Hi everyone - I cannot believe I have been so stupid. I looked a lot at this site before we got our puppy and have been so anxious about getting training right I forgot all about it. However, I am now 11 weeks down the line and have revisited wondering why I have not been following for all that time and now hoping I can tighten up on what have already done. I have a 4 month old chocolate girl who is a sweetheart. Any help is much appreciated.
Hi welcome to the forum! You haven’t been at all its a very busy and stressful time and I’m sure some tiredness is in there somewhere. I too have a chocolate lab called Mason and he is nearly 11 months. We started by him going between 2 people so he recognised his name with a small treat as a reward. When he went toilet outside we praised a lot and I even started taken him outside on regular intervals this continued for a few months so he was confident to go out on his own. We moved onto ‘sit’with a treat just above his head and he would sit. ‘Down’ for lie down with a treat in clenched hand. ‘Paw/ high five’ with treat in hand and wait for him to sniff then treat is given. Treats and praise help a lot. ‘Off’is used when he jumps up at people or on the furniture which he is allowed now but he chooses to mainly rest on the floor ‘This way’ helped a lot when we were walking round the garden. There are others but don’t want to bombard you
Hi Carol, and welcome from me and Lilly who is 8 years old! There IS so much to do at the one time. My biggest tip (other than having and reading a copy of The Happy Puppy Handbook) is to let your puppy off the lead as much as possible and work of recall, when young they want to come back to you, work on it really hard so it becomes a reflex action. And ENJOY puppyhood and take lots of photos.
Hi Emma and Jacqui - Thank you for your replies and advice - all very spot on and true! We have managed to do most of the things you have said Emma and are now letting Tia off the lead so we are doing that as much as possible - today she actually went in the water - it was lovely. And messy!!! I have been calling her back and giving treats when she comes and she is doing this ok. I have discovered all the training advice on this site so am going to follow and work lots at everything they suggest. Thank you both - lovely to hear from like minded ladies.
