You might have seen how some “ferocious” dog breeds like German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Doberman etc. behave so gently while some lovely dog breeds like Labrador, Golden Retriever, Dachshund etc stay aloof when approached. This strange behaviour boils down to only one thing: Training.
How an adopted puppy will behave after 1 year of adoption depends entirely on the training given by the owner. The training should start from puppyhood and if done strategically, you can teach them tricks and commands easily and quickly.
Here are 7 of the best puppy training tips you can follow,
1) Start the Training Early
The best time to start training a puppy is right after they turn 2 months old. Puppies during this time are like sponges, as they will absorb your information quickly. They will keenly listen to you without getting distracted, and you will face little resistance from them. The things which you teach them during this phase will stick to them for a long time.
2) Stick to the Same Schedule
Following a routine helps your puppies to understand when it’s time to eat, play and go to the bathroom. Dogs love having a schedule and it keeps them mentally stimulated as well. It is also important to be consistent as it is the only way puppies can learn things faster. Repeating the same commands over and again will make the cues etched to their mind for a long time.
3) Reward them to Motivate
Rewarding your pups during training acts as a great motivation for them to do the things more. During training, you can give your puppies tasty dog treats which is a positive reinforcement technique. Also, avoid being harsh during the training as it will only make them demoralise and delay the whole training process as well.
4) Focus on Basic Commands
Most first time dog owners make the mistake of teaching complex commands to puppies first while ignoring the basic commands. You need to first teach them commands like sit, stay, stop, go, shake hand etc which acts as a foundation for more advanced training. Once you cross this step, it becomes easy for you to virtually teach almost all dog training commands to your pet. Most dog owners overlook this, hence they take a lot of time.
5) Try Crate Training
Crate training is one of the best methods to teach your puppies. All you need is an ideal dog crate for your puppies to make them feel that it is their new den. Creating a safe haven for the pups helps you to quickly house train them as they will not soil the place they are living. Also a closed space teaches them self control, and prevents separation anxiety as well. Crates do wonders in reducing destructive behaviour in puppies as they restrict them in a controlled setting.
6) Socialise Them
What hinders most dogs from learning things is fear. And one of the best ways you can remove fear in dogs is by socialising them with humans and fellow pets. It offers a sense of confidence to them and they become open to learning things as they are exposed to new people, dogs, places and situations. Socialisation fully unlocks the learning capacity of the puppies to follow the commands of their owner.
7) Patience is Key
Being patient during puppy training helps a lot in making them learn quickly. Some puppies may take a little more time to understand and remember the commands, and this is completely normal. Staying calm and patient during this phase, and not becoming frustrated can expedite the whole learning process of the puppies.
In Brief,
Remember that each puppy is unique and has their own style of learning. They will make mistakes as it is the only way to learn the commands successfully. Staying patient during the whole training process and rewarding them for their good behaviour will help them to quickly understand your commands and be a well-behaved canine.
