Dogs are pack animals, and that is part of the reason they’re so trainable; though that doesn’t mean training is always easy. Once they respect you as the “alpha”, they’ll do as you say—within reason. Some dogs will attack a bear on your behalf until the bear sends them to puppy heaven. Others get one sniff of Winnie the Pooh and beat it for their safe spot under the deck. Dogs have different temperaments and personalities, but as a dog owner, there are certain things virtually any dog you own should be taught. Dogs can learn – use that reality to your and the dog’s advantage. Consider these tips regarding things you must teach your puppy.
Teach Dogs to Respect Boundaries
A fence is helpful, but if your property doesn’t have one, installing one for the dog is expensive. Also, even tall fences can be vaulted over by determined enough canines. A better option might be a collar that administers a jolt should the dog cross a hidden boundary programmed at your discretion. For such an option, check out Halo Collar.
Not only can you program the collar for your property, but you can also program it to activate in different areas so wherever you take your dog, he stays close.
Toilet Training: Assure He Knows to Go Outside
New puppies are going to have accidents, there’s no way around it, that’s why you want to have newspapers around. However, you can train them to only go outdoors within a few weeks’ time, depending on how diligent you are to get the pup trained. Definitely, your dog needs to be trained to only use the restroom outside.
General Obedience: Choke and Shock Collars May Be Needed
When you tell your dog to “heel” or “stay”, he should listen to you. Getting him to do so isn’t always easy. A choke collar can help the dog know if he pulls on the leash, it might be hard to breathe. Choke collars can zap your pup when he decides to bark loudly. Hopefully, you need neither type of collar, but often one or the other is needed.
Tricks: Teach Your Pup at Least One
If you’ve got an obedient dog who knows how to use the outside restroom, and respect boundaries on your property, you want to teach him at least one trick. This is good for you because you get to show your pup off. It is also good for him because he gets to show off. Dogs do like being praised, so long as they don’t have a fearful temperament.
Not to Beg
This is a hard one, because your dog is going to beg when you’re eating, activate those big puppy eyes, and melt your heart. While you may indulge him on occasion, don’t do it too often or he’ll get used to begging. Teach your dog to leave you and your family alone when you’re having meals, or he’ll be bumping against your legs and whining whenever the family dines.
Helping Your Pup Be Obedient and Capable
Train your dog not to beg, teach your pup at least one trick for everybody’s benefit, assure your dog is generally obedient, be sure your dog is toilet trained, and train your four-footed family member to respect the boundaries of your home. There are more things to train your dog. At a minimum, these four things are worth taking into consideration.
Puppy Training
Good manners are not innate within us nor for dogs. We need to teach puppies how to behave. A smart method is giving them rewards once they do something good. It will encourage and make them understand that they did something we liked, so they will continue doing that behavior.
Crate Training a Puppy
Get your puppy a decent-sized crate with a bed and blanket inside. Make sure the crate is big enough for your pup to lie down comfortably and stretch his legs properly. Also make sure not to get a too big crate, as the puppy might toilet in the corner.
A good way to keep your puppy in the crate is to hide some treats inside the crate. Hiding treats inside the crate would make the crate a joyful place for the puppy. Never close the crate against the pup’s will, this will not make him happy.
Once you notice that the puppy is happy to be in the crate slowly close the door and see if he’s calm and quiet. You can gradually increase how long the door should be shut. One tip is to not open the door if the puppy is barking or crying, open it if the puppy is quiet. A crate is a place for your puppy to feel comfortable and happy, it is not a place to lock them as a punishment. And don’t lock the puppy inside for very long.
Potty Training a Puppy
One of the reasons many people do not like to have a dog or a cat is they can poop anywhere in the house. It is our duty as pet owners, to teach them to potty train your puppy. For this, you must:
- Take safety precautions inside to avoid any accidents.
- Provide numerous bathroom breaks.
- Applaud and compliment them when they use the correct place for the toilet.
Spying on them continuously limits their chances to poop or pee indoors. If you are busy and cannot spy on them, just place them back in the crate.
Give Your Puppy a Bathroom Break
- Every 20-30 minutes
- 15-20 minutes after their meal
- During walks
- Before bedtime
Keep reiterating the cue word “toilet” and reward your puppy when they squat on the designated spot. Each time your puppy goes to take a dump, say this out loud. They’ll quickly associate receiving a reward with urinating in the proper location.
How to Quiet a Puppy from Barking?
Many people are living in apartments where sometimes you are not allowed to keep dogs. If you are one of the lucky ones to have permission to keep a dog, then you should make sure your neighbors are not being disturbed. A puppy barking all day can annoy your neighbors and create problems. So how to teach your puppy not to bark?
Firstly, remember not to give treats to the puppy once they are barking. You want to make sure they understand you don’t like when they bark. Once they understand that barking is not giving them any rewards, they will find it less attractive.
Some breeds have barking genes. As a result, be aware of this and watch for a lull in the barking before attempting to occupy the pup with a squeaky toy. Then, after calling the pup over, teach it to fetch the toy. They won’t bark as much if they have a toy in their mouth also they dogs get tired of barking so long. Pay them now for carrying the toy. Your puppy will quickly learn that picking up a toy is preferable to woofing.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of a puppy can be both enjoyable and difficult. It can occasionally be very demanding, but it can also be very rewarding. The training process will go more smoothly if you use the mentioned tips and tricks, offering you more time to interact with your dog.
Briefly, it is never too early to start planning for the arrival of a new puppy into your home, and therefore should be involved in creating the rules. Once they are there, try to make the best of their crucial socialization phase to prevent behavioral issues later on.
Try to provide them with as much stimulation from a variety of environments as you can. And always remember to reinforce good behavior by rewarding it, and try to ignore undesirable behavior rather than punish it.
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