Let’s face it, puppies need to learn a lot of things in order to become good family canine companions.
However, some things are more crucial to learn early on than others!
And, I am a firm believer that puppy training needs to begin the moment those 4 paws hit the floor of your home!
So, What Are These Important Behaviors That Your Puppy Must Know?
Check this list and find out why each one is so important to the development of your puppy!
#1. Crate Training
The older I get, the more puppies I see dropped off at shelters for potty training problems and chewing inappropriate items.
Not to mention the puppies that literally die from swallowing things like socks or bedding before they can get the lifesaving $5,000 surgery to have the obstruction removed.
Ironically, crate training, and using the crate diligently (as well as monitoring your puppy), will literally prevent both of these problems.
My Dogs LOVE Their Crates!
There are a still a few misguided people out there who see crates as “puppy jail”.
Nothing is further from the truth!
If shutting your puppy in his crate is “jail” why, then, is shutting your front door to prevent him from running outside, exploring the neighborhood whenever he wants, and possibly getting run over by a car “not jail”?
I know that sounds ridiculous, but so does not crate training because you feel like it is cruel.
I think it is more cruel to allow the pup to eat objects that might kill him.
Just like your front door prevents him from a vast number of dangerous situations, so does a well-placed, well-conditioned crate!
If you wouldn’t allow your toddler to wander the house without following him around and making him safe, why would you allow your puppy?
Think of the crate as your puppy’s “crib” or “play yard” that prevents him from potentially killing himself and ruining your things!
It is Also Instrumental in Potty Training
A whole sprawling house leaves many opportunities for your puppy to have an accident that will never actually bother him.
So, using a crate while potty training your puppy is vital.
Visualize This
A Great Dane in your bathroom.
A Yorkie in your bathroom.
The Great Dane is unlikely to have an accident in such a small space, because he won’t be able to get far enough away from it that the smell won’t bother him.
The Yorkie can likely sneak off into a corner and not be bothered when at the other side of the room.
The size variance makes a difference in how disturbing having an “accident” is for a dog.
This is why it is recommended that a crate is separated out and made smaller for puppies.
Because, again, if the puppy can have an accident and then go and lay at the other end of the crate, he isn’t learning how to hold his bladder and feces.
No animal wants to sit in its own urine and feces, but sometimes it takes a few accidents to teach your puppy that he is in charge of his own potty habits.
For more on crate training and crate games, click here.
#2. Social Skills
Social skills are also critical!
And, interesting to note, a dog’s true ability to learn and read other doggy social skills can really only be taught while they are puppies!
Once a puppy is an adult, if he has not learned to read other dogs social skills, he will most likely lose the ability to accurately read them.
That is why it is so important to socialize young puppies!
You never know when you might want to get another dog, or let your dog play with your friend’s dog, so it is vital that he learn this while he is young and before he has formed other opinions.
I encourage play with “known” dogs; dogs that love to socialize puppies.
Not all dogs love puppies.
Puppies are annoying!
They jump on older dogs and get in their faces and often nip and nibble.
Some dogs will fiercely correct and/or kill puppies for this behavior.
Other dogs will softly alter their behavior appropriately; these are the older dogs that you should seek.
And, remember, that the other kind of dog exists. The kind that hates puppies and rotten puppy behavior. Don’t allow these dogs to hurt your puppy!
So be very careful and make sure that your puppy has appropriate behavior with other dogs, with ALL dogs!
Because your puppy shouldn’t just be “playfully social” around other dogs.
Your dog should be “controlled social”, too!
Puppies should play with socially playful other dogs and puppies, but they should also learn to restrain themselves and act appropriately around all dogs.
You know how many large and powerful adult dogs either break their leash or pull their owner into non-social or aggressive dogs and then require extensive surgery? The number is high.
Although it is imperative that we allow our puppies to learn and play with other social dogs, it is even more important that we teach them to control themselves around all dogs.
Because, sometimes, it is impossible to tell which dogs are which.
Sure, dog-aggressive dogs are pretty easy for a human to spot, but an over-exuberant young dog may not read those signs of communication correctly.
So, while you are ensuring that your puppy has safe puppy play in puppy socialization class and you find him safe furry friends to play with, at the very same time you need to teach him that control around other dogs is also crucial to his well-being.
#3. Impulse Control
This goes along with the last description!
So many people are raising both children and puppies with no impulse control!
It is as if they think that giving their child or their puppy EVERYTHING is good for his welfare.
The truth is that it is NOT!
Getting everything you want creates a spoiled dog or person.
It also creates a person or a dog that has no grasp of reality.
Let’s face it, the world is a punishing place.
Nothing is more harsh than the real world, for dogs and for people.
And, we can’t shelter everyone and everything that we love!
Impulse control is simple.
You must teach your dog to control his urges and his desires.
Just because he likes playing with other dogs, doesn’t mean he gets to pull you into every dog that he sees. Remember? Some dogs don’t like other dogs.
Just because he wants that toddler’s hot dog at the park, doesn’t mean he gets to run over and snatch it away.
Just because he doesn’t want to comply to your commands, doesn’t mean he gets to put his mouth on you in reprisal.
He must learn how to control himself.
All good dogs learn to control themselves.
They don’t steal everything that they want, they don’t lash out, and they don’t demand that their owner provide all their hearts desire.
They learn that through obedience, good behavior, and control of their impulses, they get the things in life that they truly want because their owners will reward and provide.
Take that to heed!
Make your dogs WORK for their rewards!!!!
Don’t just offer them for free.
A dog that works for his rewards will listen to your commands!
#4. Bite Inhibition
Ironically, this one also ties into the other two!
Biting is natural for puppies.
Puppies bite each other all of the time!
However, most of them learn to control their biting.
I mean, if you bite the wrong dog in the pack, you might get hurt.
Which is why socializing with an appropriate dog is so important.
But, beyond that, your puppy needs to learn that he can’t bite you!
FIRST
First and foremost is to make sure your puppy is getting the exercise he needs.
Most often, biting puppies bite because they are bored and aren’t getting the training and exercise they need.
They bite each other as a means to stimulate play and exercise.
So if your puppy is biting, ask yourself if you have met his needs.
If You Haven’t
If you haven’t then you owe it to him to get him out to give him physical exercise.
Also, he needs mental stimulation.
Running is GREAT, but training is BETTER!!!
And, your puppy needs both!
Don’t just exercise him; stimulate his brain.
Teach him things!
He can’t read books, he can’t watch TV and he can’t surf social media; he relies on you to teach him the things that he needs to know and bite inhibition is one of them.
If You Bite at My House
If you bite at my house, you lose a privilege!
The privilege that I speak about is usually the ability to be in the same room as me.
Most often, our puppies bite because they want us to play with them.
So if biting = Time OUT…
…then, chances are you will learn not to bite.
First and Foremost
I ask myself if I have met the needs of my puppy, physically and mentally.
And, if I have met your needs, you lose the privilege of being with me.
If I haven’t met your needs, then I assess the situation, ask you to do something (to change their mindset and so as not to reward biting), and then I take you out for training and physical exercise!
If you want to be around me, you will learn not to bite me!!!!
#5. Leash Manners
Leash manners is another behavior most people expect their puppies pop out of the womb knowing.
Dogs in packs wander.
But, in today’s day and age, wandering probably means getting hit by a car.
Most of us don’t live in rural areas where wandering can be safe.
And, actually, I have had several rural clients whose dogs have been hit by cars.
Leashes Are Essential
Leashes are an essential part of life.
Gone are the days of a dog that follows us around like they are on a tether.
Dogs wander.
And, if you let your dog wander, he will learn that the ENVIRONMENT has all the wonderful things he needs. That is a horrible idea!
YOU need to be in charge of all the things your dog needs!
You need to implement leash training with your puppy.
#6. Patience
The old adage is true…..
Patience is a virtue!
And, your dog needs to learn to be patient.
Like impulse control, patience is a critical piece of the recipe for having a good canine companion!
Life happens quickly.
Your puppy will benefit from not acting and reacting to everything in his environment.
I like to reward good behaviors.
I reward my dog when he sits, or when he lies down, but I “jackpot” my dog when he continues doing a behavior or is patient!
We have all seen the puppy that pops from one behavior to another.
He sits and then he immediately pops up to move on to that or another behavior.
I, personally, like a puppy that waits and remains patient.
This is actually how I begin teaching the “stay” command.
I just simply reinforce patience.
Don’t be in such a big hurry that you give one command after another.
Be patient in your training.
And, reward your puppy for the same thing.
A patient puppy is a good puppy!
Would You Like To Know How To Program Your Puppy’s Personality?
Our ‘Puppy Programming Course’ lets you look over our shoulder as we raise LIVE puppies, where you get to discover what exercises and games you should be playing with your dog during each new week of his life, so that they learn to handle fear, other dogs, new people, and control impulsive behaviors.
via Whisker Therapy