Ah the joys of having a new puppy!
But with the cuteness overload comes a responsibility to train your new puppy so that he/she does not struggle with behavioral issues once they are older. And to do this there are many ways to teach them the needed basic structures.
Two important things to remember when it comes to training your puppy:
1. Puppy training starts the moment that you get your new puppy.
From the very first moment your new puppy enters into your life, their training starts; whether you are consciously participating or not, because your puppy learns from your behavior towards his actions.
And as cute as some things might be when a puppy is still small, you might not find it as amusing once they are full grown.
2. Training solely on a reward system might not be the best idea.
Puppies might be easier to train when a reward is at play, but once they get older the puppy will start choosing weather or not he is hungry enough to do what you are asking of him, and this will flow over into adulthood at which point your dog will have instilled preferential behavior towards tasks. Do not get me wrong, when it comes to training the occasional reward is often a welcomed asset, as long as it is not the sole structure of the training.
Here are a few important things that should precede puppy training:
Naming your puppy might be more important than you think.
Be respectful when choosing your pups name, and also consider a short name ending with a strong consonant, this will help your pup recognize and associate with his new name easier, a helpful aid when it comes to training.
Decide on Ground-Rules before your Puppy Arrives.
Knowing where your boundaries are when it comes to your new puppy is as important to you as it will be to him/her. So, decide beforehand on your basic ground rules for the house, such as: Will the puppy be allowed on the bed / furniture? This will help both of you in the long run.
Make Space for the Puppy.
Make sure to set aside space for your new puppy, keep in mind that even puppies need a place where they can retreat to and feel safe and comfortable. This will also come in handy when the training starts.
Let the training start:
Repetition is key:
- The first thing that you should know is that puppies wont get it right immediately, but don't get discouraged, just stay patients and try again.
- When the puppy gets it right make sure that you let him know that you are pleased with him and what he has done; You can do this by using positive reinforcement such as: treats, toys, love, or heaps of praise.
- At the same time it is extremely important never to reward bad behavior, and also not to harshly reprimand them when they are still learning.
First step of training:
One of the most important commands for your new puppy to master as well as the very first, will be to come when you call him. This can be taught by getting on the dogs level and calling him to you, using his name to call him towards you, and when he comes you reward it with positive reinforcement. Perfecting this technique requires you to get him to come to you even when he is busy with something interesting.
I will be doing some follow up posts on basic puppy training tips and techniques in the next week or so, I hope that you have had fun reading this article, and if you want to read more, feel free to click the follow button!