Dogs have been man’s loyal companions for thousands of years. In
fact, some sources say that dogs were being used to transport people via
sled as long as twelve thousand years ago! This, of course, was due to
intense training, and dogs have earned a reputation as being animals
that are excellent to train. Training a puppy can be a lot of work, but
proper training will ensure that your pooch grows into a loyal,
obedient, and mentally healthy dog. There are lots of different ways to
train puppies, and some are more effective than others. In this
article, we’ll take a look at some of the ways people commonly train
dogs, as well as what you can do to make training your pup a little
easier.
Many people begin training a puppy with the basic do’s and don’ts. For example, you will probably want to teach your puppy not to go in the house, not to chew the furniture, to come when it is called, and to obey your commands. This is generally done by simple reinforcement, and by establishing the fact that you are the pack leader (as is anyone else who gives the dog commands). Common methods of training are positive reinforcement when the puppy does something good through treats and praise and negative reinforcement when the puppy does something bad through scolding.
For example, suppose you are training a puppy to sit. Sitting is a great way to get a dog to give you its attention for another task, or to wait for another command. Call your puppy over to you, and make sure you are holding its attention. If you have trouble holding its attention, show it a treat. In a strong (but not angry) voice, say “sit.” If your puppy sits, reward it with the treat and praise. If not, gently press down on its rear (not its hips!), and say “sit” again. Once your puppy has sat successfully, try it a few more times each day to reinforce the behavior.
This type of training a puppy can be used for just about any task, although there are other ways such as clicker training that will allow you to train your dog more precisely. You can also use bitter substances to keep your dog from chewing on things that it shouldn’t be chewing on, and crate training is appropriate for traveling and when you leave the house.
Many people begin training a puppy with the basic do’s and don’ts. For example, you will probably want to teach your puppy not to go in the house, not to chew the furniture, to come when it is called, and to obey your commands. This is generally done by simple reinforcement, and by establishing the fact that you are the pack leader (as is anyone else who gives the dog commands). Common methods of training are positive reinforcement when the puppy does something good through treats and praise and negative reinforcement when the puppy does something bad through scolding.
For example, suppose you are training a puppy to sit. Sitting is a great way to get a dog to give you its attention for another task, or to wait for another command. Call your puppy over to you, and make sure you are holding its attention. If you have trouble holding its attention, show it a treat. In a strong (but not angry) voice, say “sit.” If your puppy sits, reward it with the treat and praise. If not, gently press down on its rear (not its hips!), and say “sit” again. Once your puppy has sat successfully, try it a few more times each day to reinforce the behavior.
This type of training a puppy can be used for just about any task, although there are other ways such as clicker training that will allow you to train your dog more precisely. You can also use bitter substances to keep your dog from chewing on things that it shouldn’t be chewing on, and crate training is appropriate for traveling and when you leave the house.
