No one can resist puppies’ adorable charm. They are so darn cute that you just want to hold them, cuddle with them, and pepper them with kisses. If you are gushing over your puppy and letting them do whatever they like, know that it’s expected behavior. You need to train your puppy.
Having a puppy has its good days and bad days. The Instagram-worthy pictures and their playful nature will keep you occupied for days. However, if you continue with this carefree attitude, you will have trouble in the future when teaching them obedience.
Puppies are rambunctious by nature. They nip, bark, chew whatever they want, and pee inside the house. Hence, it is important to teach your puppy some basic behaviors using force-free dog training to bring order back into both of your lives.
Following are five things you need to train your puppy to do:
1. Love His Crate
Puppies are a force to be reckoned with. They don’t have boundaries, which is why the first thing you need to teach your dog is to love their crate. Letting puppies roam free even when they are just months old can be a disaster. Get your puppy accustomed to their new crate by tossing some treats inside without closing them in at first. As your puppy gets more comfortable you can start closing the door for them for very short intervals, eventually building up to longer periods of time. Remember to reward your pup for calm behavior! Then, you can create a schedule of directing them into their crate either for sleeping or resting time.
2. Go Potty in the Right Place
Your puppy is probably going to create a mess several times when you first bring them home. This behavior comes to puppies when they are living in a new environment. No amount of scolding will make them change their ways, so refrain from doing it. Simply take your puppy out when it’s time to potty and reward them for doing it in the right location. (This might mean taking your puppy out every hour or so, in the beginning.) Make sure to supervise your puppy, because the more practice they get having accidents indoors, the more they will think it’s alright to go in the house.
3. Not to Resource Guard
Resource guarding is a behavior that many dogs learn as puppies. It involves guarding food, toys, and other items against other puppies and even you. If this behavior is not trained out of puppies, they can become aggressive. Instead of yanking away the object, your puppy holds dear, direct their attention to something else. Engage them in playful activities instead, so that they can learn to socialize.
4. Biting Is Not Acceptable
Puppies and their razor-sharp teeth can cause quite the damage. Shouting at your puppy because they bit you will do you no good. They are simply learning and exploring the world the only way they can. You need a force-free dog training trick to let them know that biting is not acceptable. You can do this by calmly walling away from your puppy for 30 seconds and then returning and interacting with your puppy again. Repeat this until your puppy realizes that biting does not get them the attention they want.
5. How to work with you
Last but not least is getting your puppy to work with you. Puppies love to walk because they get to see the outside world. You are still building a bond with your puppy, which means that they’re not too familiar with you yet. A trip to the park might result in you being led by the leash when it should be the opposite. Practice all your cues at home before entering a new environment with them. Speak with your dog trainer to learn how to use positive reinforcement to teach your puppy how to give you their attention. Every time your puppy listens to you, be sure to reward that behavior!
There are plenty of other things that your puppy needs to learn, but the five lessons mentioned above are very important. Always use a gentle tone to direct your puppy, or they might not be willing to work with you. It will take some time for them to learn all these new tricks, so please be patient when you are teaching them.
If you are having trouble training your puppy, you can hire a professional force-free dog trainer. For dog training in Miami, visit the website Dances with Dogs. They offer in-person and online dog training. To know more about their services or schedule an appointment, call on 786-299-1552.