Hooray! You’ve brought home an adorable new puppy!
Now what?
Get going on training, that’s what! A puppy is like a little sponge, picking up good habits (and bad ones) quickly. It’s the best time to train your little fluffy ball of joy, to make your life easier, keep your puppy safe, and help your pup develop into a happy, well-rounded dog.
Your dog needs to learn lots of things but here are some of the most critical you should be teaching your pup:
Potty Training
Obviously this one is at the top of the list! Potty training requires lots of consistent effort on the part of the owner and plenty of positive reinforcement in the form of rewards for the puppy, like treats, playtime, toys or praise. Be prepared to take your puppy out first thing in the morning and last thing at night as well as after he wakes up from a nap, finishes a meal or has a rambunctious play session.
Crate Training
Crate training, where you keep your puppy in a crate at night and when he’s not supervised, is a great tool in potty training (dogs instinctively don’t go potty where they sleep) as well as keeping your pup safe from dangers around the house. Added bonus: crate training keeps your HOUSE safe from your puppy! The good news is crate training is not mean. In fact, many puppies and dogs grow to love their crate because it gives them their own space where they feel safe and comfortable.
Come
“Come” is a critical command to keep your puppy safe and is a great basis for other training. Luckily, puppies pick up on this one quickly. Teaching great recall is one of the best things you can do for your dog at any age.
Sit
“Sit” is another relatively easy command to teach and is also a building block for other training. A pup who can sit on command will also impress your friends and family!
Stay
“Stay” requires a bit more patience and work with your pup because, well, they’re babies! And they’re excited to explore the world. Any youngster of any species has trouble staying still and puppies are no exception. Luckily, puppies can learn this with some consistent work on your part. This self control will serve your puppy well!
Leash Walking
Believe it or not, dogs aren’t born with the ability to walk nicely on a leash! They need to be taught “leash manners” that will benefit them – and you – for the rest of their life.
While there are plenty of educational resources available to help you train your new puppy, we believe nothing beats hands on training. We offer weekly puppy training classes for pups ages 12 weeks – 6 months with our team of certified professional dog trainers. Join us to learn more about all of the above training components and more, as well as a great opportunity to socialize your puppy with other dogs his age!
Learn more about our puppy training classes.
We also offer training classes for adult dogs!
