If your kids have finally convinced you that the time has come to introduce a four-legged addition to the family, there’s a lot to consider. Perhaps the first major decision to make is what breed of puppy to raise; the Internet is full of free information to help you with your choice; the breed should be suitable for your living conditions and your lifestyle. Additionally, enrolling in dog training classes can be a great step to ensure your new puppy is well-behaved and integrates smoothly into your household.
Assuming that you have made up your mind about which breed of puppy to choose, here are some valuable puppy training tips to help your pet find their place in the family.
- Adopt a positive reinforcement approach – Negative reinforcement means scolding the dog when he does something wrong and this is definitely not the best way forward. Positive reinforcement means praising him when he gets it right; giving out treats works well and make sure your pet understands when you are happy with his work. Dogs want to please their humans by nature and it won’t take him long to get the hang of how he should behave.
- Consistency matters – If you are not consistent with your response, the puppy will likely be confused; think carefully about your body language and tone of voice and try to maintain consistent behaviour. There is top-drawer puppy grooming in Sydney as a reward when he does well with his training.
- Keep training sessions short – Much like a young child, a puppy has a short attention span and anything more than 15 minutes is likely to be wasted. Dog trainers say a 5-minute session 3 times per day is the perfect routine; in a short time, he should pick up the core lesson that you are trying to convey. Here is an informative article on caring for senior dogs.
- Start training as soon as possible – The day that you bring him home is the ideal time to start puppy training; a puppy is like a sponge when it comes to learning new things; the saying, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ does apply.
- Don’t expect too much – You need to be realistic with your expectations when training a puppy; a little and often is the perfect remedy for puppy training and if he doesn’t get it straight away, he will eventually if you are consistent.
- Enrol in a puppy training course – Some breeders say you only get one shot at dog training and starting out with a short course of classes might be the best way to teach your dog the basic commands. A Google search should help you find a local puppy training school where you will meet other pet owners and your dog can learn to socialise.
We hope that the above tips help you to cultivate the right relationship with your forever pet and that you spend many years enjoying each other’s company. Raising a dog is a lifetime commitment and not something to be taken lightly.
