We are stuck inside like everyone else today and need to burn off a bit of energy
I’d like to work on some new training but this is my first dog and I don’t really know what to teach
I’m not that interested in twirls and spins etc at this point.
He’s only 4 months so everything so far is useful for things like getting his attention back to me / going to bed / being handled etc
So far we can do
Sit, Lie down, wait, stay, bed, leave, touch, look, paw, place, stand, speak, here, response to name
We practice these all with distance duration and distractions and he’s pretty good, until he decides he’s not interested.
Plus handling with all the body parts
And learning to poo and wee on command - but at this point it feels like we may never get that!
We’re trying to work on a fetch with limited success
He’s barky, easily distracted, a terrible guard dog 90% of the time but very very barky and alert the 10% of the time he wants to get involved and very head strong
No interest in obedience / learning new things / wanting to please us - just the quickest way to get the treats 
Is there anything you’ve taught your dogs that you’d really recommend?
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
Tricks
Nojeansplease · 09/02/2020 10:21
Flat - lying flat down on one side. Useful for things like examining bellies etc. Especially if combined with 'stay' to mean don't move any body parts from where I (gently) put them.
Muzzle training - soft and basket.
Back up - to reverse.
Work on lengthening your stays - if you can say "stay" once and leave the dog for 3 mins and come back to find him in the same spot, you're golden :)
Target - using a pointing stick ( a garden cane will do) in which the dog touches his nose to whatever you point to. Is the starting point for many of the more complex behaviours, like opening the fridge.
Get in the shower
Different types of sit - I have "sit" which is just a casual sit. But I also have "present" which is to sit directly and immediately in front of me, looking up at me.
Accepting clippers near eyes, mouth, ears, feet. If you do';t have clippers to hand you can make do for now with something like a shaver that makes a similar noise.
Ears. Not just handling but letting you have a right rummage inside them.
At four months old, the very best thing he is learning is how to learn. Learning is a skill in itself and you can see the difference on dogs that are constantly being taught something to those that don't get any real training. Not in terms of good behaviour or bad behaviour, just in terms of how quickly they pick up new lessons. Dpgs with experience of learning, learn faster.
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