Here are some of the important skills each Pickwick Puppy works on (in red) plus some additional goals for the future. We hope that new owners will want to continue reinforcing what the puppy has learned, strengthening the behaviors the puppy may still be struggling with, and adding new challenges throughout the puppy's life! One of our senior pugs just earned yet another tricks title, so even old dogs CAN learn new tricks!
This master list will be included in each owner's Puppy Basket (and you can also print out another copy from this downloadable file .... )
| list_of_skills_pickwick_puppies_have_worked_on_and_future_goals.pdf |
Your puppy will have learned 10 tricks to earn an AKC Novice Tricks title and we hope you all will want to apply for this (whether through in person evaluation, or virtually via video submission)! When you attend your Puppy Kindergarten class (required for all Pickwick Pug puppy owners), or other basic manners or obedience class geared towards puppies, you will find other skills at which your puppy excels or prefers.
We encourage you to pursue other fun programs and titles like "AKC Star Puppy", "Virtual Home Manners", "Canine Good Citizenship" or even Trick Dog Intermediate or Advanced levels!
We normally print-out and check-off sheets which are held in a clipboard but we recently added this online form where we can email and submit, then print for notebook.
Training Checklist:
| puppy_training_chart.pdf |
Socialization Checklist:
| socialization_checklist.pdf |
Some things we've learned over the years: Each puppy is unique! Each puppy has a unique learning style. Some will excel in certain skills while struggle in others. Some puppies will be great at eye contact and attention while others may never be able to lock in that focus. Some might be great at shake and give paw while others struggle to master this. Some might be better at rear end awareness (spin, pivot, perch work) while others never seem to learn they have back legs. Some may master a shaping game in seconds while others take 45 minutes lol.
Also, each puppy is motivated differently. We find that the greatest success is achieved when we focus on a puppy's individual strengths and afford them as wide of a learning curve as necessary. Patience and focusing on the positive is the key. In our mind, even though certain skills like 'watch me' and 'wait' and 'loose leash walking' are important to eventually master, the main purpose of training is an avenue to form a human/dog bond. So we try to focus on the PROCESS of learning versus the ultimate mastery of a given skill/behavior and always try to dwell in the present moment .... just like the dog does! Remember, each puppy will struggle at some skills but shine as rockstars in others. Keep training fun and always focus on the positive!
Also, each puppy is motivated differently. We find that the greatest success is achieved when we focus on a puppy's individual strengths and afford them as wide of a learning curve as necessary. Patience and focusing on the positive is the key. In our mind, even though certain skills like 'watch me' and 'wait' and 'loose leash walking' are important to eventually master, the main purpose of training is an avenue to form a human/dog bond. So we try to focus on the PROCESS of learning versus the ultimate mastery of a given skill/behavior and always try to dwell in the present moment .... just like the dog does! Remember, each puppy will struggle at some skills but shine as rockstars in others. Keep training fun and always focus on the positive!