infoPuppy training
Hi Everyone,
It’s Omega here! I’m back with some tips and tricks (I learned a new one, want to see me chase my tail?) about puppy training and how to be a great pet owner. I go to the park with my Dad for walks all the time and recently I have noticed that a lot of people have new puppies. So, I thought I’d give you some quick pointers on puppy training.
It’s lovely to have a new puppy in the house. They are so cute and playful, and they love attention. It’s very easy to spoil a puppy, especially when they look at you with those big brown eyes, but new owners need to know that their puppy is learning how to behave, from the moment they enter the house. So, rules and boundaries need to be applied from day one.
And not only for the puppy! Puppy training is important, but in order to do that everyone in the house needs to understand and follow the same rules. That way the puppy knows what’s what and doesn’t get confused or frustrated.
Puppies are social animals who are hard wired to accept a pack structure. That means that taking time to train them will not only keep them content, it will also help them to find their place in the family. By training them you are taking the role of leader. This will increase their confidence and their trust in you, and it will also reassure them. Puppy training classes usually begin when your dog is a little older (6 months), but you can start with the basics early on.
Puppy training – Crate training
Crate training is not only a great way to keep your house from being destroyed while you are asleep, it also gives your puppy a sense of safety and comfort. Their own den, where they feel safe, is vital for your puppy. They quickly learn that this is their spot, and they can retreat there when they feel scared or tired. Family members, especially children, need to be taught that when the puppy heads to his crate then he is looking for some alone time and they need to respect his boundaries. You can encourage your puppy to enjoy his crate by making it warm and cosy. It’s not about locking him in, it’s about giving him his own safe space. Here’s a great comfy crate that we have in the shop. https://mutts.ie/product/saviv-dog-residence-crate/
Puppy training – Chewing
Puppies love to chew (I mean who doesn’t love a juicy bone?). Their teeth are growing and changing, and chewing can help with the process. They also learn about their world through mouthing and chewing, so it’s perfectly normal and you can save your furniture and doors by simply giving them something safe to chew on, like this soft toy that is perfect for puppy teeth, https://mutts.ie/product/kong-cozie-naturals-assorted-dog-toy/. However, lots of puppies will try and nip and chew your hand when you go to pet them. This is normal (getting petted is exciting!), but it’s a good idea to discourage this behaviour from the start, so that it doesn’t become an issue when the dog gets bigger. You can use treats (these ones are my favourite https://mutts.ie/product/leader-training-treats-chicken/) to encourage him to be calm when he is being petted. Start small and sit quietly, when he is relaxed and focused on the treat pet him gently, if he chews, remove your hand and start again. Ensure that all family members understand what you are trying to teach and encourage them to only pet the puppy when he is being calm and well behaved.
Puppy training – Sit
Positive reinforcement is a gentle and kind way to begin puppy training. You can also use it to teach very basic commands, such as sit. Training your dog to sit is very helpful because you can use it as stepping-stone to discourage many unwanted behaviours such as jumping up or charging at the door. To teach your dog to sit, let him smell a treat in your hand, then raise the treat in an arc above his head. As he looks up his bottom will lower to the floor. As he does this say “SIT” clearly and reward him with the treat and a big fuss. Repeat this training a number of times and reward every time. Your puppy will soon learn to sit on command. Then you can move onto teaching stay, simply ask your dog to sit and take a step back, saying “STAY”, reward him when he doesn’t move. Do this one step at a time and your puppy will learn quickly what you want him to do.
Puppy training – Recall
I am a very good girl, so when my Dad calls my name I always drop whatever I’m doing and run over to him straightaway. Having excellent recall is a really important thing for a puppy to learn. They need it for safety, as well as for good manners. The world is a very exciting place, so lots of dogs can get distracted, but ‘reliable recall’ means that no matter what is going on, an owner knows that when they call, their dog will come. Recall is something that takes time to train, and you need to practice in different places. But you can start when your puppy is very small, inside your house. Using a treat or a toy, call his name, when he comes to you, reward him with the treat and make a big fuss. Use positive reinforcement, in other words, do this over and over, and be sure to reward the behaviour every time. You can make the training more challenging as your puppy gets bigger. But remember never take your puppy off the lead outside unless you are 100% certain that it can’t get lost or run away.
There’s lots of other things your puppy will need to learn, including toilet training and walking on the lead (oh I love going for walkies!). But it’s important not to overload your puppy with too much information, so I’m going to talk about these things on my next blog. Just remember the most important tool you need to train your puppy is patience, don’t get cross if they don’t learn something straightaway, just take your time and keep the training fun. It should be an activity that your puppy enjoys. Keep your sessions short and interesting and soon you’ll have a very happy, very well-behaved dog.
If you have any questions about puppy training or you’d like to start bringing your puppy to classes, check out our dog training options here https://www.happyirishdogs.ie/dog-training. My Dad is always happy to help and you can reach him through the website or on our chat feature.
I’m off to the park to say hello to all the puppies! See you next time.
Omega xx
Puppy training by Omega