Advanced Puppy Training

Good Manners

• Due to the popularity of the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Program, the AKC formulated a new program for puppies too young to take the CGC test. The program is called S.T.A.R. Puppy. S.T.A.R. stands for socialization, training, activity and responsibility.
  The program is for puppies up to the age of one year. Skills are taught in a six week puppy class with a test administered at the end of the class. Those that pass get a S.T.A.R. puppy medallion and training handbook. Class goals are that of learning how to communicate with, socialize and properly train your puppy. You can find S.T.A.R. trainers and classes by visiting the American Kennel Club website.

Agility

• Foundation skills for the sport of dog agility differ from those of many other dog sports. In addition to solid basic obedience skills, older puppies will need to be taught how to focus their attention on the handler and how to work off-lead, paying attention to handler commands. Puppies are introduced to scaled-down versions of the agility equipment they will compete on as adults. You can find agility trainers and classes by searching for agility clubs on the American Kennel Club website.

Obedience

• Obedience classes for older puppies typically cover skills considered as extended versions of basic skills learned in puppy kindergarten. The skills are a bit more formalized but still plenty of fun for the puppy and owner. Obedience classes for older puppies use a variety of names. Puppy beginner obedience, advanced puppy training, puppy pre-school and puppy primer are all terms associated with obedience training.
  At this level of training it is important to find the appropriate trainer based on your passion for the sport. If your interest is in future obedience competition, find a trainer that is currently competing in obedience trials. To find an obedience trainer, you can search the dog club database on the AKC website or search for a trainer on the Association of Pet Dog Trainers website.

Tracking

• Tracking is a dog sport in which dogs are trained to follow the scent of a person who has marked a trail. Many breeds excel at this sport and puppies take easily to early training. Tracking training is most often taught by private trainers who compete in the sport. To find a tracking trainer in your area, inquire with local AKC member kennel clubs or the search the Association of Pet Dog Trainers website.

Breed Specific Activities

• Many dog breeds were instinctively bred to perform a job for man. Dogs were bred to hunt for game and vermin, herd livestock, flush game birds from the brush and retrieve downed fowl. If you have a puppy that may have an instinctive skill or ability to compete in a skill-related sport as an adult, proper early foundation training is the key to success. Advanced puppy training for these dogs may include introduction to livestock, retriever training skills or learning to respond to basic commands when at a distance.
  Like tracking, these skills are normally taught by those who engage in or compete in the activity. Local AKC member dog clubs, veterinarians and owners of your specific breed of dog are all good resources to find advanced puppy training for these skills.

Positive Training

• Puppies are young and highly impressionable. If they have a bad training experience they will most often remember it well. No matter your future interest, find clubs, classes or trainers that use safe, positive and motivational training appropriate for the age of your puppy. To learn more about positive training methods, visit the Peaceable Paws website. Owner Pat Miller is one of the premier positive trainers in the country who has written three books on the topic of positive training. All provide excellent information for the puppy owner.