Training a puppy can be frustrating. Puppies nip, bark frequently, and can cause stress on new owners when their home has been turned upside down. Allowing for bad behavior without consistency, positivity, and/or training can lead your pup to continue to act out. It is important to start some type of training early in order to set a standard for your dog and so they understand what constitutes good/bad behavior. These suggestions can help get you started on the road to positive behavior practices.
Practice walking with a leash
Your new pup might not be familiar with a new collar or walking with a leash in general. Perhaps they were a stray, adopted from an abusive situation, or just do not understand what to do with a leash. First, make sure your new pup always has a collar around their neck. If your pup were to run off, or get lost, it would be comforting to the owner to have a name and address on them at all times. Next, make the leash a positive experience. Introduce your new dog to the leash, let them sniff it, and recognize the shape. Did you know dogs can see the color blue more clearly than other colors? Consider a blue leash and length depending on the dog breed. Try walking around the house with your new pup, walk at a steady pace. Try this in your yard before heading out on an actual walk where several smells and sights might overstimulate your pup.
Schedule Puppy Playdates
Yes, even your dog needs a playdate! If you do not have more than one dog, check to see if your friends or family members have dogs. Playdates are great ways to increase socialization in your new pup. In recent blogs, I told you about my mini-Goldendoodle pup, Louie, who is two years old. I did not mention that I also have an older full-size Goldendoodle who is nine years. When we adopted Louie from a shelter, we introduced the two so that our nine-year dog could learn to be gentle with our new family member. It took time and supervised visits before the socialization really reached its peak. Weaning your pup to puppy dates will also help interactions with other pet lovers. You can also sign your pup up for daycare where they can be socialized with other dogs their size and similar temperment. Thousand Hills Pet Resort has quite a few puppy yards at their daycare facility that you can always sign your dog up for! Learn more here.
Teach Puppy to Sit
One trick to learning discipline for your pup is to teach your dog the “sit” command. This takes patience, for the dog and for the owners as well as consistency. Try this technique by having a treat in your hand as you begin to teach the word “sit”. You may have to demonstrate to your dog by helping them place their butt on the ground. You can reward your pup by telling them ‘good dog’ or petting them. This gives them positive reinforcement by following that command.
There are lots of other techniques you can use! Another way to learn and teach your pup is by checking out our dog training: Gentle Touch Pet Training. At Gentle Touch, we offer a variety of puppy classes such a Puppy Preschool and Puppy Enrichment Classes.
The critical socialization age for puppies is quite young; from approximately 8-12 weeks old. These classes will help socialize, teach self-control, and look at proactive problem-solving techniques for owners. So if you have a young pup or know someone who does, our puppy classes are for you!
All proceeds from Thousand Hills Pet Resort support New Life K9s. New Life K9s provides service dogs to veterans and first responders with PTSD at no cost to them.
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