Puppy Obedience Training Tips
If you’ve added a new family member, of the canine puppy persuasion, to your household, you’ve probably been having a great deal of fun playing with this furry, curious and playful little guy. You’re doubtless covering the house-training front. Your next essential step in making him – and your loved ones – happy campers, is to regain your puppy obedience training. Surprisingly, many dog owners neglect this step, or approach it in a haphazard way. The result? That puppy becomes an undisciplined, adult dog! Here, we’ve got an instant guide to a puppy obedience training program that’s simple, fun and successful.
What’s the right age to get back your puppy training? Well, house breaking is actually the first step. That’s when your puppy starts to recognize that certain behaviors are ‘good’, while other people are frowned upon. Once your puppy is housebroken, leave it at that until he’s about 3-4 months old. You could incorporate a little light leash training with the housebreaking, which also gives him a clue on behaviors and habits.
Giving him lots of praise for ‘good’ behavior, like doing his potty business where he’s going to, helps prepare him for your puppy obedience training program as well. Along with praise, delivered in a cheerful, pleased tone of voice, you’ll need to get him used to the other – a sternly, but not harshly spoken, ‘No. Baaad dog!’ when he exhibits unacceptable behavior, like jumping up on Grandma in an overly friendly greeting. Now, he’s got the thought of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’.
Incidentally, jumping is the most common of puppy faux pas. The best way to cope with this problem is to grab his front paws (gently, but firmly) and – wait. This is a quite uncomfortable position for your puppy to sustain. When this becomes your standard response to his enthusiastic jump-up-on-the-person, he soon learns he’s best refrain.
Next on your puppy obedience training agenda? Instructing him to sit and stay. He’s already primed to want to please you, knowing you’ll bestow loads of praise when he goes together with the program. (Dog biscuit treats provide a great deal of incentive.) You want to make the ‘command’ words short and sweet. If you have been putting him on a leash already, this makes the tutorial even simpler for him to comprehend (‘ah, it’s discipline time – woof!). When on the leash, gently push his behind down to the sitting position, as you say the single word, ‘sit’. He may not get it the initial few times. Just be consistent in the repetition of the magic word, ‘sit’. Dogs like to sit anyway, so this part of your puppy obedience training program should go quickly and smoothly. Give praise and perhaps a biscuit, now and then. Don’t lead your puppy to believe that he need to have a biscuit each time he sits. Verbal praise should do the trick.
OK, now you’re in phase 2 of your successful puppy obedience training program. It’s now time for the ‘stay’ command. This one may take a bit more time, but once he’s recognized the rewards for better behavior, he’s desperate to please. While he’s on the training leash, give the ‘sit’ command, then walk a short distance away – just a number of feet will do. He may like to bound towards you. In this case, lead him back to the original ‘sit’ spot, repeating the sit command as necessary. Lay down a dog biscuit a short distance away and say ‘Stay!’ in the stern voice. Remember, you’ve got the other end of the leash! The second he strays from the sit position, pick up the biscuit, lead him back to the ‘sit’ spot and repeat, ‘Stay!’ He’s going to want that biscuit bad! He’ll soon figure out that he’s not going to get it until he retains the sit position in the designated spot. Once he continues sitting for about 5-10 seconds without moving, loosen the leash and let him choose the treat. Praise him with enthusiasm! Repeat.
Now, you’ve completed puppy obedience training 101! He will not jump on Grandma, he’ll sit still of sufficient length to let the family unit cat achieve higher ground, and he’ll stay where you inform him too and leave the mail delivery person fall asleep the mail without mishap. What’s next? Heel. This should be a piece of cake at this point.
