Owning a dog can be an exciting experience in a number of ways. Having a loyal companion by your side is something that a lot of people dream of, and by choosing to get a puppy, this dream can become a reality. However, there are several things that you have to do beforehand. Of course, making sure that you have everything you need to care for a puppy is important. Similarly, you should also prepare yourself for a lot of tiring training sessions. In many ways, training a puppy can be similar to teaching a toddler. Both of them are defiant, stubborn, and not entirely smart. But, when you are able to train your puppy, you will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over you.
As you begin looking into raising a puppy, you might begin to wonder how to train a puppy. Training a puppy improperly can lead to a lot of problems down the line, with some of them being irreversible if left alone for too long. This is one of the many reasons why it is important not only to start training early, but to start when the puppy is young. There are several things you will need to consider when you begin training a puppy. The first thing you should do is start with the very basics. The basics of puppy training include learning very simple commands, housetraining, and disciplining.
What Can You Do?
At first, you can start with basic words and commands. Getting your puppy’s nose in the air and bottom on the ground can be tough at times. Instead of calling your puppy by its name, you should simply use the word “sit” in a strong and confident tone. This will help the dog to learn that specific word. Sometimes, hand gestures can work well. Similarly, hand signals and confident voice commands are best for teaching your dog how to “wait.” When you are training your dog, you should make sure that you are giving lots of praise for the right behaviours. This helps the dog understand that obeying is good and gets praise.
As you move on to slightly more complicated training, such as house training and disciplining, remember that patience is key. Losing your temper and yelling at the puppy will hinder any progress made. Once your dog understands the concepts of keywords, you can use those for both housetraining and disciplining. For instance, if you see your dog about to use the bathroom in the wrong place, a firm “no” or similar noise can be used to discourage your dog and buy enough time for you to quickly take the dog outside. Some other problems you should work to discourage are digging, jumping, and chewing. While these problems might be cute at first, if they are left untreated, they can cause massive problems for adult dogs.
What Should You Consider?
Outdated methods of training, such as using fear and harsh punishments to discourage a dog, can lead to severe anxieties and even aggression as your dog ages, making it even harder to manage the dog. Instead, praising your dog for doing the right thing and denying treats/praise when the dog isn’t doing the right thing will help your dog understand that certain behaviours get rewarded, increasing the chance that your dog will do those behaviours.
Graphic created by Green Pet, a retailer of earth friendly dog products.
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