TRAINING A PUPPY
Proper training helps ensure a puppy's successful transition to adulthood. In the first few months, an owner can teach a puppy tasks that will aid in controlling the dog and in establishing the owner's leadership. Puppies are learning all the time, so there is no reason to delay training until a puppy is 6 months old, as was once recommended.
Owners should teach their puppies to tolerate being handled. Owners will often need to groom or bathe their puppies, clean their ears, clip their toenails, or give them medication. If a puppy is taught early on to tolerate and even enjoy these interactions, caring for the pet will be easier. Owners should handle their puppies daily. Incorporating praise and food treats into the routine helps keep it non threatening and enjoyable for the puppy. All family members participate in this exercise. The best time to handle the puppy in this way is when it is calm and relaxed. Always end the session before the puppy is excited or tired.
An owner should accustom his or her puppy to having its food and possessions touched. Dogs in the wild must guard their food to prevent its loss, but this is unnecessary in the home. Petting the puppy and handling its food bowl while the dog eats helps it learn not to feel threatened by these intrusions. The puppy will not be startled and read aggressively if something unexpected happens while it is eating. To accustom a puppy to having its possessions handled, the owner should gently take toys from the puppy, say "thank you," and return the toys. A similar technique is to take a toy or bone and offer a food treat to help the puppy learn that when the owner takes something, it need not be negative. These techniques send the puppy the message that it is all right for people to handle its possessions and may make it easier for the owner to take things from the dog's mouth in the future.
Puppies must learn bite inhibition. Puppies chew on everything, including each other and people. One of the things they are trying to learn is how much pressure from their jaws causes pain. Without this feedback, a puppy doesn't seem to inhibit the force of its bite. Because all dogs can and will bite at some time, this lesson is vital for human safety. Puppies start to learn bite inhibition while with their littermates. If Puppy A bites on Puppy B too hard, Puppy B will yelp. If that doesn't work, Puppy B will leave. This sends the message to Puppy A that its bites were too hard and if it wishes to continue to play, it needs to be gentle. Owners, however, often don't send this message to their puppies. In the beginning, owners often allow their puppies to chew on them without reprimands, and the puppies assume that the behavior is acceptable. Instead, the message owners should send is that mouthing and chewing on hands are painful. To do this, usually all that is needed is for all family members to emit a sharp "yip." This sends the message to the puppy that the bites are painful. At times, the "yip" may need to be reinforced by walking away from the puppy.
Finally, by using positive reinforcement young puppies can be taught simple obedience tasks such as sitting, lying down, and standing. Puppies have short attention spans, so training sessions should be brief but frequent (several five to 10minute sessions throughout the day). Owners can teach a puppy to sit before feeding or going outside by using a method called lure-reward training. To teach a puppy to sit, hold a food treat over the puppy's nose, and slowly move it up and back over the puppy's head. As the puppy follows the food with its head, it will sit. As the puppy sits, say "sit," and reward the puppy with the treat. If the puppy lifts its front legs during this exercise, the food treat is too high. If the puppy continues to lift its front legs, do not give the treat until all 4 feet are on the ground. Repeat these steps until the puppy learns the meaning of "sit."
To get a puppy to lie down, lower a treat between its front paws, and say "down." The puppy will usually follow the treat and lie down. If the puppy doesn't lie all the way down, slowly push the treat backward between its paws. When the puppy lies down, give it the treat, and, of course, add "good dog." If the puppy stands up, start over.
Teach a puppy to stand on command by moving the food treat forward and away from the pup and saying "stand." These three commands can be combined (sit, down, sit, stand, down, and so on).'° When teaching these commands, always use praise, and gradually phase out food rewards.
A good puppy class will teach these commands and others. Early training helps get the puppy off to a good start of listening to and obeying the owner. By continuing training through at least the first year of ownership, owners establish basic good behaviors in their puppies.
"The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool o fyourself with him and not only will be not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."
-Samuel Butler
"The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool o fyourself with him and not only will be not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."
-Samuel Butler
"The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool o fyourself with him and not only will be not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."
-Samuel Butler
"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe, we are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."
-Roger Caras
