2. You Are the Control Panel - The dog must recognize you as the "Control Panel" , or "leader of the pack" which gives it assistance, guidance, and commands.  Be reasonable, but firm and consistent in your discipline.  Puppies establish a pecking order quickly once established, it is hard to change.  Be sure that YOU are at the top of your puppy's pecking order!!  This is another reason why it is important for you to come and participate in the training lessons with your dog. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything about working a dog right now, you can both learn together. That’s the best way.  

3. Be Patient - You may begin your free lessons any time you wish; however, we recommend waiting until the dog is at least six months old. It is normal to become impatient and want to see results from your working puppy at an early age, but it is important to remember that it is first a baby, then an adolescent, then a young adult, and finally a mature adult. Just as a baby, adolescent, or inexperienced young adult cannot be expected to do a job as well as an older, more seasoned adult, neither can the equivalent in a dog. It will take many months, or even years, of practice for your dog to reach its full potential. Unlike other breeds, an Aussie does not mature completely mentally until about five (5) years of age, so it is fully capable of learning new things well into its mature years. Pushing and expecting (or demanding) too much of a dog too soon may create working or thinking habits that are hard, if not impossible, to overcome.

4. Your Responsibilities - As responsible breeders, we have a responsibility to you to help ensure that you are happy with your dog. Likewise, there are some things that are your responsibility to do to ensure that you are happy with your dog. Among them are:

Spend Time with your Dog - Bringing a dog into your family is essentially just that - you are adding a family member. The life expectancy of a well cared for Aussie is 13-16 years, and your dog will spend the majority of those years loving you and trying to please you in a productive manner. But - a dog that is left by itself all the time with no socialization and minimal human contact is probably not going to turn out like you want. The more time you can spend with your dog, the better. Get to know him - take him with you whenever possible, especially when doing chores. Even if not a "house dog", allow him to come inside for periods of time, for instance, at night when the atmosphere is relaxed. He will enjoy a little conversation and attention, and will learn how to behave inside.

Crate Training - We highly recommend that you purchase a large size Vari-Kennel or "dog crate" and teach your puppy at an early age to stay inside it without whining or barking. Again, contrary to what many people think, it is not cruel to ask a dog to stay inside a crate for reasonable lengths of time (not all day long ). From its wild ancestry, dogs inherit a desire for a hole, or den, to go to so that they feel safe, secure, and protected. Once your puppy gets used to the crate it will view it as its "den" and go inside readily. Many people use them as indoor dog houses. Crates are invaluable when your dog is ill and must be confined; those times when the dog doesn’t need to be underfoot; trips to the veterinarian, traveling in general, and as a housetraining aid. Speaking of vets, yours will certainly appreciate your puppy being used to a crate. Then if it is ever boarded, or has to stay at the vet’s because of illness, no one will have to listen to continuous howling and barking.

Basic Obedience - Every dog needs basic obedience. Short, simple lessons can begin as early as eight weeks. Obedience does not have to be taught in a structured environment such as obedience classes, although your dog will benefit from the socialization these classes offer. Basic obedience should be taught before formal herding training begins. Most of the basic obedience commands are also used in herding. Your puppy should be taught what we consider the "good manners" basics - walk on a lead, sit, lie down, quiet, come when called, stay, and no. It should also be taught not to jump up on people, using the command "off". We do require that any dog coming back to us for training have basic obedience. Dogs who don’t have basic obedience well defined will not be accepted. Obedience will also make the dog a more enjoyable companion for you.