A rewarding part of dog ownership is seeing him/her acting disciplined. Training is an excellent way to bond with your dog(s) and will help you build a good relationship with them.
It’s not easy to train a puppy, yet it is an excellent way to help them settle into your home and get them on a schedule. Once your puppy adjusts to his new schedule he will learn to anticipate bathroom breaks and bedtime, making your life a lot easier.
Bathroom rules Training:
Pet experts recommend teaching your puppy “the house rules” as soon as you get her. Be very firm. If your dog doesn’t learn these rules as a puppy, she probably won’t follow them as an adult. Crate training, leash training, and positive reinforcement will go a long way in teaching your puppy to use the bathroom only outside.
Train your dog to walk on a leash:
It may seem obvious, but playful puppies don’t always walk easily on a leash. Practice makes perfect in this case. Training a puppy to walk calmly and respectfully on a leash will help you when you socialize them and housebreak them. “If you can’t control your dog on a leash, then you’re not going to go very easy going outdoors.
Train your dog to socialize:
Socialize your puppy as soon as they’re old enough. Take them around to pet stores, parks, anywhere dogs are allowed. Socializing your puppy when he is young will build confidence and friendliness toward strangers and other pets, and help him/her learn to remain calm and respectful outside of your house.
Train your dog to sit:
Teaching a puppy to sit or lay down may look like a fun trick, but it is actually a very valuable skill. Use the command “sit” to prevent your puppy from jumping on visitors, to be respectful during meal times, and as a gateway to teach other useful skills such as “stay” and “come.” Once your adorable puppy grows into a 90-pound dog, you’ll be glad you have this command down.
Train your puppy to not bite:
Puppies like to nip a lot while their teeny-tiny canines grow in. But sometimes, they don’t realize just how hurting their little bites can be. It’s important to teach them not to bite you or others while they’re still young. If your pet nips you too hard, say, “Ow!” in a loud, high-pitched voice similar to a puppy yelp. This will warn them that they bit too hard and tell them to back off. Give your doggie a treat or say, “Good boy/girl,” when they listen. Another clever alternative is to ignore them. Turning around and tucking your hands in your armpits acts as a calming signal, which is “a minor form of attention withdrawal. A dog-training expert says to never yell or physically punish your puppy because your furry friend will just interpret it as another form of attention, even if it’s negative.
Train your puppy to be home alone:
A pup’s first time alone can be extremely stressful because dogs are naturally social creatures. Canine independence is a good goal to keep in mind when learning how to train a puppy. It’s best to start teaching your dog how to be independent while you’re still in the house by placing them in a crate or exercise pen. Turn it into a happy, relaxing environment with toys and food to keep them preoccupied and satiated while you’re gone. Once your puppy is in, close the door quietly and walk out of the room. After a minute or two, return with a yummy treat or words of praise. Repeat the process and gradually increase the time you’re away from your dog. If he or she continues to remain quiet and calm, reward them. After a few days, you and your pup should be built up to a fairly long period of time apart so that you can go off to work in peace without your dog whimpering too much.
Train your puppy to not chew the furniture:
Nothing is worse than coming home to find a pillow torn up or your shoes chewed to pieces. Much like nipping, a teething pup also tends to chew anything and everything to relieve their sore gums. This is the optimal time for you to encourage “appropriate chewing” by letting your dog know which things they can and can’t chew. Give them toys that they can pick up and carry around in their mouth Don’t toss them an old shoe or sock to gnaw on or else they’ll think those are okay to put in their mouths putting in mind their dental health. If you catch your dog with an off-limits item in their mouth, direct them towards their chew toy. Then pat your pup’s head and praise them for chewing the right correct thing.
Top training tips:
• Always start lessons for new tricks in a quiet room in your house away from any distractions.
• Break training up into short but regular sessions so your dog isn’t overwhelmed.
• Be patient, just like us, dogs all learn at different rates so don’t worry if your dog doesn’t pick things up straight away.
• Always end with something your dog knows, so the session finishes positively.
• Have fun while doing it.
Hope this has been helpful to all our dog lovers out there. We will be back with more tips for other pets. Give us a clue on which others you want next in our comment section.