Are you adopting a puppy? Congratulations! Your four-legged pal has lots of growing, and lots of learning to do, in the coming year. The more training little Fido gets as a puppy, the better! A Galloway, OH veterinarian offers some helpful tips for training your furry buddy in this article.
All dogs should know the five basic commands of good doggy manners. These are Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Lay Down. Make sure Fido masters these before moving on to other, more complex commands.
Make sure little Fido has mastered one thing before moving on to his next lesson. While crate training and housebreaking can be done along with other training, the rest of your little buddy’s schooling should be handled one step at a time.
When Fido gets something right, immediately reward him with praise. Treats don’t hurt, either! Yummy snacks can be a wonderful motivator. Just be sure to choose small snacks: you don’t want to overfeed your furry pal! If your canine friend gets something wrong, you can reprimand him verbally, but don’t punish him: negative reinforcement often backfires with our canine friends.
Only work with your pooch when you’re feeling cheerful. If you try to train Fido when you’re having a bad day, your four-legged pupil will quickly pick up your mood. You don’t want your furkid to form a bad association with learning!
Don’t bore your puppy with long classes. Keep Fido’s lessons short and sweet, about 15-20 minutes at a time.
Work with Fido in a quiet area where you can both really concentrate on the training at hand. A doggy park, for instance, may be great for socializing the little guy, but it probably isn’t the best place for his first lessons in petiquette.
Don’t reprimand little Fido for hopping on the sofa one day, then let him get away with it the next. This will undermine your authority, and teach your furry pal that he doesn’t have to listen to your commands. Be consistent. For vocal commands, you’ll also want to be sure to use the same phrases every time.
Do you have questions about your puppy’s training or care? Contact us, your local Galloway, OH animal clinic, anytime. We are happy to serve all of your pet’s veterinary care needs.
