Shona’s puppies left here three weeks ago, and it gives me great pleasure to hear good reports from their owners , saying that their pups are very trainable and progressing well.
I prefer to train little and often with a puppy, because they cannot concentrate for long, and it is vital that they enjoy these short sessions, so plenty of praise when they get it right is the order of the day.
The first thing that I teach is sit, and now that Riska understands what this means, I can move away and then return, gradually building up to walking right round her, or popping out of sight, so that she gets the idea that “sit” means her bottom stays firmly on the ground, even if I move. I always return to the front of her with lots of praise.
A good recall is essential, so I need to ensure that being with me is more exciting and interesting than anything else, and I will often hide behind a tree when Riska isn’t looking, then call her back, which helps to make training fun.
I have started teaching heelwork with Riska using a slip lead, which is slack when she is in the correct position. I say “heel” as I move off, walk forward slowly to ensure that she has to concentrate and move at my pace, then ask her to sit when I stop.
I often give Riska two or three little retrieves as a way of ending a session.
These three basics of sit, recall and heelwork are the groundwork for a well trained dog, and puppies learn and develop at different rates, so don’t be in a hurry. There are no magic shortcuts – the “secret” is time and hard work, along with lessons from a competent trainer.
