[Getting ready]

Noodle is a pretty easy going pup unless he is over stimulated. Then he can get growly and more than nippy. We need to work hard on impulse control. We will do puppy kindergarten starting in Sept and we continue to go to puppy playgroup. We are a household of two working adults and kids with school and extracurriculars. We have someone to walk him so he isn't cooped up but we need more training wise. The place where we are doing puppy class offers several packages that are a mix of sessions when a trainer works with your dog without out and then with you to transfer skills. I'm trying to figure out which of the packages makes sense for a young pup. Any advice about how many days a week and how long per session would be good to supplement puppy class? The goal is to build a strong foundation of impulse control. (whoops. I meant to put this in training but I don't know how to move it.)

 

[lily cd re]

Puppies so young as Noodle should be the pictorial definition of "short attention span theatre." I would much rather do stuff at home for not much more than five minutes at a time 3 - 5 times per day than to take a lengthy class once or twice a week.


Look up "It's Yer Choice." For me it is the best impulse control game going!

 

[Getting ready]

We've done a little bit of IYC but we will do more!

 

[lily cd re]

Lots and lots of IYC will work miracles and is cheaper than a class.


Here is a video I did a while ago of some pretty advanced variations of IYC with Javelin. There are bits of cheese on my knees and dogs crated on either side of us and moving around behind him.

 

[Getting ready]

Wow! That’s so cool.

 

[Jbean]

I've got the attention span of a four month old puppy as well! We train for a minute or three at a time, about twenty times per day. We have small bowls of treats tucked away in several high spots throughout the house.

 

[scooterscout99]

In addition to specific training, incorporate your ‘wait’ command all day long in every day situations: wait to be released to a food bowl, wait at doors before walking through (every door, at home and when out and about), wait at the edge of a sidewalk until crossing the street. I used this as well with my puppy when entering the training rings at my club, outside of formal classes. A ‘wait’ at the ring gate is automatic now, which is helpful for trials. The funniest ‘wait’ is to give me time to scoop poop while out walking.

We still have lapses with agility start line stays but, I wonder how difficult this ‘wait’ would be if I hadn’t begun training as a puppy.

 

[Mufar42]

I think the "wait" command is wonderful. I've always used that when going in and out doors. For me now with bad legs when I leave the groomer he is always in a big hurry but as I open the door leading to the steps down I use wait and he does for each step out and to the car. He will even wait now at the car door until I open it and tell him to get in. He may not be the best behaved dog in town b ut he does have some excellent behaviors at certain times. I guess I was better at training those. LOL