Puppy Training Basics That Lead To A Well Adjusted Dog

Puppies are different from mature dogs, their actions are controlled mainly by their instincts and the things they learn in the litter,from their mother.

* They like to explore their environment.

* They need to test what they can and cannot do.

* They are always exploring trying to find a missing toy or what ever.

* They are full of energy.

* They may experience separation anxiety, when you first bring them home!

The Collar and Lead.
Before you can train your puppy you will have to introduce him to a lead and collar.

It's best to start with an inexpensive nylon collar and lead, so that you can replace them as the puppy grows. Fit the collar so that you can easily get your index finger between the collar and the puppy's neck.

It is probable that your puppy will not be happy with the collar at first, and will scratch it and try to remove it. Don't worry, persevere your puppy will soon accept the collar as part of its life.

Next you will have to introduce the lead, let him carry it around a bit at first (under supervision).

Then hold the handle of the lead and apply a little resistance. At this point do not be surprised by anything your puppy does, yelping, chewing the lead, dashing around etc.

Just stay calm and hold on to the lead your puppy will calm down, once he does attempt to get the puppy to follow you by gentle tugs on the lead, give plenty of verbal praise and possibly have very small food treat to encourage him.

Once your puppy is happy with the collar and lead you are ready to move on to the next step.

Socialization
By socialization I mean getting your puppy used to meeting other people, dogs, animals and things.

Failure to do this will store up problems for the future I'm sure most of you have come across the nasty snappy type of dog that has never been allowed to mix with other animals or people, resulting in a fearful animal that sees everything as a threat.

A properly socialized puppy will grow into a well adjusted dog, that is a pleasure to be with.

Start the socialization as soon as you can, make sure every new experience is enjoyable and non-threatening.

Introduce your puppy to the people both adults and children, don't let them pick the puppy up, it is better if they crouch down so they are not towering over the puppy. Remember it is better to go slowly at first and children should be supervised

Next you should introduce your puppy to other dogs, but first you must make sure your puppy has had its shots.

Older dogs tend to be very tolerant of a young puppies behavior but they should still be supervised.

Introduce your puppy to noisy traffic, crowds of people, and all the other experiences it will come across in daily life, again go slowly at first and watch how your puppy is reacting to things, be ready to reassure your puppy to build its confidence.

Robbie meets a cowRemember when your puppy is introduced to livestock it must be under supervision and not be allowed to cause the other animals any distress.

You are now ready to move on to the safety commands I covered in the previous section. Training should be done in exactly the same way as for a dog, except puppies do not have the endurance or attention span of an adult dog so you need to modify your training to accommodate this.

In many ways puppies are easier to train than older dogs, they have not had a chance to learn bad habits, they are like most young things in that they want to please and are looking for someone to show them the correct way to behave.