You’ve acquired yourself a puppy and now you want to train him to be the best dog he can be. This is a great mindset to have, but prepare for the ups and downs you’re about to endure. While training your pup is definitely recommended, it’s not exactly the easiest of tasks. A baby dog is much like a baby person – they are brand new to the world and don’t really understand much. However, as the months go on, they will learn you and their environment, making them more in tune with what’s going on and what’s expected of them. The following is a list of tips you can use to properly train your new puppy.
Understand that Puppies Are Infants
Again, a puppy is not a little adult, so you need to treat them like the babies they are. Expect for them to make plenty of mistakes in the beginning – he’s yet to learn English, let alone how to potty! Keep your expectations at a realistic level and you’ll have less stress going forward. Before you know it, he will be able to understand your commands and what to do and not do.
Make Sure Your Home is Puppy-Proofed
It’s a good idea to proof your home just as you would a human baby. There’s a lot of mischief your puppy could end up getting into if you’re not careful. Safeguard him by using gates to close off certain areas. Keep doors closed to your closets and bathrooms, so they don’t end up in there tearing up shoes and toilet paper. Buy a play pen or crate for your puppy to run wild in. Place fun chew toys inside, so they are entertained for hours. If your puppy exhibits destructive behavior, then this will help offset that.
Show Him What You Mean
Your puppy isn’t born knowing English, so you’ll need to be patient until he learns to understand. The best way to help him is to show him what you mean. Rather than simply saying “no,” you should show him what he shouldn’t do. For instance, if he pooped on the rug instead of his pad, show him the poop and say no, then point to the pad. Each time you do this, it will help your puppy understand what you mean.
Learn to Speak His Language
It’s just as important for you to learn how to understand your puppy as it is for him to understand you. Just like babies have their own babbling language, dogs have their own body language. Learn to understand these signs, so you can understand what your dog is trying to tell you. Once you get good, you’ll know what your dog is feeling and what he wants at a given moment. In the future, this can help avoid miscommunications in the future.
Expose Him to Others
Your puppy should be used to being around other people. This is especially important if you plan to leave him with a dog sitter while you go to a concert you bought tickets for using StubHub. Allow your dog to interact with other people at parks and by inviting other overs, so he becomes socially intuitive.