Puppy Socialization Series--Part 3

Puppies need positive experiences with people, pets and places starting at least by 8 weeks of age.  These early weeks are the ideal time for puppies to form bonds and learn to recognize many conditions that will serve as a positive foundation for later learning.  If you wait too long, your pup will be afraid of new things later, and may well react to the scary things in his world by growling, barking and later biting.

I start basic obedience skill training as soon as I get my pup.  From day one my pup learns that he has to earn his keep.  I have to work for my food, so does my dog.  From the first day, my pup gets his entire meal from my hand.  I use his daily kibble allotment as rewards for good behavior.  I put little to no food in a bowl.  Puppies are extremely food motivated and I use this to my advantage.  Eery morsel of food is a reward and there is no free food.

Day one, I start teaching a sit.  Using his kibble, I lure him into a sit with his kibble and give a morsel of kibble when his rear end touches the ground.  We may practice this for about 4 or 5 sits and stop.  Remember his attention span is short at this stage and I don't want to loose his interest.  Also if he stays a little hungry, I know that I can get him to play the game again a bit later.  I will also use part of his daily meal in food puzzles such as Kong's Havaball, Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball (Meade's personal favorite), or other food toys.  Premier Pet Products make a lot of really good food puzzle toys.  A fun thing is to practice sits for a few kibble, then give your pup a food toy with kibble in it.  This way he learns reason and problem solving along with giving him something to do to burn energy and keep him out of trouble.  The Omega ball was a life saver for me when Meade was little.   While cooking dinner, I would give her about a third of her meal in it, it kept her busy while I was cooking and I didn't have to wonder what she was up to or worry that she was getting into something (placing child gates to block her in the kitchen area was handy too!)

In those early days, we practice sitting for everything.  I don't even put a word to it in the beginning.  We sat to be petted, we sat to go outside to the bathroom, we sat to go out to play, we sat for attention.  I carried (still do) kibble in my pocket and every time Meade was close at hand we practiced a few sits.  She thought I was the best because she got treated every time she sat down.  Sitting was an easy job she thought.  Once she started just offering a sits every time she looked at me, I started giving the action a word.

About the same time we also started learning 'down'.  Using her kibble again, you lure your puppy into a down position and treat the behavior.  Same as with sitting, no words were necessary.  Lure into a down position, say 'yes' and give her a kibble treat.  Alternate sits and downs, throughout the day.  Always end with a good sit and then throw their favorite toy or food puzzle toy.

Is  your puppy jumping on you, your family, your company.  Here is a perfect chance to teach your puppy what you would rather him do.  To say hello politely, he must sit for attention.  So when he is jumping on you, do not touch, talk or look at the puppy.  Just wait until all four feet are on the floor, say 'yes' ask for a sit and treat the sit.  Everyone must play the game.  The puppy must sit to get attention.  Timing is everything.  Attention either in the form of a treat or petting must come only when the puppy is sitting.  Not almost sitting.  It's butt must be on the floor before the reward is given.  If it starts to come up before the treat is given, then it misses the treat and must return to a sitting position and stay there long enough to get rewarded for it's sit.

There you have the beginning of a good start to a well mannered family dog.  Stay tuned for more Puppy Training Exercises with our next blog posting.