You must make sure in your preschool puppy training that your puppy should be slowly conditioned to expect his ten minute walk every day, while learning that rewards like treats or praise go hand-in-hand.
While having each walk with your pup, observe him if he is lost in thought with the sights or sounds around him. When this happens, do this following maneuver: kneel down, say your puppy’s name, followed by the command “come”. Pull him gently to you, give him the tasty treat and then praise him. You have 10 minutes, and four tidbits, to get four “come” maneuvers in during each daily walk for days 4, 5, 6, and 7 - of the pup’s ninth week of age.
It Is Very Important To Use So Many Treats?
You may be wondering why it’s necessary to give the puppy a treat in each instance that the “come” maneuver is executed. We don’t want the tidbit reward to become the prime motivating factor in later training, as would happen if we were to give the tidbit all of the time - and all action in response for the issued command.
Consider this thought: we’re teaching the pup how to learn, knowing that using the praise alone, just isn’t that big of a payoff at his young age.
After the your puppy’s ninth week of age, he will realize that the play toy will not be thrown for him to retrieve until he allows himself to be in a sitting position. In reality that you will throw the toy again, becomes the prime motivating factor, with praise being secondary. Since the game must be ending, it must be concluded by a reward - thus, the tidbit treat.
Even though praise is not sufficient to use in motivating a nine week old puppy, we must motivate him something else when teaching “come”. For a puppy to give up his sight and scent excursion, and come running to you when commanded, it must be something more in it for him than a pat on the head, or simply being allowed to continue his walk. So, the treat, of necessity, becomes the prime motivator. Again, the praise is secondary.
It is best to reinforce the “come” command - at times other than when school is in session - would be at feeding time. Call the puppy’s name, followed by the command “come” as his food dish is placed on the floor. Don’t take the food to the puppy; instead, make the puppy come to the food dish as you speak the command “come”. Don’t confuse his chalkboard mind with “come on boy, it’s time to eat” and expect it to reinforce the come response.
It is really important that you talk to your pup to assist him in developing his vocabulary and also his personality, don’t use any other word except the command word when reinforcing your pups response in your training.
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