Dog training can be both very enjoyable or very aggravating. What I try to focus on is the enjoyable part of training. If you know the basics and follow them, training your puppy will be an enjoyable experience for you and your puppy.

The first step in training should be to crate train your puppy. I have found that crate training has many benefits. The first benefit is that because of a puppy’s natural instinct not to soil his living area, there shouldn’t be any accidents in their crate. This will help tremendously in housebreaking. Just remember a puppy can only hold his bladder for so long, so don’t keep him in there for more than a few hours at a time unless it is bedtime. It might take a little time for your puppy to get used to his crate.

Let him know it is a nice place to be not a punishment spot. Feed him a few meals in his crate with the door open. After about 1 week close the door while he eats, this should make the crate seem like a reward place for him. After a week with the door closed put his food bowl wherever you planned on feeding him. We have a boxer puppy that we did this with and now any time we grab a treat she runs right to her crate. Just make sure you get the right size crate for your puppy.

The next step should be house training. Always take your puppy out after eating, drinking or sleeping. Praise him and give him a treat when he does go outside. Watch for the signs that he’s getting ready to go. One key sign is when he is sniffing and walking around in circles. This is telling you that he’s trying to find his scent on where to go potty. If you see him doing this just grab him and take him outside to the spot you want him to go. Accidents are bound to happen, have patience but never punish your puppy for going inside. He won’t understand why he’s being punished, he’ll just think going potty is what your punishing him for. Find a cleaner that gets rid of scents, you can find these at most pet supply stores. With patience your puppy will be trained in no time.

To me, crate training and house breaking are the two most important steps in training your puppy. After these you can work on sit, stay, heel and all the other commands. One other important factor in early training is finding a training class. I like a class that has 6-8 dogs in it. I have found that a smaller class has less distractions and because of that it will be easier to train your puppy. See if your trainer offers play groups. This is a great way for your puppy to learn valuable social skills with other dogs. Just remember to have patience but more importantly have fun.

The post Training Your Puppy – The First Steps first appeared on Puppy Blog.

Start Your New Year’s Puppy With These Puppy Training Tips

The family and friends have left, the fridge is back to normal capacity, the kids are back in school and the new puppy has been named, what now?
Start the puppy off on the right paw.

When puppy training teach the rules of the house you want her to follow once she’s all grown up. Some things that we think are cute in a 5 pound puppy might not be so cute in a 65lbs dog. So whether it is greeting guests by sitting politely, waiting while her food is being prepared or going potty outside, the sooner you teach her these things the better. Keeping your voice light and happy and guiding her with positive rewards is crucial to proper San Antonio puppy training.

Your puppy needs to socialize with others of her kind. Dogs love to spend time with people but they also need to know how to behave around other dogs. Having a sleepover with new friends under professional supervision is an excellent choice. Starting these meetings from a young age will ensure that your dog grows up to be a model citizen.

Starting your dog off with the right nutrition is also a part of puppy training; it will pay off as your puppy grows into a fabulous dog. Learn to read the label and make sure the ingredients are human grade. Your dog doesn’t need any by products or corn. It will be important to vary foods and treats throughout your dogs life but make sure you make all changes gradually so as not to upset her tummy.

Your dog is going to need to chew. Provide the puppy with various toys, different textures as well as shapes. Buy at least one that makes noise, one that is purely for chewing, an interactive toy (ball or rope toy) that you can play with, and one in which you can stuff treats in. Don’t let her munch on an old shoe thinking she knows the difference between that and your new designer shoes.

Finally, your puppy training should include getting her accustomed to going into a crate. Not only is it super useful in potty training puppies, it will make your life easier when the puppy needs to spend the night away from home. Start off by throwing all sorts of delicious stuff into a crate with the door securely open. Let your puppy find her way in, never push or force her in. Leave it open so that she can choose to go in there when she likes. If you catch her going in, praise her lots with your voice and treats. Eventually you can give the behavior a cute cue like “go home” or “in bed”.

The post Start Your New Years Puppy With These Puppy Training Tips first appeared on Puppy Blog.