Puppy Obedience Training Tips & Advice

They are so cute and cuddly that it is easy to forget that when left to their own devices the results can be disastrous. In addition to being cute and cuddly, puppies are precocious and curious. Having a puppy is not unlike having a toddler, to protect your puppies’ safety and maintain the state of your home, you need to teach your puppy right from wrong and develop some boundaries. This involves you establishing yourself as the alpha or boss and it involves a lot of patience and repetition. The following ten tips will help you get started.

Tip #1

Never start training your puppy before they are ready. Your puppy should be at least 8 weeks of age before any training begins. That said, don’t wait too long because if you go to far beyond 8 weeks old when starting training your puppy may already have developed some unsavory habits.

Tip #2

When training your puppy never use force. This means no yelling, screaming, or physically reprimanding your puppy. Not only is this behavior ineffective, but it can cause setbacks in the training process. What’s more, is it may lead your puppy to develop emotional problems that may result in aggressive behavior down the line.

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Tip #3

Start your puppy with easy commands. Commands like sit and stay are good to start with because they are natural behaviors for your dog, and they are easy to remember. They lay the foundation for more complicated commands like lay down and rollover.

Tip #4

Don’t over do it when it comes to training. Like children, puppies have a short attention span, so long drawn out training sessions are wasted on them. Rather than frustrating yourself and your puppy, keep training sessions to 10-15 max.

Tip #5

Use a calm voice when teaching your dog a command. Your dog listens to every word you say. It just takes a bit for them to understand you. Be firm and patient. It may take some time, but with perseverance your puppy will understand what you want and follow your instruction.

Tip #6

Train your puppy when you have its attention. Typically, dogs are most receptive to training when they are hungry or bored. Avoid training when your puppy is tired or rambunctious.

Tip #7

Pay attention when you are training a puppy. For training to be successful you must reprimand your puppy immediately when they have done something bad. Otherwise, they will not know what they are being punished for. Likewise, praise your puppy immediately when they do something good so they associate the good behavior with a positive reaction. 

Tip #8

Always use the same commands. If you say “down” to stop your dog from jumping, never sub that word for another word or phrase. Consistency is the key to training a puppy quickly and successfully.

Tip# 9

Choose your battles wisely. If your puppy is not trained yet chances are they won’t follow your commands in certain situations of excitement. If you keep repeating a command over and over at a time when your puppy is likely to ignore you, you are actually teaching your puppy that it is okay to ignore you.

Tip # 10

Never end a training session with failure. Ending your training session on a positive note makes training a more desirable activity for you and your dog. If you are stuck on a command your dog doesn’t know, go back to one they know well to end the session.

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