Understanding Puppy Behavior
There are many different breeds of dogs and no one of them has a monopoly on brains. Puppies are individuals just like humans. Some may be bold and some may be shy, but most of them can be molded, in fact a lot of puppies mimic the behavior of their owners. Some of the best puppy training advice is to know what you are doing as a trainer.
Name Recognition
Teaching Your Puppy Its Name
One of the first things that you should concentrate on is to teach the puppy its name. Pick a simple name and use it always when you talk to your puppy so that the puppy gets used to hearing it. Make sure that the puppy connects hearing its name with something good like praise or a treat.
Start Training Gently
Start the training gently and don’t be harsh. Puppies and all dogs learn through repetition so you must be patient, you probably won’t see results overnight.
Communication Is Key
Talk to your puppy a lot and establish communication with it. This relationship will draw the two of you closer together.
Adjust When Necessary
A good piece of puppy training advice that will save you a lot of frustration is, if the puppy can’t learn a certain thing, switch to something else. Another tip is to make the lessons brief so that the puppy doesn’t get bored.
Reward and Discipline
Proper Reward Timing
As was mentioned before, you must reward or reinforce the puppy for the response that you want. This can be with praise and treats or just praise. Remember to give the reward immediately as a puppy’s memory is very short.
Gentle Correction
If you have to correct or discipline, a disgusted voice is usually enough. If you need more force, make a startling noise by hitting a rolled up newspaper against your knee or some object. Avoid using your hand to hit the dog, if you must, make sure that it is just a light tap.
Basic Commands and Training
Foundational Commands
Basic training consists of name recognition, the “No” command, “Quiet” and house training (housebreaking).
Keep Training Short and Fun
Talk to the puppy a lot and start with only a few minutes a day of training and lots of play time.
Final Puppy Training Advice
The best puppy training advice is to keep at it, be patient and don’t let either you or the puppy get bored. Follow these basic steps and you should be on your way to successfully training your puppy.
