Puppy Training Basics : Part 2

Training a Puppy is Like Raising a Child
Training is additionally crucial for your puppy because it is showing them the boundaries of their world. Puppies and dogs want to understand the world they live in, just like humans. You know to drive on the right side of the street, to leave a tip at restaurants, and how to greet people. Some basic things, like saying “hello,” “goodbye,” “please” and “thank you” were taught by your parents when you were young. They taught you good manners, just like you will teach your puppy good manners.
Some things you learned as you grew older. You learned about driving in driver’s education, and how to tip from social norms and maybe from your friends. You can feel how difficult it is to travel to a different country where the cultural customs, methods of greeting, and maybe even side of the street cars drive on is different. You feel out of place, like you can’t understand, and like you may be behaving improperly.
​But just like training a puppy, if you have a guide who tells you the customs of the new culture, you can make your way. This is what you are teaching your puppy: You are teaching him or her the customs of the human world, the expectations of the dog-human relationship, and what is expected of them.
Just like raising a child, your puppy will test boundaries and push back on some things. This is normal. Just move ahead with your training and reinforce what you are teaching. Your dog will live a healthier, happier life because of it.
Consistency and Routine are Key
As you go through our book about puppy training, you may wonder how often to do the training recommended in here. The most important thing for your new puppy is consistency and routine.
For example, during potty training, when your puppy eliminates in the back yard, the action needs to be met with a reward every time. When your puppy is chewing, it needs to be met with a “no” every time. Every action must have a predictable and consistent reaction. Otherwise your puppy will get confused, and training will proceed much slower.
Routine is also key. In the beginning of potty training, for example, you should take your puppy outside to eliminate every hour. Your puppy should be fed at the same times every day. This routine helps give the puppy a sense of normalcy. They are in a new environment, with a new caretaker, and there is a lot of new stimulation.
But, at the same time, puppies have very short attention spans. This means you will need to keep training session as short as possible. Do not train for long periods, but take breaks to let your puppy be a puppy and have fun and roll around on the floor with you. Training should be fun!
Clicker Training and Rewards
Before you begin puppy training, you should be familiar with clicker training. Clicker training is widely considered the most precise and effective method of dog training in the industry, and purchasing a clicker (usually less than $2 online or in a pet store) is definitely worth the investment.
So how does clicker training work? When your puppy performs an action correctly, you use the plastic clicker to make a loud “CLICK” sound. Then immediately after, you give your puppy a treat reward. The point is that your puppy begins to associate the click with a treat reward, and he or she knows that the click means a behavior has been performed precisely and correctly.
If you only use treat rewards, sometimes you may fumble with getting treats from your pocket, or you don’t say the command exactly when you should, and your puppy is confused about what behavior exactly is being rewarded. With the click, you can precisely and accurately communicate to your puppy what action earned the reward.
Always make sure to click before giving the treat reward, as you want your puppy to solely associate the click with doing well, and not another action, for example, if you are reaching for food at the same time as making the click.
What sort of treats make good rewards? It is best to use small, bite size treats, as you will be using them often to reinforce good behavior. You can pick up puppy or dog treats from your local pet store, but remember that your little puppy will get full a lot faster than a full grown Great Dane!
You can also use human food to reward your dog, like carrots, apple pieces, sardines, non-butter air-popped popcorn, or veggies. Do not feed foods that are harmful to dogs, like chocolate, grapes, avocado, or raisins. Always double-check with a search online before feeding a food to your puppy, and avoid a trip to the emergency room. Many human foods are even lethal to dogs, so always check.
That is a basic introduction to puppy training, are you getting excited to grow and build your special relationship with your new best friend? We hope so.