How to Train Your Puppy: A Beginner's Guide

When you bring home a new puppy, you might feel excited, but also overwhelmed. There’s so much to think about and get right! You need to find the right balance between loving care and consistent training with boundaries. And while you may have heard that puppies will make your life difficult for the first year or so, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth it! Even before bringing your new puppy home, you can do things to set yourself up for success as their trainer and mentor. In this article, we cover everything from how to pick a breeder to house-training tips and tricks for keeping your pup happy, healthy and well-adjusted. Read on for advice from a certified dog trainer that can help smooth the way towards raising a healthy, happy puppy.

Do you have a new puppy in your house? Does your cute little friend need an outlet for their energy? Is it time to train your puppy to behave properly? Click Here For Further Details About This Top Knowledge About Raising A Puppy!

Meet Your New Puppy: Where, When and How

First, let’s talk about how to get a puppy. There are many options, but the best way to get a good puppy is to go to a reputable breeder. Puppies from pet stores or online ads are highly unlikely to be responsibly sourced. You’ll want to find a breeder who will work with you to find the right puppy for you. Picking a puppy is a lot like picking a child. You have to think about what kind of person you are, what kind of temperament you’d like your puppy to have and what kind of life you’re bringing them into. Puppies are like little sponges that take on the characteristics of their owners, so you want to pick a puppy who will fit well into your life. Once you bring your new puppy home, make sure to set firm boundaries and rules right away. Your puppy will look to you as a leader and want to know what’s expected of them. This includes rules related to everything from how often they should be fed to where they should be allowed to play.

A few things to know about puppies

Puppies are like little kids, and there’s no way around it. They’re curious, impulsive creatures who think everything is a toy. While you may have wished for a puppy that was magically house trained, able to stay off the couch and quiet while you work, none of those are likely to happen in the first few months. For the first year of your puppy’s life, they’ll be pretty much like this. They’ll get better at managing these behaviours over time, but you’ll just have to accept that there may be some messes along the way. At the same time, there are things you can do as a responsible owner that will help make the process smoother.

House Training 101

House training is the process of teaching your puppy where they should go to the bathroom. Again, this is going to take some time, and your puppy won’t be perfect from the beginning. In fact, it’s likely you’ll have a few false starts along the way. House training works best with a consistent approach that combines clear boundaries with positive reinforcement. For example, you can tell your puppy to “go potty” or “go outside” whenever you take them outside. You could follow this up with a treat or praise, or even play. House training is also about managing your puppy’s environment. Make sure to take your puppy outside often, especially first thing in the morning, after eating and when they wake up from a nap. Try to make it a ritual, and you’ll likely see progress.

How to train your puppy: Behaviour training 101

Every dog is different, so you’ll need to find the techniques that work best for your specific situation. Regardless of what you do, though, the most important thing is consistency. Because puppies are such sponges, they’ll quickly learn what you want them to do, but they also learn what you don’t want them to do. Puppies are naturally curious, and if you let them do whatever they want, you’ll have a messy, undisciplined dog on your hands. Find the things your puppy does that you want to encourage, and reward them for those behaviours. Find the things you want to discourage, and use a firm “no” or correction to let them know their behaviour is wrong. Keep in mind that while a puppy might be cute today, they’ll grow up to be a big dog. Big dogs like Labs and Golden Retrievers are great, but they can be very destructive. A puppy, on the other hand, will chew up your furniture and eat your house plants.

Conclusion

Puppies will make your life a lot more colourful and hectic, but it’s all worth it when you see how happy and healthy they become as an adult dog. If you follow these tips, you’ll be better prepared to raise and train your new puppy. With time, patience and consistency, you can successfully train your new puppy, and you’ll have an incredible companion for years to come.