A place to learn how to effectively and fairly communicate with your new puppy. The weeks between 10 weeks old and 16 weeks old are microscopic window of time to layer in a obedience foundation
I don't see a Learning String on Reggie? And you are standing up which is the formal Recall (used in FOUNDATION Course for a much older dog). Instead, for a puppy, squat down, grab ahold of the Learning String, and call, "Reggie, Come - Here - Touch". That's the first thing to do.
Now, on the Sit, are you using food to train Reggie? If so, please cease doing so unless you want Reggie to learn to work FOR food and not for you. Also, using food to train a puppy GREATLY increases the puppy's willingness to use its mouth/teeth to bite and express its opinion. I do not train with food at all.
Instead, the method we are teaching is hands - on, that is you shape and mold the puppy into the position we want it to be in, the "Sit". This trains the puppy you have the right to handle it (and will in time also eliminate the biting when you use the "Phoohey"). This constant 'handling' trains the puppy to relax INTO the position, your hands can feel the puppy's muscles so you recognize when it is relaxed and when it is not relaxed. This is the foundation for a lifetime of the puppy learning to trust your hands, to be pliable to your shaping the puppy into various positions, for the puppy to learn that the reward IS you, the reward IS your praise, the reward IS the relationship you are building together. If you want Reggie to learn to trust you, to work FOR and WITH you, you shape the Sit, then the Stand, then the Down. By doing so, Reggie will become responsive to YOU, your hands, your praise, your touch.
Please review the post on 'The Puppy Sit' as it is taught with the puppy on your left side since this will become the puppy's standard position to work from as the training continues.
Does this make sense? Happy to answer your excellent questions.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteI don't see a Learning String on Reggie? And you are standing up which is the formal Recall (used in FOUNDATION Course for a much older dog). Instead, for a puppy, squat down, grab ahold of the Learning String, and call, "Reggie, Come - Here - Touch". That's the first thing to do.
Now, on the Sit, are you using food to train Reggie? If so, please cease doing so unless you want Reggie to learn to work FOR food and not for you. Also, using food to train a puppy GREATLY increases the puppy's willingness to use its mouth/teeth to bite and express its opinion. I do not train with food at all.
Instead, the method we are teaching is hands - on, that is you shape and mold the puppy into the position we want it to be in, the "Sit". This trains the puppy you have the right to handle it (and will in time also eliminate the biting when you use the "Phoohey"). This constant 'handling' trains the puppy to relax INTO the position, your hands can feel the puppy's muscles so you recognize when it is relaxed and when it is not relaxed. This is the foundation for a lifetime of the puppy learning to trust your hands, to be pliable to your shaping the puppy into various positions, for the puppy to learn that the reward IS you, the reward IS your praise, the reward IS the relationship you are building together. If you want Reggie to learn to trust you, to work FOR and WITH you, you shape the Sit, then the Stand, then the Down. By doing so, Reggie will become responsive to YOU, your hands, your praise, your touch.
Please review the post on 'The Puppy Sit' as it is taught with the puppy on your left side since this will become the puppy's standard position to work from as the training continues.
Does this make sense? Happy to answer your excellent questions.
Roxanne