Now as a puppy owner,
you may be finding that your puppy has a lot of extra energy.
And we as dog trainers know that if you don't channel and focus,
some of that energy, you might end up with some pretty frustrating results.
So in today's video instructor, Carol,
and this adorable 11 week old puppy named Smooch are going to show you some
exercises you can do in just a few minutes, anywhere in your home,
like in your living room.
And you're going to actually be using some simple household objects.
I'm Ken Steepe. This is instructor Carol, and this is Smooch.
Welcome back to McCann Dogs
here at McCann Dogs.
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behaved four-legged family member.
In obedience training. Obedience people have used platforms for years.
And I think the rest of the dog world sorta missed out because it doesn't have
to be for obedience. So when I talk about a perch or a platform,
really it's a piece of rubber.
So I've got a little piece of rubber and some duct tape.
So those flooring mats some I'll make from styrofoam.
This one,
I think I cut up a garden kneeling pad and made some now for
a puppy though. I want something that's fairly low.
I also don't want anything.
You see a lot on the internet about fitness and canine fitness for young puppy.
I don't want to use it anything that's that's got airful and I want it very,
very low. So I like something about this. Doesn't need to be quite so big.
I want my puppy to be able to sit or stand on it. Okay.
This one's a little large for Smooch, but it can get works fine. And again,
just duct tape and a bit of rubber. I like to use perches podiums.
I can do all the exercises without them. However, when I'm doing an exercise,
it really gives a visual dogs are very visually oriented.
So they have a picture of what's going on.
And when I work an exercise like the front end to where my dog's in front of
me and I use this,
it gives them a picture and that's associated with value.
And then I can move this little perch, use it other places.
And I still have that value, gives the dogs a picture.
We're going to work a little exercise that I can do in a super small space with
my pup and get some of this energy up.
The other advantage of this little exercise is I'm going to rehearse with
Smooch,
that I'm the most interesting thing in the room and also get
him practicing and patterning coming back to me all of the
time, because I'm so interesting. Are you ready? Smooch.
Whoa, look, you're ready. Oh yeah. Good work.
Yay good little pup. Yeah.
And I'm rewarding and then I'm going to toss away getting that thing. Yay.
What a pup. See how he turns right back to me.
And it's the first time we've done this and you get that. Yay. Woo.
He's just rehearsing coming right back. Notice that I'm rewarding him.
Nice and close and well he's.
Let's get this. Yes. Get that one more. Yay.
And I haven't even tried to reward him, not in that sit,
but while he's standing up so I can teach him posture and he's learning
body language here. How to put those feet on that platform.
It builds some confidence for dogs. Just working on that little platform.
Yeah.
Well look, if you come back, we'll at a boy,
good war and you can get lots of exercise.
Ready? Get that, Yay.
Good stuff. And you see, he's already lining up square to me. I love that.
Yeah. Get that. Oh, good work. You.
Very nice. And this will tire him out. Cause he's getting a little run.
Lots of attention. Woo. Good work. You. Yes, go ahead.
And I'm rewarding him. Nice and square close to me.
It's all about me and the treats. Yes, it is smelly. Yes, it is switch.
And I are now going to work a little bit of response to name and most people,
when they get a puppy, they use the puppy's name a lot to the puppy.
You'll learn it. But think about it often.
The puppy's only responding to that name 50% of the time or way
less because they are so distracted by anything.
Dogs learn by association,
but they only learn by association and things happen within one second,
almost simultaneously. So I'm gonna work response to me with this little guy,
just a little bit differently. We were working that exercise.
I'm throwing the treat.
He was turning back to me so I can actually put his name right
before he turns. I've got pretty high confidence. He's turning anyhow.
So pretty soon he's going to associate me, saying the name with turning back,
running back to me.
So let's give this a shot and see how this works.
So I'm going to set up my platform the same way as before. Yeah, buddy.
I'm going to get my treats. Oh you. Yeah. Good work.
I'm rewarding him. Nice and close to me. Remember? Yes. Right.
You get that, Smooch.
Hi. How are you doing so fast? That was a good response.
Yes. Get it, Smooch. Yay.
Look at him. Go good man. Wouldn't you like your puppy to respond to their name?
That.
Ready? Get it. Smooch. Yay. Oh,
you're so smart. You are so smart. Yes you are.
Smooch. Yeah.
Good work. Yeah. What a good boy.
Now I am using my boys to cheer him back. It's not just about the food.
I'm rewarding. Closely to reinforce. When you hear your name,
you're coming back close to me. Yes. Good boy buddy.
Yeah, like I said,
I just did some response to me and he responded
perfectly every time. Nice drive back to me, turn on my,
my saying his name only one time, even that one was a six foot.
So I'm only gonna work response to name,
teaching him his name when I'm no, I'm going to get that response.
So I love this little game because it tires them out and it builds relationship.
It's a lot of fun for both of us.
I could also do the same thing with the treat in my hand. Smooch yes. So,
but I'm only ever in the first little while.
I'm going to say my puppy's name when I know they're going to turn first
time and come zipping back with great attention on me. Thank you buddy.
And one thing I do every day with a puppy is play with toys.
And I do it for a number of reasons.
When you can see he's quite busy to use his teeth here and we're going to teach
him how to properly use his teeth on the things I offer, not on me.
The other thing is it's a great way to tire out my puppy and for me to become
more valuable, but different twist than a lot of people.
So many people getting a young puppy, they get the toy, they throw the toy out.
But think about it. What can happen? One, there's probably a huge chance.
My puppy is going to take that toy and go play with themselves.
So now we're rehearsing. I'm not very valuable.
There's toys way better than you. And I don't want that.
And even if my dog does bring it back,
they're probably stopping and playing with it.
They're maybe not releasing it cleanly.
And if I want a really reliable retrieve down the road,
I don't want him patterning those wrong behaviors.
We're now going to have you not chewing your leash and we are,
you're going to bring out a toy. So I am going to get it interesting.
But I'm not going to throw it. I'm going to hold onto it. Yeah.
So now the toy is all about me.
So later on, he's going to be all ready to come back. Oh, you have to.
Oh, so we're having a good game. This is tiring him out. Oh, what a good pup.
Yeah. Keeping it moving. Oh, like wounded. Prey.
It's really exciting.
And then I'm going to teach him how to release something when I ask.
Cause that can be a lifesaver. Out. Yeah.
Oh good work buddies. It'll hide that other one. Oh good boy.
Wouldn't you like a puppy that the minute you said that word,
your poppy released whatever they had. Yeah. Yes.
It's because I have another toy. I'm creating a situation,
but mine puppies learning to respond to my first command each and every
time and drop without a split second,
whatever he has because whatever I have is gonna be better? Oh, it's just fine.
Ready? Oh, that one has a squeaker. Oh, does.
Oh it does. Yeah. Yeah.
The technique of this game is important.
If I have this tug really moving and interesting,
he might not want to drop it so fast. So when I'm ready to change this,
one's going to get a little less exciting and see how,
when I bring the next one into view, it stays hidden until I want it.
And then it moves. Out.
Okay.
If he takes a split second, I tug too long with that one.
Cause I was talking to you guys.
Oh yeah. You sound, you sound tough.
I could also work on with that one. You guys didn't hidden well enough.
I could also work my out in a little bit of food out.
[Food on the nose].
It was good work. You and then I can hide those toys.
Now I do want to talk to you about timing of this. So important.
I'm making it happen by showing that other tug or showing the food,
but dogs learn by association.
So if I said out and then waited
three seconds showed the food or toy. Absolutely. He still would have dropped,
but he's not gonna associate it with that word out. It's really important.
I say out first, then make it happen with my food or a toy.
The other thing is,
if you have a dog that doesn't want to switch from one toy to the other,
even though you've made it nice and exciting, low to the ground and moving,
you could even have something that squeaks. But if he says, Nope, can't switch.
You may want to work with two fairly identical or similar toys.
So that the one you have in motion is way more exciting. If you're like me,
you really hate it. When your dog pulls you around on the leash.
So I like to build a good foundation of my dog walking at my side,
but a little bit of a twist. I don't actually start with my dog. Walking,
walking at our side is a very complex behavior for a
dog. And thinking about all the distraction when we're moving, they're moving.
Especially if we're out and about much nicer in my little low distraction area,
but I love to build foundation to the mind.
Dog loves being at my left hand side. Again, I'm going to use a little platform.
It just provides a nice little marker for him.
Sets the environment of where the value is. It lets me work.
His confidence, build a little body awareness. So I'm just gonna move.
We've switched around. We showed her the way we're going to keep it close.
Mostly you can't check that out on me. Little pup. Yes we are.
And I'm just so now he is in perfect.
Walking position. What a good pup I'm just going to bring that up.
And back on there and ideally are liked at my pup stand.
He has a lot of value for sitting. I'm going to see them,
just my use of my food that helps me
keep it lower and notice at the beginning.
I thought I'm just rewarding anything just.
It's coming back in here. Yes. Good work.
Yay. Oh, you're brilliant. Well, look at you. You,
you with me. Okay. Yeah. Okay, great.
Yeah. Oh yes. Good. Oh, we'll try that one again. We'll try that one again.
Exactly how he earns. Treats at my side.
Yay. Yes. Can you hear me?
I'm going to use a bigger, longer platform. You're a pretty big pup.
I think we need, yeah, I think we need this one. This will be much easier.
A little longer than I might like, but we will make this work
now. It's better. Yeah. Good. Yay.
Yes. Good stuff. Good stuff.
Your perfect, perfect walkie position.
Oh, you don't want to move from there because that's where the treats happen up
there.
Yeah. Yes. Whoa.
Good pup. Yes. Let's do that one.
One more time. And then we'll do, Oh, you're even holding position. Oh.
You love that. Yeah.
Work. Even if I, Oh, I can pull the drawers. I can drop a treat.
I can hold that tree though. He says I'm not leaving that thing.
Position. She's marvelous.
Now I can do this exercise without a platform, but show you how that would work.
So same thing I'm gonna encourage them into my side does not really matter if
your dog sitting or standing just my personal preferences. When they're walking,
they'll be standing. You see, I dropped a treat. He doesn't care.
And if he sits, I don't mind at all. I care that he loves being on my left side.
Now, if I throw that treat back get it, yay. He runs back into my side.
Notice how he's not straight though.
That platform helps keep him straight and lets me see whether he is.
Seems like a little deal, but I've liked my dog to be straight at my side. Yes.
And it's so easy to achieve. Yes. Go ahead.
Oh, you're so smart. Oh, I dropped one. I dropped one yeah.
Yes. Oh good pop, good pop. Oh, you're brilliant.
Yes. You don't care about the streets on the ground.
No good work. Yeah.
Smooch is, a little tired out from all those active exercises.
There's a great time to work. Some handling.
I want my puppy to be super comfortable. You know,
you can say my puppy is fine with it. All puppies are. So I should have said,
I want my dog to be happy with me handling or even a vet handling them.
You know what? If my puppy was hurt, needed a medical procedure, you know,
they need to be handled and comfortable with it.
Or they might need to have anesthetic, which can be dangerous, right?
Clipping their nails. Sorry to interrupt. Clipping their nails.
That's a really common one for puppy owners. You know,
down the road when their dog gets a little bit older,
you want your dog to be comfortable with being able to handle their feet so that
you can do things like clip their nails.
Exactly.
If you have to take him to somebody else that might be really stressful not to
mention expensive. So we want our dogs to be super happy with handling.
Not just happy and not just our puppies.
So what we're going to do initially is I'm going to have,
can show this little spoon with some peanut butter,
just a thin layer of peanut butter on it. So when I take snitches foot,
he's barely even going to notice. So Ken's going to present the spoon.
Once he's busy, I'm going to touch his foot, examine his nail.
And then we're going to take the spoon away. We're going to stop the handling.
We're going to do the same thing. I'm going to play with this year.
Then we're going to stop, take it away. So he's getting a great association.
Now that's a great way to start with the really young puppy.
Or if you have a dog that's already cautious about being touched,
let them lick that peanut butter get comfortable before you do too much and
short little bursts. Now we're going to do it the opposite way now though.
Cause Smooch is good with it.
So now I'm going to take the paw and then Ken will present the spoon.
So I'm going to take that paw. And now it's more about reward. Oh good stuff.
I'm gonna put a little pressure and then it all goes away.
So my puppy's gonna love to be handled and
touched what a good pup you are.
Now that you've got some fun ideas for training your puppy.
You can check out what a 24 hour period with a puppy would look like in our
household. If you want to see that video, click that card right there.
And if this is your first time on the channel,
make sure you hit that subscribe button.
We publish new videos every week to help you to have a well behaved for like a
family member on that note. I'm Ken,
this is Carol and this is Smooch Happy Training.