In all the excitement of bringing your new puppy home, it’s important to remember to start their training right away. The sooner you introduce good habits, the better it will be for both of you as your puppy begins to understand basic commands and gets to grips with your house rules. Puppy training doesn’t just improve their manners; it’s a fun and rewarding way for you to spend quality time together and really helps you strengthen your bond. Most dogs love training – it’s a chance for them to challenge their brains, earn rewards and get lots of praise and attention!
Teach your puppy their name
Puppy training should begin the day they arrive in your new home. Start by helping them to get to know their name. Use it every time you play with them, feed them or cuddle them and they’ll soon recognise it and respond when called. Once they know their name, you can use it to communicate with them and start training your puppy.
Teach your puppy to walk on a lead
The next step is to get your puppy used to a collar and lead. This may feel a bit odd to them at first, so be patient – they’ll get there! Fit a light collar as soon as your puppy arrives home, and practice taking them for a walk on a light lead. If they haven’t had all their vaccinations, you’ll have to do this in your house and garden at first. They may well be very excitable or pull on the lead when you take them out. If they are, you may want to try a gentle leader head collar. These make lead walking and basic training easier and calmer for both you and them.
There is no joy in walking a dog who drags you around all the time, and many owners don’t exercise their dog enough because it’s become a chore – especially with an enthusiastic teenage puppy. Luckily, putting some effort into teenage dog training and teaching your puppy to walk on a lead can help put this right… to continue reading this article from Purina, click here.
