Cooper is a 20lb Miniature Australian Shepherd x Poodle mix. He was adopted recently by his mom and the rescue thought he was some sort of terrier mix, but when his mom did a dna test, it turns out he is an Aussiedoodle! Knowing this helps us understand Coopers energy and drive as well as his trainability and intelligence. Cooper and I are currently starting the Off Leash Day Training program to work on recall training and working on impulse control around squirrels. Cooper completed the Basic Manners program learning all of the on leash basics plus bell training to go outside.
Everyone thinks they want a smart dog, but they pose different training challenges 
even with their increased intelligence. Cooper is very smart, and smart dogs learn patterns quickly, so if you are inconsistent, your dog will take advantage of that. Whatever you let them get away with, they will so you definately have to be on your training game. It’s natural for a dog to do what works, and if they find pulling on the leash works, even sometimes, they will continue to do it because they get to move faster or go where they want to go when they pull.
Cooper is pictured at the Edenbrook Conservation Area (2nd photo) where we worked on recall, loose leash walking and his chase instincts. In the second photo he is pictured showing his appreciation for my dog Sage, my canine assistant who helped Cooper learn his release command from his stay. Dogs are social learners, so using a well trained dog to assist with training can often be very helpful.
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