Puppy Kindergarten

Our little boy started Puppy Kindergarten on August 6, 2017.  He has now completed 4 weeks and we have 3 more weeks to go.  There are 7 puppies in our class and while Woody has done very well overall, he definitely gets a big distracted in class sometimes!  He's very smart though and has picked up on most things quite easily.  He learned to sit and do hand targeting on day one within about 10 minutes after we got home and practiced and has consistently done them ever since!  As long as I can get him to stop and look at me when I call his name, then he instantly comes running when I say 'come'.  We are only allowed to say the command once according to our instructor - if he responds, he's rewarded - if he doesn't then we move to something else and try again in a few minutes.  We spent lots of time discussing biting which is so common with puppies while they are teething.  We are doing all the right things and his biting antics have definitely improved, but he still has crazy little bitey spells sometimes.  That's something we will not miss for sure as he grows up!  Last night Lauren said she wished we could fly and when I asked her why, she said "so we could go anywhere and Woody couldn't bite our feet and legs"!  We are also working on down, how to settle if they are a little too hyped up, getting used to being touched all over (which will be helpful at the groomer), and loose leash walking.  Woody hated the leash at first and turned into a wild man every time we used it in the beginning, but he is learning to like it and is rewarded when he walks nicely by our side.  He has to learn a new trick to demonstrate at the end of class and I'm not sure what it will be yet.  We were working on 'shake', but that seems to be one command that he will not do (at least not consistently) so we may have to move to plan b - Lauren wants him to learn to jump through a hula hoop so maybe we'll start there!

Anyway, since it was the first day of school, I had to document it in pictures!

Also taken on the same day, he loves to run and play in the backyard!