What did you train before your dog was 6 months old?
Moose knew:
Rally exercises through advanced level
wobble board/ small teeters
"jumps" (6in PVC, cut in half and laid on the ground)
did a TON of "It's Yer Choice"
With Traveler I was much more caught up in teaching OB things like gorgeous downs (in motion, on recall etc.) sits, stands, heel, focus etc and he had those down great and still does
With Didgie I'm purposefully kinda staying away from that stuff and mainly teaching her to learn. Shaping a lot of random things that I usually don't see through all the way because I'm a lax trainer like that. But mainly, I'm trying to get her to just enjoy life, be exposed to things, how to react to them and learning that I'm really kinda cool and learning things with me is kinda fun.
I have one of those too. She still is a velcro dog who gets nervous when I leave the room, for fear that I won't come back for her (this is 4 years later) She wasn't left on a highway, but returned to the shelter 3 times before she was 9 months old
With Traveler I was much more caught up in teaching OB things like gorgeous downs (in motion, on recall etc.) sits, stands, heel, focus etc and he had those down great and still does
With Didgie I'm purposefully kinda staying away from that stuff and mainly teaching her to learn. Shaping a lot of random things that I usually don't see through all the way because I'm a lax trainer like that. But mainly, I'm trying to get her to just enjoy life, be exposed to things, how to react to them and learning that I'm really kinda cool and learning things with me is kinda fun.
That's what I plan on doing with my next pup. Moose is just too smart for his own good, and I run out of new things very quickly. I taught him a formal retrieve in 10 minutes last week. Looks pretty dang good too
What did you train before your dog was 6 months old?
Moose knew:
Rally exercises through advanced level
wobble board/ small teeters
"jumps" (6in PVC, cut in half and laid on the ground)
did a TON of "It's Yer Choice"
all the normal OB stuff, it's yer choice by 5 wks, recalls, restrained recalls, wobble boards, balance disc,target boards and targeting, had a solid stopped contact with proofing, shadow handling, sending out and around objects at distance, but certainly no jumping or any type of agility equipment with the exception of blank work and jump bumps. Also lots of time spent socializing and playing at agility trials, motel life on the trial road along with the normal socializing etc. Some tricks as well.
That's about all. I wish I knew I wanted to do competitive stuff when I got her as I could have laid a better foundation, but I am glad that she kind of got to be a regular dog and socialize a ton... Well until her eye injury at 6 months old.
I focus on putting the pieces in place instead of entire exercises. So... teaching the dog that being on my left side with their head up is a Very Good Thing, same with interacting with the dumbbell, same with offering eye contact, same with sitting straight in front of me, etc. Wobble boards, body awareness, drive building, etc. Mostly I just want attitude and engagement. I saw lots and lots of dogs that were "ahead" of my 6 month old at the same age, except that just because they could heel for 3 minutes didn't mean they looked good doing it, or were having any fun. I'm all about the attitude and the fundamentals.
One of the places I go for drop-in training has people that are clearly mystified at the fact that I pay just to go in the ring with my year old dog and just doodle OB commands and play tug. :rofl1: Or that I won't make her do a 1 min sit stay and 3 minute down stay yet.
By 6 months old Cohen knew touch, sit, down, speak, come, stand, paw, stay, bang, roll over, back up, go pee, go to bed, go outside, heel, front and bow.
Then the standard stuff like socialization, housebreaking, etc.
I have a really dorky `'things i want to teach' list for future puppy that isn't even born yet lol there is a timeline and videos and articles to help and everything
I was going to share it but was looking at it and felt like such a dork!! Lol
I have a really dorky `'things i want to teach' list for future puppy that isn't even born yet lol there is a timeline and videos and articles to help and everything
I was going to share it but was looking at it and felt like such a dork!! Lol
Probably just the very basics - sit, down, stay, leave it, touch (only taught in order to condition the clicker), and a recall that only worked at home.
Granted, aside from housebreaking, I didn't even begin teaching Juno anything until she was 12 weeks old. At that time I really knew nothing about training and had no interest in it.... it was just an overwhelming chore.... things will be sooo different in the future.