For most owners, the task of training and raising a proper canine citizen can be a daunting task - and they don't always want to live up to the same standards as working, performance, or trainers' dogs. Not everyone wants a pup with a perfect show-heel, police dog level protection training, or flawless competition-level obedience - but is there a standard by which a pet dog should stack up? We submit to you our opinion on how the flawlessly trained high end dogs should be, and then how the average pet dog should be.
Please note, this list is geared for puppies and new pets - but you can adapt it for a rescue or adopted/foster pet by using the age list as a time period. Example: a 2 month old puppy should know sit - an untrained 2 year old foster dog should master sit within 2 months. Enjoy!
6 Weeks to 2 Months
Perfect Puppy
By two months, the perfect puppy should know his or her name, come when called within the home, and understand the basics of engagement (focus driving skills mixed with vocal commands instead of clicker training). They should also know Sit, Down, Stand, Stay, Come, and a mixture of these from all positions within a few feet of the trainer at least half of the time. They should also begin to understand No Bark/Quiet and Speak. By 2 months, your pet should completely understand that the rewards are for the specified behaviour and won't always get a reward and won't always get a small piece/short play session.
Average Pet Puppy
By two months, the average pet puppy should understand his or her name, come when called at least half the time, understand the basics of engagement, and should understand mostly sit and down.
Below Average Puppy
If your pup by two months only understands his name, and doesn't fully grasp obedience equals treats, he is behind schedule.
2 Months to 6 Months
Perfect Puppy
By 6 months, your puppy should understand all basic commands (Sit, Down, Stand, Stay, Wait, Come, Fetch, ect) with a 90% accuracy and fast response; you should be able by now to introduce more complex skills like a forced retrieve, forced recall, and higher level obedience training. Your pet by 6 months should be able to listen with a mix of rewards and no rewards without resisting obedience. By now, they should also have mastered tug play and it's respectful rules (if they enjoy the game). This game should be replacing food treats at least half the time.
Average Pet Puppy
By 6 months, the average pet puppy should respond all the time to his or her name, know that their name means come here and pay attention, and be able to use all common home commands, like Sit, Down, Stay, Come, No Bark/Quiet, Speak, and come when called outside within 75% of the time. They should be comfortable transitioning from all-treats to sometimes treats or playtime.
Below Average Puppy
If your pup by 6 months only understands his name, and sit/down and an unreliable stay, your pup is lagging behind. This type of pup will not obey unless they physically see a treat.
6 Months to 1 Year
Perfect Puppy
By 1 year, the perfect puppy should know all commands flawlessly, have perfect drive and focus, should almost never deviate from a command or make mistakes, should have 100% perfect obedience and personality, be able to completely ignore all other dogs and safely be off leash with a 100% perfect recall, emergency down, stop command, leave it command, and be able to perform all obedience skills and tricks in all areas, situations, and distraction levels. By 8 months, the pup should understand it's role in the pack, his job, duties, and should have no unfamiliar situations or odd responses to the strange. Your pet should obey with OR without rewards such as toys or treats for all practiced and learned behaviour. Play time/Tug time should be the reward 70% of the time, and the other 30% should be mostly no rewards at all.
Average Pet Puppy
By 1 year, the average pet should understand all used commands in most situations, have a fairly steady personality and obedience 75% of the time, and should be safe off leash as long as there aren't too many distractions. They should understand their place in the pack, and have a general idea of what their job is. They should understand the basics of tug and should be comfortable getting this reward instead of treats at least half the time.
Below Average Puppy
By 1 year, if your pup hasn't learned all their commands and can't be trusted off leash or won't listen 75% of the time and or doesn't have a recall, emergency down, or stop command, and doesn't listen without a treat being present, your dog is a little behind.
1 Year to 2 Years and On
Perfect Dog
By the two year mark, the perfect pup should be completely and flawlessly trained with an obedience rate of 99% with excellent drive, perfect response time, and should have a vast skill set to handle life with. They should fully understand their place and job, and execute it without fault at all times; they should be completely unphased by new sensations, areas, people, or dogs. The perfect puppy should by now no longer need training or behaviour management of any kind, and the owner should be working on things like party tricks, complicated behaviours, and refining skills to make them ever faster, sharper, and better, including some high-end tricks like Frisbee back-flipping and the like. By now, your pet should be 50% playtime and 50% nothing at all for a reward system. There should be zero need for treats at this stage.
Average Pet Dog
By the two year mark, the average pet dog should mostly understand their place and job, and be able to obey at least 75% of the time. They should by now be safe off leash with perfect recall, emergency down, and stop command obedience, and should also be able to learn new skills. By now, your pet should be mostly playtime or praise rewarded, and only need treats on new skills or skills that are brand new.
Below Average Dog
If by this point your pet doesn't know all commands, won't listen at least 75% of the time, has some form of unwanted, frustrating, or irritating behavioural issues, and doesn't obey unless there is some kind of reward, your pet needs some stricter training.
So tell us; how does your pup stack up? Hopefully this list has made you feel a little better about your training, and if not, sets some basic goals for you to achieve! We can all achieve our ideal companion if we simply understand how dogs work.
No comments:
Post a Comment