Dog Training starts with preparing yourself and your home for your puppy’s arrival. I normally recommend the following items to my New Puppy Program clients:
- Playpen/Crate or both.
- Dog bed/mat
- Food and water bowls
- Poop bags
- Food
- Treats and treat pouch
- Toys: the ones to chew on and the ones for tug-of-war
- Collar + address tag (the tag is for the UK)
- Harness
- Leash
- Brush
- Dog toothbrush/toothpaste
- Ear cleaning solution
- Dog shampoo
- Dog nail clippers if you are going to clip your pup’s nails yourself.
When the puppy finally arrives, start with crate and potty training. Crate training is crucial for self-control and boundary training, and it is great for house training too. It is a safe space for your pup, where they will love to spend time if appropriately trained.
It would be a wise idea to take a holiday for the first week or two, to get your puppy settled and begin with hands-on potty training. If this is not possible and you are going to be away for several hours, your best bet will be to have a playpen around the crate with the space for the pup to go potty on a puppy pad and some more space for them to play.
Teach your puppy its name. Your puppy’s name should always be associated with positivity. You want them to come when you call them, right?
The next step will be to teach your pup which items they are allowed to chew. You can achieve this by redirecting your pup to suitable objects or into a training mode. Remember, I’m a positive reinforcement dog trainer; NO scolding or power should ever be used.
To have the strongest bond and understanding with your pup start with basic obedience training. This is the best time to choose a dog trainer and attend puppy group classes. Such classes will cover everything you need to know to raise the best companion. Your pup will learn how to sit and lie down when distractions are around, how to walk nicely near you, come back to you when called, how to greet other dogs, and much more.
When training your pup say the cue just once and follow through using a gesture, making kissy noises, or calling their name. It’s important not to say the cue repeatedly so that the pup doesn’t learn to ignore you.
Positive reinforcement is everything in dog training. Use treats, toys, love, and praise to train your puppy.
Remember that training your pup should be fun for both of you. If you feel annoyed or in a bad mood, go make yourself a cup of tea and take a break.
If you’d like to discuss your dog’s training needs, please get in touch with me.
