[1stymedawgowner]

Greetings!! I got my wonderful puppy 2 weeks about and I just love him to pieces. He is a 10 week old yorkie/poodle mix and VERY playful. I am currently using the crate method to house break him and it is going OK I guess. I really want to start training him but am not sure if he is ready. We have tried to teach him to understand "NO", His Name, "KENNEL", and "POTTY" but it is not going so well. He is doing very well with his name and "NO". I really want him to go into his crate on the KENNEL command but it really is not working. He just wants to play all the time. POTTY is also not going so well but I know that one will come with time.

My main question is should I try to teach him one thing at a time or multiple things at once? My #1 priority is the KENNEL command. After that maybe SIT and STAY. I plan on getting him into a puppy training class is a few weeks when I get back in town but in the mean time should I simply continue trying to teach him the KENNEL command?

 

[rosemaryninja]

How are you teaching "kennel"?

Frankly at this age I would be less worried about teaching sit, stay, roll over etc and more concerned with teaching your pup how to learn. You'd be surprised, but many dogs who aren't trained in their early stages find it really difficult to make the connection that their actions can earn them rewards. Clicker training is excellent for teaching this.

 

[Ritaf]

Well if you want to teach your puppy to do something on a command. first thing to do is put a leash and collar on him.
and say "kennel" and of course he has no idea what your asking so what you want to do is lead him into his kennel and once he is in there say "kennel" again. Then wait about 30 seconds then praise him.
Then just do that over and over again till he gets it. And if he just wants to play and not pay attention snap your fingers together or clap loudly to get his attention. That should work.
With my puppy I just snap my fingers to make her snap out of what ever shes doing.

 

[rosemaryninja]

I have a feeling that Ritaf's "leading in" method might be a little harder than it sounds. It's not easy to lead a puppy "into" a kennel, since the puppy has to walk ahead of you in order for it to happen.

I would train this through a lure... wave your hand in the direction of the crate (sort of like you're pointing at it, but your finger doesn't actually have to be extended). At the same time, throw a treat into the kennel and let the pup go in to get it. You do not need to say anything at this point. After a few repetitions of this, the sight of you gesturing towards the kennel will incite him to enter the kennel expecting a treat. When he starts entering the kennel in response to the hand signal, you can start adding the word "kennel" as a cue.

 

[peppy264]

Some of these things you don't have to train per se, just use the words consistently. Every time you put him in his crate say crate. Everytime you go outside say outside. Everytime he is going pee say 'Hurry Up' and so on. He will learn those words eventually, just like he will learn the word 'walk' even if make no effort to teach him it, LOL. I'd recommend focusing your training sessions on getting things like 'sit', looking at you when you say his name, etc.

Oh yeah, try not to talk to much. Some people constantly yabber at their dogs. I'm not sure how they learn any voice commands.

 

[TooneyDogs]

While I teach the basics early on (sit, come, etc.) they take a back seat to building confidence, building trust and the socialization. Overcoming the fears/teaching the pup how to cope with them, are, IMO, far more important.

I use the same method as Rosemaryninja...hand signals...actually, all my early training is by hand signals/luring.

 

[RubyLove]

Everytime he is going pee say 'Hurry Up'

LOL I use "hurry up". Because I don't like the word potty (not sure why) and nothing else seemed natural to say whilst stood out in the dark in front of the apartments.

But, what I would teach first (after their name, house-training, getting them used to the kennel/crate and general socialisation) is "sit". That is the command I use most... before eating, putting leash on/off, before opening the front door, before crossing roads...

 

[Cesare Borgia]

Not sure if it's true of all breeds or not but for my dogs (Lab/Beagle mixes) i learned that in order for them to connect the dots i had to teach them the simple commands first like "Sit and stay". After they figgured out that they would be rewarded for doing what i tell them to do, the rest came pretty easy.

 

[Thracian]

I use "hurry up". Because I don't like the word potty (not sure why) and nothing else seemed natural to say whilst stood out in the dark in front of the apartments.

I've wondered on occasion what my neighbors think when they hear me telling Clayton "Good pee" or "Good poo poos." LOL!

I agree that luring is the best way to get a dog in its crate. And as others have suggested, I would focus on socialization for now.