Muddy, wet Bozo comes in the door and ‘sits’ like the well-trained puppy he is. If he knows how to ‘stand’ when asked, the drying off becomes much easier. It’s also a useful position for the vet and the groomer. Of course you have kibble in your pocket. There’s kibble in the pocket of everything you own! (At least for these first weeks.) So, standing about a foot or less [...] Read more »
Training Your Puppy To Lie Down On Command
Now that you’re well on your way to a reliable ‘sit’ across the room using only a hand signal, let’s talk about ‘down’. Once you, not Bozo, have the methods of teaching the ‘sit’, ‘down’ and ‘stand’, you can (and I think it’s a good idea) teach all three simultaneously. Then, especially for the super-energetic dog, you can ask for a ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘stand’, ’down’, ‘sit’, ‘stand’ in sequence. First [...] Read more »
Training Your New Puppy To Sit
We’ve talked about ‘sit’ quite a bit already. In fact, I have suggested that you teach Bozo to ‘sit’ even if you teach him nothing else. It is so easy to teach a young puppy, though, it seems crazy to me not to teach them lots more. It’s not only easy but fun and the benefits… limitless. But I digress… SIT Get your bag of kibble. Put a couple of [...] Read more »
Training Your Puppy Not to Jump On People
I had no idea how selfish I was being when other people’s dogs would jump on me and I’d say, “Oh, that’s OK. I don’t mind.” Wow! How thoughtless and inconsiderate! What about big dogs, small people, wet dogs, muddy dogs, the elderly or fearful people? Is jumping on them OK too? I think NOT! I apologize to anyone whose dog training I interfered with. My love and enthusiasm for [...] Read more »
Handling Your Puppy…Hugging & Restraint
Hugging and handling – sounds like a no-brainer, huh? Doesn’t everyone want to pick up a puppy and hug it? How about puppies? Do they love it? Can’t answer that one. Besides for the sheer joy of it, puppies need to be hugged and handled for their own future good, and yours too. Vet visits, grooming, & toenail clipping all require handling. Let’s get Bozo pup comfortable with the idea [...] Read more »