Any good puppy games or training ideas?

[Teddy560]

Just wondered if anyone has any good ideas for puppy games, basic training or anything mentally challenging for a 4 month old pup? I love to do new things with him x

 

[leashedForLife]

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"Go Wild!... & freeze."
It's a great, fun game, but it's also a terrific way to begin teaching self-control - whether to a puppy, or an adult dog.
Same process.

- terry

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[JudyN]

Hide and seek... teach it in stages as it involves a number of skills, but what we do it:

Show him a toy and say 'Hide and seek', and then 'wait' or 'stay'.

Go into another room and hide the toy. Call, 'Find it!'

The dog comes in, finds the toy, then you say 'Well done! Bring it to me!'

The dog brings you the toy in exchange for a treat.

Islands: Get hold of a couple of mats, carpet tiles, whatever. Teach your dog to 'target' a mat, i.e. put a paw (or two, or four) on it. Then tell him to wait, put the other mat in front of him, and get him to move forward and put paw(s) on that one. Then move the one he's just moved off to in front of him, and repeat... It helps if you have large rooms or long corridors (or a small dog!), but you could of course do this in the garden.

I used to start J off and one end of the kitchen, put a really good treat at the other end, and get him to walk from mat to mat until he got to the treat. But you'll need to fit this to your dog so it's fun rather than frustrating or stressful... or so he doesn't just ignore you and go and get the treat!

Spinning bottles is great fun, once you've convinced your dog that he shouldn't just chew the bottles: DIY Spinning Plastic Bottle Dog Treat Game You can buy ready-made ones if you don't have the time & patience to make your own: Trixie Dog Activity Turn Around Strategy Game at bitiba!

 

[JoanneF]

I have a great book called Brain Games for Dogs by Claire Arrowsmith.

Nose targeting (where you ask for a nose touch to your hand) is incredibly useful because you can then use it to position your dog, for example to the side of a path if a bike or pram is approaching, and also to progress on to other things like leg weaves. Paw targeting is useful too, T has learned to push doors shut with paw targets. It took a few days. Mr F still hasn't learned to close doors after 31 years of training ...but you know, it's always the training method that is wrong,.never the trainee.

 

[Sezzy]

Hide and seek with either toys or yourself is always good fun. I had a mini makeshift agility course in the garden with some upturned flower pots which I’d get Misty to jump over and go round.

 

[Caro Perry]

I used to play a version of that game where you hide something under one pot of 3 and shuffle them around. I'd use a treat and he'd have to sniff out which pot it was hidden under.

I'd also fill a soft cloth bag with old packaging and throw in a few treats. That usually kept him happy rummaging in the bag for a good 15 minutes. Certainly long enough for a cup of coffee in peace!