They've been trained to "sit", to "lay down", to "wait/stay" in either a sit or a down position - even when I go out of sight, they will wait. They both have been trained to walk, at heel, on a loose leash "with me". They both have been trained to walk together, shoulder to shoulder, at heel, on a loose leash "with me". They follow my field command as I change direction of "this way". They know it's their job to keep up with me. Their recall on their name is nearly 100% (Sally Anne sometimes thinks she has something else more important to do). They both respond to my caution "get back" at a cliff edge. They both will "leave it" when they've picked up something nasty I want them to leave alone. They both will "wait" in the back of the car, as I raise the hatchback, so I can get a leash on them. They both have been crate trained, and like their crates - never once soiling their crates, even at the tender age of 7 weeks. They both know that uh-uht means "no" don't do that, and "yes-yes" means yes, you're doing the right thing. They both know that "Go Play - Big Fun" means they are released from their recall, and can go back to hunting up rabbits (or whatever creature they find). They both know that on leash, when I stop walking, they are expected to "sit". They both have been taught that horses and bicyclers are good things (stuff in their environment, they needed to know was okay). They both have grown up with a weekly "puppy play date" where they learned proper social interaction with strange dogs. And those are the things I trained them to do.
But dogs being dogs, they learned other words that mean a lot to them. "Walkies" means you get to go for a walk. "Cookies" mean you get a dog biscuit. I can put both puppies and the old Shepherd in a sit, and pass out "cookies, one by one, to each dog - no snatching someone else's cookies.
Their teenage quirks. You know those few short months when they have a mind of their own, no matter what you've trained them to do? They just are teenagers and try their wings.
Sally Anne's rebellion came in the form of out in the field, she wasn't always ready to leave "Big Fun" when I was, so for about 2 months she asserted her independence, and would eventually come to get in the car. I guess you can hardly blame her. The car meant end of play. She out grew this teenage rebellion and now comes, even to the car.
Lord Captain is a very vocal dog. His sighs and whines and grunts tell you everything. I'm sleepy. I'm hungry. I want to play fetch. His teenage spell was very vocal and extended to barking in your face repeatedly, until you'd play fetch with him. His teenage rebellion was also about two months. He grew out of this, and returned to softer vocalizations that are quite endearing.
Sally Anne remains nimble on her feet, and comes for a pat, but occasionally not so close that you can catch her. Otherwise, she will stretch out and get "a puppy massage". Captain remains talking to you, and will pat the sliding glass door to ask to come in. Captain will not only lay at your feet, but will lay on your feet. He is very companionable.
We took these two puppies with us on vacation when Sally Anne was 13 months old, and Captain was 8 months old. For two such young puppies in a rather small cabin, it was a pleasure to have brought them along. They knew about swimming, they knew about horses, and they knew how to properly meet a strange dog. And striking to everyone that saw them, having these two walk so well behaved, shoulder to shoulder, loose leash at heel, was an unforgettable site (as we made reservations for this coming summer, it was these two on leash together, that caused the proprietors to remember us).
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