Your Puppy Training Checklist

If you are considering purchasing or already have purchased a puppy, then you already know that you're in this "dog" thing for the long haul! So it will be important for you and your family to get off on the right foot. A new puppy in the house will be an amazing novelty, but once the novelty wears off, you'll still have a dog hanging around. Don't be the family who lets the dog grow up and forces the parents to take care of it on a daily basis. Instead, grow the dog up right. Here's a checklist for puppy training that will keep your dog obedient and well-behaved.

Establish the boundaries.

Puppies, like young people, will search for their boundaries. They won't know where the boundaries are if you don't proactively set them, so whenever you see your puppy in a place it shouldn't be, correct the puppy, telling it "No!" (an almost universal command that works) and move it out of the area. If the puppy doesn't feel punished for crossing the line, it will believe it can keep crossing that line, plain and simple.

Train your puppy to come when called.

If you want to find your dog easily throughout its life, start training it to come when called at a young age. Don't use the dog's name; instead, use a firm order like "Come!" Using the dog's name will be more confusing, since people will use that word in other situations. A firm "Come!" will be more distinguishable. To start training your dog to understand this order, use the word when the dog does come to you. Reward the dog frequently at first, and less frequently as it gets used to the order - unpredictability helps the dog learn on a long-term basis.

Establish relationships.

The second your puppy reveals hostility for anyone in your home is the second you need to correct the behavior immediately. This means removing the dog from the situation if need be. It's a good idea to utilize a leash frequently so that it's easier to get control of your puppy if you need to. When a dog sees that it can't be hostile to any person, and that doing so will result in quick punishment, it will learn the lesson very quickly.

Remember that dogs learn by association, so what you do to give affection to your dog often gives positive feedback. Don't pet your puppy all the time because it's so cute - use rewards to establish the behavior you like. If your dog is calm, reward it.

Photo Credits: basykes

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boundaries, crossing the line, daily basis, hostility, long haul, parents, proactively, puppies, Puppy Training, relationships, right foot, term basis, train, universal command, unpredictability

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Puppy Training

Posted by Dog Training Pet on February 17, 2010 in Puppy Training. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.