Dog Training
The best time to start dog training is as soon as you bring the puppy home. The puppy is going to need an adjustment period before any training starts, which is about three days to one week. After the puppy is settled into the family, training should start right away. The first thing you will want to do is train the puppy how to go outside to use the bathroom. In some cases, this could take some time. The best way to do this is with a dog crate.
The puppy should be in a dog crate that allows enough room to sleep and chew on toys. An oversized dog crate will allow the puppy to choose an area in the crate to use for the bathroom. A dog by instinct will not go to the bathroom where they sleep, unless they are left for a long period of time. Generally, a puppy's age will determine how long they can go before having to relieve themselves. Every month will equal one hour that your puppy can wait to use the bathroom.
The puppy should be kept in the crate when you are not able to watch them and take them outside to use the bathroom. The time they go outside should be for going to the bathroom, not playtime. The puppy can get confused easily and mistake being taken outside for playtime instead of bathroom time. Within the first three weeks, you need to start basic command dog training as well.
You can take the puppy to a dog training class or teach some basic commands yourself. The most important commands are sit, stop, come, stay and no. The command "no" is probably going to be learned faster than the other commands. The puppy does hear this word quite often when they are growing up. When training a puppy, little dog treats are recommended as a way to reward the puppy for good behavior and following directions.
Using a long leash is the best way to accomplish dog training. You can teach the puppy to sit on command by gently placing your hand on their backside towards the back. After the puppy learns to sit, you can begin the "stay" command. With the long leash, you can tell the puppy to sit and then "stay" while walking a short distance away from them. Once they have learned the short distance "stay" command, increase the distance until you can be out of their sight. The stop and come commands are taught after the puppy learns no, sit and stay commands.
Dog Training Tip #1 - Consistency
Your dog needs the proper message every time. Consistency is one of the keys to success when training your dog. When you expect a certain behavior, always give the same commands and responses. Remember, if you keep using different commands or respond differently to the same situation, you create confusion and slow the training process.
Dog Training Tip #2 - Patience
This is not an easy one for some people. Training your dog requires a lot of patience. You cannot train a dog in one sitting. Your dog will make mistakes. Do not lose patience, they will eventually come around.
Dog Training Tip #3 - Love and Rewards
When you puppy or doggie does something good, lavish praise, love and occasionally some treats on them. Love and rewards should be as generous as you can give. Positive reinforcement works wonders. When training your dog, no matter what they do, remain positive but firm. You do not want to get angry. Your dog should not walk around in fear of you.
We hope you enjoy your stay here. Go on and look around, the information contained on our website is intended to help you train your dog. Good Luck!
