Wondering where to go next with training (obviously am reading everything on this wonderful site). Just to remind you – Charlie is 4 and a bit months, and I’m a complete amateur with the modest ambition of having a very well behaved pet. So we’ve now done two sets of 4 week puppy school (Charlie wasn’t quite 8 weeks at his first class, and found some of it difficult, so we repeated the classes to make sure we nailed everything), and have a gap of two months until adolescent classes start at a time I can fit into my schedule. I also have a blissful 6 weeks off work coming up, that can be completely devoted to Charlie – can’t wait, it’s going to be an unbelievable luxury – so want to make the most of that time. I also have 3 121 sessions booked with a trainer, and she has asked me what kind of things I want to work on. We are still practising what we learned at puppy school – the basics really – and walking nicely on a lead, we’re doing really well with recall. Of course we’ll keep working on all of this, but it’s going well. I don’t have any big problems or bad habits to solve, apart from jumping up, and we’re working successfully on that too. I’m trying to map out in my head what I should be trying to achieve next. I’m trying to work out all of the things I want Charlie to be able to do (eg sit still at the vet’s, stay on his mat when the doorbell rings, sit still while I ask another dog owner if it’s ok for Charlie to say hello), and am trying to set about finding the right information to guide me (which must be ebooks or websites, as I do my reading while travelling) and work out how to achieve these things. Have you got any tips or pointers? What were you doing, training wise, with your dog at 4 months?
Re: Training - where next? Hi Julie , I would say to keep on reinforcing the recall, every day, plus teaching the sit/stay . Teaching him that being examined in useful too , I made a game of it when Sam was a puppy , got him to stand and let me examine every inch of his body and then a big treat and fuss Make the training sessions short but frequent, pups do get bored easily and you want to end each session on a high
Re: Training - where next? I would also say take him out and about with you as much as possible, expose him to as many different situations and people as possible - children, old people, people with hats, people with walking sticks, sheep, cats, other dogs... Keep it light hearted and fun for both of you.
Re: Training - where next? Good advice Karen , also markets etc . My husband used to sit outside the supermarket with Sam whilst I did the shopping , its all good for socialising
Re: Training - where next? Yes, very good points, I need to keep taking him places - we've perhaps been overly focused on people. He has been in London for a while, and we've sat outside train stations and on high streets. Absolutely every shape, age and oddly dressed person possible has given him a cuddle, and we've found a staggering number of small children for him to play with. I haven't done places and animals so much though. Perhaps I could work up to taking him on the tube for one stop. Obviously we'll take it in stages, sit on the platform for a bit first etc. And I suppose a bus too. He has met horses, but no other big animals. Right, I can start a plan around those things.
