Dogs are the most loyal and the closest pets to humans. However, raising our pawsome friends is a task that requires patience and knowledge. You need to give them basic training to adapt to you and your home.
How Should Puppy Training Be?
Although puppy training differs according to the dog's breed, there are certain basic training that needs to be given to every breed. These can be listed as follows:
Socialization
Many puppies like to be loved by humans. On the other hand, there are also those who are shy in this regard. The dogs that do not like being petted as puppy carries the risk of being more aggressive as they get older. If there is such a problem, it is important to solve it during babyhood.
Taking your pawsome friend to environments where people are often present or allowing people to pet them while walking on the street will help them overcome this shyness. You can also use give them treats to get them used to being touched.
It is important to socialize them with humans from an early age, especially for dogs with biting habits. In this way, all dogs, including powerful breeds, can have a very loving character towards humans and other living beings.
Another important point in socialization training is that puppies love to jump. Jumping, which is usually an appearance of their desire to play or be loved, may seem insignificant or even cute to you as their sizes are small in babyhood. However, you should not forget that your puppy will grow and gain weight. You can prevent this behavior by saying "No" or by giving treats in social situations where they jump.
Basic Obedience Training
Basic obedience is your puppy's acceptance of your authority by obeying the basic commands you give them. This actually means command training, which includes basic commands such as "Sit, Stand, Stop, Wait". Basic obedience training can prevent aggressive behaviors that may be encountered from time to time. Basic obedience training is very important to raise a dog that follows the rules of the house and is coherent with you and other people.
Basic obedience training can be easily given in a process of 5-6 weeks. As well as the puppy's breed and character traits are important at this point, the knowledge of the person that gives the training is also important. You can work with a professional trainer to complete the process quickly and healthily.
Feeding Times
There are various practices regarding the meal schedule of our pawsome friends. Keeping food in the food bowl constantly is one of them. In this routine, your dog can eat the amount of food it wants whenever it is hungry.
On the other hand, if you plan to have a routine where you will put food in the bowl for a certain period of the day or feed meals during the day, your dog will also need training on mealtime. You can create a meal discipline by giving the same amount of food at the same time every day and not allowing it to go beyond limits.
When determining your dog's feeding schedule, it is beneficial to consult with a veterinarian. Additionally, regular veterinary check-ups are extremely important for monitoring their development.
Sleep Area
Since your puppy will be a member of the household, you need to create a living space for it in the house. Having its own play, sleep, and feeding area is important for establishing a sense of security in dogs.
In addition to establishing a sense of security, it is also important for it to learn and adopt these areas in order to follow the rules in the house. Otherwise, it may develop a habit of sleeping in unwanted areas inside the house.
When Should Puppy Training Begin?
Like babies, puppies go through a certain development process. In order for the training you give to be effective, this development process should be taken into consideration. Otherwise, you may not get any results from the training you give.
The 3-6 month period is suitable for teaching puppies the simple rules they need to follow while potty training and socializing in the house. For basic obedience training, the puppy must be at least 6 months old. After receiving the training, advanced obedience training can be given starting from the 9th month. For more advanced training such as guarding, it is advisable to wait at least 18 months.
Things to Consider in Puppy Training
You need to know the breed and character traits of your furry friend who will be a member of the house, in order for the training you give to be effective. Additionally, by paying attention to some important tips during training, you can quickly complete this process and get positive results. We can list these tips below:
- Place importance on making eye contact with your puppy. By making eye contact, the commands you give will eventually become an admonisher for your tone of voice. It is important for your dog to learn your tone of voice in order to respond quickly to the commands you give.
- The commands you give to your dog should be clear. Giving commands such as "No" or "Stop" while trying to make eye contact is more beneficial than general commands such as "Don't do that."
- Patience and determination are very important in training. You should be prepared for the possibility that the process may take a long time.
- You should not overwhelm your puppy during training, and focus on making it happy and cheerful. When your dog gets tired, you can take a break from training and play games with it. You can continue when your dog is delighted. Playing games with your adorable friend after training will make it love the training time and complete it enthusiastically.
- It is important that your dog accepts you as the leader in your relationship. When it gains your respect, it will also recognize your authority.
- Consistency is another important aspect of training. You should clearly set the rules. The words you use and your reactions to their behavior should also be consistent.
By paying attention to all of these issues and giving timely training, your puppy will easily adapt to your home and family, and become an indispensable part of your life like a member of the house.