Article: “Competition Training Through Games”

JOANNE’S WORKSHOP COMPETITION TRAINING THROUGH GAMES

By JoAnne Brettschneider

The following article first appeared in the August 2020 issue of the Doberman Network. Many thanks to Editor Amy Tourand for allowing CRC to reprint it.

We just got a new puppy and have so many questions. • When do we start training her? • How long should our training session last? • Do I let my puppy “be a puppy” and start training at six months? • I want my puppy to show. When do I start teaching obedience? • How do I continue to play games for advanced training?

Let’s start. From the moment a new puppy is in my house, she is on a leash until I can be quite comfortable that she understands the rules. Her learning starts immediately, and she “trains” consistently. Everything we do should be fun for the puppy, so she learns how to learn.

If we “let puppies be puppies” and then at 6 months decide it is time for structure and enforcing what we ask, we are met with a very unruly puppy, who has had no limits and will be rebellious about having to do anything she or he doesn’t want to. Teaching a puppy how to learn while she is having fun learning is something that not only starts lifelong obedience games, it reinforces that learning is fun, not a restriction, but a game that we play with our owners. thing ready for the puppy when we have to take that prize away. A “thank you” is what I do, and hand the puppy something she can have, her own toy or a treat. So, what is the objective of not running and taking away that which they cannot have?

Think of it from the puppy’s point. She (or he) just found something very exciting. We come into the picture and scold the puppy. What have we just done? We have told her that she

Teaching a puppy how to learn while she is having fun learning is something that not only starts lifelong obedience games, it reinforces that learning is fun, not a restriction...

is being scolded for being curious. We told her that putting something in her mouth is wrong. She continues to investigate, but next time she tries harder to keep it from us, or she starts to eat it so we can’t have it. Or, being the super sensitive dog, she learns that she cannot put things in her mouth, unless it is her own personal toy.

What happens later on when we introduce the dumbbell? She has learned that she is not to put foreign items in her mouth, so we have a really hard time getting her to take a dumbbell. My puppies learn from the beginning to take things between my husband and myself. We trade items, and objects early on. They will take the mail from mom to dad. They will bring their collars to me to put away.

Puppies run around and investigate. They steal things, and try to run with their prizes so no one else can steal from them. They are so proud with what they stole that it is hard to tell them they can’t have something. So, when the puppy grabs the sock and takes off, instead of chasing the puppy, which is a game they love, we just talk to the puppy, “What do you have?” “Can I see?” Of course, have some(Dad takes off collar, and says to “take to mom.”) Yes, they need help at first, but we make games out of everything they pick up as puppies, and I have little trouble when it comes to retrieving anything for competition.

Another game we play is “who gets the treat?” I will have the puppy on a leash, and hand a treat to the older dog, while saying the dog’s name. Then I will hand a treat to the puppy, saying the puppy’s name. I will do this back and forth, and if the puppy dives at the older dog’s treat, she will get an “uh-uh” from me, with a reinforced, “this is Fido’s treat, not yours.” Soon I will have her easily sitting, and waiting for her turn. This happens in my house within the first few days of having the puppy at home, and it works really fast. The feeding time is the same. Fido’s bowl is put down first, with his name, then the puppy’s food bowl with her name. Of course, they are about 6 feet apart, and the puppy is on a leash. I do not feed in a crate as I begin teaching as soon as puppy is home. The older dog already knows he cannot come over and try to get the puppy’s food. And the puppy learns quickly her spot to get fed.

Within a week, usually sooner, the puppy, at feeding time, will run to her spot. She is not off leash until she will do this and not try to get into the other dogs’ food. I have had four bitches at one time eating all at their own spots, and have never had an issue with food or feeding. When it is feeding time, all dogs immediately go to the spot they get fed in.