Dog training can make a difference between a loving relationship and a painful one for your new pet. There are some basic guidelines on dog training for puppies that will help you keep your pet out of trouble and ensure that he is obedient and happy in his new surroundings, which is your home.
One of the most important training tips is to provide exercise for your puppy. Just as your small kids who like to move around, so do your puppy. Too little exercise can lead to behavior problem for your pet.
If you spend time with your puppy. playing games such as “fetch” with him, or simply taking him out to the yard or park for a stroll, it would certainly help to build a strong bond with him, which will make your training much more easier.
In fact, I would strongly recommend that you should start your puppy obedience training when you first introduce your puppy to his own room. This will teach him the “rules” that you have set up for him to follow and obey. Remember not to reward any of his bad behaviors other than a firm “NO” command.
Any physical punishment on your dog is a “No-Go”. If you found him to misbehavior, just clap your hand to catch his attention and say “No”. Physical punishment would incur fear in him and make your training a challenge.
As your puppy grows up, he may need to spend more time in his crate as you start your crate training. I would suggest not to start crate training when your puppy for the first few weeks as you would want to get to know him more before the training.
If you put your puppy in the crate right away, he may not understand why he is left there alone and may react aggressively.
When your puppy is about 6 weeks old, start training him on some basic commands, such as “sit,” “come” and “down.” This is the ideal time to do some early morning or evening training . Remember, sleep is very important for a young puppy and he needs to sleep at least 16 hours per day until he is about 16 months old.
Socialization is also very important. Socialization is the process of introducing your puppy to new experiences. Unsocialized dogs tends to be fearful and aggressive. Try to introduce him to new experiences in a non- threatening, fun way.
You need to get yourself out there with your puppy. Have friends take their puppy out to play, run, walk, potty with your dog. The more you do this with your puppy, the more he will know how to socialize. He’ll get to explore and learn.
When introducing your puppy to a new experience, always encourage the behavior that you want him to exhibit and do not force him. Once he exhibits the desired behavior, reward him immediately with a treat, a toy or just plenty of praise. He will learn to love, accept and appreciate the new experiences with the encouragement of his alpha, who is YOU!
The frequency of potty will depend on the size and age of your dog. You would need to be attentive to his potty patterns indoors and outdoors. How often he needs to poop will depend on his diet and his genetics.
You can also make use of the clicker method for training your dog. In simple terms, you click and reward your dog when he behaves in the manner you wish him to, that is, with no punishment whatever. Just click and treat.
When you are going to reward him with a treat, you’ll need to remember to do so immediately after he does whatever you wanted him to do. Timing is very important. Do not reward him a moment later as he will not be able to understand what he is being treated for.
The reward for your dog could be verbal or physical. You could choose to reward him with a spoken “good boy”, which he will understand literally, or you could choose a treat or toy as a reward. Whatever you choose to reward him with, you’ll have to be consistent. Don’t vary the rewards as your dog will get confused and not sure if the treat he is getting now is for “this” action or behavior that he had performed.
In my opinion, dog training should be a constant and daily event. You must dedicate yourself to training for at least 40-45 minutes every day. Most puppies can be trained in one or two weeks. If you cannot dedicate yourself to training, then it’s not fair for your puppy. The most successful trainers I know are the ones who train their dog daily. Experiment to find out what works for you. As your puppy grows and matures, you will learn which methods are most effective for him.
Puppies have short attention spans. They can tire easily. Don’t expect your puppy to be able to wrap his head around a new concept that you’re trying to teach him after an hour or two. They just don’t have the time. You need to be patient but firm in your approach.
Your puppy is new to this and he will only know what he had been taught. Try any new things you might like to do with your puppy and see how it goes. The more you play and use those instincts, the better will be your puppy training!