We didn’t go on any adventures or exciting outings today – except for pee breaks, we all stayed in, and it was …
Positions
… time for obediency stuff! We worked on positions in two sessions: one for Chai’s breakfast and the other one for her lunch.
Breakfast session
You’re about to see a 10 minute long uninterrupted positions training session with a 5 months old puppy. Is this what I, C, Professional Dog Trainer, would recommend anyone do with their 5 months old puppy? No. I’d say keep sessions to 2 minutes or, if you have a really avid worker, 3 minutes max at this age to ensure your puppy learns that training is a privilege rather than a chore. So why am I not heeding my own advice? Because I’m me and some days I can’t help it. I am grateful for having dogs who just roll with it! Also note that this is a day where training is pretty much all Chai got to do (except for pee outings which at this point mostly only involve Game peeing).
Session profile:
Cues: sit (sitz), stand (steh) and down (platz)
Announcements: All done (I will not work or play with you anymore even if you pester me)
Marker cues: tongue click (treat from hand), Good (room service), treats (scatter cue; in the very end of this video)
Home position: hands behind my back
Transition behavior (what I do between (marker) cues and (treat or lure) hand movement: blink once
Lunch session
Session profile:
Same as above.
Look how far her understanding has come between the two sessions! Go Chai! This is looking fantastic!
In some of the reps, it looks as if Chai was guessing positions. That is entirely possible … and it doesn’t bother me. She can play a guessing game and get reinforced anytime she gets it right. Over time, this leads to learning. Notice that Chai is learning several new things at the same time in this session: the marker cue “Good” (room service) and all three positions. She does not need to understand every single word I say in order for us to have an enriching training conversation. It’s like learning a new language or reading in a foreign language: you don’t need to know every single word or grammar rule in order to follow the plot.
PS: when I say “Yes,” it’s just a commentary on Chai having done well. It is not a marker cue.
PPS: the reason Game is chilling on her mat behind us is that she has excellent mat skills. If there was no mat, she would very much be participating!
Husbandry
+ Chai got the claws on her left and right back paws clipped and did great.
The art of doing nothing
She was able to hang out in her luxury kennel – the bathrooom – with visitors and Game in the main room. Good puppy keeping the FOMO from raising its head! It is just as important to include your puppy in your general activities as it is to occasionally have them NOT participate. Both are important skills for your future life together!