A woman works to train a puppy to walk on a leash

Learn How to Train a Puppy

Regardless of whether you bring a new pet home or are tying to teach an old dog new tricks, there’s some main pointers to follow when training a puppy. While this task requires consistency and positive reinforcement, it can easily be accomplished. The American Kennel Club labels some basics to follow before training a puppy can begin to set your pet up for success. Make sure you create an environment in which your puppy feels safe, and build a positive and trusting relationship with your furry friend.

House Training a Puppy

One of the first goals a new pet owner aims to attain is potty training. It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained according to Pet WebMD. An owner must take into account the size of their pet in relation to the size of their bladders. Smaller dogs will require more frequent relief breaks compared to larger pets who may be able to go longer periods of time between potty breaks. You can potty train your pet in three ways:

Paper Training
Frequent Walks
Crate Training

For potty training, you need to follow these basic tips:

Provide frequent potty breaks, at least every two hours
Encourage your pup to use the same spot outside to eliminate
Positively reinforce your pup for going outdoors with verbal praise

Crate Training

It takes time for pups to get accustomed to crates, but introduce your pup to their crate as soon as possible. Crate training is essential because it makes life easier and creates a familiar space for your pet to retreat in the event they become fearful or just need a nap. Moreover, dog crates are much needed because they can be used for travel, safety, and vet visits. Follow the below-given tips:

Choose the right sized crate for your dog (large enough to sit, lie down and turn around)
Introduce a crate slowly because puppies take time to get used to them
Puppies love to live in clean places, so keep their crate tidy

Crate training isn’t an easy task, so consistency and positive reinforcement is the key.

Leash Training

It’s challenging to keep young and active puppies on a leash, but it’s essential for their safety. Surprisingly enough, pups can begin learning to walk on a leash as early as 4 to 6 weeks old. Introducing your pup to a leash slowly helps to ease them into this new activity with confidence.

Start leash training at home by getting your pet used to a collar first
Teach your dog how to walk on a leash in short & frequent sessions
Start with a standard leash to maintain control, instead of one that is retractible
A leash shouldn’t be too long, otherwise it will be difficult to control your pet

Sit/Stay Training

These are also known as obedience training and are easy to teach with consistency. The “sit” command requires a puppy to plant his tooshie on the floor and remain in position. Training a puppy to “stay” in place can be cued by using the word stay or wait, and also with a hand gesture.

Hand gestures are easy to understand
When your pet “sits”, acknowledge them for following the command
You can hold a treat in your hand and reward the pet for staying in place
Train your pup to “stay” for short durations and progress the time slowly

General Tips to Follow for Puppy Training

Don’t punish your dog if they’re not following commands
Praise your dog when they perform the command correctly
Be patient and show positive reinforcement
Reward your dog with treats or physical recognition
Keep the training sessions short and progress time slowly

Remember, training is an ongoing process, so patience and repetition are key.

Training a puppy how to perform the above tasks will help establish a positive pup/ owner relationship. While dogs aim to please, they can also have a wild hair and be an escape artist prior to successful training. With the possibility of becoming lost before adjusting to their new surroundings, a Pin Paws membership improves the likelihood of being reunited faster with your four-legged pet. Sign up today and let us help bring them home.