I've done some one on one training with the pups the past couple of weeks and it's neat to see them develop; they're becoming real individual dogalities now. Below are some of the training layouts I've used (pictures taken on or near 6 weeks of age).
I use the pan to teach up, on, off. The carton is an uneven, floppy surface to walk across, teaching trust and confidence. The lid is used to teach touch. And of course, the treats in the bowl are used to reward / lure any come, sit, down, up, on, off, turn, spin, down or touch. Gold is the pup shown.
Pink on the training setup at 6 weeks. The grilling pan is not only see through, but rocky and she crossed it without hesitation (as did all pups except Peach- he needed to think about it a bit before he attempted it. But he then conquered his misgivings and climbed aboard several times :) )
I used a ball yesterday, as well as an upside down muffin tin. This gave another new, uneven surface to navigate, as well as some insight into degree of prey / chase drive. This is Silver.
Pups are also progressing in their potty training. They won't be fully housebroken before leaving here, but are becoming quite good at heading to the potty box when they're in their pen. I just started using a smaller potty pan in the training room and they are not used to it being there yet, but a couple of them are beginning to attempt to use it. Since it's smaller, they don't always realize that their important end is still hanging out, but the 'try' is present :)
Individual Pup pics & descriptions (all are in addition to the 5 wk summaries):
There are several pictures for each puppy. Scroll over picture to find & use navigation arrows. Blue (m): Is currently the biggest & alpha male of the litter. He loves the ball and was one of two pups able to pick it up in their mouths. He was also the only one to demonstrate interest in the ball prior to me playing with or moving it, and showed an innate ability to control the ball's movement; he deliberately pulled it toward him and nudged it away in order to keep the play going longer. He is very amicable towards training and does what he's asked cheerfully and with gusto. He is likely to need a firm, consistent leader and a job to do because he is SPUNKY.
Gold: Is an easy going pup on the lower end of the scale for dominance in the group at this point in time. He approached the ball without trepidation and enjoyed playing with it. He and Silver vie for second place in the weight category. In regards to training, he is a willing & cheerful participant for most activities. 'Down' is his least favorite, but he's improving.
Peach: Is the second smallest pup in the litter. He has a natural sit and down and is very easy to train. He is a softer pup and can find some new things daunting, prefering to sit back and consider a course of action before taking it but usually then tackles the issue if given some encouragement; food is a good incentive :) He is on the bottom rung in regards to pack dominance and will likely need a bit quieter home that gives him lots of good socialization and pleasant experiences to continue to bolster his confidence in new surroundings. He was somewhat concerned about the ball at first, but ended up playing with it, although without the pounce and vigor of some of his littermates.
Pink: Was the other pup that was able to pick up the ball in her mouth. She had a slight hesitation when she & the ball first met, but then found quite a bit of enjoyment in playing with it. She does not have a natural sit, but otherwise easily accomplishes the training set before her. She is a close 4th from the top in the litter hierarchy.
Silver: Cheerfully does everything that she's asked without being quite as maleable as Green or Peach- showing a tiny bit more independence of character. She was the first to be introduced to the ball, so hadn't had a chance to watch any littermates play with it prior to meeting it. In the beginning she thought that maybe it was trying to chase her (our floor is not level), but soon got over that and became quite pouncy and a bit talkative as she tackled it. Silver vies with Red for second place below Blue in the pack.
Green: Absolutely loved the ball, close to Blue's level on that regard. She's middle of the pack for dominance, at 3 from the bottom. She doesn't seem to care too much about becoming the alpha dog, but does appear to be rules oriented. An example of this is that she will not go after Blue in order to get a bone for herself, but will pounce towards him tail up if he's being too harsh on another pup. She is one of the easiest pups to train (NOT that ANY of them are difficult!) with a natural sit and down. She is the smallest pup in the litter.
Red: At this point, she shares the top alpha female spot with Silver - first one is then the other. She still has moments when she shows uneasiness with being held, but is a playful and explorative pup when she is in her comfort zone - the floor. The ball gave her only scant moments of pause before she tackled it with gusto. She has shown a real preference for being where the action is. When given tasks in training she has increased in confidence enough to do them without hesitation or signs of discomfort.
