| Learning How to Learn | | | | hand movement and just before the pup sits. |
| Pups are learning all the time and there is no | | | | Continue to praise, pet and treat him when he |
| reason to wait for them "to grow up" before you | | | | sits. |
| begin training. You can start your pup's first | | | | As soon as your pup is sitting, begin to work |
| lessons at seven weeks. Doing some early training | | | | toward the perfect sit. You want to end up with |
| will turn on circuits in his brain that will make all | | | | straight sits, not flopped over on one hip. You |
| later training easier. | | | | want the pup in front and aligned facing you |
| The goal for this puppy work is not that the pup | | | | correctly. |
| learns the individual exercises, nor is it reliability of | | | | When you have practiced this for a session or |
| obedience to command. Rather, the goal is to | | | | two wean him off the food lure. Without holding |
| have fun with your pup, jumpstart the learning | | | | the treat out in front of him say "sit" and then |
| process and to establish early on that good things | | | | verbally praise, pet and food reward him when he |
| happen when he is with you, and that good things | | | | does. |
| come from work. | | | | After a few sessions begin to wean off treating |
| Don't fret if you don't teach all the | | | | the pup for every proper response, but continue |
| commands-doing any puppy work is better than | | | | to praise and pet him every time he sits on cue. |
| none. While you are engaged in puppy training you | | | | Go out and Here--- Dixie Cup Lining Drills |
| are building a relationship with him. He learns to | | | | One of the easiest ways to teach your pup to |
| enjoy working with you as he learns about you. | | | | come when you call him is to teach him to go |
| The great majority of puppy training and raising | | | | away from you. Hold your pup and making sure |
| should emphasize positive interaction. However, | | | | he is watching, place a treat on top of a white |
| your pup does need to learn some manners. He | | | | eight ounce or larger Dixie cup. Put the pup down |
| should learn early that there are some things he | | | | about five inches from the cup and let him go. |
| must not do. There are two reasons for this: 1) | | | | After he eats the treat call him to sit in front. |
| so you can stand to live with him, and 2) so that | | | | Praise, pet and treat for every recall at first. |
| he learns to accept correction and parameters to | | | | Do several of these. When your pup is going |
| behavior. | | | | straight to the treat and is sure of the location, |
| The very short list of Don'ts includes: | | | | begin to place the treat and then still holding the |
| Don't bite humans Don't jump on humans Don't | | | | pup, back away, only a foot or so at first. After |
| chew on furniture | | | | you have backed up, hold the pup in front of you |
| House breaking is better taught as a do rather | | | | to show him the cup and then set him down and |
| than a don't. Teach your pup to do his business | | | | release him to get his treat. This sequence will |
| outside; try to avoid correction for going inside. | | | | become a pattern and a useful cue for him when |
| Get a copy of "Eliminate on Command" by Dr. M.L. | | | | you start lining him longer distances. After he eats |
| Smith. It's available on line at: | | | | his cup treat call him "Here" and praise, pet and |
| Pups have a short attention span, so keep lessons | | | | treat (PPT) him for the sit in front. As you |
| brief and emphasize action commands. These are | | | | increase the distance, begin to reward |
| commands your pup can complete quickly such as | | | | intermittently on the return, but continue to praise |
| sit, here, and finish to heel. Save the long stays | | | | and pet him heartily on every return. |
| and long heeling sessions for later when his | | | | Be sure to gradually increase the distance you are |
| attention is sufficiently developed to stay focused | | | | sending your pup. As long as your pup is running |
| longer. | | | | straight to the cup and is not loosing focus on the |
| Puppies learn exactly the same way as grown | | | | task keep increasing the distances you back |
| dogs (and people): | | | | away. |
| A pup acts. He experiences the result of his | | | | Kennel |
| action. He makes a connection in his mind | | | | I teach grown dogs to go to a place board, |
| between his action and the results, creating a | | | | half-crate, or pre-identified area on command. I |
| memory. If the result is desirable he is more likely | | | | use the command "Kennel" some like to use |
| to repeat that action in the future. If the result is | | | | "Place." This serves to balance e-collar pressures |
| undesirable he is less likely to repeat that action in | | | | because the action requires your dog to move |
| the future. | | | | away from you rather than toward you on |
| Treat Training | | | | command. This "kennel" command is also useful |
| Food is a good motivator for puppy training but a | | | | for loading a dog into boats, blinds, and crates. |
| weak motivator for grown dogs. Motivational | | | | With grown dogs we will do initial force on casts |
| training is only part of a complete training | | | | using this command and introductory work on |
| program. In the end we want a dog that will obey | | | | jumps. This is a versatile command. |
| commands, not simply respond to cues when | | | | You can begin work on the kennel command once |
| there is nothing he'd rather do. While the principles | | | | your pup knows sit. Use a place board about 12" |
| espoused here and the benefits of puppy training | | | | x 12" and 2" high. Your pup will outgrow several |
| will be an asset to your dog throughout his life, | | | | puppy place boards so don't make them too |
| treat training cannot substitute for a formal | | | | fancy-I bet an old college text book will do to |
| training program for grown dogs. | | | | start. |
| We will use food initially both to lure the pup into | | | | Use a treat to lure him on the board. When he |
| the action we want and as a reward for the | | | | climbs up on the place board or kennel give him |
| desired action. When he knows the action we will | | | | the treat. Pause and allow him to explore and |
| put a cue to the action. When he will perform the | | | | then climb off. Repeat. |
| action on cue, stop luring but continue to reward | | | | When your pup is readily climbing up on the board |
| with food. After the dog is regularly performing | | | | you are ready to add a cue to the action. Say |
| correctly on cue, gradually reduce the frequency | | | | "kennel" just as he begins to climb up. |
| of the food reward. At first you are rewarding | | | | Begin to tell your pup to sit when he is on the |
| every correct response, and then go to every | | | | place board. He has enough success now that you |
| other response and then reward on an | | | | can stop giving the treat for climbing up and only |
| intermittent schedule. This is an important | | | | treat for the sit when he is up. Very quickly you |
| process-you do not want your dog to be | | | | should be able to drop the sit command and his |
| dependant on the food lure, nor do you want him | | | | "kennel" will mean kennel up and sit. |
| to be tied to a treat for every correct response. | | | | Call him off the place board to sit in front of you |
| When you are rewarding intermittently he never | | | | near the board and then cast him to kennel again. |
| knows which response will bring the treat so he | | | | When your pup is responding quickly and reliably |
| will continue to work hard, hoping that each time | | | | to your kennel command you can start gradually |
| may be the time. | | | | backing farther away from your place board. To |
| Start in a quiet room. I like doing the puppy | | | | make it easier for your pup walk toward the |
| training first thing in the morning before the pup's | | | | place board as you cast and cue him to "kennel." |
| first meal-the pup is fresh, excited to start the | | | | Introduce Jumps and Avoidable Hazards |
| day, and hungry! You also don't want to compete | | | | Once your pup is very comfortable on his kennel |
| with the other dogs or people in the home for | | | | command and is lining out to the visible Dixie cups |
| the pup's attention. | | | | well you are ready to combine the two responses |
| You need a hungry pup and healthy treats that | | | | and introduce your pup to jumps. Start with a |
| the pup can chew and swallow quickly. All-beef | | | | kennel close to you. Place your treat on the Dixie |
| hot dogs cut to puppy-sized bites work well for | | | | cup and back up. Hold your pup with the kennel |
| most pups, although I use regular kibble for some | | | | just in front of you and between you and the |
| chow hounds. | | | | Dixie cup. Release him to get his treat he should |
| Sit in Front | | | | line right over the kennel to the cup and come |
| Sit or squat on the floor with your legs or knees | | | | back over the kennel on the return. |
| forming a V in front. This helps funnel the pup to | | | | With practice you can increase the distance |
| the proper front alignment. | | | | between you and the kennel and between the |
| Hold a treat in one hand out in front of you a little | | | | kennel and the Dixie cup. Practicing success at |
| above the puppy's head level. When your pup | | | | short distances is better for your pup than |
| notices the treat, raise the treat close to and | | | | pushing to increase the distance too fast and |
| over his head. He should sit, when he does, | | | | teaching him to run around the kennel. |
| verbally praise and pet him and then give him the | | | | In Summary |
| treat. If the pup stands up to wrestle the treat | | | | Your pup is only a pup for a very short time; |
| from you, twist your hand to protect the treat | | | | don't expect him to act or train like a grown dog. |
| and prevent him from hanging on your hand. | | | | In addition to training, spend time with him just |
| When he sits give him the treat. | | | | going for walks and let him run, jump and play. |
| Don't worry if he jumps up as soon as he gets | | | | In all your puppy training remember your goals: |
| the treat; you're only concerned with teaching sit, | | | | Have fun with your pup You want your pup to |
| not stay. | | | | learn how to learn. You want to jumpstart the |
| Pause a moment and then repeat. After a few | | | | learning process You want to establish early on |
| repetitions your pup will be sitting quickly to get | | | | that good things happen when he is with you, and |
| his treat. Now let's put a cue or command to that | | | | that good things come from work. |
| action. From here on say "sit" as you start the | | | | |