoys biting branches and hanging from trees if l let it . lts still adverse to salt water but enjoys fresh water swimming. Thanks for your insights

Will has quite a few videos on puppy biting but probably best to just hit up his insta channel if you're legitimately concerned, not sure his crew can keep up with KZfaq comments

It never hurts to muzzle train, in use in public places. Eventually ween it away.

For a dog that young its extremely common for them to be bitey, especially when you've got retriever blood in there. For both our lab and our golden we used the redirect method and would put toys in their mouth when they started biting. It takes time, patience and consistency, but eventually they learn what they can and cannot bite. One thing that doesn't get recommended enough though too is enforced nap time. When our golden started getting particularly bitey and running around like a lunatic, it meant he was overtired and needed a nap. Putting him in his crate for an hour or two to nap helped tremendously with the biting as well. Some young pups have a serious case of FOMO and won't nap on their own until they're ready to collapse, and they start getting feisty and acting out when they're over-tired. Someone suggested making my golden puppy nap when he got afternoon zoomies, and as counterintuitive as it sounds, it was nearly miraculous. He'd wake up and be ready to play and much more able to listen and learn rather than being a lunatic land shark.

I would put the dog in either his crate or another room where he is out of sight of your guests until you can hear he is being quiet and then when you go to let him out INSIST that your guests ignore him until you say it is okay, your level of expected chill, of course being relative to your needs and expectations. Hope that helps! ❤️

We started using a small spray bottle with a fine squirt -- seems to do the trick 😅

Will usually walks them to a place where he can "break" them and then they walk back. If off leash isn't an option, then you would want to switch from the collar to a harness so there's a clear black and white distinction between working and not. But honestly, with a dog that's as driven to work as a gsd, I personally would keep walks to training sessions and your hangout sesh can just be something different. Depending on your specific dog's personality of course! Hope that helps! ❤️

@@starfoxloves thank you for taking the time to respond and your feedback :)

Probably a better question for your vet/breeder GSDs will work themselves to death quite happily, so better to ask someone familiar with your specific bloodline ❤️

I’d suggest 10 minutes, through out the day. Not intense, she’s growing her growth plates are like jelly. 6 months can become more intense. But teach leash pressure, walking with a leash, basic commands and in time heel. She’s a toddler that’s taking in her environment, and may not be to focused on you in the beginning. Wouldn’t hurt to consult your vet too.

@@Missfoxtooyou How many 10 minute sessions in a day?