Waffles has had a stellar first week at home. Here are the notes from my logbook!

New people met: 23 active encounters (including house visitors, neighbors, and “training assistant strangers” at the grocery store), plus 34 more as passive interactions outdoors. Building people-neutral skills, where strangers invited to pet him are ignored while he focusses on his handler and his favorite high-value treat (Churu meal topper tubes for the win!)

New things/exposures: Construction trucks (even got to visit the cab while the truck was running!), delivery trucks, mail truck, construction vehicles, cars, bicycles, electric scooters, leaf blowers, roofing construction across the street, the grand piano being played, shopping carts, automatic doors, people milling around. Unfazed by any of it – he’s full of confidence and totally chill.

New critters: Chickens, Cat.

New places: Home, front yard, back yard, outside the local grocery store.

Crate training update: By the end of Wednesday (first full day at home), Waffles was happily going into his crate for his naps and settling within a few minutes with calm reassurance and me nearby. By the following day, he had stopped fussing entirely, and I could putter around the house without him having a bad case of “fear of missing out.” By Friday night, he started sleeping from 10pm to Midnight, then Midnight to 6am, and falls asleep without a fuss after his potty break. Sunday night, he slept from 10:40ish to 5:45am! He takes all his daytime naps in his crate. He has stopped dashing straight out now that he realizes that kibble materializes at the back when the door opens!

Naps and Settle Time: Currently, Waffles tends to be awake for an hour, then down for 1.5h to 2h naps. Now that he’s more settled into the household, he’s able to self-entertain in his pen when not actively supervised, like when the family is preparing and eating meals (he can still see what’s happening!) He’s a very predictable puppy. When he gets tired, he is particularly mouthy and easily gets over-amped, so about 45 minutes into our awake time, we switch to calming and settling activities that include chewing, licking, or sniffing, and reinforcing our freshly learned cues with pieces of his kibble as a food lure. After 15 minutes are up, we stop our activity and into the crate he goes (“Kennel Up!”) with a Kong and within seconds, he’s out like a light.

Housebreaking update: Waffles has had no accidents indoors, following Dr. Ian Dunbar’s “errorless” potty training approach. He has started asking to go outside and really loves all the praise and snacks that come within milliseconds of hearing “Get Busy!” and doing his business. We’re practicing on concrete as well as grass.

General training: Working on a recall, name recognition, and shaping the “Sit” (added verbal cue Sunday) and the collapse “Down” without a verbal cue (down from a stand without moving the position of the front paws.) We’re working on the “Touch” without verbals, too. He has taken to his collar and leash well, and doesn’t mind his baby work coat/cape. Picks up concepts very fast! Waffles likes carrying objects around, which we will use this to our advantage when shaping skills and tasks. He’s very easy to redirect.

Socialization and House Manners: Loves people and is learning how to greet politely, with four paws on the floor. He already takes treats very gently. This week, Waffles has met men and women of all ages, teens, young children, and a baby. He has been benefiting from big brother Archer’s very appropriate corrections for dog-on-dog etiquette and is, for now, very respectful of the old man. He is learning to eat his meals slowly and to behave calmly around feeding time rather than like a piranha. Slow-feeding bowls like his waffles (!!) and large silicone lick mats with different textures helped a great deal!

Physical Handling / Grooming Skills: Every time he goes outside and gets picked up, all four feet and all toes get handled. He gets his teeth/mouth and ears checked out four or five times a day.

Named Skills in Progress: Sit, Kennel Up, Get Busy, “Waffles!”, Uh-uh, Trade Ya, Shush, Settle, Yes! (marker word)

Lure-only Skills in Progress: Down, Front, Away, Get Dressed, Touch, Come* (anchored to name recognition right now.)

Normal Puppyhood Challenges: Waffles wants to eat all the things outside, just like every puppy his age! We’re working on “Trade Ya!” and swapping icky things for toys and chewables that are legal.

All in all, the little guy is off to a great start! Woohoo!