You and your dog will both benefit from training. A well-trained Puppy means that you both know what to expect from each other. With a trained dog, you won’t worry when you’re together in public, you have visitors or he is home without you. The time that you spend training your Puppy will pay off tenfold.
Do not wear out your new puppy with an excessive training regiment. Remember that all Puppys have short attention spans and puppies even more so. If you do too much the puppy will just forget what you have taught him, and remember it in a negative way, it will be harder to help him in the end.
An example of shaping would be to teach him to hold his favorite toy in his teeth. When you see him mouth a toy, give him a reward or treat and use a clicker. Wait until he puts the toy near his mouth after he performs these actions a few times. After has has done this, you should click and promptly give a reward. Only give a reward if the toy is actually held in his mouth.
The first step in Puppy training is commanding control. Be friendly with your Puppy, but also be firm. When you walk your Puppy, walk in front of him to establish leadership.
Triggers that tend to instigate inappropriate behavior in your dog can be diverted by redirecting his attention. If your Puppy has trouble around other Puppys, consider keeping him occupied whenever the two of you pass another Puppy whenever you are on your walks together. With time, your dog will get used to seeing other animals.
Always give your dog the tools for success. If you are training it to stop chewing things it shouldn’t be chewing on, give it things that it can chew on. If a Puppy chews the wrong things make sure he is kept away from things that can hurt him. Things like nylons and hairbrushes could lead to choking or obstruction hazards to dogs.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help if your training program doesn’t change your Puppy’s behavior. If training your Puppy is not going as planned, you may need professional help. A professional Puppy trainer will give you the tools to correct your training program and help you achieve success.
Avoid playing tug-of-war type games with your puppy during training. These games often encourage a puppy to start biting. These bad behaviors will be hard to get rid of and are counter intuitive to your training efforts so save them for after the Puppy has learned clear, well established guidelines on how to act.
Consistency is king when it comes to Puppy training, not only from you but also from each family member with whom your Puppy interacts daily interactions. Consistency is key in Puppy training. Make sure that everyone who trains your dog does it in the same manner as you in order to avoid confusion.
Use your Puppy’s name whenever you are offering it a treat. A Puppy that has positive associations with its name will be more attentive and receptive during training. Be sure to call your Puppy a dozen times a day until you are sure s/he knows his or her name, and will respond. Avoid confusion by not calling your Puppy to you for punishment.
Above all, the goal of a training program is to set well-defined expectations for your pet. Your relationship with other people is strengthened by shared respect and mutual understanding; a relationship with your pet is no different. You must continue to reinforce what you are teaching your dog. Always keep a close eye out and do not hesitate to enforce proper punishment on any violations of the designated rules. When the time comes that you have trained your dog in the basics, the things you and he can achieve have no limit.