Puppy Training 101: Essential Commands and Techniques
Welcoming a puppy to your home is always exciting! But along with the toys and cuddles, it’s also important to make puppy training a top priority. Obedience training is essential for teaching your puppy how to properly behave and communicate with you, other people, and other animals. These training tips for young dogs can provide a great starting point to help you training your new puppy:
Start as Early as Possible
You may want to spend the first few days and nights snuggling up to your new puppy, but it’s important to start puppy training as soon as you welcome your new pet home. The sooner you start, the easier it will be for your puppy to understand what behaviors are acceptable as they continue to grow. Encourage good behaviors so your puppy knows when they are doing a good job.
Use Commands to Build Habits
Verbal commands are essential for puppy training. It’s important to decide on simple words to use when you want your puppy to do something. Use positive reinforcement—such as giving your pet a treat—to signify a job well done. Be consistent with your command words so your puppy understands the connection between the word and the behavior you want them to do. For example, you can say “come” when you want your puppy to walk over to you, “sit” when you want your puppy to sit down, and “down” when you want them to lie down.
Prepare for Potty Training
Your puppy needs to learn the proper place to use the bathroom, which is why potty training plays a large role in puppy training. You can start preparing for potty training by keeping an eye on your puppy’s behavior when you take them outside to go to the bathroom. Look for any patterns in how they act before going to the bathroom, and pay attention to similar behaviors when your puppy is inside. If you notice these behaviors, take your puppy outside and give them a treat if they go to the bathroom.
Start Socializing Your Puppy
It’s a good idea to wait until your puppy receives all of their vaccinations before you start socializing them. Once this process is complete, you can introduce your puppy to other animals and people so they can get comfortable being in public and around others. Start small by introducing only one person or animal, and be sure to praise good behaviors.
Stick to a Schedule
Maintaining a consistent schedule makes puppy training much easier and more effective. Aim to wake your puppy up around the same time each day, feed them around the same time each day, and take them outside to use the bathroom around the same time each day. A consistent schedule makes it easier for your puppy to understand how they are supposed to behave and when.
Take the best care of your new puppy with help from the Rocklin, CA veterinarians here at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital. You can contact us to schedule an appointment or learn more about our puppy care services. Call us at (916) 624‑PETS (7387) or text us at (916) 794-7742 for more information.