Congratulations on your new puppy! We know how exciting, and overwhelming, this time can be so we’ve put together a list of puppy training tips so it’s one less thing you have to worry about!
Let’s get started on the basics of puppy training.
1. The best place to start is to research different training methods for puppies. There’s so many different methods out there including, positive reinforcement training, scientific dog training, clicker training, electronic dog training, model-rival or mirror training, alpha dog or dominance training, and relationship based dog training! It’s a good idea to research all of these types of dog training to determine which is best for you and your lifestyle!
2. Create a schedule for puppy training! Puppies don’t have a very big attention span so they do get tired and lose interest quickly making shorter training bursts more effective. Keeping a schedule will also keep your new puppy on a routine.
3. Start training and then work your way up more and longer training sessions as your new puppy picks up more skills and commands. Make sure you keep training fun and not stressful so your puppy enjoys your time together. Training frequently helps tire puppies out physically and stimulates their brain.
4. Stay consistent. Whichever commands you choose to use (sit, stay, down) make sure you are consistent with them to not confuse your puppy. If multiple people are training the dog, make sure they also know which words go with which commands.
5. It’s important to have fun, but make sure you are also sticking to your boundaries and rules. Not only will this make training easier, but you’ll have a better relationship with your pup in the long run! When you are in your allotted training time, make sure you are consistently working. By staying consistent on things like bathroom spots and play areas, your puppy will also have less confusion.
6. Incorporate toys! As mentioned above, it’s important to keep training fun so you and your dog both look forward to your sessions. Many toys can be used for training, like drop it, fetch, or take it! Some brands sell toys that can be very versatile for training like Wolf Spring’s 4 toy set!