Content
- An ill-mannered dog?
- The time to start raising your puppy
- Learning process
- From 7 weeks onwards
- From 3 months onwards
- From 6 months onwards
- Helpful Tips for Training Your Puppy
have a puppy at home it can be very exciting, because at this stage puppies tend to be very playful and fun, in addition to their tender appearance. However, having a puppy also means taking the responsibility that is required to train and teach him good manners, so that he doesn't turn into a destructive little monster or an animal that the family is unable to control, becoming a problem.
That's why at PeritoAnimal we want to talk to you about when can you start training a puppy?. The right time to do this is very important as it will make the job easier for you and the puppy.
An ill-mannered dog?
Ragged shoes, torn pillows, a dirty rug and barking or fighting with the neighbors' pets is what awaits you if you don't dedicate yourself to properly educate your dog since this is a puppy. As with people, there is a certain age when it will be simpler to teach your puppy the main orders and basic habits he must follow to live a life in harmony with the human family and the other possible pets he meets. .
An uneducated puppy can become a problem and generate tension between the different members of the household, but we know that this can be avoided and corrected with a necessary guide.
The time to start raising your puppy
Despite the domestication process it has gone through, the dog is still an animal used to following the pack, that's why from a very young age can be educated about the rules that govern the pack, even when it's a family. Waiting for the puppy to be over six months old or approaching a year to start teaching him house rules, as many people do, is wasting precious time in which he can perfectly receive instructions about what places in the house are. prohibited for him or where he should do his needs, for example.
From 7 weeks onwards, when the dog is already a little independent from the mother (it is recommended to give the puppies for adoption from this age on), your puppy is ready to learn the first rules of coexistence and the orders he needs to become another member of the family group.
Learning process
The dog learns throughout his life. Even when you think you have finished the education and training process, if you neglect it, it is possible that he will acquire other habits that become unwanted, or that he will easily adapt to new situations that occur at home, even though he has reached adulthood. Despite this, educating the puppy from an early age is necessary, not only to avoid inconveniences with the family or to end up with an undisciplined dog, but also because starting training early facilitates the retention of information and makes it more receptive, as an adult, to new situations.
Therefore, as with humans, each stage has a different difficulty level., so you should adapt what you want your puppy to learn at his age. In this way, we can divide puppy training into:
- From 7 weeks onwards
- From 3 months onwards
- From 6 months onwards
From 7 weeks onwards
Your puppy has just arrived home, or it is time to help the mother with the education of the puppy or litter. At this age you can teach your puppy a few things, but all of them are of great importance:
- control bites. It is normal for puppies to want to bite whatever they find in front of them, because the teeth coming out causes them discomfort in the gums. To avoid destroying his personal effects, buy him special dog toys for this purpose, and congratulate him whenever he uses them.
- where to do your needs. As you don't have all your vaccines yet, you should define some space in the house for this, whether in the garden or on top of newspapers. Be patient and take your puppy to your bathroom after eating.
- don't cry if you're alone. If you get complaints because your dog barks or cries a lot when you're not home, just pretend to leave the house and come back when you hear the cries. Adopt an uncomfortable, non-violent attitude towards the animal, and you will soon notice that your unjustified noises are not well received. Another very effective option is to give him a dog kong to keep him entertained while you're gone.
- Respect others' space. If you don't want your puppy to jump on people or fall asleep on furniture, get him away from them by saying a firm "no", this will be enough to get him not to do it in a short time.
- Where sleep. It is necessary to define a place for the animal to rest and stay firm, because if one day you allow it with you and the next you send it to your bed, you will only be confusing the animal.
From 3 months onwards
With the previous rules learned, this phase should be simpler for you and your dog. During this phase, the puppy can learn to:
- Take care of your needs outside the home. If what you really want is for your puppy to take care of his needs during the walks, he has already administered all his vaccinations, and if you are wondering when he can start training your puppy, this age is ideal to teach you all this. Start by placing the newspaper outside the house, in the places that call your attention the most and, little by little, it will find your favorite bathroom.
- To stroll. Keeping pace with your human companion during walks is an essential part of training your puppy, so you don't have to chase him when he starts pulling on the lead. Pull the leash when you see him start to walk away and start teaching him orders like "quiet", "come here" and "walk".
From 6 months onwards
Between 6 and 8 months, your puppy will be able to capture more complex orders. Orders such as giving the paw, lying down and other tricks you want him to learn will be easily assimilated in this step. It's also a good time to start getting started. relate to other dogs. For that, don't miss our article in which we explain how to socialize your puppy.
From this point on, your dog will already know the basic rules and will have acquired the necessary habits to live with his human family.
Helpful Tips for Training Your Puppy
In addition to everything we mentioned before about when you can start training your puppy, you should consider the following tips when starting training:
- Be patient. When the dog is not able to carry out the order you want, do not press or force him, as it is likely that the method you are using is not the most suitable. Leave it for that day, analyze what's wrong and resume the next day.
- be loving. The expressions of affection, the pampering and the congratulations when the dog does what is expected of him are the positive reinforcement he needs to learn faster.
- be consistent. From day one, it is essential to establish the rules that the dog must follow, and these must be followed by the whole family. Mixing things up will only confuse the animal.
- be understanding. Long training sessions will only exhaust you and the dog. Prefer to reinforce the order and behavior you want him to follow for five minutes, a maximum of 10 times a day, and the results will be more remarkable.
With these tips we are sure that your puppy will be able to be an educated puppy in a very short time. If you have an adult dog that has never received training, don't despair, it is also possible to educate him, whether you are at home or looking for help with dog trainers.
If you've recently adopted a puppy you should read our article on 15 Things Puppy Owners Don't Forget!
