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| Puppy Training
So you decided to cave beneath the constant inquiry, “Can we have a dog? Can we have a dog? Can we have a dog?!” and now you have a rambunctious puppy in the house. No need to fear! Training a puppy is not as difficult as you might think. The key to puppy training is consistency and positive reward. The following steps are an easy reference for new pet owners, and if followed faithfully, your puppy will be well behaved in no time!
Keep it simple
Remember: you’re the boss! Your family is your puppy’s pack, so they will want to know their place in the hierarchy of the group. Like rebellious teenagers, puppies test their boundaries because they want to know who the alpha party is. As the boss, you are alpha. You need to show your puppy that it is not acceptable to sit on people’s feet, or place their paws on the dinner table.
However, it is easy to send your puppy mixed signals. It is not a good idea to only discipline your puppy some of the time. A puppy leaping onto your couch may be cute on a particular day, but positive reinforcement tells your puppy that they can sit on the couch whenever they like.
Keep your signals simple and consistent so your puppy can detect the clearly defined acceptable and unacceptable boundaries.
At the dinner table, never feed your puppy from your plate. A puppy must understand the difference between their food and the family’s meals, so don’t blur the lines by feeding your puppy people food.
It is never acceptable for your puppy to sit on a couch or on your bed. This is particularly hard for loving owners, especially when a puppy whimpers and whines when you remove them from the family sitting space. However, you need to set these boundaries. Otherwise, your puppy will enter mature dog hood thinking it’s perfectly acceptable to sit wherever he/she pleases.
Puppies, like babies, love to put things in their mouths. They will each anything, and that includes your shoes, socks, toilet paper, clothes, etc. If you return home to a mess of what used to be your favorite tennis shoes, a stern chastising coupled with a gesture to the destroyed object should be enough to indicate to your puppy that this is unacceptable behavior. However, if the behavior continues, you might want to consider using bitter apple spray on objects that appeal to your puppy’s senses. One bite of bitter apple and they’ll never venture a taste again.
In order to grow strong teeth, puppies like to nip at objects, including human fingers. It doesn’t hurt much, but you must curtail this behavior while those teeth are still small and blunt. This behavior can also be rectified with the bitter apple spray. Spray a bit on your fingers and let your puppy nip at a finger. They’ll never do it again!
Here is an important reminder: It is NEVER acceptable to hit your dog! Sometimes we’re cranky from a hard day of work, but do not project your own frustrations on an innocent puppy or dog. Discipline can be achieved through a stern tone of voice, and regular disciplining.
A puppy has lots of energy, and you need to ensure that your pet has a way to get all of that energy out of their system. Neglected puppies tend to release their energy in the form of destroying household objects or defecating indoors. It’s not your puppy’s fault that you have a 9-5 job. You still need to walk your pet and offer a puppy a lot of attention. Play fetch with your pet and walk it regularly.
Use common sense when disciplining. Using a stern tone of voice is acceptable, but severe punishments, such as locking your puppy outside for days, is not. Obviously, it’s cruel to subject your puppy to severely cold or hot temperatures. In addition, puppies are social creatures, so isolating your puppy from your family is also cruel. Puppies become aggressive when they are ignored and isolated, so remember that he/she needs plenty of love and contact.
Your puppy needs to meet other puppies!
Social and curious, puppies want to meet other puppies. They learn behavior from one another, so allow your puppy to meet other members of its species at dog parks, on the streets, etc. Play-dates are an excellent idea, and a nice way to meet other pet owners, as well!
Advice of Common Courtesy
You might find it hilarious and adorable when your puppy/dog jumps on your house guests, but you are the only one. Allowing your puppy to do this will guarantee the behavior extends into mature dog hood.
You can curtail this behavior by practicing social situations. Place a discipline collar on your puppy and have a friend enter through the front door of your home. When your puppy jumps up, make a stern correction and say, “Sit,” loudly and clearly. Make sure to praise your puppy when it finally sits down. Positive reward and consistent discipline are a surefire way to ensure correct behavior in your puppy.
The next step is to try this scenario “off-leash.” Have your friend come through the front door and repeat everything, but this time instead of pulling on a leash, simply say, “Sit.” After enough repetitions, your puppy will sit on their own, without the need be corrected with the collar. It can frustrate your puppy if you try to re-leash it, so if puppy still doesn’t obey the ‘Sit’ command, switch to disciplining incorrect behavior with one spray from a water bottle.
Remember: plenty of praise for correct behavior is excellent incentive for your puppy!
You must show your puppy that you are the alpha member of your family. With consistent discipline, plenty of reward for correct behavior, love and affection, you can train even the most rambunctious puppy in no time.
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