Training a puppy: 12 tips for success

Training a puppy is the best way to ensure that you are bringing up an obedient and well-behaved dog.

Training a puppy

Why bother?

Puppies are not born with the sense of what is expected of them. The responsibility of properly training a puppy falls squarely on your shoulders as the guardian.

Tips for training a puppy

Let's make the training successful

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1. Never use punishment

Punishment never works.

Aversive training methods will only instill fear and aggression in your pup. Your pup may follow you due to the fear of punishment. However, the close bond, friendship, and trust you want your puppy to have in you will never occur.

2. Use positive training methods

These always work

Positive training methods involve

ulliPraising your puppy for displaying good behavior
liNot punishing your puppy for displaying wrong behavior
liUsing treats and clicker training for training a puppy.

3. Use a distraction-free environment

Helps to train faster.

It is imperative that you use an environment that offers the least bit of distraction to your puppy during the training phase. This way, you can make sure that the attention of your pup stays on you.

4. Use enticing treats

Good treats = faster training

Dogs are very food motivated. However, if they don’t like the treat that you offer, there is less chance that they will be inclined to follow your instructions.

5. Reward positive behavior

Even if it is a small behavior is small and does not seem significant, reward it.

When you reward every small behavior that your puppy is displaying, it motivates your puppy to keep going.

6. Wean off the treats

Trees are only for training.

Once your dog has started to respond to the command of his own free will, treats should be weaned off.

7. Exercise patience

Patience is key.

You can never have a successful training session if you are not patient with your pup. Puppies can either learn very fast or they can go a bit slow. Therefore, exercising patience is crucial.

8. Focus on the basics

Get the basics done first.

Before you start training your puppy in any of the complex commands, your puppy must know the ‘sit’, ‘stay’, and ‘leave it’ commands.

9. Use the right time

You cannot train a puppy if you do not have patience.

10.Start bite inhibition

Crucial part of the process of training a puppy.

Teaching your puppy bite inhibition is crucial since it will not only keep you safe from those shark-like puppy teeth, it will also protect the furniture of your house.

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Hi I am Dr Shruti. I love writing on everything related to dog care. Welcome to your one-stop destination of dog care. Articles focus on dog care, grooming, psychology, training, diseases and everything else dog-related.