Puppy Mini T

Heads up - this is a poor-quality, older video clip. 

This puppy was 8 weeks old the day this video was recorded. She had one week of training prior to this day.  

Several things I want to point out. 

This drill combines 6 different responses the puppy has learned. We taught each action individually before chaining them together. 

1. go to a target, 2. take a small obstacle en route to the target,  3. recall from the target, 4. remote sit on the return, 5. cast to a target from the remote sit, 6. wait on the target until called, and then 7.  another recall. 

This was all taught as a game, we do not "make" the puppy do any of this. We are asking the puppy all the time in training, would you like to do ______X___ now?

When the puppy answers Yes! I would like to do ____X___ now we repeat the process, set up the cues that tell the puppy what we want, and then reinforce the desired action.

The cues that inform the puppy what we want in training include your Dixie Cup targets, the pallets you use for casting, the verbal cues or words you say before releasing the puppy, the arm or hand signals, and the physical surroundings. Consistent handling of the puppy helps adds more information for the puppy. When starting this drill I always carry the puppy out to place the reward on her target, I always lift her and show her the target before releasing her. 

When we do this often the cues that tell the puppy what we want them to do start a craving in the puppy for the reward that we have connected to the behavior. This craving drives the puppy to complete the action that makes the reward happen.

There is a transformation that takes place at this point. The behavior becomes rewarding! 

We get what we want, the puppy gets what she wants!