Hi,

I have an 8 week old puppy. When is the best age to start basic training such as sit, down, leave, etc? Obviously rewards will be part of the training but i dont know what age a dog has to be before it can have doggy treats? Ive tried looking through books but i cant find this out.

Please advise!

Sharon

Hi Sharon
The answer is- a.s.a.p.
For the time being, your pup wont be allowed out until all vacc's are done, but in your garden it would be fine.
Start with basic lead training, believe me, the sooner you start this the better. You want to dis-allow chewing the lead, pulling etc. Chewing the lead is a classic with untrained dogs/pups. Get them out of this habit as soon as you can.
Then, bring in a bit of sit....when you start walking for real, try re-enforcing it by sitting for crossing roads (the dog, not you :) ).
Recall is very imprtant, so in your garden get someone to hold the pup one end...then you walk away saying "wait"...then turn around and shout "come". It is one of the most important, if not THE most important thing for them to know, they must know recall when out so that you can be sure they will come back to you....it could also prevent an accident, eg, running up to a road...you want them to know what "come" means and respond to it.
Make sure you have an abundance of rewards, both physical (treats) and mental (lots of fuss).

Dont overload it all on an 8 week old though. Do a few minutes at a time (once or twice a day, and make it fun for her)...otherwise they will get bored..and it is too much for them mentally at that age. As she gets older extend the time...

Good luck

Have to agree with Steph - short and sweet sessions - always end on a good note - so something she does successfully. You can mix in some little tricks too for fun - 'giving a paw' is the one of the easiest.

Regarding treats - you don't have to just use commercial treats ( and anything can upset tummies when pups are small , if you overdo it!) - we use everything from 'Schmakos', 'Rewards', pieces carrot and brocolli , pear, banana, tiny pieces of cooked Frankfurt sausages and little pieces of cheese. Just keep the size of the reward small.

Training classes will give you all the tips you need once puppy has had her jabs.

Best wishes - early learning is for me the best time!

Nikki