Puppyhood training advice

[Nicole Z]

Hi everyone (me again)! 

I'm sorry if this sort of thing has been posted before, I'm very new here! 

Theodore is turning 11 weeks tomorrow (I've posted a picture of him on here before for introductions). 

We are working on training, locked in a battle of wills, and I am turning to you all for some advice! 

We start puppy classes next week and I'm in contact with a private trainer so I have support here in person, but I would love to hear from people with cairns. 

How did you find your training progress? What are the most important areas of focus at 11 weeks? How did you find your cairns cognitive development change at 11+ weeks? I swear I can see him getting smarter and more stubborn everyday!

Right now he is honestly very good. Potty training is going very well, he sits, comes when called (sometimes) and responds well to being lead with a treat, he also is fine in his crate at night and throughout the day, but spends most of his time (when not playing with me) in a pen while I WFH because he settles well in it. However, I'm having trouble forcing dedicated training sessions because, in typical cairn fashion, he just wants to play! So begins the battle of wills. I know he's young and the attention span will grow, but I am worried I'm not being tough enough because he's "a baby", when actually he's just being manipulative (haha, but really). I wanted to give us time to play and bond while he was still little, but now need to transition us into more intentional learning as we approach a more complete vaccination status.

I want to improve his name recognition and be in better form for puppy classes so any advice is welcome! I think he knows my expectations, but likes to push them (which I expected and isn't an issue because terriers will be terriers), and I also think things will get easier when we can go for walks and get him more tired/stimulated instead of just being with me in the apartment and working through my different indoor games. 

He also isn't big on kongs, snuffle mats, or food puzzles.... maybe it's his age but he just isn't willing to work quite that hard for his meals! 

Thank you so so much

 

 

[bradl]

Just some scattered thoughts...

Early days we tend to focus on attention as a priority learning for the dog. Likewise becoming the source of All That Is Good (or at least tasty) in the world.

And we always have to work on timing for ourselves. Being alert, ready, and fast enough to signal and reward at the moment of desireable behavior, not five seconds later. 

Example of an attention exercise, which can be done a hundred times a day:  Look at me, get a treat.  Little exercises like holding a treat in front of your face but waiting to get eye contact.  BOOM! Good Boy and *immediate* treat.  Gradually move further from your face until you are holding a treat out to your side and still waiting until he gives up looking at your hand and looks at you. BOOM! Good Boy and *immediate* treat. For added hilarity hide the treat in one hand but put both arms out and watch him swivel back and forth from hand to hand trying to *will* one to open and hand over the treat — eventually though he'll look to you and... BOOM! Good Boy and immediate treat.

Being able to get and hold your dog's attention (preferably without food, ultimately)  is foundational for a lifetime of training. Almost all unwanted behaviors can be  minimized by redirecting to an allowed behavior, but you have to be able to get the dog's receptive attention to do it. 

You are very correct that their sheer cuteness will be used as a wild card (no pun intended) to excuse all sorts of behavior that might be tolerated now but forbidden later. Jumping up on people being a prime example, but also fussing, whining, and so on. A crate, expen, or distant room can provide down time for work and an opportunity for the puppy to learn to settle between play times. You will have to be more stubborn than your terrier, and they are epically stubborn. 

Consistency is also golden. If you ever feed him, even One Time, while you are seated at the table eating, you will most likely have a begging dog until the end of time.  Things that matter to you must be enforced 100% consistently, by you and everyone in the household. Or your best approximation of it. We all try our best, but be sure to save as much forgiveness for yourself as you're willing to give the little cutie pie.

Cairns are full of mischief and joy and all their testing of us is easier if we can hang on to a matching sense of humor.  Good luck!