The Right Way to Train Your Puppy

Puppy training is very important, whether you are training your first puppy or your 20th. Properly training and socializing a puppy is vital to making it a valued member of your family and your community.

In certain ways, it is easier to train a puppy than to train an adult or adolescent dog. This is because the puppy basically starts from "zero base", as they are are untroubled by past training techniques and other issues. On the other hand, in some ways, the puppy is a bigger challenge than an older dog.

One problem that will need to be overcome when training a new puppy is that puppies will be easily distracted, as compared to the older dogs. This is because everything will appear to be new to the puppy, and this is reason enough for the distraction. Because of this, it will be a good practice to keep each training session short. Another good practice is to end each session on a "high" and positive note.

It is also important to allow the puppy plenty of time to play, and to interact with other puppies and dogs. Socialization training is vital to making your new puppy a good canine citizen, as dog aggression is a growing problem in many areas. A properly socialized dog learns how to play properly with other dogs, and overly aggressive play is punished by the other dogs in the play group.

This type of play learning is something that happens among siblings in litters of puppies. As the puppies play with each other, they learn what is appropriate and what is not. Inappropriate behavior, such as hard biting or scratching, is punished by the other puppies, by the mother dog, or both.

The unfortunate thing that usually happens is that many puppies are removed from their mothers and sold or adopted before they have the chance to fully socialize. Thus, puppy play sessions are a very essential part of any session on puppy training. Most credible puppy preschool training programs provide time in each session for this type of interaction among puppies and older dogs.

Introducing your puppy to new experiences and new locations is also an important part of puppy training. Teaching your dog to be obedient and responsive, even in the face of many distractions, is very important when training dogs and puppies.

One great way to socialize your puppy both to new people and new dogs is to take it on a trip to your local pet store. Many major pet store chains, and some independent ones as well, allow pet parents to bring their furry children, and these stores can be great places for puppies to get used to new sights, sounds and smells. Of course you will want to make sure the store allows pets before heading over.

It is important for puppy owners to structure their pet's environment so that the puppy is rewarded for good behaviors and not rewarded for others. One good example of this is jumping on people. Many people inadvertently reward this behavior because it can be cute. While it is true that jumping can be cute for a 10-pound puppy, it will not be so cute when that puppy has grown into a 100-pound dog.

Instead of rewarding the puppy for jumping, try rewarding it for sitting instead. This type of positive reinforcement will result in a well behaved adult dog that is a valued member of both the family and the community at large.

This type of reinforcement training can also be used in potty training the new puppy. For example, teaching a puppy to use a unique surface such as gravel or asphalt is a good technique. Behavioral training theory says that puppy will associate this surface with going potty, and therefore be reluctant to use other surfaces (like your kitchen carpet for instance) as a potty.

Looking out for new resources on dog training? Rush over to our dog training site where you can receive tips and resources on dog training and puppy training! While you are there, grab the free dog training ebook too.

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The Right Way to Train Your Puppy
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