More puppy training tips

Tango and Booker

• Train one dog at a time! Put the other dog away for a few minutes (in his crate or in another room) - he'll be fine.
• Let him watch, if possible. Jealousy is a powerful training motivator.
• But, keep the training times about equivalent, and as short as 5 minutes per session.
• Review yesterday's lesson. And review it again tomorrow.
• Bring the best treats to class, to try to maintain your puppy's attention. Use the next best for daily training sessions. - Fran

10 Things to Remember when Training a Puppy

Booker at 10 weeks old.

1. Keep your session short.
2. Have several sessions each day.
3. Review your last session briefly.
4. Smile!!!
5. He's a puppy! Limited attention span!
6. Work on one or two things per session.
7. Put on your happy voice!
8. No corrections - he's a puppy and doesn't know anything!
9. Be consistent!
10. Use super-yummy treats to keep his focus on you. - Fran

Booker's first class!

Booker is about 18 weeks old now, perfect for starting puppy class with North Shore Dog Training Club! The main focus of the first class was focus and attention. Very difficult for a puppy who just wants to play with everyone! Fortunately, I had yummy treats, and after Booker tried to go over to the Viszla puppy, then the Boxer puppy, then the Chihuahua puppy, he came back to me and we had a party! The idea is for me to be more fun and more rewarding than the other puppies and people who don't have anything for Booker. (Interaction between puppies is discouraged in this class - people can find places for their dogs to play with other dogs on their own. Class time is for instruction.) The goal is for the people to build a strong bond with their dogs - both for work and play. So, we had a good first class - yesterday we took a walk in the neighborhood, even though winter is hanging on and it was below freezing! Booker is starting to walk quite nicely on  lead. - Fran

Booker's getting ready for school!

Booker is 16 weeks old! He's growing by leaps and bounds, and he's eager to learn everything. (Otherwise he'll be getting into trouble!) So I'll be taking him to the next puppy class session which starts in a couple of weeks. We took this shot yesterday to highlight some school supplies. But I just think it's a cute picture of Booker! Hope is great at shooting this constant-motion machine! She just shoots away and knows that at least one picture will be good. And she was right!
(Booker is wearing a Yellow Dog Design Collar, the 3/8 inch Leather Leash that's 6 feet long. Those are Toy Temptation treats, the Outward Hound Treat 'n Training Bag, biodegradable Poop Bags (he's a puppy, after all!), an iClick Clicker and Wrist Coil. So many supplies for a little puppy!) We're going to have a great time! - Fran