Training a Puppy
Often people anticipate the happiness of everything that is nice about having a puppy. However, most of the time, things fail to turn out like we would wish them to happen. Puppies are not only a source of delightful energy but curiosity too. Conversely, they can be both frustrating and annoying. However, if one responds well to the challenges that come with getting a new puppy into a home, then the time that both the owner and the puppy itself require to adjust may not only be shorter but less stressful too. Failure to respond appropriately to the challenges may see the teenage dog taken to either a rescue group or an animal shelter. Therefore, part of responding to the challenges involves training the puppy. This paper discusses the process of training a puppy.
Teaching Daily Routines
The very first step to training a puppy is to teach it the daily routines. Daily routines include teaching it where it should find its water and food among other things. On the same note, it includes teaching it where it is supposed to eat, sleep and even rest. It is important to remember that how one teaches a puppy each routine matters a lot (Rollins). If the puppy is taught the daily routines the right way, then it will be better-behaved. In addition to that, the puppy will be happy to allow its owner to decide what it does in the family. On the other hand, when uses the wrong the methods to teach a puppy then it will be bound to making a decision it wishes which often may be contrary to the owner’s desires. Applying the wrong methods is a formula for conflicts as well as behavior challenges.
Teaching Words
The second important step is teaching the puppy words. The most critical words that a puppy needs to be taught re “No” and “Good.” They learn that when told “No” then they out to stop doing whatever it is doing. On the other hand, when told “Good” then they should know that the owner loves whatever the puppy is doing. The best time to begin teaching the puppy theses critical words is when it is about 2-3 months old. When teaching the puppy these words, the tone as well as the body language matter a lot (Rollins). If a puppy fails to learn the two essential words at about the age of 2-3, then one must begin with the words if training the puppy, in other words, is to be successful.
Crate Training
After training the dog on speech, it needs to be given crate training. Crate training requires an average of 2-3 months (Woodard). The crate is the puppy’s safe den, and even though some people refer to the den with other names such as jail, the puppy does not see it the same way. At the start of this training, the puppy might have challenges since its movements have been limited. However, after it gets used to the crate then it will be comfortable to go out together and even sit home and watch television together.
Housebreaking Training
Even though there are other methods other than using a crate during puppy training, it has many advantages over other methods. At the age of about 2 – 3 months, a puppy needs close attention while in the house and crate is the best to, at least during that stage of a puppy’s life (Woodard). Also, it allows one to keep an eye on the puppy and notice any signs that it may show that may call for human attention. That way, the pet learns to hold the urge until they are allowed to do whatever they want to so, such as leaving the crate. When using a crate, it is important to ensure that it is big enough for the pet to stand, lie and even move around (Bussing). Also, when using it for extended periods of more than two hours, then it is good to provide the pet with water. Apart from that, when using a crate, then someone needs to be at home to give the puppy a break around midday especially during the first eight months. Finally, if the puppy eliminates in the crate, then it is not advisable to use it since that could have several meanings that one needs to consider.
Accepting Being Handled
After speech training, a puppy should undergo housebreaking training. When puppies are around 2 – 3 months old, they may not be able to control their bladders for many months. It is advisable that puppy owners start housebreaking training for their pets the moment one brings home the puppy (Rollins). If a proper pattern is established right from the start, then the puppy will be housebroken immediately there is a need. However, if it is done in a wrong way, then it will become a nightmare for the owner. What one may consider an accident will become a habit, which most of the time are hard to undo.
Gentleness Training
Next, involves training the puppy to accept being handled. A puppy needs to recognize the owner, and that means deciding what is okay and what is not okay (Bussing). For instance, clipping nails, brushing as well as bathing. All these involve handling the puppy, and it is essential that it cooperates when there is a need for any of the activities that involve handling. The easiest way to achieve that cooperation is including such training in the vocabulary and respect lessons. The two go hand-in-hand and if well conducted then handling the puppy should be an easy task.
Household Rules
A puppy needs training on gentleness. At about 2 – 3 months, the puppy needs to be trained on how to be gentle since sometimes they can be so rough. The same way that acceptance to be handled in taught alongside words and respect, gentleness too should be taught at the same time. Puppy can be trained to be gentle by correcting them whenever they are acting too rough (Rollins). The puppies’ mother often does that, but at times, it calls for the owner to do the same by taking over from where the mother left. If it is not properly done, then a puppy may not stop when playing with humans.
Conclusion
Also, the puppy needs to be trained on the household rules. This training too should be done when the puppy is between 2 – 3 months old. It involves teaching the puppy what behaviors are acceptable in the house and those that are not. Each member of the family needs to stick to the same policies so that the puppy is not confused on what is right or wrong to do in the house. Clear house rules are essential and when the puppy is well trained with words and respects with regards to the “No” and “Good,” then it becomes easy for them to get along well with the family members (Bussing).
Training Order
One may wonder what happens when the puppy is already more than three months old. The training remains the same even for older puppies, and therefore, the order of training remains the same. Conducting each of the training step by step in the right manner will result in a well-trained puppy (Rollins). While doing so, one must never forget that every puppy can misbehave, but it is how one responds to the misbehavior that is very critical in training a puppy to be a good one. Responding the wrong way every time means that the puppy will continue misbehaving but responding the right way makes it see one as a leader and who deserves to be obeyed.
In conclusion, People often look forward to the delight that comes with owning a puppy, but sometimes people fail to get what they anticipate. Whatever one gets from their puppies depends on how they train them. To have a puppy that can be a source of delight requires training on daily routines, vocabularies, respect, using a crate, housebreaking, accepting to be handled, gentleness as well as household rules. The essence of training a puppy is to teach good habits and at the same time establish a loving bond between the pet and the owner(s). Training a puppy is not an easy task, even when one is always doing the right thing, one can always expect some challenges. When such setbacks occur, one needs to respond to them in the right way as they make up part of the training.
Works Cited
Bussing, Laura. "Master Puppy Training in Record Time." n.d. Saliadogs.
Web. 25 March 2018.
Rollins, Jess. Basic Manners for the Family Dog. 2007. Web. 25 March 2018.
Woodard, Sherry. Crate Training: The Benefits for You and Your Dog. 2018. Web. 25 March 2018. .
