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- Make a list of training
priorities. Your dog must learn "the basics"
first.
- Make each training session
positive by beginning and ending with something the dog
is good at and loves...retrieve a tennis ball, a short
swim after a "fun bumper", run over an "A frame",
etc
- Try to make this early learning
positive and in short sessions. DO NOT allow your
puppy to play with squeeky chew toys and to chew on
bumpers. This is a great way to create mouthing problems
and an adult dog which chews up birds.
- When you first introduce
your puppy to birds note whether he rips the bird up
and/or chews it. If this happens more than once then
don't give him a bird until he has had the first half of
force fetch, which is "hold". Remember, it is much easier
to prevent a problem in the beginning than to unlearn a
patterned behavior.
- Do not force your puppy into
water. Introduction to water can begin at weaning
time if the dam likes the water and the weather isn't too
cold. If she swims out into the water most puppies will
confidently follow her. If your young dog has not been in
the water then don't make a big deal of swimming or not
at first. Take along another dog who loves the water and
let them play chase games. When your bright Poodle sees
how much fun it is the young dog often will begin
swimming. If they swim vertically just put on your
swimming suit or waders and go out and hold onto his tail
for a session or two and he will quickly learn to swim
horizontally. If after a few sessions your young dog is
not going into the water and he is 6 to 12 months old it
is time to begin "force fetch". I have had great success
with getting a young force fetched dog which loves to
retrieve into the water. Just start a training session
near the water. Throw a bumper into shallow water near
the shore. Throw the next bumper away from the water,
next bumper into walking water, next along shore line on
land, next into water which requires swimming for 3 feet
or so, next back on land, etc. Make each retrieve a GREAT
FUN EVENT and if he won't go for that first 3 foot swim
just say "fetch" as he has already been well force
fetched, and he just goes after the bumper. I have
successfully taught Poodles who had never been near water
as old as eleven years to retrieve from the water using
these methods. Two who had never been in swimming water
before the age of 4 then easily attained a PCA Working
Certificate Title. Another confidence booster to a Poodle
is if their "person" is out in the water with them. I had
the pleasure of working with a littermate of the first
Poodle Hunting Retriever Champion (UKC). This dog is
owned by a very busy young lady who had never taken the
dog to water. One afternoon we went to a nice warm lake
with a very gradually increasing depth. Within 15 minutes
the dog was not only swimming, he was diving to retrieve
tossed dog toys which didn't float!
- Keep a log
of each training session. Include the weather conditions,
what you worked on, how the dog responded, problems
observed, ideas on how to solve that problem, how you
felt about the session, what YOU learned, what you plan
for the next session. Regularly review the log and
evaluate progress. Don't go on to a new concept utilizing
lessons from before, if those lessons have not been
LEARNED. This will only confuse and frustrate both you
and the dog.
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