Leo's Training Journal

[mandelyn82]

I've seen these threads with the horses... so let's do a pup too!

Starting from scratch, Day 1, 6 weeks old:

Potty break right out of the car after getting him. Stayed outside until he did #1 and #2... took 2 1/2 hours. Played hard too, to make him sleepy.

Played, ate, back outside... waited until he went... praised him a lot!

The crate... he didn't like that. The first night he was too tired to care, crashed out for a full 7 hours. As soon as I heard a peep I rushed him outside. Accident free!

Night two he cried a bit, we didn't play as hard that day. From then on, I made sure to wear him out before bed.

Day 3 I had to work... an 8 hour shift, and an hour's drive. Got up extra early that morning, and played and played. Came home to no accident on the paper.

Day 5 was his first vet trip and car ride he was awake for. He kept wanting to cry, and climb on me. I set him on the floor board on a towel in the back seat. Dual purpose there... looking out the window can cause car sickness. The towel was potty protection, just in case. When ever he cried, instead of baby talking him (which in a dogs mind is praise for crying) I ignored him. When he really carried on, I smacked my hand on the middle console of the car accompanied with a "No". After 10 minutes, he fell asleep for the rest of the car ride. He didn't say much on the way home. Now he car rides without a peep.

Day 6- Day 10 he was sick, so we didn't do any training. Played when he felt up to it, but mostly a lot of sleep.

Day 11, he was feeling 100%... and he's turned into a little terrorist!!!

He's gotten bold, so we're really practicing "come here". While out in the yard, I'll periodically call him. When he gets to me, I praise the heck out of him. Same with potty... praise, praise praise!!

He came with sit... he's a watcher. So all I had to do there was let him know he was doing the right thing.

He's bad about biting heels and ankles, grabbing pant legs... it's a Heeler thing. It's such a strong instinct for them as pups that telling them No doesn't work for awhile.

With him, I start with a firm "No"... we've established the meaning of the word over shoes, table legs, cabinet doors, rug corners, anything he's not supposed to have.

He started growling and tugging harder when I said No over the ankle biting. So if the first No didn't work, I'd reach down and grab him by the scruff of the neck, with a No, and set him down next to me. A week later... he doesn't do it near as bad, and a No stops him if he starts it.

(It had taken a lot longer on my full-blooded Heeler)

8 weeks old, Today. He mastered the stairs from the garage into the house. Coming up them anyways. He doesn't yet have the cordination to go down, so I've not pushed that.

Knowing when the pup is ready to learn something is important... I knew he was ready to go up the steps when he leaped onto the bottom landing. It took him 4 days to get onto the landing. I let him practice that for awhile.

Then yesterday... I just left him on the landing while Ricca and I went up the steps. He cried, I told him to come on. He made it half way up before giving up. Today, he did the whole flight. Didn't cry when I left him today, just started up them one by one. He got praised and praised, and earned "A big dog biscuit" which he promptly took to his crate.

He likes his crate now.. never cries. He'll even put himself to bed if I go outside to check the mail. He knows he's to be there if I'm not home, and that the first thing I do is let him out when I return. You should hear him squawl if I walk by and don't let him out! Can't even set my keys down first.

I always put his favorite toys there if I see them on the floor. He knows his favorite toys can be found in his crate, as well as his water bowl and bed. When ever he gets a new toy... it goes straight into the crate, not his mouth. So the crate has become a cool place for him to go, and he goes there whenever he's bored, tired, or thirsty. That only took about 2 weeks for him to appreciate it.

We did our first day of leash training. He back peddled a bit, and I just told him to come on and I took off walking. He figured out real quick it was better to keep up. I like that he gives so easily to pressure.

I only did the leash for the sake of public outings. Even though our yard isn't fenced, he never strays. The second I see his head pointed out with interest... that's when I call him to me. I don't wait for him to start trucking out of the yard.

Biding my time though until the day he bolts because of a squirrel or something. So we've really been working on respect and listening the first time I say something... so that when that day comes.. he has a strong recall.

We haven't done any formal training really... just what I expect. He really impressed me today with his little brain. I was changing out of my work clothes and he dropped to pee right there on my bedroom rug, even though he did outside not 20 minutes ago, twice. I really got after him... I watch him like a hawk to make sure he doesn't sneak, and there he goes right in front of me. I mean, I really got a mean tone. I nudged him out into the doorway, and said something along the lines of "Sit and stay there" and boy did he! Didn't move a muscle while I finished changing and then he just dropped in beside me, little tail wagging when I left the room. Perfect little heel and no ankle biting.

I love the Heeler breed... they have a natural heel after you stop the ankle biting, and a natural sit becase they do like to watch and pay attention.

And he has the lab and cur... gives him a little bit of dumb puppy and an extra cute face. My old Heeler never was a dumb puppy... she started out mature and smart besides the ankle biting.

Leo though... smart as he is, he has some very "special" moments where his blonde coat really shines.