Monday, April 2, 2012

Update from Puppy Kindergarden

Here's some of the from puppy class tonight.....


3.  Anti-Jumping – No Car Chasing Exercise
A.  Prevent your dog from jumping by luring her into a SIT as you are   approached by a stranger or a car. As soon as she sits, reinforce with treat and praise. 
B.  If you have a really excitable puppy, you may need to continue to reward while he is sitting.  We don’t want him to jump, so if he stays sitting, continue to reward until the stranger or car has passed by, then release.
C.  Continue to work on this with your own helpers, and work up to the point of hand signal for SIT with no command.

4.   Leave It!  This is what you want, don’t touch that or go near that.  For your dog it translates to hesitate and look at owner.
·       Start with a treat in your open hand.  Move toward the dog.  When the dog goes for the treat, quickly close your hand and firmly say, “Leave it”. 
·       Do not move your hand or your dog will think it’s a game
·       When your dog looks at you and ignores the treat, open your hand and give it to him.
·       If your dog does not look at you, you may need to add the “Watch Me” command.
·       After several successful attempts, you can move the treat to the floor walking past it on leash at first. 
·       Dragging your dog away is not leaving it.

5.    Proofing
            A. Where is everyone on proofing their commands?
            B. Remember:  Even though your puppy appears to have mastered the SIT/STAY and other exercises at home and in class when there are no, or minimal distractions, it’s a whole new exercise when taken to a different area.
            C. Continue to work on all of your commands in places other than home or in the yard.
            D. Commands in sequence:  Don’t do commands in the same sequence every time or your dog will begin to anticipate the commands.  Combine commands such as, sit-stay, stand-stay, down-sit, down-stand, stand-sit, sit-down, down-stand, sit-stand, stand-sit, etc.
           
6.    Homework
                  A.  Catch your puppy in the act of being good. Focus on rewarding the good behavior and lots of the bad behavior will disappear!
            B.  Practice, practice, practice- at least three times a day.
           C.  Work on your trick for next week.

Point to Remember

Rewards are treats given for a correct response while your dog is still in the proper position.  For example, if your puppy gets up after you told him to Sit and you treat that Sit, what you actually did was reward him for getting up.           

Next Week- Review of last five weeks, intro into Rally-0bedience, games and graduation.  Invite friends and family if you like, and bring a camera!

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