Guidelines for Effective Puppy Training

Most dog training experts recommend that you begin puppy training at the earliest age possible, when the dog hasn’t yet acquired any negative attitudes or behaviors. But a very young puppy will also be quite playful and might be hard to discipline. Therefore, you need to follow certain guidelines to ensure that your puppy training sessions will go as smoothly as possible.

Generally, puppies will be able to start learning all the basic commands and necessary skills by the time they are around seven weeks old. The process of learning for puppies is very similar to the process that young children go through. All you have to do is do it one step at a time and pretty soon, they will be able to learn more as their foundation becomes more solid.

For instance, you may begin with one command and have the puppy master it before moving on to the next command. Teaching too many words all at once may confuse the puppy and slow down the learning process.

When To Start Puppy Training

If you start puppy training at seven weeks, you should be done with the preliminary training by the time you get to week 12. This is the time when you should start enforcing some kind of control over the puppy, instead of just teaching him the fundamental commands like “come” and “sit”. For example, you should exert firmer influence in choosing the direction and duration of your walks.

As you begin showing more control over your puppy’s behavior, the dog might exhibit tantrum-like attitudes similar to what you might expect from a young child who doesn’t get what he wants. Your dog might become stubborn and refuse to budge when you tell him to walk, or he might try to pull you in a different direction from where you want him to go.

This is a very normal part of puppy training and when this happens, all you have to do is stand your ground until the dog obeys. Do not give in but don’t punish him either. Just wait it out and he will eventually do what you want.

The most effective way to encourage a young dog to follow commands is to communicate with him in a calm and friendly manner. Avoid yelling and dealing harsh punishments. You can also use dog treats and doggie toys to entice him to obey. Whenever he does follow your commands, make sure you praise him quietly and give him small rewards. Such positive reinforcements will speed up the puppy training process and will make for a stronger relationship between you and your pet.