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Life Skills...Geek Guide
I know you'll be super keen to get cracking, so I've got a handy little guide for you covering what we've just talked about in your puppy's Life Skills session
Let's Get Going!...
Yes Please!
CALM PUPPY?
You'll know pretty well by now that puppies are 100 mph! With these first simple steps, we're looking to help puppy relax a little, settle well & start building all-round good manners
Be Calm & Settled
Be Patient
Have Great House Manners
First Steps to a Chilled & Polite Pup!
Let's Go...
Start with asking puppy to 'sit' - this will become your default 'puppy politeness' cue.
Build on the above by teaching 'settle' - asking your pup to sit for increasingly longer periods just as we chatted about during your session. An increased duration of sitting time, helps to gradually build focus, listening skills & promote self-calm & impulse control...something puppies don't have a bundle of!
Progress to asking puppy to sit prior to 100% of interactions (before feeding/going through doors/before starting a play session/before collar & lead are popped on/before being let out of their crate/before any patting or stroking is given etc.). By asking your puppy to sit + a few added seconds, you're teaching them that 'if you're polite & calm', whatever you want to happen - will happen.
Next, work on teaching 'down' as we discussed during your chat & start building time - this is a great way to help your puppy relax especially if you're out & about or have guests.
Yes Please!
POLITE PUPPY?
When you've practiced the above for a little while & you can see pup's progress, now it's time to move things along a little bit - everyone wants a polite pup, so let's create one you can be proud of taking anywhere!
Stand Well For Grooming & Basic Care
Coming Back Is Fun!
Walk Well On The Lead
Have a Great 'Leave'
Polite Pups Here We Come!
Let's Go...
Teach puppy to 'stand' as described during your session & start to build time - 3s, 5s, 10s. Ideally you're wanting a nice still stand - makes life so much easier when you're grooming/drying pup etc.
Start acclimatizing puppy to all the important tasks you'll need to do. Work on gentle touching/stroking all over, looking in your pup's ears & mouth, picking up paws & handling nails. Start brushing with a soft brush or glove.
Work on getting a great 'come back'. Start calling puppy (with your recall cue) as he or she is already running to you & progressively incorporate distractions as we chatted about. A long line can be helpful outdoors.
Lead walking - This can be frustrating for puppies who just want to run & explore, so short sessions are best. To start with, you're just looking to reward a slack, loose lead. Try some stops/circles/down & back to prevent rewarding pulling.
Leave training is really important - Start with teaching puppy what 'leave' actually means & then gradually progress to a 'temptation alley' - You're teaching puppy that leaving objects is super rewarding.
Yes Please!
GOOD SOCIAL SKILLS
You're starting to help puppy become pretty well-mannered by now & are getting good training foundations...let's now think about those all important social skills
No Jumping
Calm Meet & Greets
Make Yourself Super Exciting!
Sociable Pups Make Life So Much Easier!
Let's Go...
Building on that great work you did with 'sit & settle', you're now going to teach puppy that having 4 paws on the floor is a great way to gain attention/initiate interaction. Remember that jumping up is pretty rude, but sitting calmly is polite.
Now start working on the above when you're out & about - you want puppy to meet & greet other people & dogs, appropriately & politely - no muddy paws on trousers! Start working on your sit & settle in quietly populated areas & gradually increase the challenge as we talked about at your session.
Puppies are always distracted & will want to interact with others & explore - this can be a challenge! Ensure you bump up the reward factor, train with a gradually progressive hierarchy of distractions & help your puppy out by getting his/her attention/focus first, just as we've chatted about.