Puppy Class Skills

The big five in puppy skills are sit, down, stay, come, and heel.  I like to have at least started training these before puppy class, because there are many new smells and sounds for a puppy to be distracted by in class. Training early gives them a better opportunity to do well.

Of course, since they are still very young, I will have a little “session” about 20 seconds long off and on all day. When I’m done with my bath, I’ll ask them to sit and give a treat. While cooking dinner, I will ask my pup to “down” on his bed, then continue cooking. Their attention span is relatively short, so I keep the lessons short, but very frequent.

Name recognition:

A very simple skill to teach, and not actually taught most times, recognizing their name means to look at you is one of the best ways to be sure you can get their attention when you need to. It can actually save their lives if they are running out into the street, or innocently placing themselves in danger. I never stop practicing this, their entire lives, just like “come”.

Put the treat in front of their nose, and then move it towards your face while saying their name. The eyes (and nose) will follow the treat, and they learn that their name means to look at you. It your pup isn’t particularly motivated by food, then use a toy they like. Some pups don’t care much about either, so for them, use your hands to move their head to look at you while saying their name.

As they improve with this, change your tone of voice, it’s pitch, it’s volume. And introduce distractions. I will call his name when he is playing, and offer him a treat. You can practice this when he is sniffing some excellent new patch of grass. Ask him to look at you when a person comes to your house. This way they learn to look no matter what. 

 Sit:

This is the easiest of the skills to teach. Using a treat, call their name and when they look at you, move the treat just above their eyes. Most of the time the puppy tush drops so they can reach their head up to get the treat. If they just back up, then place them so their behind is against a wall while moving the treat. Use a toy if you prefer, but I don’t like to push down on their rumps if I can help it. If I have to, I’ll use my hand behind their tush, pushing lightly against their back legs so they bend them and sit.

 Down:

Down is a little harder for a pup, especially if they are excited by the prospect of a treat. Ask them to sit, then move the treat down in front of them. When they look down, move the treat along the floor in front of them. Often they will try to stand, which is why you rest your hand on their rump to keep their tush on the floor. Another option is when they are about to lay down on their own, say the word as they lay down and then reward them.

  Come:

Being able to recall your pup on or off leash is a life saving skill. This is the skill I practice most, because pups get distracted, excited by movement, whether it is a squirrel or a car. The prey drive can be extremely strong in some breeds, like terriers, hunting hounds, and herding dogs. Any time you see them going off on their own somewhere and are a few feet away, call their name to get their attention. Show them the treat and when they are coming to get it, say “come”.

Begin small, in the house where there are fewer distractions. If you need to, have a leash on them and if they don’t look when you call the name, give a little pop on the leash to one side or the other (pulling back causes them to pull forward harder). When they look, and are coming towards you, say the word and praise them alot for coming. Never use the word if they have the opportunity to ignore it or if they will be disciplined for something! The more pleasant and great it is to come to you, the more willing they will be to do it.

As they become reliable indoors, start outdoor practice when everything is quiet and the pup has run and played until they are tired. I use their water dish, their food bowls, their toys…anything that they really really want to lure them to come. The better they get at recall, begin changing your tone of voice, say it louder or softer, higher pitched or lower. Eventually, you may need them to come when they are placing themselves in danger, ie running out in the street, and you will be screaming in panic. So teaching them to come at all times, with any distraction, and in any tone of voice is the best insurance you can have!! Never stop practicing this, the rest of their lives.

Stay:

Stay is so hard for a happy pup! This is a good reason to always let your pup play off some energy before you begin to practice. Don’t expect a long stay when you are starting. Once they are sitting or are down, say the word and take one step so you are on either left or right side. I’ve found that keeping the treat in front of them when you start is helpful. Once they stay when you move, then slowly begin to get farther away.

Stay takes lots of practice and patience, and you have to watch them–just before they move, give the treat. If they start to get up, use a correction sound, and return them to the sit or down and try again. They will begin to stay longer, little by little or lots by lots depending on your pup’s personality and energy level.

Heel:

Heel is not so hard as you might think. Pick a side you want them to walk on, and stick with it. Personally I like the left, and most classes will tell you to use the left. But if you prefer the right, or your pup just prefers the right side, then go with it. Unless you will be training for obedience trials, agility, or the show ring, it doesn’t really matter!

When you are walking on leash and they are walking with you, stop and say something like “good heel, good boy” and pet them. When they are getting up from a stay, and are coming towards you, say heel when they assume the position on your chosen side. As you walk, bend so the treat lures them in to walk beside you and let them nibble the treat as you walk. All these things will set in their habits the side to go to when you are together. As they progress and walk nicely with you, use the word more often and the association with the word and that side is formed.