Start Home Dog Training Early

Puppies start to learn the moment they open their eyes and are most open to new experiences during the first four months. Start training your puppy the moment it is bought home. Good early habits endure and will result in a well behaved dog in the future. The basis for successful training is a good relationship with your dog.  You’ll be off to an excellent start when your dog sees you as the provider of all things positive  such as food, games, fun, affection, comfort, and exercise. Your dog loves to be with you. You are the person that  makes everything good happen.

Exposing your puppy to new environments and experiences early can greatly enhance your dog's interest in learning new things. Puppy walks or games are great ways to stimulate your pet both mentally and physically. If actively stimulated, your puppy will become healthier and adept at learning new trainings faster. This will also help strengthen the bond between the both of you at the same time. Whenever possible, hand feed your puppy. This teaches him/her to like human contact, even when your puppy is feeding from his food bowl. Not feeding from hand can lead your puppy to turn aggressive in the future to whomever that tries to get near him/her while feeding.

Always Have a list of the various things you want to teach your dog, find out how each can be achieved, and then take them one at a time. It works best to teach one thing thoroughly before moving on to something new. Never try to teach your dog several new things at once as this will be confusing. For more complicated tasks you may need to plan different stages, starting  with the easiest first. Begin your dog training inside the home where your dog stays. Your dog will learn faster when he/she is in a familiar environment.  Outdoor training should only be attempted when your dog reliably obeys commands in your home. After each training sessions, make sure you play with your dog to help associate training as positive and fun.

General rule of reward is to reward wanted behaviour but to ignore unwanted behaviour. Be aware of what you are rewarding.  For example, if your dog jumps all over you when you get in and you smother him in affection, he may think this is what you want him to do, and he’ll continue to jump up at you and everyone else who comes to the door. Remember, whenever you praise him, you’re confirming what he is doing.