Getting Started Week 48 - Puppy Push-Ups

A really good way to help calm your puppy is to ask for puppy push-ups.  How? It's easy if your puppy knows how to "sit" and "down" on cue.

You simply do a series of sits and downs, praising each position and rewarding the puppy after the series with extra praise and a food treat. The most common mistake people make when teaching push-ups is NOT praising each position so the puppy knows - clearly - that he or she is doing what you want. Otherwise, the pup may give up.

Puppy push-ups are a good exercise to earn a meal, earn permission to go through a door, or get a favorite toy or chew.

Start by giving a treat for each sit and down with praise. Next, praise but only give a treat for every down. Then, progress - over days - to giving a treat after a series of sit-down-sit. Again, PRAISE each position. As your puppy catches on to this exercise phase out treats but keep the praise going strong! Every few days, surprise your puppy with a jackpot treat for this exercise to keep motivation high.

Week 1:  Sit - treat/praise, Down - treat/praise, Sit - treat/praise, Down - treat/praise - Big finally treat and praise!

Week 2:  Sit - praise, Down - treat/praise, Sit - treat/praise, Down - treat/praise - Big finally treat and praise!

Week 3:  Sit - praise, Down - praise, Sit - treat/praise, Down - treat/praise - Big finally treat and praise!

Week 4:  Sit - praise, Down - praise, Sit - praise, Down - treat/praise - Big finally treat and praise!