Getting a new puppy is just the beginning of all the fun to come. There will be a few frustrating days intermingled with the over abundance of excellent ones, so don’t let these get you down. Training a new puppy takes time, patience, and consistency. Having a daily routine is the best way to get started with training, as well as remaining focused on the type of training at hand. It will be easiest for both of you if you start with one task at a time, instead of throwing a bunch of new commands his way. The following are some very basic puppy training tips.
Housebreaking: Some people are able to keep an eye on their puppy all day long, to make sure that he doesn’t make a mess in the house. This takes some careful watching for certain signs.
This generally means he is searching for a place to go to the bathroom. As soon as the pup looks like he is looking for a good spot to relieve himself, pick him up and take him outside. Remain outside until he does his business and praise him after he is finished.
When people aren’t able to watch their puppy all the time and this method is sometimes used at night as well, a crate can be used to contain the pup. This isn’t used for punishment, but as a place for the puppy to remain for an hour or two at a time.
Dogs don’t usually make a mess where they sleep, so this area should be relatively safe from being used as a bathroom facility. Taking the puppy out of the crate every hour to go to the bathroom outside is often very effective. It’s a good idea to not leave him in the crate for longer than two hours at a time. Once he’s done his business outside, then he can romp around the house for a bit before he is placed back in the kennel.
Chewing: Problem chewing can be solved by having plenty of chew toys available for your new puppy. Sometimes sore gums is an issue and is why chewing starts. Having a clean sock in the freezer that is filled with some crushed ice is a great treat for soothing sore gums.
If the puppy finds something to chew on that isn’t one of his toys, this is remedied by quickly taking the item while firmly saying the word ‘no’ to him. You will need to have a toy of his to give him in place of the other item. This may take a bit of time for him to realize which toys are his and which are yours.
A daily routine is going to help a lot with housebreaking; taking him outside as soon as you get up, right before bed, and 20 to 30 minutes after he eats, will be times that he will become familiar with. Once he knows that these times are set, his body will adjust to them as well. Consistency with chewing issues, as well as housebreaking, is going to make these puppy training tips much more valuable. Don’t let frustration get the better of you and think about how well-adjusted this little guy will be in the future, form all your hard work.
