Pups are learning all the time and there is no reason to await for them “to grow up” before you begin training. You can start your pup’s first lessons at seven weeks. Doing some early training will turn on circuits in his brain that will make all later training easier.
The goal for this puppy work is not that the pup finds the individual exercises, nor is it reliability of compliance to command. Rather, the goal is to have fun with your pup, jumpstart the training process and to establish early on that good stuff happen when he is with you, and that good stuff come from work.
Don’t worry if you don’t teach all the commands-doing any puppy work is preferable to none. While you are engaged in puppy training you are developing a relationship with him. He finds to enjoy working with you as he finds about you.
The great majority of puppy training and raising should order food in train emphasize positive interaction. However, your pup does should find out some good manners. He should learn early that there are some things he should never do. There are two reasons for this: 1) so you can stand to live with him, and 2) so that he finds to simply accept a static correction and guidelines to behavior.
The very short list of Don’ts includes:
Don’t bite humans
Don’t join humans
Don’t chew on furniture
House breaking is better taught as a do rather than a don’t. Teach your pup to do his business outside; stay away from a static correction for going inside. Get a copy of “Eliminate on Command” by Doctor. Michael. D. Smith. It’s available on the web.
Pups have a short attention course, so keep lessons brief and emphasize action requires. These are requires your pup can complete quickly such as sit, here, and finish to heel. Save the long stays and long heeling sessions for later when his attention is completely developed to stay focused longer.
Puppies learn exactly the same way as grown dogs (and people):
A pup acts.
He experiences the result of his action.
He makes a connection in his mind between his action and the results, creating a memory.
If the result is desirable he is more likely to repeat that action in the future.
If the result is undesirable he is more unlikely that to repeat that action in the future.
Treat Training
Food is a good motivator for puppy training but a weak motivator for grown dogs.
Motivational training is only part of a complete workout. In the end you want 14 that will obey requires, not merely respond to cues when there is nothing he’d rather do. While the principles espoused here and the benefits of puppy training will be an asset to your dog throughout his life, treat training cannot substitute for a formal workout for grown dogs.
We uses food initially both to lure the pup into the action you want and as a reward for the desired action. When he knows the action we will put a cue to the action. When he will perform the action on cue, stop luring but continue to reward with food. After the dog is regularly performing correctly on cue, gradually reduce the frequency of the food reward. At first you are rewarding every correct response, and then go to every other response and then reward on an spotty schedule. This is an important process-you do not want your dog to be dependent on the food lure, nor do you want him to be tied to a goody for every correct response. When you are rewarding from time to time he never knows which response provides the treat so he will work hard, hoping that all time may be the time.
Begin in a quiet room. I like doing the puppy training initial thing in the morning before the pup’s first meal-the pup is fresh, excited to start the day, and eager! You also don’t want to take on the other dogs or people in the house for the pup’s attention.
You will need a eager pup and healthy treats that the pup can chew and ingest quickly. All-beef hot dogs cut to puppy-sized bites are very effective for most pups, although I take advantage of regular kibble for some chow hounds.
Sit in front
Sit or lift on to the ground with your legs or joints forming a V in front. This helps launch the pup to the proper front positioning.
Hold a goody in one hand out in front of which you little above the puppy’s head level. When your pup realises the treat, improve the treat close to and over his head. He should sit, when he does, verbally praise and pet him and then give him the treat. If the pup stacks up to battle the treat from you, twist your hand to protect the treat and forestall him from hanging on your hand. When he sits give him the treat.
Don’t worry if he advances up as soon as he gets the treat; you’re only concerned with teaching sit, not stay.
Temporarily stop a moment and then repeat. Following a few sales reps your pup will be sitting quickly to get his treat. Now let’s put a cue or command fot it action. From here on say “sit” as you start the hand movement and just before the pup sits. Continue to praise, pet and treat him when he sits.
As soon as your pup is sitting, set out to work toward the perfect sit. You want to end up with straight sits, not flopped over on one cool. You want the pup in front and arranged facing you correctly.