Bringing a puppy not only adds on joy but also responsibilities to a family. It is important to socialize and inculcate good behavior in family pooches. Investing or researching on the puppy obedience training is very important which needs to begin as soon as it is brought home.
What is a puppy obedience training?
This training aids to teach the puppy not only good manners but also helps the little fido know its ranking in the family and the world. The course helps the puppy to learn to socialize with other dogs as well as humans around it inside as well as outside the home.
Puppy training is the primary step where the puppy learns to differentiate the healthy behavior over the negative ones. The training usually begins with basic commands like “sit” and “stay” and can be later on trained based on personal needs that include how to sit patiently without begging food when the family binges into food or to control puppies or dog from jumping on kids or humans and so on.
The primary training has no set of rules that need to be followed, training a puppy depends on individual pet parents as their personal needs vary. The only important part that needs to be concentrated in the obedience training is to not only make the pet a good listener but also needs to follow the commands of the owner or the trainer.
The basic behavior that a pet parent needs to watch out for
Observing the tiny fidos behavior right from the time you bring it will vaguely provide a parent to know what habits needs to be changed to make it more suitable to suit to the family living.
Some of the behaviors that many owners want to wade off puppies include:
- Excessive barking.
- Chewing of non-food items.
- Digging
- Begging
- Stealing food
- Home breaking and so on.
Studying the puppies body language
Observing the puppies body language plays a critical role in training it. The following behavior needs to be noted and changed in a puppy.
1. Begging
Every dog will never feel full how much ever you feed them, so diverting their attention from the table scraps when the family binges on a meal are very important not only aid in controlling the weight but also teaching them not beg. Training lessons need to be done as a whole family wherein every member sticks to the rules as one family member derailing from this can totally mess up the training.
2. Aggression or submission signs
An aggressive or brave puppy will exhibit the following features, it will try to make itself larger by standing tall with its ears and tail upright. Is also seen to push its chest and raise its hair on the neck and back. It may also growl and wag its tail slowly. On the other hand, a submissive puppy or dog will appear small and dogs will behave as if they are puppies. This trait takes shape in the form of a sideways crouch near to the ground with a low wagging away tail. Some dogs may lick the face of the dominant personality or also can roll back over. Extensive traits of either case need to be rectified.
3. Whining or barking extensively
Barking is a natural way of a fidos communication that cannot be abolished completely. Hence it’s important to train the dog to help it understand when it is ok to bark and when not as we all want our pooches to stay alert with intruders but not with petty things like pigeons or squirrels.
Whining, on the other hand, is something that a pet parent should refrain from encouraging. Never try to comfort a whining puppy always ignore it especially in the nights for a full and better sleep.
Excessive barking and whining should be controlled at a younger age.
Homeschooling obedience training
Pets are quick graspers and can be readily trained at home. The training should begin immediately post they are brought home as negative behavior if allowed will make training sessions more tedious.
The following sections concentrate on some tips that aid for better homeschooling.
1. Selection of the puppy’s name
Name selection plays a critical role in training the dog. Experts recommend choosing names that are not only short but ends with strong consonants like Ginger, Jack and so on. This will allow the puppy to hear clearly when its name is called out for, especially if the end of the name is stressed while calling out. Name the puppy in such a way that it relates its name with pleasant experiences or other great stuff that include like cookie, chicken, or walk.
2. Set the house rules prior to the arrival of the pup
It’s recommended setting the rules prior to bringing the pet into the house. Choose on what the pet can access and not access. Keep the family updated with the rules, this will avoid confusions while training the pooch.
3. Setup a private place for the pet to reside
Provide the pet a private room or a crate that it never needs to share with any family member or canine. Give it its private time and reward it each time when you find it relaxed in its den.
4. Comfort the dog post its arrival
When the pooch gets home it is recommended to give it a warm hot water bottle and place a ticking clock near it sleeping area. This will help the pup to adjust and relax in the new environment as this is seen to mimic the heartbeats of its offspring’s.
5. Refrain from long training periods
Puppies though are ready and willing to learn, lack long attention spans. Hence experts recommend keeping all training for a short period. Practice a command for five minutes maximum and grab the opportunity to implement the command outside the training sessions. Make the fido practice one command at a time, help in mastering it and then move to the next. Always end the training in a positive note like treating it with a toy or a biscuit so that the pet will be excited about the nest session.
6. Be consistent
The commands the pup is trained on should be consistently practiced with the same words for easier and faster mastering. Consistency needs to be followed even when an individual is tired or busy. This will help the pup to relate to the response it needs to give.
7. Practice the training at all opportunities
Do not restrict the training to the house. Try to practice it at all places as the pups get distracted easily with the different smells and noises that it will come across in the public. To train the pup to know its position in the pack that is the family. Involve all the members of the family in the training sessions. Doing this will train the pup not only to follow the pack leader but also the other members of the pack.
8. Reward the puppy
Dogs need constant motivation like kids for better and quick learning. Practice to treat or praise it post every command it executes. This will not only make it enjoy its sessions but will also give it something to work for.
Note:
- Make sure to wean the dog off the treats posts mastering the command. This will aid in making it perform the commands confidently and will also make it understand that not every good deed will be treated.
- Avoid treating the pups with an excessive amount of biscuits or healthy treats that adds on to its body weight. The recommended treating level is 10% of the total calories that is fed per day.
Professional obedience training
Post the homeschooling many parents opt to join their puppies in professional socialization classes that admit puppies between 8-10 weeks to five months old. These types of classes aid the puppies in practicing the good behavior that they are taught in homeschooling with other humans and fidos. These professional obedience courses help the puppies to learn the things that are acceptable in the world outside their own boundary.
Hiring a professional to train the puppy is also another option for people who cannot dedicate time to home train their pups. Research the credentials of the trainer to see whether they match your needs before hiring them. The best way to narrow down would be by asking help from pals who have got professional help to train their pups or contact a vet for a referral.
Final thoughts
Certainly, the main aim in puppy obedience course is to train on certain traits that need rectification, but it is always recommended to work on all behavior and socialization training in this obedience training schedules. The key reasons for puppy obedience training are to socialize it with humans of all ages and other dogs. Children often make a puppy sluggish training it to behave with children even if one is not a part of the family is critical.
Whether the tiny pooch undergoes a home or professional obedience training, its pet parent needs to ponder that patience is the skill that they need to inculcate still the pet masters good socialization and behavior. As during the process of learning, accidents tend to occur and it’s only your support and love that will motivate the tiny canines to master what they are doing.
Happy parenting!
Sources
- Puppy obedience training: how to be successful. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/training/puppy-obedience-training
- 10 best training tips. https://www.pedigree.com/dog-care/training/10-best-training-tips#
- Puppy behavior and training. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/puppy-behavior-and-training-training-basics
