Good puppy training tips are worth their weight in gold, and if you've just added a new puppy to your family then you're about to find out just how important help with training your puppy can be!
Almost as soon as you get little Fido home, you're going to be going in search of advice and help for those million-and-one questions that pop into your mind - and a good source of reliable and FREE puppy training advice is going to be worth it's weight in gold!
So, what are the top puppy training tips of all time? Here are my personal favorites, born of years of trial and error......
Start early
Puppy obedience training should start just as soon as you bring Fido or Fifi home, usually at around 8 weeks of age.
Begin with simple things like name recognition, and the 'sit' command. A young puppy is like a little sponge, just soaking things up - make sure you begin puppy obedience training right away so that he starts off on the right foot (er, paw!).
Puppy Obedience Training should be 'little and often'
One of the most important puppy training tips is to keep your training sessions short. A three to five minute session is enough for an eight week old puppy, and you can gradually increase this time as your puppys' attention span increases. Several short sessions (3 to 5 per day) is much better than one 20 minute marathon!
I strongly recommend enrolling your puppy in a Puppy Class at a dog obedience school just as soon as he's had all his puppy shots
Keep it positive
Puppies (and dogs) respond much better to positive reinforcement than they do to punitive, correction-based dog training methods. So, use lots of praise, treats, and even play, to show Fido what a good boy he is.
If he enjoys his training sessions rather than dreading them, both you and he will be more successful and happier.
Keep smiling!
Here's one of those free puppy training tips that will help you set the tone for your future relationship with your new puppy. It takes lots of love, patience and good humor to successfully train a puppy.
If you get angry or stressed out, Fido will sense it and play up (just like your toddler at the grocery store check out line!), so stop the session before that happens. Always end on a positive note, with something Fido can do well, that way he has good memories of his training. Also, never start a training session if you're in a bad mood.
Don't expect too much
Another very important part of any list of puppy training tips, is to remember that your puppy is just a baby. Little Fido wasn't born knowing that he needs to 'do his business' outside, or even knowing that his name was Fido for that matter!
A human baby takes many months to learn to walk and talk, and toilet training takes years. It's the same principle when you're training your puppy - Fido will learn to pee and poop outside, when and how to 'sit', and what not to chew on etc. etc. But it will take time and patience on your part.
Don't be afraid to ask for help
Puppy training tips come from many different sources, and if you're having problems, or just want to know more, look for help!
This website has many, many articles packed full of tips, advice and information that can help you understand, raise, train and care for your puppy. Scroll down a little to see a full list of articles. Many areas also have Dog Obedience Schools with qualified instructors who are there to help you out. I also strongly recommend having a really good reference book close at hand!
There are tons of dog training books on the market, so many in fact that it can be tricky for a new owner to pick one! But don't worry, if you check out my Best Dog Training Books page you'll find a list of my personal favorites.
The above puppy training tips will help you set off on the right foot with your pup, and will give you a broad picture of how to train your puppy.
For more in-depth information and advice on training methods, basic commands, puppy behavior and more, click on the links below -
If you take the time to teach your puppy some basic manners and commands, get him involved in a formal training class and give him plenty of socialization experiences you'll be giving him the best possible chance to grow up to be a happy, confident and friendly dog who's a pleasure to be around.
Puppy training isn't always easy (in fact it's often difficult, tedious and even frustrating!), but it's absolutely worth the effort. Good luck :)
If you know another puppy owner who would enjoy these puppy training tips, please share this page with them today
