Recommendations for training?

[Ddski5]

I know to train as much as we can individually. I do that some but prob not as much as I should. Thank you @Ravenbird @Rits @JanS for that reinforcement. Also, waiting on her last set of Parvo shots and will get her into a puppy class.

What I do a lot is put Freyja on a leash tied up and she sits and watches me train Ragnar through commands and fetch. So much fun to watch her sit and watch- the expressions on her face are so funny. Then, I will put Ragnar in a down stay and train Freyja.

Training commands with Freyja is centered around play so it’s not as structured as Ragnar’s. Teaching her to fetch is pretty fun because she absolutely mimics Ragnar. Not for sure she knows what she is doing but she will clumsily bring the ball back to me and be rewarded with a treat.

Trying really hard to make myself the center of all fun and games.

Anybody have any ideas or suggestions- tricks of the trade besides structural repetition over and over.

I took next week off and plan on doing a lot of stuff with her.

 

[JanS]

It sounds like you're doing everything right. Our trainer said to keep sessions short and fun and right now we're mostly working on leash manners and other basics. She already knew sit when she got here so her breeder must have worked on some of those basics early on. She's always been pretty good on leash and walks without balking or anything but boy when you add distractions it isn't nearly as easy.

I could PM you some of the basics our trainer sent me with different things to work on if you're interested. Since your girl is pretty similar in personality (it seems) it might be helpful to you too.

 

[Ddski5]

Sounds great Jan, please do!

 

[Kaiser2016]

Trying really hard to make myself the center of all fun and games.

I have come to believe that this is mostly only possible if all the toys come from your body as a reward for good behaviors so that the dog is always expecting something exciting from you. The toys all need to require your involvement in order to make YOU high value, so they all need to be tug type toys. Have you picked out a trainer yet? I would seriously consider an IGP type trainer (working dogs, sport dogs, etc.) and take their engagement class. "Engagement" may seem so blasé, but it's the foundation of future training. I think this should be required training for anyone with a working breed, regardless of whether the dog is meant to be 'just a pet'.

 

[Doberman Gang]

I have come to believe that this is mostly only possible if all the toys come from your body as a reward for good behaviors so that the dog is always expecting something exciting from you. The toys all need to require your involvement in order to make YOU high value, so they all need to be tug type toys. Have you picked out a trainer yet? I would seriously consider an IGP type trainer (working dogs, sport dogs, etc.) and take their engagement class. "Engagement" may seem so blasé, but it's the foundation of future training. I think this should be required training for anyone with a working breed, regardless of whether the dog is meant to be 'just a pet'.

This is correct, associating play with you thru tugging or possession of the toy. Three parts must be created. 1) you possess the toy, 2) your dog possesses the toy and 3) you both possess the toy. Each battle in hopes to win the toy then the game begins. If taught properly your dog will bring you the toy to reengage play.
Throwing the ball and playing retrieve or playing two ball does not create this type of bond, although it is a great source of exercising your dog.

 

[Rits]

I think part of it is keeping things interesting and different. Always keep her guessing whats going to happen today. Keep the locations new and different or what you ask her different. I find it gets them more engaged and really helps them learn to focus, even in new environments. It also keeps me from being too repetitive on one command and forces me to move onto something new. We often could be working on learning or improving multiple different skills at once. Especially at a young age since our sessions are only a few minutes long. Once that skill is solid (and honestly boring for them) at home, we change locations to keep it fresh.

At this age really its going to be your basics and all about fun.

You can teach her to step on on a box with two feet, reward, ask her to stand on the box, reward, step off the box etc. Asking her to sit, stand or down on a raised platform instead of just on the floor. Setup two chairs with a blanket over top and teach her to "tunnel". Teaching her these things will help build confidence and some body awareness.

Teach her to "touch" your hand with a treat tucked into your thumb and palm which will encourage her nose to shove into your hand to smell the treat. Dogs like things that move so you can use this to your advantage. You can have her "chase" your hand by moving it as you ask for a touch. This will up the excitement and is a great way to reward after having them follow a command. I learned this from Janice Gunn. She has multiple OTCH titles and has had a bunch of perfect 200 scores with 5 different dogs and in the game for 35 years. She explains that teaching them to chase the touch is much more interesting way to reward your dog than to deliver it to them. This makes them engage with you rather than performing the command and then doing nothing to have the treat delivered to them.

You could put a sticky note in your hand for touch, then transfer that note to anywhere in the house to make her think when you ask for touch. This can be used in many areas in the future for target training.

You can hide treats in boxes and tell her to "find it" and give lots of body rubs when she finds the treat. You can place these around and get creative and hide them with more difficulty.

You can teach her to "spot" and place on a designated rug or bed. Great to start now for when you are eating or having company coming to the door.

Once she gets the command and I don't need to mark the action but am looking to build duration, I phase out the treat and reward the end of the session with play with a tug. So when we do stacking practice with Ripley, in the beginning it was literally asking for her to plant 4 feet still for 5 seconds. Now we've built that up and ask her to hold it for about 2 minutes, and someone comes up to pet her during that time. Her reward for holding still is treat in between but what she really wants is PLAY!

Glad you started this thread because honestly, I'm always eager to find new ways others keep things fun and engaging for their dogs. These are just a few things I've picked up with our classes, through other experienced people, and online research.

 

[Ravenbird]

Agree with all the above, and @Rits has some great mental games which is crazy good for exhausting a puppy. The only thing I would add is to remove Ragnar completely at least half the time you have a "session" with Freyja. It could be good that he's over out of the way somewhere on a long down, but it would be good for both of them to be completely separate/out of sight from each other at least several times a day. Tally up the minutes you spend with Freyja alone with Ragnar completely out of sight to remind yourself of how much actual one-on-one you really have. Train/play inside with Freyja while Ragnar is out in the yard and visa-versa so she has only you. Take her out of the yard/down the sidewalk/around the block, just the two of you, somewhere she has never been and play the games on leash with tugs etc. in different places.

 

[Doberman Gang]

Agree with all the above, and @Rits has some great mental games which is crazy good for exhausting a puppy. The only thing I would add is to remove Ragnar completely at least half the time you have a "session" with Freyja. It could be good that he's over out of the way somewhere on a long down, but it would be good for both of them to be completely separate/out of sight from each other at least several times a day. Tally up the minutes you spend with Freyja alone with Ragnar completely out of sight to remind yourself of how much actual one-on-one you really have. Train/play inside with Freyja while Ragnar is out in the yard and visa-versa so she has only you. Take her out of the yard/down the sidewalk/around the block, just the two of you, somewhere she has never been and play the games on leash with tugs etc. in different places.

This is a must, separate time With you is so important. My dogs are almost always put up while I train with one of the others. Occasionally we may do imprinting work with a young dog but usually only a session or two if it is needed. That bond has to be strong between you and both dogs so they need to see each session as time with you and you alone.