Raising Litter Mates

TRAINING YOUR DOG WITH POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. I was able to spend a lot of time with Kratos and Taro ( I still spend lots of time with them ) at their crucial stages. I was there to catch and correct each mistake they made. Although at the time it almost felt pointless, I am glad I didn't give up! Patience, Consistency, Positive Reinforcement and Love are the ingredients to the recipe of SUCCESS!!

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Our puppies know a few tricks - to give you an idea of what they can do here is a partial list:

Spin ( 360 degree turn ) We taught Kratos and Taro to spin in opposite directions of each other. When they spin at the same time it looks really neat!

Zoom ( spin x 3) Each dog will spin three (3) times.

Bang ( play dead ) each dog lays on his side as if they were shot.

Roll Over ( roll over completely ) each dog will rollover and wait.

Speak ( bark ) Taro does this trick. He will bark when asked.

Quiet ( no barking ) Opposite of above ( completion command ).

Gimme 5 ( shake a paw ) Each dog should shake their right paw.

Say Hi ( shake a paw ) Each dog should shake their left paw.

Crawl (crawl on the floor ) Taro does this trick. He crawls on the floor.

They know a few more - but it's way to hard to try and type out the action.

I believe all dogs should have an understanding of "sit" "down" "leave it" and "give". The command "stay" should be understood (varying time frames for each dog). I continually work with the stay command to try and increase the duration of the command. You can't expect your dog to stay for 5 minutes if you have just started teaching the command. I test it regularly in different areas ( inside the house and outside ) to work on their weak spots.

I will try to get a video of our black labrador litter mates performing tricks for you all to see! It's incredible what they can learn - even when not actually "teaching" them something. Dogs learn best by imitation and body language ( so I have read and now believe ) and most importantly positive reinforcement. Don't give up! English is a foreign language for our canines - don't expect them to know what the words actually mean - take the time out and teach it to them several short sessions a day. Your pooch will amaze you!

Until next time!