# Is there a specific order you should train commands in? Which did you teach first?



## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

The first thing I work on is their name then coming when called(re-call). Once we are getting the hang of that I work on sits and down and walking on a leash. With all of my dogs start right away. Puppies are sponges take advantage of that much easy to teach them when they are young.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

They are sponges when they come home - you can literally start training everything from day one. Big thing with puppies though is be gentle and patient. Don't hurry them too much. Don't train long periods of time - think 1-5 minute sessions. 

Good thing to really work on as a family too is "nothing in life is free". Which means your puppy learns to work or do a trick to get treats. They aren't just handed out. Same thing with meals. 

Here's videos I did with my youngest - just for fun. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVsrlWCKhJo&list=UUUOHOkkc9fLL9kG_Zlho_hA

^ Kitchen doodles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHVpxmj567Y&list=UUUOHOkkc9fLL9kG_Zlho_hA&index=28

^ Beginning to learn to walk with me and sit automatically + come (come go-go-go).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgOV7xPZX98&index=34&list=UUUOHOkkc9fLL9kG_Zlho_hA

^ This is my older boy, but beginning part is the crate games I played with him while making crate training fun for him. The guy was never in a crate all his life until he was about 3 years old and I began planning/preparing to have 2 dogs going to classes and shows with me (hence crates are very necessary). These crate games - sending to crate and rewarding are a great way to make crates fun for puppies as well, and I did that with my youngest. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYIUtw0tnr0&index=23&list=UUUOHOkkc9fLL9kG_Zlho_hA

And to give you an idea of what all you can put together in a few months. This is the same puppy as the first couple videos when he was about 4-5 months old. Basically by that time I'd taught the complete foundation for all the competition stuff. Because he was a gangly puppy, it wasn't all ready for trial (golden males mature slowly and some dogs need more time to grow up than others), but it was all roughly there.


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## Marcus (Aug 24, 2014)

Megora said:


> Here's videos I did with my youngest - just for fun.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHVpxmj567Y&list=UUUOHOkkc9fLL9kG_Zlho_hA&index=28
> 
> ...


Ok yeah you going to have to go into more detail please.

what is you dog looking at?, I'm assuming you have a bucket load of treats in your pocket and in the in the hand he is looking at?

How long did it take for him to do this consistently with out having to treat him?

Do you still need to carry treats?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Marcus said:


> what is you dog looking at?, I'm assuming you have a bucket load of treats in your pocket and the in the hand he is looking at?


For puppies at home, I normally have a piece of bread. I tear off three finger pinch of bread at a time to reward X. 

Generally a training session at home with both dogs now will always involve 1-2 pieces of bread, and that is it. 

Training at clubs and doing fun matches - generally more treats are involved because classes may be 1-2 hours instead of 1-10 minute training sessions.

With puppies there is a lot of luring and guidance with the treats in the hand. The luring and open use of treats for luring goes away and treats become minimalized and only given for the dog performing a bunch of things as opposed to reward each and every thing the dog does.

In the learning phase, you will reward each and everything your dog does. Over time, this becomes rewarding every third thing your dog does. And then rewarding at the end of X that your dog does.

About now, depending on what I'm actually working on and where, I would expect to use 1-2 treats while going through an entire ring routine with my youngest. And I'm working on getting that to just 1 treat before we begin entering trials. 

Use of treats.... while you are not allowed to use treats in the ring, does not get faded away completely.




> How long did it take for him to do this consistently with out having to treat him?


 In case you meant heeling at my side with heads up attention or focus - this is one of the reasons why use of treats or play rewards are not faded away completely. The initial training of heel position - you have treats in the left hand and that hand's sole purpose is to bind the dog's head to the hip while you are moving and ensure rewards are given only at that spot to reinforce position. Over time the treats come out of the hand, but initially the hand at the hip reminds the dog to lock into position right there. That is where I will keep my leash hand during on leash heeling.... and for off leash heeling treats in the mouth or coming from the left hip pocket gradually allows you to slip the hand over the stomach. At least here in the US with AKC. Other countries allow a different style of heeling - generally permitting trainers to keep their "lure hand" at the hip on leash or off.


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## Marcus (Aug 24, 2014)

Sorry for the thread hi-jack

I want to learn the "Beginning to learn to walk with me and sit automatically + come (come go-go-go)", like in your vid. 

Do I just walk with the treat in my hand pinned to my side, and walk so he is jumping for my hand to get the treat, while saying what? "heel", and then what? make him sit and give him the treat? then rinse and repeat?

God reading this back make me sound like two year old


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Marcus said:


> Do I just walk with the treat in my hand pinned to my side, and walk so he is jumping for my hand to get the treat, while saying what? "heel", and then what? make him sit and give him the treat? then rinse and repeat?


I don't use the word "heel" until I've gotten to the point where the dog is learning really specific heel position and I'm getting it. 

For very informal training - like with young puppies.... I just say "let's go". 

Practice in a hallway in your home - so you will have minimal distractions and you can do this off leash. 

Start with a sit so you can have control. Your treat hand should be placed where you want your puppy's head to be focused when moving. With me, that's at my hip or in that general area (I crouched for Bertie when he was very little). 

You don't want your pup jumping up for the treat... the idea is heads up attention in heel position. I like to see them excited and active in heel position - which you will get with faster rewards, or building their excitement for faster reward. 

When you see your puppy doing what you want to see - immediately reward, praise, and play. 

If your puppy gets more excited about tennis balls or stuffies - you can use them at your hip instead of treats and throw forward or backward or drop and take off running as rewards. 

In the video - I was guiding the sits with Bertie when he was a puppy. This because I wanted straight and fast sits in heel position each time I stopped. Over time (can be about week if you train every day) they start automatically sitting when you stop and tell them sit. And if they don't sit, you just guide them into the position and praise. 

As your puppy learns - you can start stretching out how many steps you do before rewards.... or you can start mixing things up and rewarding and breaking off when you see what you want and stopping on a high point.

Always keep this stuff fun for the dogs - it should really be their favorite times of the day getting to train.



**** Should have prefaced the last couple posts that this is based on how I've learned. It's not always what other people do when training stuff with puppies. There quite a lot of diversity in dog training. There's people on this forum who are just amazing at what they accomplish with their puppies in a shorter period of time and what all they do to train and motivate. There's been a few puppy training videos posted over the last years - which I've enjoyed.


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## momtwobys (Nov 8, 2014)

Megora said:


> They are sponges when they come home - you can literally start training everything from day one. Big thing with puppies though is be gentle and patient. Don't hurry them too much. Don't train long periods of time - think 1-5 minute sessions.
> 
> Good thing to really work on as a family too is "nothing in life is free". Which means your puppy learns to work or do a trick to get treats. They aren't just handed out. Same thing with meals.
> 
> ...


Thank-you so much for sharing!!!!! On the first video, what is the point of touching the thing hanging? Sorry I'm so clueless.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

When I have a new puppy, the first things I teach are:

- Crate
- Playing with me
- Recall (calling my dog)
- Name
- Wanna Go Out?
- Sit
- Down
- Follow my hand/finger
- Baby take it, Give
- Different surfaces, wobble board, baby ladder
- Their toys versus my stuff
- Leash walking is kind of natural but they do get some leash time
- Cars are fun
- Backyard is fine, front & side yards needs me & a leash
- Don't steal anyone's food
- Feet care & grooming (they get to really enjoy this but it takes training)
- My handling them anywhere
- That I am faster than they are (not for long but the imprint is there)

I personally do not tend to teach heeling or any other precise position until they are approaching their adult size. Just my preference. I do try to lay a good foundation for learning, playing and being around other dogs since they will be competition dogs (agility, obedience, rally and possibly more)

But manners, safety (come, down, sit) and general enjoyment of learning are my focus for the first several months.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

momtwobys said:


> Thank-you so much for sharing!!!!! On the first video, what is the point of touching the thing hanging? Sorry I'm so clueless.


In comp obedience, there is an exercise where dogs are sent straight across the ring where they are to pivot around and sit on command to face their owner still standing at the other end of the ring. 

Go touch - if taught early is the basic foundation for that send away exercise.


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## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

Probably depends on what's important to you in terms of the order. I ran into someone who was mostly concerned with teaching her dog to fetch and like water so that's what she focused on from 8wks out and wasn't until weeks later till dog learned anything like sit. Explains so much about the dog. 

Some things get learned quickly and others you add on over time. This was mostly my first batch of commands and most was done kind of at the same time. 
Busy - Go Pee
Big Busy - Go Poo
Sit
Wait
Come
Name
Settle Down
Down
Stay


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## xooxlinds (Aug 23, 2014)

Be careful with breads to dogs.. very common table food that can lead to pancreatitis. I see this very often around holidays at the vet hospital I work. I would start on healthy treats like green beans


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

xooxlinds said:


> I would start on healthy treats like green beans


You should use whatever is high value to the dogs. Green beans really doesn't cut it. 

Using bread - you are not using a lot of bread, or enough to make a dog ill (a good chunk of bread probably could cause problems!). With a puppy you will probably only use a piece of bread (like sandwich bread - one slice) in one training session. It tears into small enough pieces and will not upset their stomachs the way meats and cheeses may. 

We started using bread for home training, because we had a dog develop colitis because he was allergic to dairy products - and we had been using a goodly amount of cheese in class and at home. 

Around the holidays biggest problem is dogs getting too much meat handouts. _Rich_ food. Like turkey and ham.

One of our dogs had pancreatitis shortly after Easter. And it was directly correlated with him getting slices of ham. After that first round of pancreatitis, it left him relatively prone to developing it a second time.

This is a side topic, but my Jacks had a very minor issue a few months ago (August I think) which I think was borderline pancreatitis. He had all the symptoms even though the xrays and blood test were inconclusive. His thyroid was out of control at the time (untreated thyroid disease and a dog being overweight will make him more prone to developing all kinds of health problems) and this episode coincided with a very traumatizing period for him (lots of heavy storms - several days in a row he basically was in a state of panic nonstop). 

Just had to say - if you've ever been through pancreatitis with a dog, you kinda go nuts making sure it never happens again.


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## bemyangell (Mar 4, 2007)

Whay are some good treats to use while training?


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## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

bemyangell said:


> Whay are some good treats to use while training?



Something small so that they can eat them quick and it's not interrupting the flow. 

I use chicken breast, chicken loaf, cabanossi, apple, ham (although reconsidering that choice after Megora's warning). Lots of stuff.


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## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

apples, pears, and cheerios

green beans - Murphy licked them and then promptly spit out with a look that was almost like "seriously what are you thinking?". Which is okay as then I don't have to share my yummy green beans.


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