One of the most beneficial things you can do for your puppy is to give them the skills they most need to live in today’s world. Teaching your puppy to recover quickly from excitement, stress, fear, or worry is more valuable, in my opinion, than teaching them the commands “sit” and “down.” But by playing a few simple, mentally-stimulating and enriching games with them, obedience tasks will become easier for your puppy to learn.
I think a puppy that can overcome challenges quickly or bounce back from being momentarily frightened or scared is more important than teaching them obedience. In the scheme of critical socialization for puppies, you only have until roughly week 14 of life for that to happen. So while my puppies are at this age, I play what might seem like silly games with them to both expose them to new surfaces to put their feet on, or into, while giving them problem-solving skills.
One of the first games I play with puppies is teaching them to climb into a cardboard box or some type of basket. You may think there will never be a reason in life for a puppy to climb into a cardboard box, and you may be right about that. However, there will be countless times that you ask your puppy to confront a new surface like the shiny scale or exam table at the vet office, stairs that may or may not be slippery, the bathtub, and countless others. Teaching your puppy to confront this new and weird object will bolster both their confidence and turn their brain on.
First, find a box or basket whose sides are low enough for a small puppy to physically get over. Next, reward your puppy for coming near and investigating it with a few treats. Step two is to try to lure the puppy to paw at or put a foot inside the basket. Give them a treat when they do, and be very generous with praise. Make the game harder and harder by first rewarding them for one foot in, then for two feet in, and so on until they have climbed fully into the basket. Keep the pressure low, though. Be generous with praise and rewards for each step they achieve. I use the word “climb” with my dogs to instruct them to put their feet onto or into something. When a puppy does master climbing inside the box, I praise them by saying “good climb!” in my happiest of voices.
Once I can point at a box or basket and ask the puppy to go climb, I will add a different texture to the inside, like plastic or something that makes a crinkly sound. I also have a baby pool ball pit that I hide treats in. Baby slides, wobble boards, or even tarps can serve in helping your puppy confront new and weird surfaces.
Remember not to force your puppy to touch these new surfaces or objects. Keep the pressure low. Playing these problem-solving and enriching games will help your puppy to grow up into a confident and well-adjusted adult.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
