Is it easy to teach your dog tricks? Sit, stay, roll over, etc?

[Kevin]

My wife and I are getting our first puppy this week and are a little worried about training her. Is it easy to teach puppies these things? What suggestions would you give? Any good websites/books to read? What are some good, easy, cheap treats we could give our pup? Thanks in advance!

[Adina P]

It is EASY to teach puppies to sit, lay down, come on command.  Doodle pups are smart so they learn quickly.  However, learning what words means does not translate into obedience for life until you've continued that training through their adolescence (5-12 months) and gone through a few levels of obedience classes AND continue to use/practice those skills.  I think the BEST thing is to enroll in beginning obedience, then continue all the way through advanced classes.  Puppy classes aren't that helpful, but give pups a chance to socialize with other pups.

[Adina P]

I would say the most valuable things to teach a new puppy are:

-- Where to potty (outside not inside)

-- To accept handling of body (feet, ears,etc)

-- To accept confinement (the crate)

-- To keep mouth off of humans

-- That jumping up on people does not lead to attention or good things

If you can accomplish that in the first 4-5 months you are doing great!

After that you want a class that will teach the basic important obedience commands: sit, down, stay, heel, come -- and you want a class that has goals of being able to obey these things off leash and around distractions.  A dog that learns these commands and is reliable at obeying them is way ahead of most dogs.  They seem simple and they aren't fancy, but critical :-) 

Tricks are fun and a great way to show off, but nowhere near critical.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Since you have never had a puppy, I think puppy class might just teach YOU and YOUR wife more than you think.  As Adina said, the puppies don't learn all that much, beyond socialization, but what you learn will be invaluable.  since you are moving around so much, (as per your other post) taking a class may be difficult schedule wise.  so, you can also practice all those great tasks on the list Adina suggested on your own.  Check out some you tubes on puppy training for ideas, or get some books and start reading up.  I bet the puppy madness section here on DK will further point you in the right direction for other resources.  

We train and still use Zuke's mini treats.  Not cheap, but go a long way since they are small and yummy and most importantly, not harmful junk for the pup.  

so exciting!  keep us posted!   

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Our dog Luna learns things VERY quickly... which includes things we don't want her to learn :)  Unfortunately being a quick learner does have its pitfalls.  The good news is she can pick up most commands in a single training session, which was true when she was a puppy too.

My best advice about training is to use high quality treats (I second the suggestion for Zuke's - they're great) so your pup won't get sick off them while you're in the big training phase.  Also - pair up any commands with a hand signal, that way if you can't give him/her verbal commands you can use the hand signal.  Luna responds to both the auditory and hand signal commands or both in combination.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Brinkley learns VERY fast.  He is very treat motivated... but I wouldn't have known where to start if we didn't do training classes.  We've done three rounds and it trains me as much as it trains him.  Now I know how to train him-- same method, different trick. 

[Star and Goldie]

Zuke Mini's are the best training treats!

I also second everything that Adina said. Her list of what to focus on in the first 4-5 months is spot on. Puppy classes are great and will help you to set the foundation. Then on to an intermediate class and then some obedience classes.  It's constant training and they do enjoy the training.

I would save some of the fun tricks for a little later but the absolute easiest 'trick' to train young is shake... and it's super cute. You can throw that one in but I'd wait a bit to focus on bigger tricks like roll over, play dead, etc...

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

I completely agree with the recommendation for classes with your new puppy starting as soon as possible. Consulting with a traininer before bringing puppy home may also be helpful. The book I referenced below is packed full of very helpful and practical information for anyone bringing home a puppy or is having difficulties with their puppy or older dog.

http://brendaaloff.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/puppyproblems.jpg

PUPPY PROBLEMS? NO PROBLEM! A Survival Guide for Finding & Training Your New Dog.  Includes DVD
The author of Maxwell Award winner Canine Body Language and Get Connected with Your Dog brings you a book that will make your dog owning experience with your new puppy or rescue dog everything you dreamed it would be!

This book goes beyond any of the other puppy books out there and brings you Brenda's 20 years of experience working with problem dogs as a professional pet behavior consultant. This gives Brenda a unique view of what owners should have done to prevent problems from occurring in the first place. She says, "Many of the sad situations that occur do not have to be. Education on the person's part combined with humane and effective technique can make dog ownership the joy you imagined it would be!" Training your dog should be a shared and fun experience that enhances the relationship you have with your dog. This book will lead you through each "problem" and in an easy to understand step-by-step program will show you how to make big differences in your dog's behavior.

I wish you the very best with your new puppy and look forward to seeing pictures!!!

[Sally S Miles]

Every moment is an opportunity to teach each other something - to a dog everything is a trick!  Basic foundation training is not an option, from there you can build on it.   Reinforce everything every day - nothing is free - learn to read your dog.

There are a lot of good suggestions for books - pile them up and start reading while your puppy naps.  I think the most important thing to remember is that a dog is not a robot, toy, or thing - they have emotions, thought processes, and individual traits. 

 

Cheap treats - make yourself with sweet potatoes/yams - slice into 1/3" thick slices and place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 200 degrees for three hours, turn and repeat. Makes tasty, easily delivered treats that have nutritional value. Keep in a bag in the freezer, I tear them into small bits or cut them and take handfuls for training.     They are dumb cheap and so easy - not to mention make the house smell good.