Author: Daniel McFerrin
Have you just gotten a puppy? If so, congratulations! Becoming a dog owner can end up being incredibly rewarding. However, it can be a bit demanding, too. On top of having to cater to the basic needs of your puppy, you will have to train it.
Do you want to know how to do it? If your answer is yes, you should keep reading! In this article, you will find a list of tips for training your puppy, ranging from socializing and house training to crate training, bite inhibition, and positive reinforcement. Check it out!
Socializing
Training your puppy is not only about basic commands. On top of that, you will have to teach your puppy how to behave in a variety of different situations, such as a long walk in the park filled with other dogs and strangers.
The puppy experts at www.europuppy.com say that the best thing that you can do is to socialize your puppy as often as you can. To do that, you should take it to many different parks, other people’s homes, pet stores, and so on.
Basic Commands
In the beginning, you will have to train your puppy to follow the most basic commands. This will be much easier if you have already had a chance to train dogs. If you have never done it before, do not worry! It is not that difficult. Here is a list of the commands that you should start with!
Sit
The first command that you should teach your puppy is sit. You should start by rewarding its attempts to sit on its own. Every time your puppy is successful, give it a treat and praise it. Once it starts getting better, you will have to reward it less often.
Next, start asking your puppy to sit. Say the word sit loud and clear. If your puppy does what it was asked to do, praise it and give it a treat. If you are consistent and determined, your puppy should be able to get the hang of it in up to eight weeks.
If your puppy has trouble learning this command, it may be because you are not giving it the time it needs to process what you want it to do. It might be that you are not training your puppy as often as you should be, too.
Come
The second command that you should teach your puppy is come. Just like with the previous command, always reward your puppy’s attempts at coming towards you. If your puppy does not want to do that, be patient and encouraging.
For instance, you can slowly move towards your puppy and praise it for every step that it takes in your direction. Once your puppy is in front of you, reward it and tell it something encouraging.
Stay
The last fundamental command that you should teach your puppy is stay. Start by asking your puppy to stay. Give it a treat and praise it if it manages to stay still for a few seconds. If it masters this step, get your puppy to stay in place for longer periods of time.
House Training
If you do not want your dog to wreak havoc on your house, you will have to house train it. There are several things that you will need to take care of to achieve that goal.
● Ensure that your puppy has access to water and food. This way, it will not feel hungry and thirsty to the point of chewing on your furniture and drinking water out of the toilet.
● Take your puppy outside a few times every day. This will enable it to relieve itself regularly, which will help prevent accidents.
● Ensure that your puppy is physically active, healthy, and strong. That way, its bladder and stomach muscles will be strong enough to help prevent it from relieving itself around the house.
Crate Training
Crate training is an excellent tool for training puppies that suffer from separation anxiety. For starters, get your hands on a high-quality crate that is big enough for your dog. Next, ensure that it has access to clean water and food every time it goes inside its crate.
Then, place the crate in an area where there are many people around, such as the living room. Once your puppy is inside the crate and seems calm, close the door and wait for a few minutes. Then, open the door and give your dog a treat.
Ideally, you should repeat this exercise several times a day. If you notice that your puppy is able to stay inside its crate for longer periods of time without any issues, start decreasing the number of repetitions.
Positive Reinforcement
Whenever your dog behaves properly in the presence of other dogs and humans and follows one of your commands without making a mistake, reward it with treats and words of encouragement.
The reward should come immediately after your dog exhibits great behavior. If you give the reward later, your dog might not be able to associate that reward with the rewarded behavior. Consequently, it will not be able to learn whatever you are trying to teach it.
Bite Inhibition
In order for your dog not to become overly aggressive with other dogs and people, you should teach it to control its bite. This will be easier if you have already been training it to obey commands and socialize with other dogs and humans.
To teach your dog that biting is unacceptable, you should start by gently pressing your finger against its mouth when it tries to bite you. When it stops biting you and releases its bite, give it a treat and say something encouraging.
You should do it every time your dog attempts to bite you. If it starts biting you harder, say a firm no and praise it for releasing its bite. Keep doing it until your dog stops biting.
In Conclusion
Puppies can be incredibly difficult to train. However, it is definitely worth it, as a polite dog can really bring happiness into your life. If you use the tips mentioned in this article and stay patient, training your puppy should be a piece of cake. Have fun!
