Wodin discovered water today. Exposing your puppy to loads of new situations builds their minds. Be sure not to take your eyes off them. They explore their environment with their mouths the way humans explore our environment with our hands. They put a lot of inappropriate things in their mouths - and that's OK but they need you to help them determine what is safe and what is not safe - rocks, house and yard chemicals, sharp things, pointed things, etc.
(Remember - clicking on a photo enlarges it. To return, click on the X in the upper right-hand corner of the photo section.)
A good important trick is the "Leave It!" trick. Teach them this early.
"Leave It!" - Have a handful of yummy treats and in one hand and a few, one or two, treats in your treat hand. Show them the handful and let them try and smell and lick but NEVER let them get a treat from that treat-full hand. When they try, close your hand before they can get to them. Keep it closed as long as they are trying. Sooner or later they will look at you puzzled. Remember, dogs, like humans, are problem solvers. When your puppy looks at you say, "Leave It!" and give them a treat from the other hand. Immediately.
Repeat the process exposing the treat-full hand but snapping it shut as soon as your puppy tries to get the treats. Do not say anything. However, when your puppy again looks at you, immediately say "Leave It!" and also "Good Leave It!" and reward with the treat from the other hand.
Icelandics are smart. They will catch on very fast. and soon will be ignorning (pretty much so anyway) the treat-full hand. Be sure your rewards for looking away from the treat-full hand are immediate and the praise is too.
Then you are ready for the next step.
Put the treats from your treat-full hand on the floor with your hand close by and ready to cover the treats immediately. Use the above process. (Cover the treats, say nothing, when the puppy looks at you, reward with a treat from the other hand and say "Leave It!"
Be smarter than your puppy - the first rule of training.
If your puppy succeeds even once in getting to the treats in your treat-full hand or from the floor, you are losing and your puppy will remember that.
Also remember that your puppies are not only learning a new trick, they are also learning HOW to learn. They are learning that if they DO something, they will get a reward. The reward should be a treat, a toy-play or praise. The more you teach them, the faster they will learn their next trick.
People often ask me when I stop treating. Never.
Kata, at the age of ten plus, still gets treats for doing agility and obedience stuff.
With puppies who are just beginning to learn I use lots of treats. Lots. Make sure they are small (pea-sized is good) and something they really, really like. Kibble would be a terrible treat. It should also be something they can swallow right away. Something they have to chew would also not be a good treat. Keep your treats in an easy to open and close bait-bag. When you are not using your bait-bag, keep it in the freezer if you have treats that could spoil. Take it out every time you go for a walk, to the vets, to class, for a car trip, etc. Keep lots of different treats for them. (You can also use larger pieces but if you do, make them work for it. Hold it between your fingers and don't let them have it all at once. Let them get just a small piece each time they deserve a reward.)
I have used Cheerios (healthy, inexpensive, crunchy but easy to quickly chew and swallow), pieces of low fat string cheese, pieces of low fat hot dogs, etc. You have to choose something your dog/puppy would love. Their tastes are different just like ours are.
Remember, if you have questions, please ask. Then I get to go off on one of my tangents. The only "stupid" question is the unasked one.
If you have not found our Yahoo Chat Room where people can ask questions and get a variety of answers and perhaps one that will work for them, please ask and I'll enroll you.
Please keep those photos coming. By adopting one of my pups, you have also joined a caring group of loving Icelandic owners.
There is a darling puppy available at Brekkubrun Icelandics - check Korpur out by clicking on that kennel name near the top of this blog on the right side.
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