Puppy training pre 4 months old

[The Xmas Furry]

Idle question, really looking to get an idea of how we are doing.

Previous puppies I've had were all large breeds, GSD'S and Rotts and the like and these were last century so I've forgotten lots . The 2 x small breeds I've had were not puppies but older rescues, am not counting the JRT x Manchester I got as a pup in the mid 80s as he er... was unique.....

D puppy will be 4 months old a week tomorrow, she's been with me and DH since she was 11.5 weeks in December. She's pretty quick to get the idea of most things I've taught so far. Heel work beside wheelbarrow (while poo picking) has been learned v well and now applied to a little pavement walking outside home and also out on the track by my yard.
The usual sit, wait, leave it, give (this last one is still a work in progress with things outside the house). Go wee's and go poo's is nailed.
Excited yapping isn't tolerated and 'enough-quiet' seems to do the trick. Jumping on the cat (who is twice her size) is mostly dealt with by the cat plus me growling ah-ah no! That's not quite as frequent now, good cat!
Meet and greet with trusted friends dogs going ok.
Sleeps through the night
I havent yet got a decent recall outside home (another work in progress) as she's v easily distracted by pretty leaves, sticks, ponies etc but am sure it will come fully, current rate is about 3 or 4 in every 5 are 1st time.
Off lead play in garden, but for safety is on flexi lead at yard, locked short when heel walking.

Dog folk, are we round about the usual parameters expected of a toy breed pup this age? Anything else I ought to be installing?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

She sounds well ahead of a lot of dogs I know. I would just carry on as you are.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

She sounds well ahead of a lot of dogs I know. I would just carry on as you are.

Thank you. I wasnt sure if I was doing too much, she's still a whirling dervish in between everything.

Her latest take on 'sit' is to go into a full gopher beg position, not taught whatsoever! I have to move away and re ask. (While trying hard not to crack up in laughter!)

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

She's well ahead of mine who will be 4 months beginning of Feb. For now, she's still not clean in the house. We have sit and down but no stay. Lose lead walk and pretty good recall in the field, not so good if she's playing with other puppies at puppy class.

 

[Annette4]

My most recent addition is only just clean in the house at nearly 6 months (save 1 recent accident but in his defence he had a tummy bug and just couldn't hold it until he got outside).

At the same age, he had a good recall in the house and garden (he is a velcro dog to me though) and was following me happily when his lead was dropped on a walk. I had better heelwork at that age than I do now but that's my fault and we're fixing it.

I teach some sport foundations personally so I had the usual sit, stay, down, leave it but also a 'go round' for going round the back of me, a stand and the start of swapping a ball for a tuggy. By no means are any of them the finished article but he's desperate to learn and it will help in the long term.

 

[Spotherisk]

I think that’s all sounding great, Rew was still running around the garden with very little official training that age.

Btw he’s never really nailed sit, although he will nearly manage it for cheese. Most of the time he offers me downward dog yoga pose instead, funny, charming, but not really what I need!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

She's well ahead of mine who will be 4 months beginning of Feb. For now, she's still not clean in the house. We have sit and down but no stay. Lose lead walk and pretty good recall in the field, not so good if she's playing with other puppies at puppy class.

We are still occasionally getting a morning wee, that's if we are not quick enough in getting dressed and downstairs, but she's using the puppy pad.
I set up the old crate inside the playpen. Gate of crate never been shut, but have trained husband to pop puppy in the pen if he has to leave her solo in the house (say for a bathroom visit etc) and if he comes up to bed after me. I've always taught mine the 'go wees' with a tiny reward for going in the right place, which at home is to the right of back door on the grass there. She now squeaks and heads for the kitchen back door if she needs to go, if I've been remiss in not getting her out more soon.
It will come x

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I think that’s all sounding great, Rew was still running around the garden with very little official training that age.

Btw he’s never really nailed sit, although he will nearly manage it for cheese. Most of the time he offers me downward dog yoga pose instead, funny, charming, but not really what I need!

Loving the downward dog pose compares to Dora's self taught meerkat begging instead of sit

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

We are still occasionally getting a morning wee, that's if we are not quick enough in getting dressed and downstairs, but she's using the puppy pad.
I set up the old crate inside the playpen. Gate of crate never been shut, but have trained husband to pop puppy in the pen if he has to leave her solo in the house (say for a bathroom visit etc) and if he comes up to bed after me. I've always taught mine the 'go wees' with a tiny reward for going in the right place, which at home is to the right of back door on the grass there. She now squeaks and heads for the kitchen back door if she needs to go, if I've been remiss in not getting her out more soon.
It will come x

Nights are fine as I shut her in a crate in my bedroom and her feet don't touch the ground until she's outside first thing in the morning. She's getting a lot better with wees and I'm rewarding her for any wees outside. I think I'm missing too many poos as they seem to be more unpredictable with mine, but may start a higher value reward every time I catch her going outside. She's getting better at using the puppy pads for their intended purpose rather than tearing them up, but still more work needed. We'll get there.