[YorkieMother]

First sorry my spelling is just way off today.

Second what caught me eye was you post title Training verse life lessons.

I understand the thought behind it. there are the needed skills like come and down and do not eat the vet and then the fun ones like spin or rollover but what I like to have you change thoughts on is that all of them are life skills.
Everything you teach your dog helps it cope in life yes even a spin. For my girl it became her default skill. If I can not cope and Mum is not seeing i am in trouble spin. I get a treat if I spin. For my girl downing in public is nothing more then pure torture for her, so we swtiched to a give me a spin if you are spinning you can not go after tha dog, human, squiral or car.
Going up a rampp for agility may lead to having to use a ramp when a dog gets older or lame ir to heavy to lift.

Also the more that you teach the happier they are and the more brain power and the more you wear them out.
Training by clicker and using the brain when training by clicker burns off engry as much as going for a walk and in the winter when it is to cold out train baby train.

JL