Hi ,
Not sure wether im cut out for all this training stuff though im 100% committed to getting oscar to behave the way i would like . Im so impressed to see people with there dogs that walk to heel , lay down , stay etc and would love to have my dog behave this way . So how lol
We have the sit bit off to a tee and i have tryed using a treat to lower oscar into the lye down position with no luck . He just gets over excited and his bum goes up in the air . So how do i do this ?
Also walking to heel , again if i carry a treat he will jump and go nutts so how do i get him to walk calmly to heel by my side . Have just got rid of the chewing the lead habit . Oscars 9 week old black lab , has 3 weeks before we venture out into the countryside and would like him trained to lead , and hopefully the stay and come commands . Getting there with the come commands , though a clicking of the teeth and come works better .
speak soon

He's still very very young yet, so take care that you're not expecting too much too soon. To have a reliable "sit" at 9 weeks is little short of miraculous! At that age, just walking on the lead is good - they're often like a fish on a line, flipping all over the place still. Calmness generally comes with maturity, just like children.

To get him into a "down", are you getting him into a "sit" first? It's much easier that way, because his bottom is on the ground already!

Don't keep training sessions longer than about 5 minutes, this is about all they can take in for some time. Don't risk getting him bored.

:)

I totally agree that calmness generally comes with maturity - it's easy to panic and worry that a mad pup will be like that forever ;)

I teach the Down a bit differently to Jeangenie, I do agree though that it may be good to teach it from the Sit in Oscar's case. I use a piece of cheese, liver or similar and just put it next to a standing dog's nose in a closed hand .... he can smell but not get it! Ooh yum! He may paw at it but that's OK.

If you lower the closed hand to the ground, he will follow it - dont let him have the treat until he is actually lying on the ground. Think you said you were using the clicker - if so, click and immediately treat when he is in the right position.

If you understand the concept of free shaping you can click him if he is part way down, then up the criteria but unless you are confident with the clicker dont attempt this yet :)

If he is VERY difficult to get down, try sitting on the ground with one leg out and up - and lower the treat so he has to creep under your leg to get it, he will have to get down !

Have fun,

Lindsay

I would suggest that you get the perfect puppy as there is excellent advise on teaching your puppy the basic commands in an easy format to read and understand. Good luck with your training

I have taught all my pups to lie down with the following method......
Stand by your pup, get his attention, then put a treat under your shoe on the floor, making sure he can see it, but not get it. In his attempts to get it, he will eventually automatically lie down trying to push his nose under your shoe. as soon as he lies down, lift your foot and let him eat the treat. Do not give any command at all at this stage. Within a few times of doing this pup will catch on that if he lies down he gets the reward. Once he has got the message, start to say "down" at the same time as lifting your foot, he will begin to associate the word "down" with the action. he will then begin to do it on command. Are you going to classes too? Advice on here is all well and good, but you need to be observed and corrected if necessary:)

Like the others have said he is a bit young to expect a heel and down

My lab is nearly 5 months old and she's just getting the hang of those commands.

To heel the instructor at the puppy classes I go to recommends just standing still while the lead is taught. Dont call them back just wait for them to realsie that while the lead is taught they dont get to go anywhere.

Just being picky, but don't you mean 'taut' not 'taught' - or do they have classes for leads?! :p ;) :)

Duh!!! sorry am at work, which automatically dulls my intelligence

Thanks for all the replys , Oscars training is kept to 5 minutes max as suggested but I use the sit word alot during the day , like when he brings his toy back to me and when he goes to get up on the sofa. He has definatly got the SIT command in his head . You can call across the room to tell him to sit and he will .

As for laying down again i get him to sit first but as i lower my hand his behind comes up again. Was just wondering about the heel bit did not think it would be this soon , but at least i know. Oscar is very intelligent catches on very quick.

I am going to training classes they start at 12 weeks old but would still like to do what we can in the mean time , rather than him spending 5 weeks no training and then all of a sudden new rules .
His nipping has got considerably less through training which is great and today hes been on the sofa once. (thankyou bottle of coins). Funny thing is he seems to of decided that during the day no sofa and at night when kids are in bed the sofa is his (or so he thinks)for about 1 minute!
And......If you can believe this at the mo he is actually fast asleep in his crate with the door closed......wonders never seem to amaze.

Never realisd how much a joy a dog can be -----hope it stays this way ;)

Have you managed to get a copy of The Perfect Puppy? It'll give you some good ideas to fill in the time until you can get to classes. I agree, 5 weeks with no training is a waste of valuable time!
:)

At that age, i had pretty rock solid sits from Dill, using clicker training (however, i did have him from 6 weeks, and began the training pretty much as soon as i got him). I managed good downs and waits (as in wait for treat) by about 11 weeks. This is all still pretty solid, which i am thankful for.
He is now 6 months, and his previously good recall is starting to get a bit wobbly! and the lead training is not so good as it was, but all in all, we are doing very well.
Perseverance will get you there, and make sure you are clicking even the moves in the right direction, this will shape the behaviour quicker i find.

Em

For the down try moving the treat slightly further away as you lower it. I've no idea if it will work, but its worth a try. Sounds like you are doing quite well though, i wouldnt worry too much, the classes do explain a lot, i think i learn't almost as much about training as my dog did when i first started!

If you "wait him out" after the treat in closed hand is on the floor, it is a very unusual puppy tht won't eventually flop down after trying his hardest to get it by barking, pawing etc. Let us know how he goes :)

That's good, because the whole point about training classes is to train *you*, not the dog. :) The dog then learns at home when you have time to *practice* what you have learned and *apply it* to teaching your dog what is expected from him. :) :) :)