TIME FOR SCHOOL Written by Claire Arrowsmith Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 1 19/1/10 14:29:59
My Puppy s Training Notes: 2 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 2 19/1/10 14:30:03
Your Puppy Training Kit includes: Mikki Clikka Training Aid Mikki Mini Ragger Toy Mikki House Line Mikki Treat Pouch Mikki Puppy Training Guide Puppy Kit Owning a puppy is an exciting yet challenging time. It is important to build up a good bond with your new puppy and to establish a routine that will encourage good habits from the beginning. Whilst your puppy is small and sweet, it might seem unnecessary to think about training but the reality is that puppies grow up very quickly. Any bad habits that develop now may be very difficult to change at a later stage. It is therefore very important to begin training him as early as possible so that his behaviour develops appropriately. Even if your puppy is not destined to be a working dog or to be presented in the show ring, every puppy should be trained to behave appropriately at home and when outdoors. This is a responsible way to prevent problems and helps to keep you and your family, the public, other animals, and your puppy himself, as safe as possible. All puppies, no matter what size or breed, need to be trained. Using training techniques that are based on rewards and encouragement leads to confident, well balanced puppies with a strong trusting relationship with their owner. Some people worry that using reward based methods will make their puppy spoiled and that he will get fat from eating too many treats. Neither should occur if you use your rewards sensibly and keep them for encouraging good behaviour only. 3 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 3 19/1/10 14:30:04
When To Begin The great thing about reward based training is that you can easily begin training your puppy almost as soon as you bring him home. Allow him some time to settle in and relax and then begin to encourage the behaviours you like. Remember that puppies have shorter attention spans than adult dogs and so it is best to teach new lessons in short training sessions. Although you should try to encourage good behaviour at all times, training sessions are best if you spend just a few minutes training before stopping for a break. Let your puppy go and rest, play or have a toilet break after training. Mikki Treat Pouch Using treats to reward your puppy is much more practical if you use your Mikki Treat Pouch. This will keep your choice of treats together and easy to access whilst training your puppy. It will also protect your clothing from smells or staining from the treats. Clip the pouch onto your waist belt when you are training your puppy and when you take him out in the garden or on walks. This will mean that you always have rewards easily available when your puppy does something you really like and want to encourage. The Mikki Treat Pouch can be worn when you take your puppy out on walks or to puppy classes. Choosing Appropriate Rewards It is important to choose an appropriate treat to reward your puppy s good behaviour. Different puppies will be motivated by different types of treat and it is important to determine what your puppy loves the most. Try a variety of puppy treats or cooked meats. Puppies that are extremely keen on food may be happy to accept their normal kibble as rewards. However, most pups will prefer a more special reward for harder tasks. Break the treats into suitable sized pieces for training. 4 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 4 19/1/10 14:30:05
AVOID HUMAN SWEETS, CHOCOLATE AND SALTED SNACKS AS THESE CAN BE HARMFUL TO YOUR PUPPY. Treats should be tiny so that they are easy to eat and swallow; pea-sized pieces are normally ideal. Avoid treats that are large or which require much chewing as this will slow down your training. Avoid giving your puppy large amounts of new treats as this could cause a stomach upset. If your puppy has done a lot of training during the day, you may wish to reduce the amount of main meal you offer later on. This will help to balance out his calorie intake for the day. Of course, if your puppy has been doing a lot of activity, he may have burned off the extra energy already. Mikki House Line A long, light line is a useful tool to help you train your puppy and to help prevent him from behaving in ways that are undesirable. Uses for the house line vary depending upon what behaviours you are trying to prevent: Gain control over over-enthusiastic puppies Limit undesirable behaviours such as stealing or jumping up Helps when teaching your puppy to come when called Helps you to guide your puppy off furniture without confrontation Clip the houseline to your puppy s collar or harness. Never attach it to a check chain or any collar that could be pulled tight on the neck. Allow your puppy to trail the house line behind him. If your puppy begins to do something you dislike you can control his movements by either picking up the end of the house line and gently guiding him away, or by stepping on the line. The house line provides you with an opportunity to control your puppy s 5 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 5 19/1/10 14:30:06
movements without having to chase or grab him. Therefore, you can avoid situations where your puppy could feel stressed and defensive. As soon as your puppy chooses to do a more suitable behaviour you should praise and reward him. Once your puppy has learned to behave well, you do not need to use it in that situation again. Training Tips: When your puppy is wearing the house line you should avoid leaving him unsupervised. If he is left alone he could become tangled up and hurt himself. Encourage your puppy to play with his toys or focus on you while he is wearing his lead or he may be tempted to chew on it. It is very important that you never allow children to pull your puppy about on the house line. If they do, your puppy could become worried and upset. Playing All puppies like to play games; either by themselves, with their owner or with another puppy. Playing helps to keep the puppy entertained as well as helping him to stay fit and develop skills such as good coordination and manners. Another benefit to puppies is that chewing on the Ragger toy can help them through the teething stage. Having toys to chew on can help to prevent inappropriate chewing on your possessions. Puppies have to learn to play with toys so you should spend time encouraging your puppy to play with his toys. Offer your puppy toys that are sized appropriately for him and take away and replace damaged toys. Your encouragement will play an important part in his choices of play item. If your puppy is unfamiliar with playing or is timid, you might have to take time slowly teaching him to play. Get onto the floor and wiggle the Ragger toy at floor level. Small, quick movements are ideal to evoke some interest from your puppy. Praise him well when he begins to play. 6 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 6 19/1/10 14:30:06
Clicker Training Your pack contains the new Mikki Clikka which can be hung from your neck on its lanyard, or slipped onto a finger using the finger band, which makes the clicker easy to access quickly whilst training. What is a Clicker? A clicker is a small plastic device that will emit a click when pressed. The puppy is taught to associate the sound with the arrival of rewards. So why do this? When training any animal, the key to fast and effective results is to reward good behaviours almost instantly. The faster the reward arrives after an animal has performed an action, the more likely it is that he will associate the reward with the correct response. Clicker training has been used for many years across a variety of different animal species. Clicker training originally provided dolphin trainers with a method they could use to signal to the dolphins that the action they had just performed was correct. Prior to this, the dolphin had to swim across the pool to get his fish and so the time delay between action and reward was considerable. The introduction of clicker training provided a means to train more efficiently, even when at a distance from the animal. The clicker will allow you to mark the desirable behaviour even as it is occurring which is a highly effective method of training. As the puppy experiences the click followed by an edible reward, it learns to associate, or pair, the two events together. The clicker emits a clear click when you press the red ball. Once your puppy has been tuned in to this sound, he will understand that it means that a reward is on the way. This then can be used to mark behaviours or actions you like. The click is effective in many cases since it is novel and it is closely tied with the arrival of rewards. Praise should always be part of a good owner/puppy relationship. However, most owners talk to their puppies a lot and so it can sometimes be less effective and sometimes it is not appropriate in cases where the puppy becomes over-excitable when verbally praised. 7 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 7 19/1/10 14:30:07
Getting Started With Your Mikki Clikka It is often helpful to begin by tuning in your puppy to the sound of the clicker so that you get a great response when you begin clicking for real. 1. Start by discretely holding the clicker in your hand and have your filled treat pouch clipped to your waistband or close by. 2. You can either offer a treat from your hand or toss a treat onto the floor next to your puppy. In either case, as he takes it you should click (fig. 1). 3. Repeat this by offering, or tossing, several treats and making sure the click occurs at the moment your puppy eats each one (fig. 2). 4. Your puppy will gradually begin to pair the sound of the click with the treats. He will begin to anticipate the arrival of the reward when you click. (fig. 1) (fig. 2) Once your puppy understands the meaning of the click, you can begin to use it to train new actions and to encourage good behaviour. When you are using the clicker to encourage a desirable behaviour you should click once and then reward your puppy with a treat. Initially, you should click frequently so that your puppy understands that this action brings rewards. As he improves you can begin to ask for longer periods of good behaviour before you click. 8 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 8 19/1/10 14:30:08
For example, initially you will click immediately when your puppy sits. You should click again to encourage him to maintain the position. Once the sit is understood, you should click after he has been sitting for a little longer. Finally, with practise your puppy will be able to hold the position for as long as is needed. The click is a constant sound and so your puppy will quickly learn to associate it with the rewards that arrive afterwards. This allows everyone in the family to be involved in the training. What can the clicker be used for? The clicker is an amazingly versatile training tool which can be used to encourage any behaviour you like. A benefit of clicker training is that you can encourage your dog to think for himself. Basic training commands Tricks Friendly behaviour Calm responses Competitive tasks such as obedience, agility and gundog training Important Points 1. Like all rewards, the timing of the click is critical. Focus on clicking at the exact moment your dog behaves in the right way. 2. Hold the clicker discretely so that your puppy does not learn to respond only when you are holding it. 3. Never click to get your puppy s attention. Doing this could encourage your puppy to do an action you dislike and you are likely to lose some of the clicker s effectiveness. 4. The clicker is not a toy and should only be used by adults or supervised children. Otherwise, your puppy is likely to become confused by mis-timed clicks and probably encouraged to behave in the wrong way. 5. Keep your clicker safely away from your puppy to prevent him from chewing and swallowing it. 9 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 9 19/1/10 14:30:08
Teaching the Sit (fig. 1) (fig. 2) (fig. 3) Most dogs eventually learn how to sit although most owners have to give the command several times before their dog responds. With good training you can achieve more accurate responses. 1. Prepare with your clicker and treat pouch filled with your puppy s treats. Begin in a quiet area where your puppy is unlikely to be distracted. 2. Get your puppy s attention so that he approaches you. 3. Hold your treat to your puppy s nose and allow him to sniff it (fig.1); but don t give him the treat yet. 4. Very slowly raise the treat up and back over his head so that his nose rises to follow it (fig. 2). Your puppy s body shape means that as his head rises, he naturally lowers his bottom. 5. The moment your puppy s bottom touches the floor you should click and give him the treat (fig. 3). 6. By rewarding your puppy for getting into the sit position he will begin to learn that this is a good position to choose, making it more likely that he will sit the next time. 10 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 10 19/1/10 14:30:09
(fig. 4) (fig. 5) 7. Practise the sit a few times, making sure that you click at the appropriate time and reward. 8. Your hand movement will also begin to signal to your puppy that you want him to Sit. Hand signals are extremely useful in dog training so it is worth practicing these. They clarify your commands while allowing you to signal to your dog without saying a word (fig. 4). 9. Once your puppy is going into the sit position very easily you can start to add in your verbal command, Sit. At the beginning you should say it just as he is going into position. This will ensure he links the word and the action. Once he has made a strong association you will be able to ask him to Sit and expect him to respond quickly. 10. Practise asking your puppy to sit in different places, such as on either side of you, at a distance from you, in varied locations and on different floor surfaces. See how fast you can get him to respond. Prolong the sit by clicking again and offering another reward and praise when he stays in position (fig. 5). It can be helpful to allow him to break position by releasing him with a phrase such as Off you go. 11 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 11 19/1/10 14:30:09
The Down (fig. 1) (fig. 2) Asking your puppy to lie down is a very useful command for many reasons. It instils better control, encourages your puppy to calm down, helps to speed up your pup s ability to settle well, as well as leading to many other games involving the down position. It is easy to get your puppy to follow this command successfully and doing so does not involve pushing or pulling your pup at all. A little patience and several short training sessions will teach your puppy to lie down easily. 1. Start with your puppy in a sit position. Hold your treat to his nose to allow him to sniff it but don t release it yet. 2. Slowly lower your hand straight downwards so that your puppy lowers his head to continue sniffing at the treat (fig. 1). Bending over is not very comfortable for a puppy so he will naturally slip into a lying down position in order to get to the food more easily. 3. As soon as his body is flat on the floor you should click, and give the treat and praise (fig. 2). 4. Repeat a few times and you will find that your puppy goes into the down position more quickly each time. Some pups will try to stand up first and then lower their front end while keeping their bottom raised in a bowing position. Lure him back into a sit and start again. 12 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 12 19/1/10 14:30:10
(fig. 3) (fig. 4) Try keeping the hand holding the treat even closer in to your puppy s body so that he does not move forwards in order to get to the food. Once your puppy learns that all he has to do is lie down to get the treat, he will soon be going down very easily. When your puppy can lie down easily you can begin to add in your verbal command. The word that you choose for this does not really matter. Some people like the word Down while others use Flat. Choose a word that you will remember and that everyone in your family uses for the same action. Once your lure is working to get your puppy into a down position you will want to begin to straighten up into a more natural standing position yourself. Gradually start in a more and more upright position, at first making your hand gesture towards the floor exaggerated. Be quick to click and reward him for getting it right. As your puppy improves you will also be able to reduce the hand signal down to a downwards point (fig. 3). Prolong the down by pausing briefly before clicking and rewarding. Very gradually increase the time he has to lie down before the reward comes. You can click and reward several times during a long down stay (fig. 4). Practise in different places, on varied floor surfaces and with increased distraction in order to perfect your lesson. 13 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 13 19/1/10 14:30:10
Puppy Come! (fig. 1) (fig. 2) (fig. 3) Teaching a reliable recall is one of the most important lessons a puppy can learn. Many owners of tiny puppies are delighted to discover that their puppy follows them around and doesn t roam far. However, they are then disappointed a few weeks later when their pup suddenly begins to go further, perhaps to run off to say hello to someone at the park. This is when they realise that their puppy s recall training isn t as reliable as they thought. Without a dependable come command you will not have reliable control over your puppy when on walks. Tiny puppies normally do stay close as they are very reliant on their owners for safety. As they grow up and become more confident in their own abilities and are more interested in social relationships, they will be inclined to wander further. Some owners are afraid to let their young pup off lead. Although this does prevent them from running off, it also means that they have no experience to learn recall and often socialise and exercise much less. Teaching a reliable come command will open the door to many fun activities with your dog. The method with the most reliable results is usually to begin training early and to spend time training consistently. 1. First choose a treat or toy that your puppy really loves, such as your Ragger toy. 14 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 14 19/1/10 14:30:11
2. Call your puppy s name in an excited voice followed by the command, Come and wiggle the toy. Crouch down so that you are even more enticing. 3. As he approaches, continue to use your excited voice, Yeah! What have I got here? so that he remains interested. When he arrives click and offer a treat or a game with his toy (fig. 1). 4. When he arrives it helps to gently take hold of your puppy s collar as you offer the treat. He will get used to being touched when he approaches which helps to make it easier to re-attach the lead when you need to (fig. 2). 5. Practise calling your puppy from one side of the room to another, from room to room, from the garden and then while on a walk. Call your puppy to you regularly; when you want to take him out, when he is being fed or when you want to play or pet him. Everyone in the family can practise so that you all have good control. 6. If you are worried about your puppy failing to respond then use your house line to keep him safe while you teach him to respond. Don t be tempted to drag him towards you however. Use the line just to prevent him from running away. Use your voice and the Ragger to encourage him to rush back to you. The clicker and treats can reinforce his response (fig. 3). 7. Begin in quiet situations and slowly add in more distractions. Remember to be excited and to reward him well for responding correctly. Try not to keep repeating your call over and over if your puppy is not responding, since he will just learn to ignore you. Instead, approach and lift the house line or try whistling to get his attention. When your puppy does turn towards you begin encouraging him again. Use the clicker to reward this response. Training Tips: When you first let your puppy off his lead try not to panic and call him back immediately. If you do he s likely to ignore you; after all he has only just been given freedom. Wait a little while and then call him back for a reward. Running in another direction or playing your own game with the toy will usually help to boost your puppy s desire to approach you. 15 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 15 19/1/10 14:30:11
Walk Nicely Learning to walk nicely next to you is an important lesson. It makes walks much more enjoyable and therefore, more frequent which is beneficial to your dog s overall behaviour and health. Good heelwork makes it easier to control your dog when you are not using a lead and encourages good focus on you too. Consistent training is the key to walking nicely since dogs don t naturally know that this is what they are meant to do. Luckily there is no need for jerking your puppy, using harsh chains or prongs on his neck or for smacking him. Patience and well timed rewards will teach your puppy that walking on a loose lead is a great activity for you to do together. 1. Begin by gaining your puppy s attention and encourage him to stand beside you. For most people it does not matter which side they walk their dog on. Some later training will determine one side over the other but once your dog knows not to pull you can walk him on either side comfortably (fig. 1). (fig. 1) (fig. 2) 16 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 16 19/1/10 14:30:12
2. While your puppy is still focused on you begin to move forwards. If your puppy walks next to you click and reward him after just one or two steps so that he begins to understand that being next to you is a good thing. If you go on too far he is bound to make a mistake so be aware of this (fig. 2). 3. If he is walking by your side on a loose lead then it is time to introduce a verbal command such as Heel. Never say this if your puppy is jumping up at you or biting his lead or you might accidentally associate the word with the wrong behaviour. You want him to learn that Heel means walking next to you only (fig. 3). 4. If your puppy pulls forwards just stop immediately. It is important that your puppy learns that he doesn t get anywhere fast by pulling. Don t be tempted to jerk or pull your puppy back by your side as this really doesn t work to efficiently prevent pulling. If it did we wouldn t see so many people being pulled and jerked down the street by their dogs. (fig. 3) Training Tip: Your treat pouch is extremely useful for this activity. It allows you to get to your rewards quickly while allowing you to have an extra hand on the lead, or even to hold a toy. 17 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 17 19/1/10 14:30:12
Walk Nicely (fig. 4) (fig. 5) Either wait until he turns towards you then lure him back into place beside you with a reward (making sure you don t click and give him the food until he is once again in the correct place and moving forwards with you) or, turn and walk in the opposite direction which will mean that your puppy has to rush to catch up with you again (fig. 4). 5. As your puppy improves you can gradually build up the distance that you walk before you click and reward. Verbal praise can help to keep him trotting by your side in addition to the clicks. It can help to give yourself mental goals such as making it to the next lamp-post or past a certain parked car perhaps. When your puppy succeeds make sure he is given lots of rewards and praise (fig. 5). 6. Remember to interact with your puppy as you walk along. Being quiet or chatting on your mobile will soon become boring to your pup who will find other aspects of his walk more exciting. Walking nicely with you is an indication of a good relationship and teamwork. 18 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 18 19/1/10 14:30:13
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Notes concernant le dressage de mon chiot : 20 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 20 19/1/10 14:30:18
F Votre kit de dressage pour chiot contient : Aide au dressage Mikki Clikka Jouet en chiffon Mikki Mini Longe d intérieur Mikki Pochette à friandises Mikki Manuel de dressage Mikki pour chiots Kit pour chiot L arrivée d un chiot est un événement passionnant, mais qui présente un réel challenge. Il est primordial de développer dès le début une bonne relation avec votre nouveau chiot et d établir un rythme qui favorise les bonnes habitudes. Tant que votre chiot est petit et adorable, il peut paraître superflu de le dresser, mais la réalité est tout autre car les chiots grandissent très rapidement. Toutes les mauvaises habitudes adoptées dans le jeune âge peuvent se révéler difficiles à corriger par la suite. Il est par conséquent très important de commencer le dressage le plus tôt possible afin que le comportement de votre chiot évolue de manière appropriée. En effet, même si votre chiot n est pas destiné à des activités de travail ou à être présenté lors d une exposition, il convient de le dresser afin qu il se comporte convenablement à la maison et à l extérieur. C est une manière responsable d éviter les complications et de contribuer à votre sécurité, ainsi qu à celle de votre famille, des autres animaux de compagnie et même de votre chiot. Tous les chiots, quelle que soit leur race ou leur taille, doivent être dressés. La mise en œuvre de techniques de dressage basées sur les récompenses et les encouragements produit des chiots sûrs d eux et bien équilibrés bénéficiant d une solide relation de confiance avec leur maître. Certains craignent que leur chiot soit trop gâté du fait de ces techniques et que l excès de friandises entraîne une prise de poids. Rien de tel ne devrait arriver tant que le système de récompense est appliqué raisonnablement et qu il est réservé pour encourager les comportements positifs. 21 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 21 19/1/10 14:30:18
À quel moment commencer? L avantage de cette méthode de dressage est que vous pouvez la mettre en œuvre pratiquement dès que votre chiot rejoint votre foyer. Laissez-lui tout d abord le temps de s habituer à son nouvel environnement et commencez ensuite à encourager les comportements que vous appréciez. N oubliez pas que les chiots ont une capacité d attention plus courte que les chiens adultes, il est ainsi préférable que tout nouvel apprentissage ait lieu en séances courtes. Même s il faut s efforcer d encourager les comportements positifs à tout moment, les séances de dressage idéales ne doivent durer que quelques minutes suivies d une pause. Accordez à votre chiot une période de repos ou de jeu ou faites une pause toilettage après la séance de dressage. Pochette à friandises Mikki Récompenser votre chiot avec des friandises est bien plus pratique avec la pochette à friandises Mikki. Cette pochette vous permet d organiser votre choix de friandises et de les avoir directement à portée de main pendant le dressage. Elle permet en outre de protéger vos vêtements des odeurs ou des tâches causées par les friandises. Fixez la pochette à votre ceinture pendant le dressage ou lorsque vous sortez votre chiot dans le jardin ou partez en promenade ou même lorsque vous allez à l école des chiots. Vous aurez ainsi des friandises toujours à portée de main dès que votre chiot se comporte d une manière que vous appréciez et que vous souhaitez encourager. Choisir des récompenses appropriées Il est essentiel de choisir une friandise appropriée pour récompenser le comportement positif de votre chiot. Chaque chiot est motivé par différentes friandises et il est important de connaître ses préférences. Essayez une variété de friandises pour chiots ou de viandes cuites. Les chiots très gourmands vont probablement se contenter de leurs biscuits habituels. Toutefois, la plupart d entre eux vont préférer une friandise spéciale pour récompenser les tâches plus ardues. Préparez les friandises en portions adaptées pour le dressage. 22 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 22 19/1/10 14:30:19
ABSTENEZ-VOUS DE DONNER À VOTRE CHIOT DES FRIANDISES QUI NE SONT PAS SPÉCIFIQUES POUR CHIENS, DU CHOCOLAT ET DES SNACKS SALÉS QUI RISQUENT DE PRÉSENTER UN DANGER POUR SA SANTÉ. Veillez à ce que les friandises soient en petits morceaux, telle la grosseur idéale d un petit pois, afin que votre chiot puisse les manger et les avaler facilement. Évitez les gros morceaux ou le type de friandises qu il devra mâcher longuement, car ceci risque de ralentir le processus de dressage. Abstenez-vous de donner à votre chiot de nouvelles friandises en grande quantité afin d éviter tout risque d indigestion. Si votre chiot a effectué beaucoup d entraînement dans la journée, songez à réduire le volume du repas principal que vous lui offrirez plus tard. Vous pourrez ainsi équilibrer sa prise de calories pour la journée. Bien sûr, si votre chiot a été particulièrement dynamique, il est probable qu il ait brûlé l excédent de calories absorbées. Longe d intérieur Mikki Une laisse longue et légère constitue un accessoire d aide pratique lors du dressage de votre chiot et pour l empêcher de se comporter d une manière que vous jugez indésirable. Les usages de la longe varient selon les comportements que vous essayez de proscrire : Maîtriser les chiots surexcités Limiter les comportements indésirables, tels que chaparder ou sauter Assistance lorsque vous enseignez à votre chiot à s approcher lorsque vous l appelez Assistance pour guider votre chiot à descendre des meubles sans causer de confrontation Attachez la longe d intérieur au collier ou au harnais de votre chiot. Vous ne devez en aucune circonstance l attacher à une chaîne de retenue ou à un collier de serrage. Permettez à votre chiot de traîner la longe d intérieur derrière lui. Dès qu il commence à agir d une manière qui ne vous convient pas, vous pouvez maîtriser ses mouvements, soit en ramassant l extrémité de la longe et en la tirant doucement, soit en posant le pied dessus. La longe d intérieur vous donne la possibilité de contrôler les 23 Puppy Training Kit Instruction Book.indd 23 19/1/10 14:30:20