Fly's Training

Well, Fly is 4 months old now and growing up fast!

We have continued to practice his basic training until last Sunday when his formal Puppy School classes began. We are hoping that the classes get a little more advanced because the first one was way too basic for Fly! We were all a little bored, but it was another opportunity to socialise a little with other pups.
He still attends puppy parties too which he loves as he gets more play time with the puppies.

I am very impressed with his recall although have had no practice off lead around other dogs yet! I walk him on a 15ft line and let him off when we are some place quiet. He reliably comes to the whistle - even WITH distractions.
For example, this morning there was a random duck in the middle of the field which he chased. I let him get near to the duck and then blew the whistle. He turned on his heels and raced back to me!

I have had to re-teach 'fetch' because we were playing 'search' which has confused him. Search means he touches the object with his nose to get a reward so when he comes to 'fetch', he was forgetting to actually brings the item back! lol

He caught on fast as ever though and I am able to use 'fetch' to practice his recall. I throw a stick and whistle before he gets to it so he then has to ignore the stick and return. Which he does beautifully.

So whilst singing his praises he does of course have SOME bad habits lol. Namely, trying to chase cars that whizz past him and also jumping up and biting at people and clothes whilst walking on the lead.

I feel the jumping up thing only happens when he is either excited or frustrated so I am trying to figure out solutions to both. Frustration I think comes from wanting to go faster, but I have a 5 year old in tow so hence Fly gets bored of stopping and starting, plus the pace is too slow for a puppy. Excitement comes when I tether him outside the school gate and his little fan club of children give him lots of attention. Walking home can then be a nightmare.

I may have found the solution to both in the form of 'carry'. I tried to give him his empty treat bag this morning and he proceeded to carry it all the way home :o)
This curbs his bad behaviours because his brain is taken up with this job. He cannot bite as there is something in his mouth already and although he tends to veer toward cars a little, it is an improvement on trying to leap in front of them with a bark!

Here he is having a leisurely walk at Habberley Valley. You can see how responsive he is for a pup!