Dog training basics – training the new puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is always an exciting time for the entire family. Getting that new puppy off the right start with proper training is very important to making that puppy a valued member of his human family.  There are a number of talents that every new puppy must master, including going up and down the stairs, and how to accept a new collar as if she’s worn it her entire life.

It is best to introduce a new puppy to the household when everyone in the family is present, and when the household is as calm as possible.  That is why animal care experts discourage parents from giving puppies and kittens as holiday presents.  The holiday season is typically much too busy, with far too many distractions, for a young puppy or kitten to get the attention it needs.  It is best to wait until the holidays have passed before introducing the new family member.

Once the puppy is part of the household, there are some things he or she will need to learn. One of the first challenges of a multi-story home will be learning to climb up and down the stair.  Many puppies are afraid of stairs, and that usually means that they do not know how to climb them properly.  It is important for the puppy’s owner to slowly build the confidence of the dog, starting off at the bottom of the stairs.  In general, a wide stairway will probably be less frightening to the puppy.

To build confidence, the owner should go up the first step, then encourage the puppy to join them, using their voice, treats or a toy.  After the puppy has joined you on the first stair, go back down and repeat the process until the puppy will go up that step on his own.  It is important to build confidence slowly and not rush the process.  Taking a one step at a time approach is the best way to teach the puppy to not be afraid of stairs.

Another thing every new puppy must learn is how to accept the collar.  Learning to wear a collar is important to every dog, but many puppies are baffled, frightened and bewildered by this new piece of equipment.  Many puppies constantly try to remove their new collar by pawing and pulling at it.

Fit is important when choosing a collar for your new puppy.  A properly fitted collar, chosen for your puppy’s size, is more likely to be comfortable and accepted.  While choke collars, slip collars and training collars can be good training aids, they should never be used as a substitute for a sturdy buckle type collar.  And of course that collar should have an identification tag and license attached.  This identification will be vital in having your puppy returned if she becomes separated from you.

The best way to introduce the puppy to the collar is to simply put the collar on and allow her to squirm, jump, roll and paw at the color to her heart’s content.  It is important to not encourage this behavior by trying to soothe the puppy, but it is just as important not to punish or reprimand the puppy.  The best strategy is to simply ignore the puppy and them her work through her issues with the collar on her own.  Introducing distractions, such as food, toys or playing, is a good way to get the puppy used to the color.  Getting the puppy to play, eat and drink while wearing the collar is a great way to get her used to it.  After a few days, most puppies will not even know they are wearing a collar.

Training your puppy – eliminating biting behaviors

Bringing home a new puppy is always an exciting time.  Introducing the new puppy to the family should be fun for both yourself and your puppy.  One of the first challenges, however, to the excitement of the new puppy, is curbing inappropriate puppy behaviors.

Preventing biting and mouthing

Biting and mouthing is a common activity for many young puppies and dogs.  Puppies naturally bite and mouth each other when playing with siblings, and they extend this behavior to their human companions.  While other puppies have thick skin, however, humans do not, so it is important to teach your puppy what is appropriate, and what is not, when it comes to using those sharp teeth.

The first part of training the puppy is to inhibit the biting reflex.  Biting might be cute and harmless with a 5 pound puppy, but it is neither cute nor harmless when that dog has grown to adulthood.  Therefore, puppies should be taught to control their bit before they reach the age of four months.  Puppies normally learn to inhibit their bite from their mothers and their littermates, but since they are taken away from their mothers so young, many never learn this important lesson.  It is therefore up to the humans in the puppy’s life to teach this lesson.

One great way to inhibit the biting reflex is to allow the puppy to play and socialize with other puppies and socialized older dogs.  Puppies love to tumble, roll and play with each other, and when puppies play they bite each other constantly.  This is the best way for puppies to learn to control themselves when they bite.  If one puppy becomes too rough when playing, the rest of the group will punish him for that inappropriate behavior. Through this type of socialization, the puppy will learn to control his biting reflex.

Proper socialization has other benefits as well, including teaching the dog to not be fearful of other dogs, and to work off their excess energy.  Puppies that are allowed to play with other puppies learn important socialization skills generally learn to become better members of their human family.  Puppies that get less socialization can be more destructive, more hyperactive and exhibit other problem behaviors.

In addition, lack of socialization in puppies often causes fearful and aggressive behaviors to develop.  Dogs often react aggressively to new situations, especially if they are not properly socialized.  In order for a dog to become a member of the community as well as the household, it should be socialized to other people, especially children.  Dogs make a distinction between their owners and other people, and between children and adults.  It is important, therefore, to introduce the puppy to both children and adults.

The best time to socialize a puppy to young children is when it is still very young, generally when it is four months old or younger.  One reason for this is that mothers of young children may be understandably reluctant to allow their children to approach large dogs or older puppies.  This is especially true with large breed dogs, or with breeds of dogs that have a reputation for aggressive behavior.

Using trust to prevent biting

Teaching your puppy to trust and respect you is a very effective way to prevent biting.  Gaining the trust and respect of your dog is the basis for all dog training, and for correcting problem behaviors.

It is important to never hit or slap the puppy, either during training or any other time.  Physical punishment is the surest way to erode the trust and respect that must form the basis of an effective training program.  Reprimanding a dog will not stop him from biting – it will simply scare and confuse him.

Training a puppy not to bite is a vital part of any puppy training program.  Biting behaviors that are not corrected will only get worse, and what seemed like harmless behavior in a puppy can quickly escalate to dangerous, destructive behavior in an adult dog.