Puppy Challenges

Beginner Puppy

Attention & Engagement

Offered & Name Attention Indoors

  • Showcase your puppy looking at you unprompted 5 times

  • Showcase your puppy responding to their name by looking at you for 5 reps

  • Always mark and reward for looking at you

Impulse Control

It’s Me Or the Cookie - Closed Hand Near Puppy’s Face

  • Showcase your puppy looking at you instead of a treat in your closed hand presented near your puppy’s face for 5 reps

  • This should be an assumed leave-it, not a leave-it cue

  • Reward your puppy a variety of ways: delivering the treat to them, releasing to the treat in your hand, or giving them a different treat

Toy Alternate - Two Toy Play

  • Showcase your puppy grabbing a toy and playing tug OR chasing after a toy playing fetch

  • Show your puppy dropping the toy currently in their mouth on cue, and reward them with the opportunity to play with an alternate toy

  • Show this exchange of dropping the current toy and getting the new toy 5 times

Station Training

Go To Mat - Send, Auto Down, Hold

  • Showcase your dog going to a station, automatically laying down and staying on the mat for 5 second before being released

  • Don’t cue your dog to lay down, it should be offered not cued or lured

  • You can reward you dog while they are staying on the mat for 5 seconds before releasing them if you want

  • Once your dog has been released, repeat. We want to see 5 reps of your puppy doing this.

Sit, Down & Stand

Sits & Downs On Cue

  • Showcase your puppy sitting with either a hand signal or verbal cue (no lure) for 3 reps

  • Showcase your puppy laying down with either a hand signal or verbal cue (no lure) for 3 reps

  • Make sure to reward in position and utilize a release cue when you want your puppy to get up

Recall

Yo-Yo Game Outdoors

  • Showcase your puppy playing the “Yo-Yo Game” in an outdoor area for 5 reps

  • Your puppy can be on or off leash, but they should be in a fenced in area or on a long line for safety

  • Your puppy should look like they are excited and having fun while playing this game with you

  • Treat Toss, Call Name, Recall Cue, Move Backwards, Collar Grab & Reward

Focused Walking

Follow Me! - Outdoors

  • Showcase your puppy engaging in the “Follow Me!” game outdoors for a minimum of 5 rewards

  • You can move backwards away from your puppy or have them moving beside you or a mix of both

  • Your puppy should look happy and connected to you, and you should be moving together. Your leash can be dragging on the ground or loosely held in your hand.

Bonus Skill

Hand Targeting

  • Showcase your puppy touching their nose to your hand for 5 reps

  • Mark & Reward your puppy for each repetition

  • Mix up where you present your hand

  • Keep things fun and exciting