SIRIUS Dog Training: Berkeley Puppy 1

Also in Week 1 owners learn the importance of proper socialization & bite inhibition. The “Take It / Leave It” game is introduced, as well as the “Watch Me” command. Owners learn to stuff a hollow chewtoy and the homework is to practice everything from class using the pup’s normal food for treats.

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In Week 2 puppies practice and improve their position changes and “Leave It.” They learn “Settle” for longer duration downs and are introduced to the “Stay” command. Owners begin to phase out the use of food treats as a lure, but continue to use it regularly as a reward.

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In Week 2 we visited a SIRIUS student at home, to see what training was like with the whole family. Jasper introduced us to his family, including Marley, a SIRIUS graduate. Jasper showed us his doggy den and demonstrated the finer points of training recall.

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In Week 3 owners continue to handle their pups, with special care for sensitive spots. A round of Pass the Puppy helps pups get accustomed to being handled by strangers (your vet will thank you). Pups get used to the idea of “Stay” as owners ask for longer duration positions. Owners also work on getting their pups to follow them off-leash, then they put the leashes on for a moment to learn the loose-leash exercise.

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Also in Week 3, owners learn to use movement as it’s own reward while walking on-leash, or as a useful tool when proofing stays. The idea of the “Release” from stay is introduced, giving every stay a clear ending. Pups continue to work on their recall and owners learn what to do when their recall command doesn’t work. For homework, pups will be working on their stays, with lots of proofing for movement & distance, plus following and loose-leash walking.

Practice makes perfect, and in Week 4 puppies continue to practice what they’ve already learned: bite inhibition, socialization, position changes, recalls & “leave it.” Earning food treats gets more difficult as owners ask for better performance in exchange to rewards. Pups must come the first time they are called, and successfully leave treats for longer periods in order to get treats.

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Also in Week 4, owners begin learning how to translate their verbal commands using the hand signals that their pups have already learned. With practice, the pups will soon be following verbal commands even if they can’t see their owners. We spend more time on Stays, focusing on trouble-shooting and proofing.

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In Week 5 the pups’ understanding of verbal commands is tested, as they’re put through a variety of position changes. Owners learn to not repeat their verbal commands, and instead use their hand signals to help their pup understand. The pups also learn a very valuable lesson about the appropriate way to greet people during the Jumping Up game.

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Also in Week 5, the pups are introduced to their first tricks: Bang! & Roll-Over. First, owners learn how to lure these behaviors from the down position, then how to get their dog to respond to the hand signal from any position. Pups also do some basic heeling work, watching their owners while they walk off leash.

Download all of SIRIUS Berkeley Puppy 1 Here