My pup (3 months old now) is seemingly doing really well with our marker training and I've started to put hand signals and commands with his actions. We do about 3 (5 to 15 minute) focused sessions a day and of course intermittantly during play and down time around the house (random treats as markers).

At what point should he be going to "official" sessions (tracking and obedience) with other people training? We will eventually be full on training for SchH.

His focus stays on me a good percent of the time, especially in the house, but outside, his focus goes to sticks, birds, passerbys fairly easily yet. He redirects very well, but am wondering if going to actual training with him at this age is a good thing, being outside with added distractions? I was thinking more like 6 months...but then again, I could be using body language I am unaware of and maybe it would be good to have trainer/others eyes on me for tips beyond my videos....any thoughts?

I can't remember when Carbon decided he loved the ball more than life itself, but that was the point when outside training began. He lost all interest in ANYTHING except doing what it takes to get that ball reward!

I personally think that going outside for the purpose of socializing him to these things is a good idea. He may not be focused enough yet to do serious training there, but if you have him out a lot now, then he won't be as distracted by those things you described when he's older because they will have already become familiar to him.

Holy CRAP! What am I posting about distractions and training outside????-After I posted, I did a session and was completely hyper aware (sp?) of the distractions here in my house!!!

Somewhere, I did know this and acknowledge this previously, but today, distractions were amplified (to me) and seeing the cat, boy, um, husbands shoes/LACES, harley passing by out front...we were just doing some marker heeling INSIDE!!! He still does fine. He'd probably have less distractions out in an open field tracking, actually.

I guess I've just read so much and thought a lot about distractions, how it is so difficult for a dog to learn with distractions. I, of course, am completely interested in being the "center of the universe" to my pup and when it's all good, going along with him watching me, sitting, looking, platzing, everything and then he's suddenly "OH MY GOD--THERE's a stick!" I *try* not to take it personal (Heeeheee) and simply redirect. He does great with it....thankfully, I am connected with a great trainer and will get regular with some training next week.

IMO, a 5-15 minute session with a 3 month old puppy is too long. If he is doing great and then all of a sudden goes for a stick, he's gving you feedback. He's telling you that he needs a break.

I would do no more than 2 or 3 minutes with a pup so young, always end before you lose him to a distraction.

I do a set of three "runaways" with my pups two or three times a day.
We work on house manners a couple times a day also, but I spread it out.
Runaways take about 5 minutes and these are food and praise reward right now. House manners are done throughout the day and evening.
House manners are food. They are little chow hounds.

Cayden knows sit and heir and Coda is sit and down. Cayden is very focused on me and even outside he is stuck to me like glue. Not sure what I am going to do with him as he is not one that will venture far. He is not outgoing with people until he adjusts to them being there. So everyone has food for him. I am hoping that changes with adolescence.

Coda, on the other hand is outgoing and rambunctious and her training sessions are SHORT since her attention span is way less.
She LOVES to do the runaways, but her focus on house manners and simple obedience is lacking right now. She loves people.

I have been told that males are slower to "come out of their shell" so I take him to work with me for socialization. If he is away from me he is fine, but yesterday he showed his teeth at someone who approached me while he was standing in front of me. At first I was thinking "fear" however his ears were up, he was forward and his tail was up and still and he had this look on his face that was not fearful at all.
These pups come out of protection and schutzhund lines so I am wondering what he will grow up to be.

I keep training as short as I can and we go out and just dink around a lot, walks and play.

 Quote: cindy easton rhodes

IMO, a 5-15 minute session with a 3 month old puppy is too long. If he is doing great and then all of a sudden goes for a stick, he's gving you feedback. He's telling you that he needs a break.

I would do no more than 2 or 3 minutes with a pup so young, always end before you lose him to a distraction.

Thanks for this feedback...it is rare we get to 15 mins, but have gone *about* that a couple times with him focused and I do make sure it always starts and stops on a positive.
I did start with random treats, after a couple days/week or so of having him started into more focused, working on sit, only for a minute or so, then up to 2, then worked into 5 minutes or so over the month now that I've had him. I'll keep it at that, short, sweet and FUN, which is what he appears to be having when we are "working"

As for distractions, I think it's just me...getting distracted about the distractions, cuz I believe he's just being a pup, which I love and respect. The world is a big place. Question is now getting a bit more clear...

When out "dinkin" around,(we do that too Carol ) no "formal" marker stuff, just dinkin in the yard, he, of course, gets distracted with sticks, rocks, leaf flying by, etc...in my efforts to be the center of his world, I get the best toy, the best treat, run the other way, and distract him from that so he is "with me" again. Is it ok to just let him toss leaves around and cut up a bit, supervised? Or should it always be toys coming from me during dink-play time?

From Michele McAtee: "When out "dinkin" around,(we do that too Carol ) no "formal" marker stuff, just dinkin in the yard, he, of course, gets distracted with sticks, rocks, leaf flying by, etc...in my efforts to be the center of his world, I get the best toy, the best treat, run the other way, and distract him from that so he is "with me" again. Is it ok to just let him toss leaves around and cut up a bit, supervised? Or should it always be toys coming from me during dink-play time?"

My goal = Work is fun!

I think its ok to let him be a pup and explore and play, supervised. I feel that it lets the pup be a little more self-reliant. Eventually he will learn that being with you is where its at and his world revolves around you.

I constantly talk to my pups and make silly sounds so they tilt their heads(one of my favorite things). If they ignore me I walk away and act interested in a toy most of the time curiosity gets them and they have to investigate what Dads up to! Whenever they come see me on thier own accord I reward them lavishly.

This has worked for me:

For informal training seesions, )at this age I think most everything should be fun and no pressure on the pup.)what i try to do is to work all basic imprinting/ training into a continous, flexible , fun learning process.

What I do with my Panzer (Male 12 weeks old) IS take him out of his crate, let him go pee/poop. Then I do like 1-3 min of basic commands, like sitz or watch with food reward, then "take a break" and i grab a toy and act like a fool to get his attention if he wonders off to toss leaves or catch a bug thats cool with me, he needs to feel confident enough to explore on his own.

Some times I just toss hotdogs on the lawn and let him find them I just pet him and tell him Such gut such! when hes done I just let him wonder off and play.

I just ask for more of his attention as he grows older.

What im trying to do is instilling in him that playing and free time are earned by giving me his attention. The trick is to make it all seem like play. I did it with my 4 month old female ISIS and she is doing very well.

Example: Today I had her sitz and I walked about 20' away turned around and began playing with her favorite toy (a blue soccer ball), after a few retarts she remained in a sitz and then after about 30 sec. I let her go by throwing the ball. I play with her a bit and then we do it again or move to something else.

Before she goes back in we play for a good 5 min or longer.

If she gives me focus and does what I ask I let her just play, and when she was younger she would wonder off and explore but now she chooses to play with me.

I just try to absorb what works by being flexible and remebering the goal is to have a mature dog who strives to please me because its fun.

I plan on doing Schutzhund with both so everything we do is geared twoards that goal.

I use the the Balabanov training method as start and then pick up things from club members and books, dvds and the web and try them out.

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"Don't take the fence down, until you know why it was put up."- Robert Frost

 Quote: jasonfitzsimmons

I think its ok to let him be a pup and explore and play, supervised. I feel that it lets the pup be a little more self-reliant. Eventually he will learn that being with you is where its at and his world revolves around you.

I can only hope I am more interesting than that damn twig he seems to find even though I thought I picked 'em all up!

I've taken to, like you said, making my toy seem a lot more interesting than the twig, and he looks up, drops twig, then runs to me. Good trade off, cuz then I run and discreetly toss the twig over the fence.

Before I got this pup, I told myself I wasn't going to complicate matters or "read into" training, but it is almost as if the more you know...you know?

How does "nothing in life for free" fit into supervised playtime? Is it simply his attention to me then toy reward? This really is simple, huh?

I've started Mojo on tracking. He will be 16 weeks this Sat. First just the sent pad for a few sessions, then 10' railroad tracks, now 20' railroad tracks (2-3 times a day). He does fantastic, really loves doing it. He has a hyper food drive.

Also doing basic commands for food. Using Ivan's methods I was able to teach him Brings in one day (he doesn't really like the ball much).

I take him to Schutzhund meets, more for socializing with other big dogs and training advice. Plus I can learn how schutzhund is done.

This is such a fun time for both of us !

I consider play time vitally important with puppies, and actually dogs of all ages. I don't feel it's important to constantly get his attention onto you when he's exploring other things. It's normal for them to explore and it teaches them about their world. The "nothing in life is free", to me doesn't extend to exploring and simple playtime. Actually, I believe some things in life "are" free, such as simply exploring the grass, leaves, flowers, romping around, of course under supervision cause of potential dangers.

Constant constraints on a puppy's playtime could lead to a frustrated, inhibited, uncertain or shy pup. After the initial fun exploration time, then you can have a minute or 2 of some "look at me" or other simple obedience basics. But exploring is crucial to development, as with children. Let him play!