Basic puppy training should start as soon as you bring your puppy home, and it is best if all family members have some input. Consistency is important, so be sure not to confuse the pup with more then one person saying commands at the one time, and make sure everybody uses the same command words.
Dogs are smart and if you say, “Come here, girl”, she will most likely learn the phrase and come, but it is easier to use single word commands like “Come.”
Owners should endeavor to be firm with a new pup that shows signs of dominance, to prevent future behavioural problems, but be encouraging with a pup that is fearful, submissive or lacks confidence.
Most young puppies are eager to please so it is good to start training young, and remember to make training fun and give rewards and praise when the pup does the right thing.
Some Useful Training Tips of Which to be Aware
- Puppies can only concentrate for short periods of time, so keep training sessions short, perhaps 5 minutes at a time, several times a day
- Praise and reward the puppy when it does the right thing. Make sure the rewards are given immediately after the correct response is given
- Train in a quiet area with minimal distractions
- Be patient
- Use the puppy’s name first to get his or her attention, before giving the command
- Be clear and concise with your commands
- Use a friendly tone of voice
- Stick to single word commands and use the same words at all times
- Only reward when the puppy has done the right thing
- Avoid punishing your pup if it doesn’t do something correctly
Teaching Your Dog to Come
Most puppies naturally follow their owners, so when teaching this command, simply walk away from the pup, then call its name and say, “Come”. Reward your puppy when it comes and repeat until your puppy gets the hang of it.
Teaching Your Dog to Sit
When you notice your puppy sitting, say the command word “Sit”, then reward the dog. Sitting is useful for your pup to learn to do before meals, walks or before crossing the street. Continue the training by holding a small treat in your hand, around your pup’s head level, and then gently push down on his or her hindquarters while saying, “Sit”. As you push the dog’s bum down, raise you hand that holds the treat. As the dog lifts its head, its bum goes down naturally. Reward the pup when he or she sits.
You may also be interested in reading How to Toilet Train Your Puppy and Training Your Dog to Stay and Heel.
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