It’s funny how quickly something becomes a habit with a puppy. I guess I never paid much attention with my other dogs but it only takes a couple of times of doing something with Oscar and suddenly, that’s how it goes from then on.
When I let Oscar out of the crate in the morning, we go out for a walk. We’re usually out for 20 minutes or so and we come in and I feed him. With the Honest Kitchen dog food, I still put a bit of dry kibble in Oscar’s bowl. The kibble is in a dog food container in the basement hallway. I pick up Oscar’s bowl and he runs to the dog food container. I add about 1/4 cup of the dry kibble, then we go into the basement garage where his Honest Kitchen food is kept the fridge. He runs ahead of me and waits at the fridge. I get the already rehydrated food out, as well as a little container of pumpkin. I give him his portion of the Honest Kitchen food and a spoonful of pumpkin. He gets so excited!
Then he gobbles the food down. It’s so fun to watch his excitement and anticipation.
When I was talking to a neighbor maybe Thursday or Wednesday and he was telling me how he trained his dog. He said always keep treats in your pocket, which I pretty much do. That’s obvious by the amount of mini milk bones I dig out of my washing machine! The neighbor was telling me to say “Come” over and over when we’re outside and he’s on a leash. Give him a treat every time he comes, then, when he’s outside and not on a leash and I say “come”, in theory, he will come. I’ve been doing that for two or three days and he’s already doing quite well with it.
Also, I’ve been saying “drop it” with things I want him to drop, and then giving him a treat and now he’s doing that and not always turning around and waiting for a treat. He’s learning what’s expected. The magnolia leaves are so big and thick and Oscar loves grabbing those. I haven’t had to stop and pry his mouth open to get the leaf out in over a week now! 🙂
Only about 1-1/2 months and he will be a year old. I know there isn’t going to be a magical change in his behavior on his birthday but I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel with his behavior.
montanaclarks says
It’s so cool to teach a dog something and have it stick! I have had five dogs in my adult life and Emmi is the only one that will come to me on command. She also potties on command–handy when it’s zero degrees outside!!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Do you think it’s Emmi or do you think you’ve been better/more consistent at training? Oscar is the best one I’ve had so far at obeying commands and I think it’s because I’ve been more consistent with my training. He knows “Drop it” and will now drop whatever he has in his mouth and immediately turn around for a treat but, at least I’m not digging something out of his mouth. He will also go out and potty on command but I pretty much know his schedule and, I’m strict and consistent. There have been times when I’ve wanted to give up when we’d been out walking in the drizzly rain for what seemed like forever but I knew not to do it.
Vince hasn’t learned the “tone” and Oscar doesn’t listen to him at all. Vince says “no biting” with the same tone I use for “good boy” and Oscar never stops biting him. I’ll say “NO BITING!” and Vince says “He doesn’t listen to me like he listens to you!”
Oscar is very motivated by treats so that may be why he’s been easy to train to commands. I wish there was a “no energy!” command! 🙂
montanaclarks says
I was determined not to have another hard headed schnauzer who wouldn’t obey and I was super successful! I had training advice from a friend who does the initial training for guide dogs and I was consistent. Emmi knows leave it, come, go potty and a bunch of other things. She definitely knows “chicken”–I give her plain, boiled chicken as a treat in the evening. And the same thing in this household–Mike doesn’t have the “tone” to make Emmi behave. Not that she misbehaves much at this stage of the game, she is 12 years old and sedate–like Mike and me! 🙂 🙂
Cilla Hould Tyler says
You will miss that puppy brained energy someday. Just like missing baby Chad. It goes by way too quickly.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I know. He’s already matured some and I miss the early puppy stage. I was telling Nicole something today that he had been doing and has stopped and I told her I’m going to miss the puppy days.