After the pup has a good idea of what you want him to do, begin to ease off using tidbits every time. Do not let yourself use tidbits as a bribe. It is very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if you give a puppy a treat he will be good. But […]
It is important for your puppy to feel he is a valuable individual. Try to have your training sessions in a relatively quiet place. Because he is so playful, he can be easily distracted by other people and activities. If he is constantly being bombarded by other sights and sounds, it will be difficult for […]
Whatever your pup’s pedigree and whatever your goals for him, any puppy is still an emotionally immature animal. At the same time, no two pups are exactly alike and what works for one puppy is not necessarily best for another. You must constantly be aware of your pup’s personality and of how you can […]
A dog or a puppy absolutely thrives on consistency. This is true all the way from finding and sticking to the right kibble to deciding what is and what isn’t acceptable behavior. Consistency makes a pup very, very much happier and more secure than the bouncy kind of life many of us humans prefer.
Maybe you’ll […]
Puppies and dogs learn new things or change their behavior only if the undesirable behavior is punished or the desirable behavior rewarded. We can reward a dog for performing certain tasks on command, such as sitting, lying down, or coming, with simple petting, affection, and praise. You can also use rewards for coming when called, […]
Many dog owners make the mistake of giving commands in long sentences that only another human being would understand. You get certain inflections in the dog’s bark or whine, but only another dog understands “dog talk.” Why should you expect your dog to understand all the words you use? True, your pet will love to […]
The “Sit” command is an easy way to have your puppy show off his good manners. He can sit when visitor comes, when you meet a friend out walking, when you are preparing his dinner, or when he has to wait for just about anything. It is also one of the easiest exercises to practice […]
In teaching your puppy the “Come” command, position yourself several feet away from him. Kneel or bend down, say his name and then come, at the same time you are clapping your hands. Repeat this several times if necessary to get the puppy to come to you. As the puppy begins to understand this exercise, […]
Teaching a young puppy to come when called starts off perfectly. The puppy learns his name and that people use it when they want to give him something fabulous like dinner or a new toy, so he comes running. Well, he soon learns it is not a perfect world. He may hear his name called […]
When you give a dog any command, you have automatically assumed a dominant role and put the dog into a submissive one. Standing is a somewhat dominant canine posture, whereas the Sit and the Down are submissive canine positions, so it is sometimes difficult to teach a naturally submissive puppy to Stand when told. Given […]
