May's Tuesday meeting at Northwest Park was led by PRS Field Rep Jen, who gave us all some tips on dealing with our puppies when they are distracted or jumping.
For instance, if your puppy constantly eats grass and sticks, take some time to practice teaching her not to by having her sit or lie down in a grassy area and correcting her every time she goes for something to chew on. By teaching her this way, she will not be so ready to eat grass at other times when you're focusing on something else.
To help prevent a dog from jumping, keep the leash loose as someone greeting the dog approaches. A tight leash encourages the jump reflex. Have the person stop a few steps away and let your dog "take a break" to greet. With a loose leash, the dog is more likely to keep four on the floor. If the dog does jump, give a leash correction and take the dog away from the person he wants to greet. It may take repeated lessons, but eventually the dog will learn that he does not get the reward he wants (greeting) if he jumps.
We ended the meeting with a walk by the tennis court where the dogs were able to observe a game and show how bored they were by tennis. (Wish I had a pic, but I forgot my camera.)
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