How To Train A Puppy Like A Professional Trainer
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Nobody can ignore the energy and excitement of adding a new puppy to your family. You'll want to spend every available second with him or her - and, not just because they make you so happy, but because it takes consistent, correct training to help your puppy learn to fit in.
To train your puppy right, you need to train yourself to do it right. Even little humans must be taught where to go to the bathroom, and what they should and shouldn't chew on! Your puppy wants to make you happy. A dog will respond to training because they're loyal, smart animals - but they are still animals, and they don't start out very civilized. Starting from the very first hour as a member of your family, you need to take the right steps to help your puppy understand the rules.
Loyal friend, or local nuisance?
Family mascot, or failed misfit?
It's up to you.
How to train a puppy? Starting immediately, that's how!
The first days of your puppy's life in your home, will be with that puppy forever.
The first thing to know is this: when it comes to following the basic rules of living in a human home, there isn't a puppy alive that can train itself. Puppies are little beasts, not funny-shaped humans. They're going to do all the wrong things until you show them otherwise.
To put that another way: It's not the puppy's responsibility to become trained. It's your responsibility to train them in a loving way that builds a family relationship, with training methods that make sense to your little canine student. And, very importantly, you have to start right away.
You want a happy, smart, well-adjusted friend. Your puppy wants that too. If you let your puppy get away with bad behavior for a while, they'll be confused later when you suddenly start to correct them. Starting immediately is key, because just as training your puppy is habit-forming, non-training is habit-forming too.
How to train a puppy? In friendly, forgiving ways!
Write these down - memorize them - and promise your puppy to his or her face, that you will train them...
- ...With positive reinforcement. Puppies are similar to humans, because they feel good inside when they "get something right." But, they don't know they got it right unless you heap praise on them, give them a cookie, and play with them.
- ...Starting right away. If he or she is already at your home, then that look on your puppy's face is literally asking you, "Am I a good dog?" They have an emotional need to know how they're expected to fit into the pack. If you make them wait, it will stress them out.
- ...Knowing that you are responsible for your puppy's successful training - not them. Never be harsh. They're trying to understand you. If you've started training your puppy late, they're going to be confused. Even if you start right away, they won't learn instantly.
Puppies are young, rambunctious, and impulsive - so getting super-serious with long training sessions, isn't helpful to their state of mind. It's a child. Make your puppy's training a casual part of their early life. Start simple. Do it often. Make sure they know when they got it right or wrong. Be very consistent, both with your overall reactions and with specific words. Don't scare them, hurt them, or let them get confused, because those emotions affect their ability to learn social lessons.
One more basic tenet to keep in mind: dogs follow the emotional cues given by their masters. If you want them to be confident in their training, you must be consistent and sure. Remember that they're going to make mistakes - it's a learning process. If you help your puppy believe they can be a good dog, they will learn to be a good dog as soon as possible.
Puppy training is like anything else: Fun and rewarding, so long as you quit procrastinating, and take the steps that lead to success. In the end, you'll have a bond of love and trust, which the two of you earned together, and can cherish throughout their long life.
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Written by a professional dog trainer!
How To Train a Puppy - 14 Important Steps
Basic Puppy Training, and Puppy-Owner Training
German shepherd in a 500 square foot city apartment? Poodle on the farm? Maybe not! Your personality, your environment, and your habits and schedule - all these will be factors in your dog's life. Choose the dog that will make you happy, and the puppy that you can provide the best home for, with this information.
Teach Your Puppy to Stop Mouthing and Biting
Just like a baby human, a puppy thinks everything is supposed to go in its mouth. Nipping at people when annoyed, biting during play, and slobbering on everything - these are normal in the dog world, but you'd rather wean your puppy off this behavior. Here's how.
Training your puppy to communicate that he or she needs to go outside and "go potty," is usually the most important first step. It can be dirty business, but somebody's got to do it!
House-Training Your Puppy for an Indoor Potty
Your puppy will probably be inside and alone some days, while you're at work, or on vacation, or out visiting. On those days, you'll need your puppy to be trained to know what the paper, or the litterbox, is for.
Aside from keeping them safe during travel, the crate helps you and your puppy around the house, especially during early training. Teach your puppy to enjoy a little indoor solitude, or to show them what to avoid.
If your puppy grows up without proper socialization, they might grow up to fear unknown dogs, humans and other animals. Puppy socialization training shows them how to make friends, instead of acting out when strangers are near.
The leash isn't supposed to be a tug-of-war with your dog. A well-trained puppy will obediently stay by your heels, and rarely, or never, force you to restrain them. This keeps everyone safer, and it's the sign of an obedient dog who enjoys a relaxing walk. Learn about leash-training your puppy here.
Training Puppies for Basic Obedience to Verbal Commands
Dogs are smart enough to learn hundreds of words. Starting early, train your puppy to obey the basics: "sit," "stay," "no," "down," "outside," etc. Start simple with the essentials, and your puppy will expect to learn more as he grows.
Tips on Shopping: The Best Dog Food
Different dogs have different lifestyles, and you'll want to know how to feed them for the best health. Start your puppy out right - read about different feeding formulas here.
Tips on Shopping: Puppy Training School
The right obedience school helps you and your puppy with many of these issues I've discussed. If a professional trains your puppy in basic obedience and social behaviors, it solves many of these issues perfectly by laying the best possible foundation. Get advice on choosing a dog trainer here.
How to Train a Puppy -Dealing with Puppy Problems
Repetitive, excessive barking is a common social problem with under-trained and under-socialized dogs. If your puppy has picked up the "endless barking" habit, or any excessive barking habit, click here for help to train against it.
Puppies with Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is one thing you never want your puppy to develop. Anxiety is torture, which explains why puppies who experience separation anxiety tend to act out and develop major behavioral problems. Everyone who owns a puppy needs to read this!
What to Do When Behavior Problems Arise
Everybody has quirks, puppies included. Behavior problems should be corrected early to prevent long-term habits. When your puppy starts developing a bad habit, this information will help you train him or her to get back on track with correct behavior.
The clicker is a fantastic tool that helps you reduce the time spent on each and every kind of dog training. Whether you're house training your puppy, correcting problem behaviors, or teaching new tricks, the clicker makes dog training quicker and easier.
Or, return to the main dog training advice section.
