Dog training begins when your little friend first waddles through the door. No matter how cute she might be, it’s important to remember that bad puppy behavior balloons into bad adult dog behavior. In a very short time, your dog, and her behavior, can be out of control.
The key to stopping digging and chewing behaviors before they start is to nip them in the bud: the puppy bud, that is. I know he’s cute. I know that he can melt your heart like a snowball in July. But, if you want the well behaved dog of your dreams, you must plant your dog training resolve on the first day of puppy ownership.
Here are just a few examples of common excuses that top dog trainers hear puppy owners making:
Jumping: Your pup knocks over children, jumps on guests, and scratches your legs.
An Excuse: He’s so short. What harm is he doing? He just wants to meet people.
Truth: If you give your puppy attention when he jumps up, he’ll learn that it’s not only acceptable, but a quick way to get what he wants. By allowing it to happen, you’re establishing a bad habit. And by the way, it won’t be cute when your dog’s front paws are clawing at your neck.
Dog Barking: The puppy yips when she’s lonely, when she’s ready to come out of her crate, and when she wants to you look at her instead of your friend. When she barks, you pet her, play with her, or give her a treat.
An Excuse: My puppy needs love, and he’s telling me that. When I give him that love, he stops barking.
Dog Training Truth: You’re rewarding what will someday become a bothersome behavior; and you’re effectively teaching him to bark when he wants something. He’ll be barking until his last day. Only give your attentions when the puppy is being quiet, and you’ll discourage excessive dog barking.
Your puppy bites and nips at your fingers and wrists while you play. The more excited he gets, the more he bites.
Common Excuse: It doesn’t hurt much; she’s just having fun.
Dog Training Truth: It might not hurt now, but when your dog’s mouth takes on size and bite pressure, you’ll be howling for relief.
Puppy chewing: You will not tolerate the chewing of your precious King Louis XVI dining room set, but you don’t mind that puppy is gnawing on the old, ratty recliner.
An Excuse: That old couch is such a rag, anyway. When he chews on it, he’s occupied, and his attentions are diverted from the good furniture.
Truth: The puppy’s chewing attention needs to be diverted to proper chew toys. It’s only a matter of time before he moves on to performing a termite act on King Louis.
The puppy goes crazy when you hook the leash to his collar. He jumps around, tugs with all his might, and keeps constant tension on the leash.
An Excuse: There’s no way the little guy is moving me. It’s a good way for him to expend some energy, and it lets him explore the world on his terms.
Dog Training Truth: If you allow your puppy to take control of dog walking, you’ll have no control once he’s big enough to drag you into the path of oncoming traffic.
Like you, I’m an animal lover. I know how difficult it can be to look into those shiny brown eyes, framed by that fuzzy little face, and stick to your puppy training guns. But I also know that training your dog will be much simpler if he hasn’t picked up bad habits. Your puppy needs routine, and will benefit from predictable, positive reinforcement of good behavior.
Puppy care can be complicated by a pup without good manners; but good puppy training will make this feat surmountable, and even simple. Ask a top dog trainer, and he or she will tell you that to stop digging and chewing behaviors before they start, to learn proper dog walking manners, to limit puppy biting, to stop dog barking, and to stop dog jumping, you only need a set of simple dog obedience training techniques.
If you’re hoping for a quality, respectful, and loving dog human relationship, you won’t mind sticking to your guns from day one; because if you do, your dog will stick by you for the rest of his life.
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