Archive for March, 2010
Puppy Training Blaze Week 2
March 3rd, 2010
Its week two and official training has started. I am of course keeping up with our house training and socialization. House training has gotten better, he is still on a 30 minute potty break but he has started going to the door to let us know he needs to potty. I think its time to introduce the potty bells. Scroll down for his puppy training video this week.
This week we are starting some attention work (eye contact), sit and back up. Sit is pretty easy for most dogs, whenever they sit naturally I say “good sit” and I also use a bit of a lure if I have to. Once they get the concept I ask for it a lot, before they go outside, before they eat, before I love on them, etc – so it isn’t always just “sit for a treat”. If its somewhere new, I use a treat.
For attention, I use the doggie zen method – hold a treat in your hand, wait for eye contact and then say “yes” or click and give the reward.
Backup is not something most owners will teach, but I really want to do obedience and rally, so this is a very important behavior to me. I teach it by simply walking into the dog. I’ve started teaching a bit of a stand in between sits so he is used to me lifting him up. When he walks back I say yes again, and give the treat.
Puppy Training sessions should be short, to the point and fun. Incorporate whatever your dog likes, if its rough housing, treats (food), toys, or being held, use it to your advantage. My sessions are typically about 10 behaviors long.
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Puppy Runs Away
March 2nd, 2010
It starts out all hearts and butterflies when you bring home your baby. They come when called, they never leave your side, and then one day, they decide its more fun to run away from you then to you. Your natural inclination, punish the puppy when you get to him to teach your puppy not to run away. WRONG!!
I can tell you how to fix this problem in 2 seconds. Use a leash. Using a leash will prevent them from running off, and eating whatever they are leaving you to eat. I know that my puppy likes to eat sticks and go under the deck where I can’t reach him. For me, this is unacceptable. I have a plan of attack. First, I am going to practice recalls (coming) off leash in the yard using food and toy rewards. Second, when I can’t do that, we are going to be on leash. No exceptions. There will be a leash by the door, and this puppy running away problem will stop.