Puppy training help for Old-School Parents

My "Suegro"(Father-In-Law) lives with us.Also "Old School" with the dogs.He really wanted to keep the two big "Guard Dogs" chained up all day,and let loose at night.I can't stand to see an animal chained or caged,so that didn't happen.They do stay outside the house,except when my wife isn't home.I let them in,because they like to lay dowwn near me.
We have three chihuahuas that have the run-of-the-house,and the outside as well.They are the love of my childrens life.They also wake up the guard dogs at night if the hear ANYTHING!
They are the "companianship" dogs.Get your parents a couple of little "Lap Dogs" to "love" and the "Big Boys" can stay outside.
I found that I can use my kids "Water Guns" to eliminate bad behavior in the dogs.If they start to PI$$ in the house, a little "squirt" with a firm "NO!" and they understand. After a while just the "NO!" is enough.
Good Luck"!
"Rotties" are a tough dog to handle.
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You cannot expect from a 7 week old pup to be house clean already. You can speed up the process by being very attentive to their behavior.

First rule is to be ahead of the pup which means that you put your pup outside immediately after eating and watch them, most pups will do something in 5 minutes after eating. If you are there and see it happening, praise the pup into heaven, good boy! They soon pick up on that.

If an accident happens in the house, I would not punish the pup but clean up whilst you are cursing the pup in a low voice, not looking at him but everything in your attitude will tell the pup...oops boss is not happy about this.

Biting : pups need to sharpen those teeth of course and preferably on something you don't like them to chew on of course.
Two approaches :
1. Direct way : you grab pup in neck and say a firm NO, be aware that you will have to do this several times and on different items, a chair has 4 legs and a pup who is 'punished' for biting on one leg, does not know that he is being 'punished' for all the 4 legs.
2. Indirect way : you can sit back and watch the pup and hold either like CC a water gun or I like to use a bunch of little discs or just a plain metal chain and when you see the pup put his teeth in something he shouldn't you react but you do not look at the pup after doing it. Pup startles and will look at you but you don't look back so pup is not sure where that came from so in 90 % of the cases the pup will see the object he bit in as the attacker and will leave it alone after that. A startled pup will come to you to seek some comfort for that 'attack from nowhere' and you play the role of the soother. Its my favorite system to use because the pup does not see you as the 'punisher' which is handy because you will have to do this a lot and if you can stay out of it, the better for the further relationship with your dog.

And give a pup something to chew on, they need it. And keep in mind that there has to be balance so for every 'punishment' there should follow at least 5 praisals.

Acira

If your parents are not good with dogs then getting Rotties is not the best idea they could have had. Rotties have bags of energy and are extremely effectionate, and so no attention, no exercise along with no stimulation will simply make these dogs a waste of good stock. If your parents wanted good guard dogs that require little attention, a couple of large street dogs would have been a better option, unattended Rotties will get stolen, no one wants mongrels and they are just as good as pedigree, just not as pretty. My predictions are these dogs just become an issue with the neighbours, barking all day out of bordom and madness.

My dogs are all "Mutts".
One of the big "Guard Dogs" looks a lot like a short haired "Yellow Lab".The other,a short haired German shepard.
The "Chihuahuas" are not "pure" either.They look like Chihuahuas,but BIGGER.
They were easy to "House Break",as the younger ones learned from the older ones.They all go ouside whenever they want.Since they are small enough to squeeze under the front gate,they go "somewhere" when they have to "GO".
Dogs are a"MUST" in the DR,in my opinion.Both to protect the house,and for companionship.
I bought a purebread german shepard when I first bought my house.He was stolen on the second day!I never had a purebred dog before him,and I never will again!
CC

If your parents are serious about training them, and are willing to pay for it, you can pm me for the name of a good trainer (dominican) in SD.

Mind you, they will still have to work at it themselves too. A trainer can only point you in the right direction, but cannot perform miracles.

C/c Have the same "set up" two guard dogs out side rotty and g/sheperd and 3 little pugs inside, over the years and many dogs I found that most g/shephers make best guard dogs. I train for obedience only so temperament for guarding is important. My rotty is protective but not as aggressive as the g/s. The g/s sets the tone and guards so the others follow the lead even my little pug bark and growl at strangers. This dogs have a natural distrust of strangers and are highly intelligent, the rotty was 140 lbs at one year old, so stealing them is a remote possibility.

Agreed, Porkman

When i moved here, I considered a trained dog and investigated breeders. One of the breeders had sold to the ;ocal police so I phoned to ask about this breeder.

By the time the K-9 officer had finished w/ he he basically told me to just buy a breed that was protective by nature.
GShepherds were his favotited, but Dobermans, Rottweilers, Boxers will all do the job.

I have a German/Belgian Shepherd cross and a Boxer mix.
The Shepherd stays close at hand all the time - the Boxer watches a bit bfarther afield.

BTW, The K-9 man said that he was feared more on the street with the dog than with his gun.
The dog never misses....

I disagree that it makes so much difference on dog breed about its ability to work as an alarm system. My, now KateP's tiny Wahwah was a mental case when anyone went by the house, not much deterrent but the natural instinct is still there. Pure bred dogs have more issues than Mongrels, mentally and often physically. As far as steeling a rottie? any dog that has little to no attention from its owner is easy to befriend and walk away with.

Williams, i pick dogs by temperament, if they dont charge the fence and show you their pearly whites at the sight of a stranger I pass on them. I have seen some dogs of this breeds that dont. That being said..discipline and obedience are very important OR some one will get hurt. When they show a natural dislike of strangers is easy to train not to eat from strangers,and since the work as a team (pack mentality) they will not only alert you but they will stop the threat. None of my dogs can be befriended, I make sure is part of their training even the neighbors are ignored. They know who lives in the house and accept them.