Week 2 with your Dogs Overview:
Video: https://youtu.be/IrFnnB4QVFM
Now is the time for your puppy to experience new objects, obstacles, people, etc. In class we used the hand target and food lure for puppies to learn to walk onto and through new objects.
Your puppies are still young, and they are growing so be carful not to over do. I suggest talking to your vet before doing a lot of jumps, etc. to see what your vet suggests based upon your ups breed.
Teaching your puppy to follow your hand target or lure is also a great way to build a bond and communicate with your puppy.
Side: Week 2 with Dogs: https://youtu.be/y_h4iVDxnV0
Up & Off
Video: Covers obstacles and up and off, sit and down: https://youtu.be/IrFnnB4QVFM
Associate words with body position or what a dog is doing. Example: To teach off a dog must be up on something. Associate 4 feet on something with up and 4 feet hitting the ground with off. In class we had fun by cuing up and off of pedestals, asking for sits, & downs and adding tug or tossing of treats (depending on the motivation).
In new locations practice asking your puppy to sit, down and stand. If the distraction is too much use a food lure to help first. The most important part is to practice the skill in new places. (Video: https://youtu.be/0z1QzhWTfGg)
Also practice proofing; do they know the word without a signal, a signal without the word and both.
Eye Contact with Distraction Exercise
New Video: https://youtu.be/j8xxbFDsruU
Target Spot with Duration
Videos:
Older: https://youtu.be/o99K5PIEW-U
Practice by sitting down and waiting for your dog to move to target area on own and relax, or sending your dog to target spot or both. Once teaches to relax on own while the other teaches I need you there. Now reward for anything calm including offering to sit or lay down or simply looking at a distraction and not going. Reward on a varied schedule to promote your dog staying longer in hopes of the next treat. A varied schedule looks like a treat every 2 seconds, then 5 seconds, then 3 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 4 seconds, etc. Make sure a use the release word before your dog releases on their own.
*Tip: Once duration is starting to kick in make sure you start to reward for a dog that is not staring at you but instead looking around. Drop food between their feet. Great way to feed your dog's meal.
"Heel" Word - Step 2: Teaching Duration at Side
Videos:
Using Hand target or Lure cue to move to your side while standing in front of your puppy. Now feed over and over for puppy staying there in a stationary position. Move away from your puppy and repeat. Begin to use your hand target so puppy follows then treat.
Leash Pressure - Step 2
Step 2: Challenge away from added distraction
Introduction to Stay or Wait
Video: https://youtu.be/zlxnal53mLM
Great way to start is with your dog's meal; that way you have plenty of rewards to promote staying vs moving because of lack of reinforcement.
Start on a target spot of sorts so if your dog moves off you send them back to the same spot. Note: if they move off do not reward them for going back. Taht would reinforce getting off.
You can teach it in any position (sit, down or stand or just an offered position).
Introduction to the Release Word
When your puppy is in a stationary postion stand in front of puppy, snap fingers or tap on your leg and say their release word once.
Mark your puppy for getting up and moving a step then treat.
Once your puppy begins to understand the release word stop snapping or tapping on leg. Practice the release word whenever you are practicing stay or wait.
Note if you are an "ok" person and use the word a lot in everyday speech then I suggest a different word such as "all done, free, release, go).
Extra way to do Stay Plus Release Word Videos:
Adding the Word Stay or Wait Using Impulse Control Object:
Now it is time to add the release word:
Pass your Puppy
This week, practice taking your puppy to people and asking them to start low then ask for a sit or a down and feed low and repeat with petting.
Video: Teaching Say Hi with Hand Target https://youtu.be/t-D_wGbKEEY
Video: https://youtu.be/IOtGtuMyCd0
Adding Week 1 and 2 together with your dog: https://youtu.be/l2r1cvvtOYc