It is a joyous day when you bring home your puppy. Although your four-legged friend is a joy to be around, it will also bring you many laughs. However, you’ll soon discover that they require a lot of work. Apart from giving your puppy his vaccinations, one of your greatest responsibilities is to train your puppy properly.
Dog training should begin as soon as your pup arrives home. This will help you establish rules and prevent your puppy from developing bad behavior and you will be faced with a dog that is larger and more difficult to train. Training your puppy does not have to be difficult or take hours but it can be a fun and enjoyable time of bonding that happens throughout the day. This can be a time for you and your puppy to get to know each other and improve your communication.
How to Get Started with Puppy Training
You will need to create a training plan when you bring your puppy home and it’s much easier to start training your puppy at a young age. Dog owners will soon discover that dogs that know where to go and when they are called and can walk on the leash properly are far more fun and easier than those that don’t.
Let’s talk about the basics of training your dog Keep Sessions Short.
Basic obedience should be taught to puppies. You should also remember that puppies are very attention-strapped. You should therefore plan to conduct your training lessons in five to ten minute bursts throughout the day, rather than trying to do everything at once. A pet owner should aim to train your puppy for between 15 and 20 minutes each day. This helps you ensure your dog is always paying attention. This system can also help reinforce your lessons throughout the day which can help your puppy remember. It will be a great thing for your puppy to have plenty of playtime. Your lessons will be more effective if you give your puppy plenty of playtime and exercise.
Best Puppy Training Practices
These best practices will help you get the most out of your training sessions. Be consistent. Do not allow your puppy to ask you to repeat the same command multiple times before obeying. Expect a response once you have said the command. If they do not respond, gently remind them. For example, encourage them to sit after you say the command. All members of the family should participate in training. This reminds the puppy that they must obey any person issuing them a command.
Learn in multiple environments. It is important to not limit training to one area. This can lead to associations with commands that only apply in that particular room. To practice, you can use the yard, the backyard, and the sidewalk. You can add distractions like going to parks as your dog gets more proficient.
Be patient. This dog is still young and has a lot of learning ahead. Remember patience is key.
Basic Skills and Commands to Teach Your Dog
Most puppies are adopted around 8 weeks old. Your dog will be ready to learn basic obedience commands and some behavioral lessons like “Sit” or “Stay” as soon as they arrive home. You can start training them in leash walking around the same age. Your puppy should be able to walk on the leash calmly without pulling or playing tug-of war. Start leash training your puppy inside. Begin by teaching your puppy to wear a collar or harness. Next, attach the leash to your dog and take them for a walk around the neighborhood.
You want your puppy to be comfortable being touched at all times, even as young as possible. Gently stroke the puppy’s head, stomach, and paws to help them get used to touching. Also introduce the puppy to his crate.
Introduce the Crate and Potty Training
You can begin to crate train your puppy as he gets older (around 12 weeks). Before this age, puppies are unable to control their bladders long enough to be able to use the crate more than a few times per day. 11-12 weeks you can begin using the crate for one-to three-hour blocks.
Crate training helps your puppy see their crate in a positive light. It is like a puppy house. It can help your puppy feel secure and calm when they are feeling overwhelmed. Crate training is a great way to help your puppy. You should ensure that the crate is big enough to allow them to turn easily. Comfortable blankets and other bedding can be added to make it warm and comfortable. Use the crate to provide a calm environment for your puppy.
Don’t leave your dog alone in the crate too long.
Starting with crate training can be a great way to help your puppy learn house manners. Crate training is a good way to teach your puppy that they can only use certain areas to go to the toilet. Dogs are not fond of contaminating the places where they sleep. You can feel confident that your puppy will clean up after being crate trained. You should not leave your puppy alone for too long as they don’t have good bladder control. You can also work on housebreaking skills as you crate train.
You should teach your puppy where you don’t want them to go, as well as where they should. Pick a place that your puppy will use, and make sure to bring them back often. This is especially important when your puppy awakens from a nap, or after they have slept in the crate for a while.
You want to make sure your puppy knows where it is safe to relieve himself from the moment they arrive at home and can avoid accidents with puppies younger than 3 months of age by bringing them to the designated toilet area at regular intervals, or whenever they show signs of needing to go. These achieving the desired results in dog behavior. Positive reinforcement is based on rewarding good behavior and not punishing poor behavior.