It’s finally here! You’ve passed by that pet store or animal shelter so many times deliberating the pros and cons of animal ownership and you got it at last. The new puppy is home. Great–what now? Play times with the young pup is a great time to bond and enjoy each other’s company but there’s more to having a dog than that.
Puppies don’t know what’s appropriate from inappropriate behavior and not knowing this might harm him or people around him. House training a puppy usually takes place then. If you’re new at this, it’s all good — we were all new once. You will need the four basic puppy training tips as listed below to help you in your endeavors of raising a happy and well-adjusted dog.
1. You need to set yourself firmly in the position of authority. The foundation of a healthy relationship with your dog is the correct view of both of your positions in the ultimate hierarchy of things. It’s easy to be indulgent with a cute puppy– but if you don’t nip it in the bud, a domineering and bratty dog will be your future headache. Start teaching him how to submit to you by giving him simple commands to obey. Use a firm voice when you say ‘Sit!’ and gently push him down to that position. Once he understands that you are his superior other commands will be easier to teach.
2. Your puppy must be potty trained. One of the first things in house training a puppy is proper toilet manners for canines. Bring him outside to poop fifteen minutes after every meal. Choose a specific area for his discharge and walk around it until he finally unloads. Immediately praise him when he does. Follow up on this every day for two weeks and he will begin to understand. If he makes a mistake and you find dog poop or pee indoors, scrub the area clean with a deodorizer to mask the smell, lest he returns to reclaim his spot.
3. Your puppy will need to develop and grow his social skills. The best time for socializing a puppy is anytime before 3 months of age. Some puppy training tips you can use for socializing the dog is to invite your friends over to meet him. Bring him to busy places and let him play with other healthy animals. Also let him get used to being groomed so that he will not get aggressive and whiny when people pet and touch him in the future. Properly socialized puppies grow up to be healthy, happy and self-assured dogs.
4. And of course, you need to be able to learn how to communicate with your dog effectively. Animals are best trained through the reward-punishment method and you need to be consistent with this. If you catch him jumping on furniture, scold him sharply each and every time you see him doing this. The same applies with praising him for actions you want him to continue doing. If you forget to react on a certain incident properly once or twice, this will confuse the puppy. Remember to be consistent in training him.
Simple right? Puppy training tips just go on from here but these are the fundamental issues you need to deal with and the others will be easier. Make a commitment in training your puppy; it is fun and interesting. You will find yourself itching to get another one before long.
