8 Tips to Train Your Puppy at Home
Bringing home a new puppy is incredibly exciting. Seeing your new fur baby slide around, gnaw at your fingers and trip over her paws can warm even the coldest of hearts. But part of being a good parent is disciplining and teaching the newest member of your family how to properly behave in public. So where do you begin?
1 – Work on the Biting and Nipping!
One of the very first things that people with brand new puppies should work on is bite inhibition. While most owners see house training as the number one priority, trainers actually work on biting first. Too many puppies are taken from their littermates and mom’s way too early to learn this lesson before entering a new home. Littermates and Dog-Moms have good timing, and a sense of fair play when it comes to using their mouths on each other, and if needed will stop playing, or correct one another if play biting gets too rough. Good, positive reinforcement puppy classes will address this issue.
2 – I Want to be Alone!
Teach your pup that a little down time for relaxing is okay. New puppy’s need time to recuperate after playing. A trainer’s rule of thumb is: 30-45 minutes of awake time per 2 hour nap. This will set up healthy sleep patterns making biting and unruly behavior less likely.
3 – Follow the Leader.
Start to work on having your puppy follow you when you say “come”. Young puppies love to be around people making this sort of training very easy if you start it while they are young. And remember to reward your pup with a treat when she listens!
4 – Sit.
There is nothing more annoying for guests than to walk in a house only to be bombarded by a dog who doesn’t listen to his owner. Start teaching your pup early to sit when you have guests entering your home. Ask your guests to resist reaching for crouching down to the pup. A trainers trick is to drop a treat as you greet people. This will teach your dog to look for treats rather than jump on people when they come for a visit.
5 – Chew toys.
Get your pup to chew on the proper toys rather than your furnitureLeaving dozens of toys around will only confuse and bore your pup. Kong toys, rubber chew items with an opening where you stuff treats or daily meals, will keep your dog interested. Kongs, pressed rawhides and other food carrier toys are the only ones you should leave out for your puppy to chew. All other toys, like balls and plush toys should be presented to your puppy, like a surprise that only you can make happen. Rotate toys each day to keep things fun.
6 – Crate train,
Even if you don’t intend to keep your dog in a crate for life. Make going into a crate fun for you puppy by feeding her meals, giving her chews and making it comfortable for her to take naps and sleep. There is a good likelihood that your puppy will need to be crated at some point in her life, so make it a good experience so she isn’t surprised if you need to use one later in life. A longer vet stay is a good example that will nearly always include crating your dog.
7 – Positive Reinforcement.
Often times with new pups, we are so focused on teaching them the right thing that we forget to reward the good behavior they naturally do! Try to pay close attention to the quiet times and reward your new baby accordingly! Don’t excite an already calm dog but spending a few minutes massaging or stroking your dog is all the positive reinforcement they will need
8 – Housetraining.
Of course, housetraining is an important part of teaching your new pup some basic skills. Housetraining takes consistency and effort but you can do some things to help you stay the course. For instance, keep a log for food, water and for when your pup goes in the correct area. Ignore mistakes you don’t catch her in the act of. When you do catch your pup in the act, don’t yell, scream or stick her nose in it. Simply pick her up and say “outside” or “on the pad”. Be sure you go with your pup every single time and take a treat for a reward for after she goes.
While these tips can get you started, if you are feeling overwhelmed or not sure how to get started, here is a great basic dog training program that helped me a lot.
Good training for your pup begins early and starts with you! Good luck!
Watch a sample lesson here
