If you have ever watched The Dog Whisperer, you have heard Ceasar Milan stress over and over again how you need to establish yourself as the pack leader. Of the 20 Wildrose Laws, 4 of them have to do with this relationship with the dog.
1. Dogs are looking for a leader.
2. If dogs can't find a leader, they will attempt to become one.
3. A dog will not follow unstable leaders.
4. First trust, then respect (never force).
Dogs are pack animals and they are looking for their pack leader. It is your job as a trainer to become one. This established role begins from day one. Pack leaders obey the four C's of leadership: calm, controlled, confident, and consistent. Pack leaders always go through a door first. Pack leaders eat first. Pack leaders do not lose their temper. Pack leaders do not bother with games like wrestling, chase, or tug of war. A dog is constantly learning and is watching out for these behaviors. Establish yourself as the pack leader from day one.
One of the C's spoken of earlier seems to be a difficult one to grasp for many people: consistent. Are you willing to take 10 minutes if needed just to let a dog out of a kennel if he/she is misbehaving? Jack knows that he does not come out of the kennel until I call him. He also knows I don't call him until he is calm and holds eye contact with me. I taught this same thing to my first puppy Hazel and it is one of the best things you can teach a dog. Be consistent in your teachings. If you have to keep putting your dog back in its kennel because it is coming out on its own terms instead of when you allow it, then do it every time. Be consistent in everything. Establish a schedule. Establish yourself as the pack leader.
Place Training
In all reality, I began place training long before 8 weeks. Place training is giving the dog a specified place where it can do basically whatever it wants (within reason). The dog is not to leave this place until instructed to do so. A dog is also never called off place across the room. The trainer is to walk up to the dog and call the dog off by "heel" or "here". Calling the dog off place from a distance develops a creeper, something we will talk about later. A dogs place should be a distinct area marked by a raised bed, a pillow, or some other area easily distinguishable from the ground. As you take the dog to it's place, get him on the pillow and say "place". When you first start, be ready to react fast. Anytime the dog moves off his place, pick him up, put him back on the place and say "place". Force is not necessary at this point since the puppy (or adult dog if you are starting this a bit late) has no idea what the command is. You can keep the dog on place as long as you'd like. Sit next to the dog in a chair with a lead on so you can quickly correct any attempt to leave. Jack at this stage does still attempt to leave on occasion (mostly to steal something on the ground he sees), but he is catching on. As a matter of fact, whenever we come inside and I take off the lead, Jack runs over to his place and lays down, knowing he will get praised for doing so.
Heel Training
I have not really begun heel training, so there is no need to discuss it extensively here. On our walks each morning, whenever Jack happens by chance to be walking in the correct spot for heel, I simply say "Jack, heel." I am simply beginning to establish the word with the action. Jack does well on lead now and knows I am in control when the lead is on. He knows not to run too far ahead and also not to fall far behind.
First Retrieves
With a puppy as young as Jack, retrieves are not entirely necessary at this age. I do still do just 2 to 3 retrieves per day in a closed, confined place. I started with a rolled up pair of socks in our hallway with all the doors closed. I would throw the socks and his interest would get him over there. I then started praising him saying "Good boy Jack!" He eventually picked up the socks. When he did this, I began to back away, continuing praise. Dogs have a natural instinct to chase, so once Jack saw me going away, he ran right to me. Just like that, Jack had his first retrieve. Over the course of the two weeks I eventually got him to a puppy bumper (canvas only, not rubber) and moved outside to a small confined area. A couple important notes when retrieving:
- Don't immediately take the bumper from the puppy. Bring him in and praise him, letting him enjoy his retrieve for a couple seconds.
- Develop a shared relationship with the bumper. When the puppy comes back and after you've let him bask in his own greatness, slowly take the bumper away from him, then give it back, take it from him again, then give it back, etc. Do this a few times to show the puppy that the two of you share whatever the pup finds.
In all of your training, make sure you are consistent and thorough in what you do. Mike Stewart, developer of the Wildrose Way uses this as a rule of thumb: however long you think it will take your dog to learn something, double that time, then double that time again. You double the first time because this is actually how long it will take the dog to learn it, then you double the time again because you need to make sure it is ingrained in the pup's brain; it needs to become habit. Remember Wildrose Law #5 - Make haste slowly.
