The video below demonstrates a typical training session for families to follow after they get home with their puppies. This puppy is trained to about the 11-week mark, though he is a little younger. Below the After Puppy Pick Up video, you’ll find a few tips to help you as you train.
Training Tips for After Puppy Pick Up
Follow the guidelines on our Do’s and Don’ts for positive reinforcement training page. This post has information that should be helpful throughout your puppy’s life.
More Helpful Tips for the First Few Days When Making the Transition from Our Home to Yours
Make sure you don’t push your puppy too far. Remember: your puppy needs to learn your voice, your hand signals, and your expectations. Start off making it simple and gradually build back up to the training your puppy demonstrated when you picked him up.
Expect memory lapses. Some days very young puppies will have “off” days where they will seem to completely forget a command. They are not being disobedient but rather are confused. Back off with your training and make it easier until your puppy’s brain re-sets.
Don’t forget to work the exercises at easy levels often. Puppies who are consistently pushed further and further without practicing at easy levels will at best get confused. At the worst, they could totally loose motivation to work with you.
Set your puppy up for success. Gradually increase the difficulty. However, don’t increase the criteria for reward so much that your puppy is making mistakes more often than 20% of the time.
Don’t work your puppy too long. You need to quit your training session before he gets bored. Leave him wanting more! Short frequent training sessions are better than infrequent longer ones.
Below is a short fun video of a puppy heeling off leash at 10 weeks. Many Summer Brook trained puppies will heel off leash for short periods of time. If yours doesn’t already, keep up the training and yours should be too with a few days or weeks. It’s fun to watch a puppy when he is focused and working!