Obedience Training With a Puppy
Training a new puppy is a lot of fun, and it can be gratifying to see your dog learn new tricks. But it’s also important to remember that your puppy is still a baby! And like any baby or young child, they have lots of energy and need constant supervision and training.
If you don’t know where to start with obedience training, you’ve come to the right place. We have compiled the ultimate obedience training guide for your new puppy below:
Start Obedience Training Early
The earlier you begin training your puppy, the better. Puppies can learn as early as eight weeks old and should be taught basic commands like “sit” and “stay.”
Sit is the first command you should teach your puppy, and it will help you control your puppy when they’re excited or nervous. It’s also used to help your puppy stay in place while learning other commands.
You can start teaching sit by getting the dog’s attention with a treat and simply saying “sit” as you move their paw so that they’re sitting down on their bottom. Praise them for doing this, then give them the treat once they’ve taken care of business!
Using Treats For Encouragement During Obedience Training
One of the best ways to encourage your puppy to come to you is by using a treat. When you have a few minutes, encourage your puppy to come to you with a treat in hand. This will build trust and strengthen their bond with you as they learn they can trust that good things happen when they are near you. Repeat this process until they come each time without hesitation or hesitation!
Leash Training Your Puppy
To help your puppy learn to walk on a leash, start by walking him around the house first.
- Walk your puppy on a leash around the house for 5-10 minutes each day.
- Keep the leash loose, and let your puppy walk at his own pace.
- Don’t pull or jerk the leash—gently guide him with it instead.
Have Patience with Yourself and Your Puppy
Patience is essential in training your puppy. Both you and your pup will learn together, so be patient with yourself, your dog, and the training process. You can’t expect to learn everything at once—and if you try to do so, it can confuse both of you. Don’t push too hard or expect too much from your puppy in any one session.
This may seem like a lot to take in, but it’s really just about being consistent with your commands and using positive reinforcement for good behavior. Start by teaching your puppy the most important command of all: “sit.” Once he knows how to do this, you can move on to other commands like “come” or “stay.”
It may take some time at first, but eventually, you’ll be able to train him through praise alone without giving any treats at all!
For more information on training your puppy, check out our other comprehensive guides.
