Having your first puppy training is a fun and interesting time. You might have seen an ad on a classified website and decided to check it out by going to a reputable breeder or a pet shop near you. Then those cute puppies little eyes and beautiful puppy fur had your heart melting.
And before you knew it, you are heading home with him or her. If you are like most new pet owners, you picture yourself playing fetch with your dog, of watching him frolic at the lake, and of cuddling up on cold nights.
But, you have might never realize that the behaviors you dream of in a dog do not come by birth. Puppy’s natural behaviors include lovely little things like chewing up your favorite shoes. Crying every second of the night. And they will pee wherever they are when their mood finds them.
These behaviors might seem cute at first, or even manageable. But, if left unchecked they can lead to a bad adult dog.
The problem with puppies that are not trained is that they will be a nuisance as they grow into untrained dogs. All that cute little crying can become loud barking that keeps you and your neighbors up for nights on end.
The little teeth marks in your shoes can turn into destroyed furniture. And even a destroyed home before you know it. You also won’t find those cute little puppy poops so cute when he/she is already grown into a 75 pounds dog and has the poops to match.
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Untrained dogs can be also dangerous. All dogs can bite. That’s why you need to know how to stop a puppy from biting. It is in their nature to defend with everything they have, even with their teeth.
You have to train your dog that when playing, not to use their teeth, or else someone might get hurt. Though we expect our dog to protect us in a worst-case scenario situation, you should train your dog to be non-confrontational.
When your dogs pose a danger to the community, he/she is at risk of being put down. Also, the dog problems listed above are the reasons why many dogs end up homeless.
People grow tired of dogs that never grow up, and then they take them to the shelter. We all know how sad life can be for a shelter dog and the end that many of those dogs meet.
If you love your new puppy and intend to have a long and happy life with it, train her. By training a puppy, you teach her how to live in your world.
And this increases the likelihood that you will have a long and happy life together.
Dogs have been tamed and kept as a pet for more the 15,000 years around the world. Because of this long-term human companionship, the puppy that you adopt today needs you.
Dogs are not able to live by themselves in the wild. They are not used to living outside and scavenge for food. Indeed, the dog you adopt today needs you and yearns to please you. That desire to please their master is the reason that dogs are trainable.
The dogs that we have as pets have what they called social intelligence. This enables them to read your visual and verbal cues and adapts their behavior to it.
While each dog will train at a different pace and in different ways. Almost all domestic dogs are trainable. Just like humans, dogs go through a series of cognitive development.
Puppies are just like babies and learn to interact with the world around them at around eight weeks of age. They will also mimic behaviors early in life, so if you have one well-behaved dog your puppy can learn from it.
If this is your only canine, you do not need to worry as they will also learn by watching you. Just like parenting, training puppies is something that often happens while you are not paying attention to it.
That’s why those first few months that you have a puppy are the important times to focus on training them. It can be a lot of work but in the end, both you and your dog will be happier.
How To Housebreak A Puppy?
The most important and first thing you will do is potty training a puppy.
Your dog knows no difference between being inside the house or out in the backyard. As far as they are concerned there are a few places that they are not allowed to pee or poop.
You might have a different idea.
It should be easy for you to train your dog to pee or poop outside if you are willing to commit to the steps given here. As you begin this process you may need to make a stop on those close and cuddly ties you have already established with your puppy.
To housebreak a puppy you will need to keep him confined to a small area, not your lap, in the home. While this may seem like punishment remember that they were once den-dwelling animals.
They like their crate or doghouse it makes them feel secure. They also want your praise so by training them you will be able to give them the praise that they desperately want.
How To Potty Train A Puppy (Step By Step)
1. Get a crate or kennel for your puppy
When you are not playing with or walking your puppy, you should let him stay in a crate. This includes overnight and while you are not home.
You should not let your puppy run around your home and they are not expected to do so. This will give him an early sense of dominance and will give you a hard time training him.
Also, most dogs will not eliminate in their kennels, so you reduce the risk of an in-home accident.
The crate should be large enough for your dog to sit up, stand, and turn around. Too large of a crate will not make your dog feel secure and too small will be uncomfortable.
Since your dog will grow it is wiser to invest in successively larger kennels. Maintain them well and you should be able to sell them later either online, at a yard sale, or a friend that needed them.
You can also donate them to a dog shelter if you want to.
2. You should make a plan to have someone with your puppy most of the time
You should not get a puppy the day before you go on leave for a two-week vacation. The best time to get a puppy is Friday after work so you have at least two full days to spend on house training puppy.
You should spend half of your time making your new dog feel comfortable and getting him on a puppy schedule
3. Buy training supplies
You will be needing lots of treats for potty training puppies and other behavioral training. Buy a large supply and a wide variety of treats. You can all sorts of different kinds available.
Make sure to get ones that your little puppy can handle chewing up. You might even cut up the treats into small, bite-sized pieces.
You can buy treat bags that will clip to your belt or pocket, but using a sealed sandwich bag will do too.
Keeping the treats in your pocket is not a good idea because your dog will smell them and will not leave you alone.
4. When it comes to puppy potty training, a stopwatch or timer will come on handy, your cell phone will also work just fine.
Some people, especially those living in an apartment who have small dogs use pee pee pads. It seems a little gross but can be a necessity if you are living in an apartment and it is a hassle to go downstairs.
There are some good grass beds available that you can use as an alternative to pee-pee pads. They are much more appealing to look at and to smell.
This is also a good choice if your puppy is using the balcony to relieve himself. Neither of these is good options if your puppy is a medium to large-sized dog breed.
Big dogs equal big puddles and big poops, the pads, and grass beds are not large enough to handle it.
5. Create a schedule
Basically, a puppy can hold it for one hour for every month of age plus one hour. That means if your dog is two months old he should be able to hold it for three hours.
But, you don’t have to wait three hours before you take him out.
Instead, you should start feeding and giving water to your dog at the same time every day. Some people choose to feed their dogs twice a day, some once. You will know what it prefers.
You should give time for your dog to eat the food you have given him, after that you should remove any leftover. This will encourage your dog to eat and finish the food when it serves to him.
6. After the dog has eaten he should immediately be taken out to go potty
It should be YOU who will choose which part of your lawn you are allowing him to use as a toilet and take him to that area. Walk the dog around the area and use a cue phrase that suits you like “Go Potty” or “Do Your Business.”
These cues will get ingrained in your dog and he will react to them throughout his life. Make sure that everyone in the household who will take the dog out uses the same cue phrase.
7. Repeat your cue phrase while the puppy goes potty until he is completely finished
Give him praise and affection and small affection once he’s done. If he does not go potty within five minutes take him back inside and put him in his kennel. Try again after fifteen to twenty minutes.
8. Throughout the day, you will need to repeat this process once every hour, even when your puppy has not eaten
Each time your puppy had a successful potty session, give him praise, and let him have some supervised playtime.
9. At bedtime, your puppy should be locked in his kennel
You can move the kennel into your bedroom at night while he is still young, this will make him feel secure and you too.
Take him out and try to get him to go potty before bedtime and don’t feed or give and water to your puppy near bedtime. But, it is a good idea to set an alarm to go off at least once during the night so that you may take your puppy out to the potty area.
With few exceptions, you will have your puppy training successfully after a few days. If you still have problems you may need to adjust your schedule so that it better suits his needs.
You have to be patient, as he will still have some accidents while he is still young, even after being trained. You should keep on hand a good supply of floor and carpet cleaner, to deal with any messes the puppy might make.
Also, don’t shout or give punishment to your puppy for accidents. They are just that, accidents. And it doesn’t mean that he is disobeying you.
Our puppies want our love and approval. The more of that you are able to give to him the more he will behave in a positive manner.
You might also like: How to Train Your Pit Bull Puppy
How To Crate Train A Puppy?
Crate or kennel train your puppy at the same time you are house training a puppy.
The kennel is not there to punish a dog behaving poorly as a lot of people might think, but it’s not. The kennel is his own space.
You will find that your puppy will enjoy spending time inside the kennel even when the door is open. It will save you and your puppy a great deal of anxiety after a successful puppy crate training.
As stated before, dogs are den-dwelling animals. The sense of a small space is comforting to them. Providing a cover to your kennel would make him feel even more secure.
Dogs also have no sense of time.
And don’t know the difference between 10 minutes and 10 hours, and will always excited to see you after you been gone.
They will always be sleeping while they are in the kennel. Keeping him in the kennel when you are not home will keep him away from trouble. When he’s out he will either sleep or get into trouble.
Puppy crate training is a great way to avoid developing unwanted behaviors like digging in garbage cans, chewing on non-toys, and climbing on the furniture. This also protects him from getting into a dangerous situation in your home.
Dogs will eat things they are not supposed to eat and can be easily trapped in small places. Puppies are in even greater danger because of their small size and lack of depth perception. That’s why having a kennel is a good safety precaution.
There are two standard types of dog kennels, the wire mesh ones, and the plastic kind.
Both are good choices for your dog. If you plan to travel by plane with your puppy you might want to invest in a crate approved by the airline. Most of the time is the plastic kind.
The wire mesh ones are collapsible which makes them easy to move and to clean. Placing treats and toys inside the kennel will make it appealing. and would make your puppy go inside the kennel when you first bring him home
Again, use a simple command like “inside” or “kennel up” repeatedly until your dog goes in the kennel. Give him praise and treat as a reward once he is inside You will be surprised to find that after a while you will not even need to give the command.
Your dog will pick up on cues like putting on your coat or grabbing your keys and purse and go into the kennel on his own. Do not be alarmed if your dog whines a little bit when he is inside the kennel. It doesn’t mean that he wants out, rather because he wants you inside with him.
Dogs crave constant attention. But don’t give in, ‘he needs to learn how to be comfortable by himself and in his own space. You might go over and offer him some words to comfort him. But do not sit nervously by him or let him out when he behaves this way. Doing that will only enforce the whining and he will train you instead of you training him.
Some people, to make their dog more comfortable, places a dog bed or blanket inside the kennel. If you live in a hot climate and your dog gets older and larger he might not need the blanket. But, while he is a puppy it is a great comfort item.
Putting a piece of clothing that smells like you give him more comfort. You can keep water or feed your dog inside the kennel. But be aware that both of these have the potential to create quite a big mess.
The kennel should be strategically placed in an area that the family hangs out in most of the time. This is one of the best ways to make sure your puppy is comfortable. The family room is a good choice as opposed to a bedroom which is empty most of the time. Keeping the kennel in the family room will encourage your puppy to sit in there while the rest of you are watching television or having other family time.
If the kennel contrasts the looks of your family room, dressing it will make it fits your decor better You can cut a piece of wood to fit the top of it and then place a tablecloth or other fabric over it. It will then look like an end table and not a dog kennel in your living room.
A puppy should never be in the kennel for more than eight straight hours.
If this means that you have to come home at lunch or wake up during the night to let the dog out, then you have to do so. You must really think if you can commit your time before you decide to bring home a dog.
Also, the kennel should never be a place to punish him. When your dog is put in the kennel he should go in happily, knowing that you will be back and that he is not in trouble.
Clicker Training Your Puppy
Clicker training your puppy is one of the most effective and easy ways to teach him how to behave.
It is center on positive reinforcement rather than giving punishments and considered the most humane way to train a dog
It is simple to do when your puppy exhibits the behavior that you request, click, and reward him with a treat and positive words.
It is used not only for dogs.
It’s been used with other animals, like pigeons, whales, bears, lions, and even cats.
The process is the same for all these animals.
A verbal command together with the click.
And later on, the animal doesn’t need the click anymore, just the verbal command.
It is a form of conditioning your dog to do the things that you want him to do and to avoid behaviors that you do not like.
The clicker does not do the training for you, it is only a tool that helps to train your dog.
But by using a clicker, it will reduce the amount of time it takes to train your dog by about a third, over using other forms of training
You can buy a clicker at any pet store. They are inexpensive, so keep a few of them on hands at all times
The other member of your family should also know how to use the clicker. A steady supply of treats will help get your training off the ground, keep them handy.
Clicker training can be used to teach any sort of behavior.
Here is an example of how to train your puppy to sit with a clicker.
It is a must to teach your dog to sit to help him understand who is in charge of the household and how he should behave to get your attention.
Clicker Training Your Puppy To Sit
Choose a cue word or phrase and hand motion that will go with it. ‘Sit’ is a good phrase, for obvious reasons.
1. You will also want a hand motion, perhaps an open hand, with your palm facing down making a downward, gentle motion.
2. Give your puppy the command and the hand motion at the same time.
Repeat this until you get your puppy to the site. You may help him by placing his hind on the floor.
3. As soon as your puppy sits, click the behavior, and then give him a treat.
The click indicates to him that he has done the right thing. He hears the cue, does the behavior and hears the click, and gets a treat.
4. Repeat the training with your puppy on a regular schedule for several weeks.
He will not get it the first time and will need to do it repeatedly until he understands the verbal and visual cues to sit.
5. Do not always reward him with a treat, after several days of training.
Sometimes, you just give him verbal praise and reward in the form of a pat on the head and a ‘good boy.’ He has to learn to do the requested behaviors even if he is not rewarded with a food treat.
6. After some time, you will be able to request behaviors without using the clicker.
Your dog will learn to respond to your visual cue. He will even learn to respond to your physical cue as long as you have maintained consistency in those cues.
There are many tricks and behaviors you can teach your dog by using a clicker. Like sit, lie down, and even go inside the kennel. It can all be done without ever having to punish your dog or to hit or otherwise demoralize him.
Whether you give them negative or positive reinforcement, like children, they will react to your attention. Reward him with affection and a treat when he does well. If not, he gets nothing, ignore him and those behaviors will go away.
Puppies are like sponges, you can train them to do anything you want. Some people train their dogs to ring a bell when they want to go out or go into the house. You can train him to sit next to his food and wait until you give him permission to eat.
The more time you spend training your dog the more he will enjoy learning new things because he will know that he has pleased you.
Walking Your Puppy
Teaching a dog to walk on a leash is not always an easy task. And for some dog breed like a Siberian husky, it is really hard.
It is in the dog’s nature to want to wander off and sniff everything that comes in his path. But, this behavior is not conducive to a pleasant and beneficial walk.
You have to strike the balance between allowing him to explore his world and walking in a controlled way.
You will need to buy an appropriate leash for your dog. Ensure that it is the right weight according to how much your dog weighs right now.
Even if he will grow as a big pounder, he will not be able to handle a heavy leash while he is still small.
The next thing to choose is a collar for walking. Some people use harnesses are leaders that attach to his head and snout.
Both of these products can help you better control your dog in a humane and safe way.
Choker collars are used for dog training only and not recommended for dog walking. As there is a significant danger of hurting the animal. If your dog is small a simple collar and your leash might be plenty.
But, you will want to use the same type of device, like a harness or leader, which you will use when he is bigger.
Let your dog do his potty before you leave your home. He should learn the difference between a walk and going for potty. He should learn to potty in a specified spot in your yard
If not, will almost always be stuck carrying around a bag of his waste on your walks. But of course, to be on the safe side you should always carry a bag with you for picking up any potential dog droppings.
To know how to train a puppy requires time and patience. Do not expect your first walk to be a long one, distance-wise at least. Think of it as a training session that requires lots of stopping and starting to get it right.
How To Train Your Puppy To Walk On A Leash
1. Choose a side that you want your dog to walk on.
He should always walk on the side that you choose, either right or left.
Make sure that you are comfortable with the position of the leash and your arms. Because this behavior will stay with him
2. Start by taking a few steps with your dog. When he begins to pull stop and make him sit. Reward him with praise for sitting and then start again.
3. Each time he begins to pull on the leash. Repeat the stop and sit pattern. This could mean you can only manage to take a few steps before you have to stop and begin again.
4. Allow your dog to swerve off the path. As long as he does not pull and smell things. From time to time, he or she will also mark with their urine, this is normal behavior. Allow them to do it as long as it does not become regular.
5. Reward him with praise and a treat when he stays with you at your side and keeping pace. Remember he wants to please you; you just need to train him on how to do that.
6. Your puppy might pull or bark due to anxiety when you come upon other people or dogs.
Reassure him with affection that everything is ok and that you are there with him. If he gets too excited have him sit and wait for people to pass.
7. You must teach your puppy how to interact with children. They will always come near them as they are especially interested in puppies
If you are confident about your puppy you may allow others to pet him, but you must be the one in control of the situation. Make him sit and behave while they are doing it
8. To get your puppy used to walking and burn energy you should walk him at least twice a day, if not more while he is young.
You may allow your dog to walk off-leash (depends on the dog breed). But, do this with great care, and only do in a place where there are no cars around. Even if he is well trained, he is still an animal and as such, is unpredictable.
You would not want anything bad to happen to your dog because he was off-leash in an unsafe area.
How To Train A Dog Not To Bark
Dogs like to bark, it makes them feel powerful and in control of their surroundings.
But, it can be a nuisance that you need to stop dog barking to keep a happy dog and household.
By training your dog to ‘speak’ on command he will be less likely to do it when not told to do so. Barking is your dogs’ warning system, so when he barks when he wants it or to warn you, praise him for one bark.
This should teach him that barking once gets your affection. But barking more only gets him ignored. Don’t leave your dog outside unattended.
Though there is nothing wrong with leaving a dog in a fenced yard while you are at work or away from the house, it is not the best choice for your dog. He needs you when you are not around he will feel anxious which will cause him to bark more.
He might even exhibit other behaviors like digging or finding ways to escape your yard. A dog that is comfortable and loved is not left outside unattended.
To manage your dogs barking you need to understand why he does it. Dogs are territorial. And they will bark whenever someone walks by the front window of their home to scare them away
The person walking by your house will continue their walk because they are not scared of a dog that is inside the house. Your dog does not understand this concept. He thinks that because the person continued to walk, he must have scared them away. This enforces his idea that the barking works, so he will continue to do it.
You can manage this behavior by teaching your puppy that his barking, in fact, does not work. You will need to ask the help of some friends who are not familiar with your dog to teach him not to bark.
Let them walk by your house when the dog is looking. When he starts barking they should stop and continue standing in front of your house.
The dog will realize that his barking did not work, but also that someone on the sidewalk is not a threat. Training to stop dog barking is tricky. Since dogs are also a good warning system should someone come into our home uninvited.
There is a fine line between teaching your dog to behave and still allowing him to be protective of you and your home. Reward your dog with praise when he exhibits behaviors that are meant to protect you and your family or his pack. He should learn the difference between this and unwanted behavior.
Puppy Training Tips Conclusion
Now that you have taken the time and spent the money to get a new puppy you should also take the time to train him. A well-trained dog makes a happy home. Your dog does not have to do a bunch of tricks nor does he have to be perfect.
Unless you are training a show dog, a dog agility competition, or a guide dog you do not have to stress out about making him behave perfectly.
Try to focus your energy on key behavior. Like how to housebreak a puppy, responding to commands, and walking on a leash.
As you get to know your dog better you will find out what he is good at. You can expand on those good behaviors and learn to manage unwanted behavior.
You can do most of the puppy training can on your own, right in your own home. There are online dog training classes that you can take to help you get started. These can be good but are only the beginning of the training process.
Your new dog will need to be continued attention and behavior in order for him to be the best dog that he can be.
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