Hi, Willow has just been to the vets and had her 2nd vaccinations, so in 5-7 days she will be allowed on the ground for the first time. I just want to make sure we start off right as soon as she's on the ground. We have the happy puppy handbook, and total recall but I'm getting so muddled up training different things that I just want to know which is the clear way to go. We haven't done much training in regards to that in our garden or in the house because we are waiting on a harness as she's grown out of her first one already. So when she's first on the ground, do we make sure we always stop every time she pulls? Do we not put her on a lead at all? (We have bought a long line too) Should she be wearing a different harness/lead when training in doors, compared to one when out and about? so she knows the difference between training or not? Also we want to get her used to being left for short amounts of time at first. I don't work so it's not for that, it's just for times when we can't bring her to places. I've tried to look for how to start training it but I can't find anything, sorry if it's easily accessible! I know frozen kongs are a necessity! Thanks in advance!
It's very important to have her off lead as much as possible in the early days, to get her used to coming to you, so you get the basics of a recall going. Give her lots of scrummy treats for coming to you. The lead should only be used when you have time for lead training. t's important she is never allowed to pull, so when she is on lead, you must stop every time the lead gets tight, until she comes back to you and it's loose again. Because of this, it can take a looooooong time to go anywhere (or nowhere!), and you can't put yourself in a situation where you have to get somewhere quickly and so let her pull. So, for now, carrying or driving her to a place where she can be off-lead is ideal, whilst you practice loose-lead walking at home and on the street just outside your door. That said, there is no reason why you can't do the odd 30-second or one-minute lead session during the off-lead walks, too. It's a good idea to get the puppy used to the lead being put on and taken off several times during a walk, so she doesn't associate it with fun time being over. I always give my two a treat when the lead goes on, too - even now, at a year of age - so they think of it as a good thing. They always sit to have the leads put on or taken off, too (uncued), and I have trained them to wait to be released with a verbal cue before running off to play when unclipped, which I think is very valuable. There is no need to use a different harness for different things, although if you are in the situation where you absolutely must get somewhere with her on the lead and she's not mastered loose-lead walking, then using a corrective harness would mean you'd be able to do that without her learning to pull. I don't favour that method, though, if you can get away with the suggestions above. To train separation, start off by just going into another room, with her in her crate, if you use one. Start with only a few seconds and gradually build up. Only return to the room when she's absolutely quiet. Don't make too much of a fuss of her, just tell her she's a good girl. When she's happy with you being out of the room for several minutes, start leaving the house. Go right back to a couple of seconds with this and again gradually build up the time. Make sure you're not always making it harder and harder; sometimes return after a couple of seconds again, so she never knows how long you'll be gone. Kongs are a great distraction, but I think it's good for her to be able to cope without one, too. Good luck!
Thank you so much for such a thorough reply. So many helpful ideas and I love hearing how other people do it. I agree I don't want her being put on a lead to be a bad thing so treats and clipping it on and off like that are brilliant ideas! Which treats do you use? I love also that they sit to have their leads put on and taken off, and you have trained them a release cue too. So important!! Thank you so much!! It's all so overwhelming but if everyone else can do it, than I can! Training separation sounds great. I have been doing click for quiet when I leave the room and she's in her pen, so I just go further with it and gradually build up the time which makes sense! Yes I agree that it's important to not rely on kongs all the time, definitely! Thank you again!
No problem, we've all been there and in months to come, you'll be the one sharing the advice! I use a selection of treats. I actually have two treat bags, one with high-value soft treats (normally I use turkey frankfurters sliced into very small slices and pea-sized chunks of Emmental cheese) and the other with lower-value, crunchy treats - I use kibble and breadsticks broken into small bits. Other treats I use on occasion are dehydrated prawn heads (they love these!), dehydrated liver, dried green tripe - very smelly, but a super high-value reward for a good recall etc. I also buy those big blocks of reconstituted ham and turkey, which I cut into small pieces. Sometimes, I also use baby food pouches filled with blitzed sardines, which are great because it's a clean way of delivering something super smelly and you can control how much they get each time; a little for something good, or a lot for something great. In general, I make action of giving the treat a bit of fun, too - I throw it to them to catch, or away from them for them to chase after, or into some long grass so they have to sniff it out. I just like to mix it up and keep things interesting for them - so that they think I'm the most fun person to be around all the time
Thank you, I really hope to be the one sharing advice but it seems so far away with all the questions I keep having!! Thanks so much for such an in-depth reply, that's exactly what I was wondering and it's very helpful to know what you use and how you use them!! The baby food pouch idea... wow... brilliant idea!!! Makes such a difference I'm sure!! Yes definitely want to be the most fun person ever!!! Thanks so much!!
