Tips for Training Your Puppy

Have you rece ntly adopted a puppy? Congratulations! However, you’ll have quite a bit of pet parenting ahead of you. Little Fido has a lot to learn about how to be a good boy! A local Burlington, ON vet offers some helpful puppy training tips in this article.

F  urriculum

The most important commands that little Fido should learn are Sit. Stay, Come, Heel, and Lay Down . Work on these one at a time. You may want to start with Sit , as it’s the easiest for dogs to learn.

Be Consistent

H earing different phrases for the same thing can really confuse your canine buddy. Make it a point to use the same phrasing each time. If teaching the little guy to sit, don’t say Sit one day, and then the next tell him ‘Fido, sit down right now.’ 

Rewards

Fido probably won’t be very impressed by a gold sticker on his report card. You’ll need to offer him a more tangible reward. By tangible, we really mean edible. Nothing will help reinforce good behavior in dogs like a yummy snack! Use small treats, like bits of kibble or cut up hot dogs.

Don’t Skimp On The Praise

Treats are great, but they shouldn’t be the only form of reinforcement you use. Be sure to tell Fido that he’s a good boy, and offer pets and ear scritches.

Timing

Our furry pals don’t have very long attention spans. Little Fido will get bored with long, drawn-out classes. About 10 to 15 minutes at a time is plenty.

Avoid Negative Reinforcement

Don’t punish your puppy for not picking something up quickly enough. This may make him uneasy about learning, which is the last thing you want.

Mind Your Mood

Don’t work on training on days when you are feeling stressed or grump. Little Fido will pick up on your mood. This may cause him to form a bad association with training.

Save Tricks For Last

Once your canine friend has learned basic obedience commands, he may enjoy learning some cute tricks, such as Sing or Shake Paw . That’s fine! Just make sure he’s got the most important ones down first.

Have Fun

Don’t think of training your dog as a chore. It should be fun for both of you!

Please reach out if ever we can be of assistance. As your Burlington, ON veterinary clinic, we’re here to help!