Guidelines for Effective Puppy Training

3 Steps To Puppy Training Early

Most dog training experts recommend that you begin puppy training early, so start at 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. Do not over react as this is natural to young pups. Therefore, you need to follow certain guidelines to ensure that your puppy training sessions will go as smoothly as possible.

• Start Training Slowly

Generally, puppies will be able to start learning all the basic dog training 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.

• Be Firm and Exert Control

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.You don’t have to be harsh, be firm and gentle.

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.

• Reward Good Behavior

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 positive reinforcements like dog treats 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 result in a stronger relationship between you and your pet.

The rules and secrets to dog training can seem complicated, but all you really need is patience and determination. If you’re already working to build a strong relationship with your pooch, you will find that he wants to be a “good boy”, but it might take him some time to understand what “good” means and what you expect from him. Don’t get frustrated and don’t get down about your training sessions, instead, follow the rules in dog training to make every session productive and positive.

Patience is a contributing factor in puppy training. Remember that it takes a long time for the puppy to be what you expect him to be, so don’t give up easily. Both of you will enjoy the rewards of patience in the end.