I have a dayhome - and do some training daily. It can be done!

Training is more a matter of 'lifestyle' than anything else at this age. You can involve the girls in the process as cookie dispensers, get them to do the clicker too. So for something like 'down' you use a treat to get puppy down, one kid clicks while you give the treat then the other kid can give a treat as well. Eventually stop giving the treat yourself, and have them do the treating, with you right there to help.

Another 'game' they can play is hide and seek. Hold your pup and have one kid show her a treat but not give it. Have them go sit across the room with the treat. Ask your puppy to 'go find Lucy (or whatever her name is) and let her go, and she gets a treat for 'finding her'. Once she knows each kid's name and is consistant, they can start going into other rooms to hide and before long you will have the ability to send your dog to find the girls - very cool trick and if you work it outside it can come in handy!

For basic training, remember the kids aren't going to want to do everything or have a lot of attention span, so it's not critical they be into all the training. If they want to help fine, if they want to go play, then you can still train. My five year old is good at some things like taking a treat and putting the dogs in the mudroom, but doesn't have the skills just yet to follow through with commands and treats anyway. He'll get there.

Lana

 

Hi,

The only way I have been able to balance the training and exercising my puppy with kid time and "kid" training is by doing all the focused training after the kids go to bed and before they wake up in the morning. So, I wake up at 5:30am to exercise the puppy and get some training in from 5:30-6:30, and I also exercise and train at night, after the kids are in bed (from about 8-9pm). During the day, once Hoku has mastered something, I teach the kids how to do it with her.

Most of the training is like the PP mentioned, lifestyle training, so it just a matter of keeping the puppy with you at all times, so you can accomplish things and keep an eye on the puppy. When you have things that need your undivided attention, you should put the puppy in its crate or safe place.

At age 7 and 5, your kids could probably also help with simple things like, taking the puppy out for potty breaks, feeding the puppy, and going with you on walks. Most of the true training will have to be done by you, with them just helping a little with practice.

Drea

 

Yes, it can be done! I think Dreadog's idea of focused training when the kids are in bed is great! But, to add to that, it could be done if they're in another room playing, or watching a movie or something. Basically just any time they are quietly occupied! If that ever happens!
One thing I would add is to not have your kids take the puppy out for bathroom breaks until he is pretty consistent at doing his business without messing around. Sometimes puppies can see kids as playmates, and if your puppy tends to get distracted outside by noises or birds or squirrels it's best to do that job yourself. That way you can make sure he is trained to go out and do his business before any playing or messing around occurs. Once there is some consistency, then you can hand that job over to the kids! But, the initial training to potty outside can be so important!
Other than that, have fun!