Puppy Training Tips
Puppies respond to praise. One of the most difficult hurdles for many new dog owners to get over is the fact that positive reinforcement works a hundred times better than negative reinforcement.
A pat on the head and a treat will have a stronger impact on your dog’s behavior and training than a loud yell and a smack on the rear.
One teaches fear and causes anxiety and a whole host of other problems, the other encourages your dog to continue to do the right thing to earn more treats and praise. It doesn’t matter what you’re training them to do, positive reinforcement just works better. This is perhaps the single most important puppy training tip to remember as your puppy grows.
Puppies need to feel secure and consistency will not only help them learn the rules more quickly, it will help them feel more secure in your home. This is important because a dog that feels safe and secure will not only behave better, they’ll trust you more easily and will learn faster during dog training sessions.
Establish a top dog, quickly. Your puppy will be looking to find their place in the pack. The sooner you establish your role as the leader, the easier it will be. Now this doesn’t mean grabbing your puppy, throwing them on their back and growling at them.
It means being the one to feed them, to take them outside to go to the bathroom, to place them in their crate and to train them. You can most often establish your role as the leader without resorting to alpha dog tactics.
Socialize. One of the most important and useful puppy training tips is to make sure your dog is well socialized. This can be accomplished in the early weeks and months of their life by exposing them to new people and situations. In the long run being well socialized will mean your puppy will obey your commands in any environment. This is important for their safety and of course will make life with a dog much easier.
