Mustang & twnzplusone:
Sorry, I was thinking of my own experience of raising a mutt from birth myself and didn't realize you had gotten the pup from a breeder.
The answer to your question is that all the things I described about holding the pup, rubbing it all over, etc. are things that any good breeder would be doing during those first weeks. So you probably were delivered a pup that had already been properly handled and started on its way to socialization.
You just need to carry on the work now. :)
Don't mind me! I always come across on the Internet as either critical or overly sarcastic. I didn't mean to suggest that you were screwing things up or anything like that. If it sounded that way, I apologize. :o
Gotta use more of those smilies! What you might lack in training knowledge I lack in social skills!
But twnzplusone: I DID have a reliable sit and come, and a short stay at eight weeks, and still do at almost 13 weeks, except now I've got UP and OFF working and the target stick is like a magnet! If you've never done clicker training, you just won't believe what it is capable of! You said: "Any puppy will come to you at that age because they are still so young." Will any puppy at age 12 weeks remain in a Sit Stay for 3 minutes or more? Mine did twice in the last two days. Any puppy will come to you at that age, true, but not only when called after a 3 minute Stay!
It is so easy to underestimate these little guys and not help them achieve their potential! And I'm not talking about whipping them eight hours a day with a chain. We spend 5 to 10 minute sessions several times a day, and you see the progress immediately, from session to session. Also, in my experience, I have to disagree with those who say puppies have no attention span and you must train in short 4-5 minute sessions. I've had little Cherokee doing all kinds of tricks for up to 20 minutes at a time. The 3 minute Sit Stays that we are currently working on--That's about as long as some folks say you should spend on the entire training session! And the puppy loves every minute of it!
I'll admit it is probably the dog that is smart and not me, but don't get me started again now!
