Puppy Training- The First Thing I Taught My New Puppy! 🐶 How To Train A Puppy Ep 1

Summary

In this video, a dog trainer shares a method for building engagement with a 13-week-old puppy named Burly. The focus is on teaching the puppy to look at the trainer to receive rewards, which is crucial for future obedience training. The trainer uses a 'yes' marker as a reward signal, similar to clicker training, to capture behaviors quickly. The session takes place in a home environment to make it relatable, using food rewards and gradually increasing distractions. The trainer demonstrates how to transition this engagement training from indoors to an outdoor setting, emphasizing the importance of starting in a controlled environment before moving to more distracting ones.

Takeaways

• 🐕 The importance of dog engagement is emphasized, focusing on the dog looking at the owner to get what it wants.
• 🎓 Potty and crate training are mentioned as foundational steps before starting obedience training.
• 📹 The trainer films the series at home to make it relatable and accessible for viewers.
• 🍖 Food rewards are used to capture behaviors and reinforce learning.
• 📣 The 'yes' word serves as a reward marker, similar to a clicker in clicker training, to indicate to the dog when it has done something right.
• 👀 The goal is to train the dog to look at the owner to receive rewards, building a strong bond and attentiveness.
• 🍗 Distraction training is introduced by placing rewards next to the dog and rewarding the dog for looking at the owner instead of the food.
• 🔄 The trainer advises randomizing the source of food rewards to prevent the dog from anticipating where the reward will come from.
• 🚫 The use of a leash is recommended during training to prevent the dog from running off during outdoor sessions.
• 🌳 Outdoor training is introduced gradually, starting in a controlled environment before progressing to more distracting situations.
• 🔄 The process of building engagement is iterative, with the trainer demonstrating how to incrementally increase distractions and rewards.

Q & A

What is the age of Burly, the dog mentioned in the script?

Burly is about 13 weeks old.

What training aspects of Burly are mentioned as being good?

Burly's potty training and crate training are mentioned as being good.

What is the first thing the trainer plans to do with Burly before starting obedience training?

The trainer plans to start with engagement, which involves getting the dog to look at the trainer to get what he wants.

What is the purpose of using the word 'yes' as a reward marker in training?

The word 'yes' serves as a reward marker to help capture a behavior faster, signaling to the dog that they have done something right and will be rewarded.

How does the trainer plan to add distractions to the training?

The trainer plans to add distractions by placing a reward next to the dog and training the dog to look at the trainer instead of the food to receive the reward.

What is the significance of building duration and distractions in the training?

Building duration and distractions is significant as it helps the dog learn to maintain focus on the trainer and respond to commands even in distracting environments.

How does the trainer plan to transition the training from indoors to outdoors?

The trainer plans to transition the training by starting in a controlled, non-distracted environment and gradually moving to more distracting outdoor settings like the backyard, garage, or driveway.

What is the importance of randomizing where the food reward is delivered from during training?

Randomizing the source of the food reward prevents the dog from expecting the reward from a specific side, ensuring the dog focuses on the trainer and not a specific location.

What is the next step the trainer plans to take after building engagement?

After building engagement, the trainer plans to advance the training by using a leash and throwing food away from the dog, requiring the dog to refocus on the trainer to receive the reward.

Why is it important for the dog to look at the trainer to get what they want?

It is important for the dog to look at the trainer to get what they want because it creates a strong bond and value in the relationship, which is crucial for effective training and communication.

How does the trainer demonstrate the progress of engagement training before moving on to heel commands?

The trainer demonstrates the progress by showing the dog naturally looking at the trainer as they move around, indicating that the dog has learned to engage with the trainer without specific commands.