Dog Training Basics

Posts Tagged ‘puppy training tips’

Is your new puppy chewing on everything in the house?  This is normal behavior for a dog.  But chewing on the wrong things is a bad habit.

When training a new puppy, you need to think like your pup.These three puppy training tips will help.

1.  Look At Things From Your Puppy’s Point Of View

Get down on your hands and knees, and look around.  You’ll probably be surprised at all the fun toys your pup can reach without even trying.  Shoes and socks, clothing, your kids’ toys, the tv remote, pencils, and newspapers are probably lying in the floor.  All these things are just ripe for the picking by an ambitious pup looking for something to play with.

Have you left any good chewable stuff on the coffee table?  Or the couch?If he climbs up on the couch, is it easy for him to get at your things?

The first tip is to put everything away where your new friend can’t reach it.  This not only protects your stuff, but it protects him as well.  You don’t need an expensive trip to the vet because your puppy swallowed something, and it’s blocking his intestines.

2.  Look At All The Doors In Your House

Look around.For your dog, doors lead to cool places like your bedroom, your basement, your laundry room, your closets, and your bathroom.  Think about all the stuff on the other side of those doors.

Is there a basketful of clothes on the laundry room floor?  How about all the shoes on the floor in your closet?  Think about all that juicy trash in the kitchen garbage can.Have you considered the little chewies in the kitty’s litter pan down in the basement?

The second tip is to keep those doors closed, even when you’re home.  It’s best to limit accesss to areas you can’t keep an eye on at all times.  This is an easy way to stop puppies from chewing on the wrong things.

3.  Don’t Let Him Have Free Run Of The House When You’re Not There

The third tip is probably the most important one of all.  When you leave the house, put him in his crate.  Or put him in the bathroom (remove anything he can destroy), with food and water.Until he’s a trustworthy grown-up, don’t leave him alone in the house, even for a few short minutes, without confining him to a safe area.   

What To Do If You Catch Your Puppy Chewing On Something

Don’t make a big fuss.  Your pup wants your attention, even if it’s negative.  If he has a shoe in his mouth, say “no” or “drop it” in a firm voice.Avoid making this into a game of tug-of-war. He’ll think this is great fun.Give him a chew toy as soon as you get the item out of his mouth.  When he takes it, praise him.  

Give your pet lots of love and attention, so he doesn’t have to resort to misbehavior to get you to notice him.  And keep a wide variety of chew toys on hand.  You can rotate through them so he doesn’t get bored with them.

Need more puppy training tips?  Click on any link in this article for more information on dog obedience training.

Does your puppy’s barking drive you or your neighbors mad? May be you are at the end of your tether and do not know what to do. The first mistake that people make is to think that they can stop their puppy from barking completely. It is important to understand that barking is normal behavior. This is how your puppy communicates It is only when the barking is excessive and inappropriate that you should take action.

When puppies bark it is for a reason so before any action is taken you should find out why. Puppies can bark because they are lonely, bored, anxious, frustrated or frightened. They could also simply be hungry, need to pee or want to go outside.

However, if your puppy continues barking excessively and inappropriately you should say “quiet” or “enough” in a stern voice. If this command does not work then you need to give your puppy a correction by pulling them away from what they are barking at. It may be a good idea to give a quick tug on the collar.

When your puppy stops barking, it is important to give praise, such as”well done” and “good” in order for puppy to understand this is a correct behavior.

If your puppy is outside and is barking to come in, but you are not ready to let them in, then use a command such as “quiet” or “enough” in a stern voice through the door. Puppies can hear through the door. Remember not to open the door until you are ready to let them in.

If this does not work then you could kick the bottom of the door from the inside. This makes a loud noise which can startle your puppy. This seems to work quite well.

You could also lean out a window and spray water from a bottle or hose. This gives your puppy a reason to stop. If you do this action consistently, your puppy will eventually get a negative reinforcement for barking.

Do remember to give praise when your puppy stops barking. You must be consistent in praising positive behavior and giving a negative reinforcement for unwanted behavior.

It is important to understand the reasons why puppies bark in order for you to take the best action!

Visit the Training Puppy Tips website for more detailed information on stopping your puppy barking. You can use the same techniques for stopping your puppy growling.

train your puppy

Getting ready to discover to train a puppy will be a lot more successful if you record everything you do. I know that sounds very “fuzzy” and lacking substance – there’s a lot more to it than you think, as it will be a big help when you come to review your progress, and shows you exactly what your dog responds to. These notes show exactly what works and how your puppy responds to various techniques, along with areas that either need improvement or a completely different technique. And just like anything else in life, spending time planning increases the odds of doing things right a lot more frequently than doing it wrong or the hard way. You know it makes sense.

Planning ahead needs to be at the top of your priority list when you start thinking about train a puppy, as it will make a big difference when relocating a young dog or puppy from his happy and playful home to his new and unrecognizable surroundings. It is a very stressful and worrying event for a puppy when his mother and littermates suddenly disappear, and he is thrust into an entirely new environment with a whole range of new and unknown faces and scents.

And it’s not just puppies and young dogs. Even adult dogs are somewhat bewildered by everything new that happens to them when they get relocated. An adopted adult dog has no idea of all the wonderful plans you may have in store for him; all he knows is that he is in a strange and somewhat frightening place.

If you have the time, take a few trips to meet your pup while he’s still at his “old place”. He’ll get to recognize your face and smell and make his move a lot less stressful. When you start out, tips for training a puppy the familiarity between you will result in a quicker learning experience. If you can’t make friends in this way, perhaps you will be able to take something from the dog’s former home with you – such as a cushion or familiar toy or just something that will remind him of home and adjust to his new home.

The perfect time to bring your new dog home is when you will be available to set aside a block of time to spend with him. A holiday period is perfect. But you do need to be at home with your dog during the holidays. Please don’t move you dog in, then home him in kennels while you go on vacation. Being there for him in those first few days will help him settle in, and help him overcome any separation anxiety he may experience.

Just as parents prepare for the arrival of a new baby by creating an environment to satisfy the baby’s needs and requirements, tips for training a puppy should be just as exciting. The new dog owner should be organizing his or her home for the puppy’s arrival.

The perfect place for your new puppy is a cordoned off area in a main living area, as your puppy house training regime will go much smoother as accidents can be cleaned up much easier from tiled or lino flooring. Kitchens are great places because we spend a lot of our time in these rooms, which helps to accustom the newcomer to day-to-day living in your household.

Before you moved your new puppy in with you, he was used to lots of playmates. Without them, he will be lonely so you will need to take their place at least for a few days. At the same time, you must not let the puppy do whatever he chooses for the first few days and then suddenly expect him to start following rules that prohibit him from doing exactly those same things. Puppy house training can begin with the easy techniques, but needs to start as soon as he moves in.

Being permissive in this respect is not being kind, simply because your rules aren’t consistent. Much of these techniques for training a puppy apply to the adopted adult dog as well. Being homesick and lonely is not just a puppy issue. When you bring a new dog home he or she will need to learn the rules from the start. All dogs need discipline and affection in equal amounts. But it will be a very rewarding experience for both of you.