Puppy training is arguably the most important part of
raising a puppy—without proper training, you may have to deal with unwanted
behaviors from your dog as they grow older. Puppy training in
Chapel Hill can be simply defined as training your puppy about what is
acceptable behavior and what is unacceptable behavior. Which behaviors do you
need to teach them? Let’s take a closer look at 4 important things you should
teach your puppy during training.
Teach them where to
use the bathroom
Teaching your puppy where they should use the bathroom,
otherwise known as housebreaking your puppy, requires
plenty of patience—especially since puppies who are still only 2-3 months old
do not yet have great control over their bladders. You will need to teach your
puppy that it is not acceptable for them to go to the bathroom anywhere they
please; rather, there are designated areas (indoor pads at first, until they
are old enough to be taught how to ask to go outside) for bathroom use.
Teach them how to be
handled
Teaching your puppy how to be handled is very important,
especially for everyday aspects of your dog’s life which will include being
groomed, cleaning their teeth, trips to the vet, putting on a collar, or even
simply picking them up. Your puppy needs to be taught to relax while being
handled and not to squirm away or react in a defensive way while you are
handling them.
Teach them your
household rules
The household rules for puppies will vary from owner to
owner. For example: some dog owners do not allow their dogs to get onto
furniture, while other owners allow their dogs to get on furniture whenever
they want, and still other owners allow their dogs to get on furniture only
with prompting from a person. Before you begin to teach your puppy the
household rules, you need to establish what those rules are—and apply them
universally. For example: If you are going to allow your puppy to jump up on
someone’s lap, then everyone must allow the dog to jump on their lap or the
puppy will become confused about the rule.
Common household rules to address include:
- Whether the dog is allowed to be on furniture
- Whether the dog is allowed to sleep in people's beds at night
- Whether the dog is allowed to bark at noises he hears coming from outside
- Whether the dog is allowed to sit near people while they eat
Remember: these rules have to apply universally or else the
rule will be unclear for the puppy.
Teach them a routine
Routines are essential to puppy training because they help puppies remember what they are allowed to do or not allowed to do; routines are also reassuring for puppies, and help them view their home environment as relaxing. Routines should include schedule routines, such as specific feeding times, as well as 'placement' routines such as keeping food and water bowls in the same spot, and keeping toys in the same spot.
