Stop That Puppy: Why Training Starts Early On

Start young!

Raising a dog from a puppy is an interesting experience - you get to see your dog grow up, develop, and eventually age as a hopefully healthy and happy part of the family. But how do you know when to start training? Aren't most puppies too young to begin socializing and interacting with the world around them? Shouldn't you let them have a little "me" time?

The answer to these questions is a little surprising. While some experts might differ in opinion, some believe that beginning training should happy very early on in a dog's life; not too much for a young puppy to handle, but enough to establish a standard of behavior from the start.

One issue many people struggle with is when a puppy breaks a rule for the first time. Many people are still in a relaxed mode and the novelty of owning a dog has perhaps not worn off - this is a fine way to feel, but it shouldn't determine the way you interact with your dog. If a puppy starts breaking the rules, you'll have to stop and correct the behavior - not punish it - from the outset.

Why is this? It's because puppies are exploratory and curious, and are actually searching for behavioral boundaries. What you accept early on in a puppy's life can have ramifications for what it views as acceptable behavior later on in its life. If a puppy has learned to accept its role in your family, how can it know where its status exactly is unless you provide feedback?

It's tempting to allow your puppy its freedom, but consistency will ultimately be the tool that shapes your dog's life. And while you certainly should let a puppy explore and make its own mistakes, you should also correct a behavior that will never be tolerated. Doing so only communicates that this behavior might be under the realm of "acceptable."

How do you correct a puppy's bad behavior? First, you'll want to firmly but calmly coax it out of the mindset that created the behavior. A slight nudge or firm "no" is acceptable. You should never verbally or physically abuse your dog, but you also have to understand the role voice and touch can have in shaping its behavior. Don't punish the dog because it might not know what it's being punished for. Simply give a negative response and remove the dog from the situation. This will help demonstrate that the behavior is unacceptable. Remain consistent, and the dog will learn its boundaries, helping it to lead a happy and healthy life.

Photo Credits: ElBosco

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