SUPPLIES
- Unique name
- Puppy training class
- Treats
Overview
Puppies are adorable little bundles of energy and entertainment. It is great fun to have new puppy in your home, and embark on a whole new world of activities as you acclimate yourself to life with your new little friend. One of the activities in which you may to choose to participate with your puppy is a puppy relay. It will take some discipline and training to be prepared, but winning or even placing in the relay will be well worth your efforts.
Puppy Relay Training
Step 1
Give your puppy a unique name. If you plan to enter your pup in a relay competing against other pups, you will likely be calling his name and attempting to get his attention throughout the event. If you choose a common name like Jake, your dog may end up competing with other contestants with the same name. This will be confusing for your dog when he is being called. Once you name him, practice calling him to come so that he starts to recognize his name.
Step 2
Teach your dog basic commands. The relay will likely have events that revolve around basic commands such as sit, stay, leave it, come, lie down and roll over. Your puppy will have an advantage if he is well-versed in following these directions. It would be a good idea to enroll your dog in a puppy training class, such as the ones available at PetSmart, to help him learn these commands. The classes are around 100 dollars for eight weeks, and the only requirement is that your dog receives all his vaccinations prior to the start of class.
Step 3
Practice the commands that you learn at pet class with your dog at home. Practice will help him learn faster. It will also teach him to follow directions in different environments, which will be useful for the relay. You will also want to have your dog practice commands with distractions. Take him to the dog park, and give him the commands you are working on. This will help prevent him from being distracted the day of the relay.
Step 4
Find out what the events will be when you sign your dog up for the relay. If they are letting contestants know about the events of the relay, it will give you a leg up to know them. You can try to set up similar events for your puppy in your home. For instance, if your puppy needs to push a ball into a goal, set up a goal, and give your dog a treat each time he pushes the ball into it.
Step 5
Socialize your dog with other dogs. Take your dog to the dog park, or let him play with neighborhood dogs. Allowing him to get used to being around the other dogs should help him not to be overly distracted when he is participating in the relay.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- WARNING : If your dog is aggressive toward other dogs, you may want to avoid entering him in the relay, at least until he is fully trained to properly socialize.
Resources
