10 Month Old Puppy Tricks - Normal?

[Caitikoi]

My family takes pride in our little Seamus as being a very intelligent puppy, but then again, we don't have any dog to compare him to.
(We did have a dog before him, but she was old and disabled.)

His tricks (that are either completely or mostly locked in) are as follows:

• Sit.
• Lie down.
• Stand on hing legs.
• Speak.
• Shake (separate hands for separate paws).
• Stay.

So, is this normal for a puppy?

 

[648117]

It depends on what the owner wants to teach the dog.

I think most puppies could learn all this, but most owners don't teach them it.

 

[Dogster]

Yes!!!! Of course it's normal!!!! Just ask Sara, owner of famous Hero!!! 9 months old and over 100 tricks!!! I also taught my dog as a puppy!!! I think any dog can learn tricks!!! But then again, your dog is very smart!!! Keep at it!!!

 

[Caitikoi]

Ugh, I said "hing" legs. Is there a way to edit posts? And thank you Dogster and 648117.

 

[Dlilly]

That's great your teaching your puppy tricks! I believe most puppies can learn tricks.

 

[Puppylove]

I say, teach your puppy anything and everything you can! A dog is never too young or too old to learn.

 

[tigerlily46514]

KUDOS on the dog tricks, Caitkoi!! Sounds like you are well on your way to becoming a "tricks training addict"


Yes, i do think it is normal for pups to learn tricks!
I think both puppies, and elderly dogs,( <---most ppl never try to teach old dogs tricks, though)
and every age of dog in between can learn tricks!

Each and every dog, IS a unique individual, no two dogs and no two puppies are just exactly alike, all dogs have their own unique personality and ability,
but i think each and every dog CAN BE taught tricks and cues!! Some dogs might do better with one method or another, some dogs may find a particular trick easier or harder than another dog,
some dogs might prefer different rewards than another dog likes,
some dogs can only do short, quickie "lessons" before they zone out,
and some dogs can pay att'n for a longer time,
so there are
all types of individual differences,
yet, i do believe all dogs, all puppies, can learn tricks and cues!!


GOOD LUCK!!! and i LOVE that you will ask the questions on your mind!! I wish more ppl did ask stuff that they are wondering about, like you do! None of us are born knowing how to train dogs, ha ha! All we can do, is, learn from each other, and from our dogs, as we go along!!

 

[tigerlily46514]

btw, i am THE official "worrywart" of dogtrickacademy, so do take stuff i say with a grain of salt, cuz i freely admit, i AM a bit of a dog-health worrywart.
but, there's some ppl who think you do not want a puppy under 18 months old
standing on his hind legs. (nor only on his 2 front legs, either)
Or only super briefly, not done repetitively anyway.

Some say not til 24 months old, some say it's okay at 12 months old.
The reason for this caution is,
that a dogs bones aren't 'set' yet, that the puppy skeleton is still hardening up til pup is 18 to 24 mos old, and you don't want to stress the joints til they are fully hardened, so that dog has better chance of having an old age with less chance of joint damage bothering him.

Others may disagree, the internet if full of conflicting info on this, but i always err on the side of safety when it comes to my dog's health .

Others say puppies under 18 to 24 months old,
should not be
doing much long-distance running/ jogging/trotting,
nor jumping from high places, or excessive amounts of repetitive movements which could stress their still-soft joints and bones.

but it is also easy enough to find dog owners who say "nah, it's all good, go for it, my puppy did it and his little puppy hips are just fine" so each dog owner has to make up their own mind about their puppies skeleton safety.

 

[Caitikoi]

Well, Seamus will leap and bound and jump upon onto chairs and the couch of his own accord (we don't tell him not to /shrugs), which are some pretty good heights for a puppy. But I'll tell everyone about the caution.

 

[tigerlily46514]

yes, i'd also bet, if Seamus was given the chance, he'd jump off an object way too high, too!!
I'm not sure how high is "too high" for puppies. When i google "how high is too high for puppy jumping" or "high jumping for puppies" i get tons of articles on joint damage, but, i can not locate one that states how high is "too high".
"Too high" for great dane puppy, is probably different than "too high" for chihuahua puppy, i don't know the rule of thumb, is higher than the puppy's head is "too high"?? Or, is it "higher than the puppy's shoulder"???
i do not know how high is too high for a puppy to be jumping. Your chairs might be fine for your puppy's size, i don't know.
Maybe ask your vet.

btw, i tend to edit my posts a few times, cuz i never ever say anything right the first time,
so do look it over again, too, cuz i also added in a few other cautions as well.
but again, who am i? THE worrywart! my poor dog, right!?

 

[tigerlily46514]

at any rate, sorry for derail, and it does sound like you ARE coming right along with tricks training, and I'M SO GLAD to see yet another lucky dog who WILL get the chance to use his lil doggie mind to figure out tricks!! GOOD ON YOU, CAITKOI!!

 

[648117]

My puppy (Holly) is 8 months old and she jumps off the back of the chairs (where your head is when you sit down). I think it is a bit high (she likes to sleep and chew her toys up there), but I don't tell her to do it and I can't really stop her (unless I kept her in her crate or on leash at all times).

But she only does it once or twice a day and some days she doesn't at all and if it hurt or anything she wouldn't do it (she would always jump down to the seat and then the floor if it hurt).

 

[Caitikoi]

He won't jump off a bed, if you're thinking that. Not that high. Thank you, 647117, that was settling to read. And it's cute, too!

 

[sara]

Remember though, small dogs mature faster than large dogs, and dont have as much wear and tear on their joints in everyday life (carrying 10lbs is different that 50 or 100 ) So with a Mini Schnauzer, that's 10 months old, you shouldn't have too many issues. Just avoid high impact sports and jogging 'till he's at least a year. That does not mean that you have to stop him from running around, you just dont want to take him on a prolonged jog on leash.

 

[Caitikoi]

Thank you for the reassurance, Sara c: Oh, and he can't be walked yet, actually. We're working on it. I just started teaching him "heel" today (catching on fast, too), but in the past he just pulls 'till he chokes and barks like no one's business. So, until we teach him to not bark and to stay by our side, he won't be doing any running outside, which could take up to two months anyway.