Puppy Training Challenge: How does the CCI puppy react to the 18 items listed below.
Puppy Raising Tip: Basic Expectations
Below you will find 18 items CCI trainers evaluate dogs on when they enter Advanced Training. How does the CCI puppy you are raising respond to each?
- Umbrella: If you open an umbrella, the puppy should not flinch or shy away.
- Wobbly Platform: Puppy should climb over any surface with confidence
- Crate: Puppy should enter and exit a kennel with confidence. They should not rush in or out, and they should be relaxed and calm when in the crate.
- Dog Interaction: When walking down the road the CCI puppy should remain calm and be focused on the puppy raiser. There is no need for CCI puppies to interact with strange dogs. CCI puppies should easily look away from another animal when called or given another command by the handler.
- Side position: CCI puppies should be equally responsive to commands when on either the left or right side of the handler. Remember both heel and side have implied sits.
- Vacuum Cleaner: CCI puppies should be calm and relaxed when a vacuum is running.
- Food on Floor: CCI puppies should never scavenge or snatch food from off the floor. Self control around food is extremely important. CCI puppies should never eat food off the floor.
- Novel items (statues, looming objects, large stuffed animals, etc.): CCI puppies can notice the novel item, but remain calm and indifferent to the object. CCI puppies should never shy away or bark.
- Dog Toys: When on leash or in a sit or a down, CCI puppies should remain calm and indifferent to the toys. Regardless if the toys are being bounced, squeaked, or thrown, the CCI puppy should have self control and the ability to focus on the handler. They should easily look away from the toy when called or given another command.
- Grates: Building confidence is extremely important. CCI puppies should never shy away or avoid walking over any type of surface. There are no excuses.
- Stroller/Wheelchairs/Carts/brooms/bicycles: CCI puppies should never shy away or become fearful of moving object that roll by them. Again self control and confidence is essential to a successful working dog.
- Gentle Leader: CCI puppies should accept and be verbally responsive to commands when wearing the Gentle Leader. The Gentle Leader is the primary training tool the puppy raiser uses. It should be worn when ever the puppy is in public regardless of how well trained the puppy is.
- Stairs: Control on stairs is also critical. CCI puppies should never rush up or down a flight of steps. They should walk calmly by the handler's side, and adjust to the handler's speed.
- Doorways: Like the stairs, CCI puppies should never rush through or shy behind the handler when walking through a doorway. The puppy starts and stops with you. No commands are needed.
- Step Over: CCI puppies should allow a person to step over them without moving or shifting positions.
- Greetings: Calm greetings is again extremely important. CCI puppies should not get over aroused when interacting with people.
- Small animals: cats, squirrels, rabbits, etc.: Self control and handler focus is the only behavior we will accept.
- Touch: CCI puppies should accept physical manipulation from anyone that is handling them. They should also accept being in tight spaces and having items brush up against their side.
For a dog that is in Advanced Training there are NO MORE excuses. The behavior is either acceptable or not acceptable. Puppy raisers may have to evaluate their handling if they feel they need to make excuses. Puppy raisers spend a great deal of time and energy, and want the puppy to be successful. However, puppy raisers must remember that no dog is perfect. If a dog reacts poorly, it may not be a reflection of their handling. All puppy raisers can do is try. In the end it is up to the dog and the CCI trainers.
Happy Training,
Suzanne Sliclen
Puppy Program Manager
