Chuck 15wks
This past week with Chuck:
I've been progressing his understanding of stay to include much more handler movement. I can walk around behind him, jump up and down, go about 10-15ft away, and drop food on the floor. Next week I plan to ask him if he can still stay while I move to sit in a chair and do brief out of sights.
We now have a stand! Still done 90% of the time with front feet on a raised surface, but it's not a wiggly jump into the air or just plain walking! I like that he keeps his front feet still to kickback into one. And as a bonus it has also helped him in his sit-down-sit transitions. His sit seems to be broken this week as he constantly goes into a down. If he is already down he just stares at me blankly. He is better on his little pedestal.
Tugging open cabinets! Very very light and extremely easy to open, but never the less he has a little tug. We still get some mouthing of the rope but Chuck is starting to get the concept of bite and pull back.
Retrieving is also getting much more controlled and purposefully aiming for my hand. I can throw him off a bit if I have my hand out to the side, but overall he's doing well. Usually there is no mouthing of the object unless he gets confused and wiggles his butt everywhere.
Practicing "M&M's" or heel-front-side transitions. He is kind of getting the verbal cue as he starts to move to the correct spot but needs a lure to actually get to a good position.
Chuck is also working on rollover and can do both directions with a lure. This was actually insanely hard to lure as Chuck would stand up in with the slightest head turn. Lots of baby steps taken.
Yuh, PeeWee cannot learn the roll over either. Must have something to do with the springs in his legs. That standing still whilst mom is all jumping about is not easy. We even have trouble if mom just makes a face.
Slobbers,
Mango
Oh, he is just doing fabulously!! I always think you're such great inspiration for puppy owners - and for all those stupid people who think you can't/shouldn't start training puppies until they are 6 months old!?!?! It's wonderful watching Chuck work with you. And what people don't realise is that a puppy that is doing that is too tired the rest of the time to get into much mischief!
Hey - that's really interesting the way you taught transitions from Down - Sit - Stand - I never saw it taught that way before! What a great idea - coz I have real trouble with Honey doing the Stand from a Down or a Sit - she can't seem to kick back her back legs like most dogs I see...but I never know if this is because of her giant breed anatomy and she is just much slower and less agile than smaller breeds? So maybe it isn't possible for her to kickback that way? I've spoken to a couple of trainers and that's what they've suggested. Instead, she steps forwards slightly into a Stand, which I don't like as much...
I'm always torn between not wanting to make excuses for her but at the same time, keeping in mind that she does weigh a LOT more than other dogs (probably nearly 4 times yours!) and has a very deep chest and long legs and generally isn't as agile - and already moves better than most other giant breeds so I don't want to ask too much of her (and she is now nearly 7yrs so a senior)...but I will certainly try your idea with my next puppy!
There are so many things I wish I knew to teach Honey when she was small (like rear end awareness) coz it would have made life a lot easier now - instead the poor dog had to start learning a lot of these things at 5yrs old, which is already on the way to middle age for a Dane! :-) Oh well, at least I'll know for my next dog!
Hsin-Yi
ps. Hee! Hee! Love the little ferret bouncing around in the background of the video!
OMG I want to steeeeal him! That tail just kills me. Such a happy puppy.
Wow! I can't believe how much he's grown and how fast he's learning.
Your videos make me want to adopt a ferret. I've always, always loved them. Maybe one day.
Also, you've got the best song choices for your videos!