Lessons from Raising Service Dog Puppies with Matthias Lenz

In this episode of Pandemic Puppy, Kayla and Matthias Lenz discuss raising Service Dog puppies. They cover the lessons you can learn from how service dog puppy raisers work with their puppies.    What is helpful when raising and training guide dog puppies that other puppies may be missing? The typical service dog makes an ideal pet Breed is often important; labrador retrievers are used for a reason Start early on with impulse control exercises Turning Distractions into Reward Set your dog up for success, make the training easy Reward your dog for not responding to distractions Turn distractions into an opportunity for reward Engage Disengage game Creating Desirable Behavior Around Distractions Settling tips and tricks:  Settling is an important skill for a service dog, or a pet dog It is important not to be too enthusiastic with your rewards Give a treat slowly, don’t make eye direct contact, be calm Reward baby steps to slowly shape it into a full settle Sit on the Dog Exercise Using a lower value reinforcer is helpful  Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol    How much sleep do puppies need? What happens if they don’t get enough?: If they are biting a lot more than considered normal, it might mean they need more sleep Leash Frustration: Be empathetic to the dog; leashing is so unnatural for them and it’s understandable that they will get frustrated Teach your dog about leash pressure and what it means along with rewarding loose leash walking Silky Leash  Dr. Sophia Lin - Leave it Links Mentioned in the Episode: Engage Disengage game  Creating Desirable Behavior Around Distractions Sit on the Dog Exercise Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol Silky Leash   Where you can find Matthias Lenz: Lenz Dog TrainingBC & Alberta Guide Dogs  IAABC Working Animals Division You can support the Pandemic Puppy Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/pandemicpuppy. Get extra help with your puppy through Journey Dog Training’s Puppy Raising Blueprint Course. Join the free Pandemic Puppy Raising Support Group on Facebook.