8 Top Puppy Training Tips

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Why is Puppy Training Important?

So he'll listen when you tell him to do something So you can take him wherever you go So you can show off all kinds of neat tricks to your friends So you can enter fun competitions and maybe even win ALL OF THE ABOVE Without training your puppy you are essentially telling your puppy that whatever he does is OK. Unfortunately that isn't the case, is it. You want your puppy to behave, to be potty trained, to not chew on your new shoes, to not bite, to walk nicely on the leash. You have to teach him all of those things. He wants to learn them. He wants you to be the boss.

Puppy training is essential to having a good relationship with your puppy. It's not about tricks or showing off: it's about communicating with your puppy so your puppy knows who is in charge and both of you are happier.

Sadly, many puppies are given up every year because of behavior problems. Usually these problems can be fixed if their owners would take some time to do puppy training. Remember, puppies don't know how you want them to act, you have to teach them!  Remember you are always training your puppy, what the puppies training results in is determined by what you allow.

You can effectively go through a puppy training regime with your canine if you follow these eight puppy training tips.

Tip #1: Many people start their puppy on the path to puppy training success by enrolling them in a basic obedience class. This is a great idea because you will learn how to teach your do basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, and “heel”.

You can teach these puppy training commands by using verbal commands and physical actions. For example, right after you say the word “sit” you gently push your puppy’s bottom down onto the ground and put them in the sit position. Immediately say “good” and smile. Give them a tasty treat as well. Basically, you want to do as much as you can to reinforce the action of sitting when you say “sit”.

Tip #2: Puppies act like absorbent sponges when it comes to learning proper behavior and tricks. If you do your job properly then puppy training should be a hit. Your puppy is ready and eager to learn proper behavior. They want to please you. Therefore, if they aren’t following your instruction it might not be their fault. You might be giving confusing puppy training instructions.

Tip #3: Puppies thrive on positive reinforcement and encouragement. Positive reinforcement such as acting excited and petting your puppy when they do the right behavior help with your puppy training efforts. It is a puppy's nature to want to be close to you and make you happy. Showing encouragement and praise will help your puppy much farther, much faster in their puppy training. Make sure to encourage a puppy through each puppy training accomplishment, no matter how big or small.

Tip #4: Food is a powerful motivator when it comes to puppy training. You will be hard pressed to find a puppy that passes up food or a tasty treat. Dogs are always hungry and welcome any situation where food is involved.

Tip #5: A puppies  training should be a gradual process with regards to skill level and learning more complex commands. Give your puppy time to understand new commands. They most likely won’t learn it the first day you teach them. You will have to review the commands and proper behaviors often.

Tip #6: Have puppy training sessions at various times throughout the day. Your puppy needs periodic training to reinforce the proper behaviors. You puppy’s attention span can wane, so make sure to keep the training sessions to five to ten minutes long.

Tip #7: When you first start puppy training work in environment that is free from distractions so your puppy can focus on their behavior. Once your puppy understands the basic commands you can try to use the commands in a busier environment.

One thing you may find is that your puppy is distracted and seems to have forgotten the commands. Don’t fret. This can happen because puppys tend to be situational learners and your puppy just needs to work on the commands in the busier environment.

Tip #8: Too many treats equals an overweight puppy. Puppy training is a process that involves tasty treats, but too many of these treats can be a bad idea for your puppies waistline. Use small treats and wean your puppy off treats as they understand the different commands. They will then rely on your praise as the positive reinforcement for each behavior.

These eight puppy training tips will set you on the road to a happy, healthy and obedient dog.