Sol: 8 Months

My power pup is already 8 months old!

People keep asking me how far I've come with Sol's training and the truth is I don't know how to answer that question. I really don't know what kind of answer they seek. The first thing that pops into my mind is 'we don't train - she's still a puppy'. Maybe it's simply a matter of what training is to you. Training to me is goal orientated, structured and serious. What Sol and I do can hardly be categorized as training - at least not by my definition. Everything Sol knows has been taught through play. It is just us having fun. No goals, no schedule, no demands - just simple good old fun.

That doesn't mean that Sol hasn't learned stuff or posses skills that will be helpful when she is old enough to start her agility training. She does posses some awesome basic skills that is crucial to me like awesome tug drive. She will tug any time and anywhere - even at the train station during rush hour. She has a great 'Out'-command (let go of the toy), fast and accurate recalls, an awesome sit-stay taught using the Premark principal and she rocks her core exercises. These skills are all taught through play. We do shape tricks and other behaviors, but there is no goal. Our shaping sessions lasts only for about 3-4 minutes tops and we hardly do them everyday.

Sol learns at lightning speed - today she offered a head turn to the left and in a matter of minutes she could perform a nearly perfect 'get-into-heel' position - no training aids or luring used. I didn't plan to teach her this, she offered it - I clicked it.

So what's the plan? To keep having fun, enjoy puppyhood and when the time is right we'll start agility - which will simply be another game to play.