Puppy Training: Setting a Foundation for a Well-Behaved Dog
Puppies are adorably cute and enchanting little beings. Any pet lover can probably attest to the fact that bringing a puppy home was undoubtedly one of their most treasured moments. The first few weeks or months into the puppy's stay are often filled with significant milestones and valuable bonding time between the handler and the puppy (Ancic). Helping a puppy grow into a well-behaved adult dog is undoubtedly one of the ways to ensure that one looks back fondly to the time when they first brought the puppy to their home. The key to a well-rounded and adaptable dog lies behind early training (Kutsumi et al. 141).
The Importance of Puppy Training
Puppies, like babies, are usually eager and ready to learn. Kutsumi et al. write that puppy training forestalls bad behaviors, enhances the relationship between the owner and the puppy, and eliminates the potential for future aggression besides improving a puppy's healthy interaction with people or other dogs (141). It is worth noting that in the United States and Europe, up to 19% of dogs are relinquished to animal shelters due to dog behavioral problems (Kutsumi et al. 141). Regrettably, most of these dogs eventually end up being sacrificed. This problem could be mitigated through early training. Training a puppy, therefore, helps it to form the desired habits and lays the foundation for a lifetime of good behavior and companionship.
Teaching the Daily Routine and Acclimating to the Environment
First and foremost, it is usually paramount to teach your puppy their daily routine and get it acquainted with their immediate environment (Ancic). This includes the time scheduled for critical activities such as eating, sleeping, waking up, and bathing among others. Further, it is vital to get the pup accustomed to their environment by teaching them the location of his/her food and water, their bed, toys, and any other relevant requirements. While at it, the use of appropriate teaching methods ensures that the puppy is well-behaved which serves to avert future conflicts and behavioral problems.
Potty Training: Establishing a Routine
Additionally, puppy training involves the critical step of housebreaking or potty training. Puppies are generally unable to control their bladder and bowels up to until about three months of age (Ancic; Lindsay 109). Therefore, potty training is among the remarkable practices which require patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. The first rule is usually to limit the freedom of the puppy in the house. It is because, if they are allowed to roam freely, there is a likelihood of littering anywhere within a spot of their designation. Housebreaking also requires one to establish a routine for activities such as eating, sleeping, and exercising which are the everyday activities after which a puppy needs to eliminate (Ancic). Creating a pattern of these routine activities allows the pup to time their potty needs. Also, one should use the same potty spot. One should reward the puppy whenever it relieves itself in the correct location for purposes of enhancing the behavior positively (Ancic). If you catch the puppy in the middle of an accident, experts recommend that one should not punish the puppy. After all, accidents happen and the young being may not understand the cause and effect as we humans do. In fact, punishing the puppy makes them fear the handler and may even lead to the loss of trust in him/her (Kutsumi et al. 143). Instead, one should say words like 'no' firmly to show the puppy that you disapprove that action. In such a case when they litter in the house, Ancic notes that you should avoid using ammonia-based cleaners or solutions because they increase the intensity of the smell and may tend to attract the pup to the same spot next time.
The Benefits of Crate Training
Another crucial step in puppy training is crate training. The crate is the puppy's safe den, and even though some people feel as though it is cruel, its benefits outweigh the disadvantages. For instance, a crate accommodates a dog's natural instincts (Lindsay 113). Dogs, by nature, prefer to rest in their dens. Secondly, naturally, dogs do not soil the area where they eat or sleep (Lindsay 113). Consequently, crate training is an effective way of hastening the housekeeping process as the puppy will naturally condition the puppy to hold it when it is confined in its crate. Besides, crate training comes in handy in obedience training and prevention of destructive behaviors (Kutsumi et al. 144). There are several types of crates to choose from ranging from plastic pet carriers, wire cages, etc. A wire cage is often used as it allows the dog to see what is happening around them. The crate should be of the right size, enough to let the puppy turn around and lay down inside. If it's too big, the puppy may use the extra space for eliminating which is definitely undesirable. First, Ancic suggests placement of a few treats inside the crate to entice the puppy to get inside the kennel. Then, while the puppy is inside and not watching you, you can close the door for a while and open it to let them out. Gradually, this time can be increased up to until the puppy is comfortable getting into and staying confined in the crate to which, you can close the door for longer time spans. You also need to get them acquainted with being left alone in the kennel when they get comfortable staying in a doghouse with the door closed. Importantly, the pup should not be left confined in the den for extended times within which they are unable to control their bladder or bowels.
Verbal Cues, Commands, and Tricks
Additionally, a puppy needs to be trained on the necessary verbal cues, commands, and tricks. Training a dog to be obedient to such injunctions is a life-long process. The two most critical words that a pup should learn are "No" and "Good" (Ancic). A puppy learns to stop whatever it was doing whenever the handler yells 'no' at it. On the other hand, when told 'yes', 'good boy,' or such affirmative words, it knows that the handler is in agreement with what it was doing. Also, there are basic commands that a puppy should be taught when they are at least two months old. They include come, stay, leave it, sit, down, settle, fetch, or any other commands which the owner deems fit. The 'come' command is particularly important because it can keep the puppy safe in a potentially dangerous situation (Ancic). Lindsay notes that you should 'make it a party' whenever you call your puppy towards you, and it obliges (115). From the familiar commands, one can then train the puppy on some basic dog tricks such as shake paws and waving which have been shown to offer mental stimulation to the puppy, an essential part of development (Kutsumi et al. 144). Reward-based (e.g., clicker training) or compulsion-based dog training techniques are used for reinforcement of learned positive behaviors (Ancic).
Socialization: Building Relationships and Skills
Another critical step in training a puppy is socialization. Socialization determines how well a puppy learns to interact with humans and other dogs (Lindsay 118). A puppy's sociability is enhanced through interaction with different people, environments, and other dogs. The ideal age for socialization training is 2-4 months (Lindsay 118). Despite socialization being time-intensive, the outcomes are usually worthwhile as it is known to immensely build on social skills and self-confidence of a puppy. Kutsumi et al. report that undersocialized dogs often suffer from anxiety, fear, or aggression issues (145). A well-socialized puppy also accepts handling by the owner/handler, making it easy for activities such as bathing, brushing, clipping its nails, putting on a leash, etc. (Ancic). It also gets easier to enforce house rules to the puppy. Besides, during socialization, as one builds a relationship with their puppy, they can pinpoint undesirable behaviors such as aggressiveness and act accordingly to correct them (Kutsumi et al. 145). Undeniably, the importance of socializing a puppy cannot be overemphasized.
Conclusion: Training a Puppy for a Lifetime of Good Behavior
Indeed, training a puppy bespeaks of a multiplex, multidimensional process that demands patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement of learned positive behaviors to achieve the desired outcomes. It involves, but is not restricted to activities such as potty training, crate training, socialization, and obedience training. Although it is possible to teach old dog new tricks, it is preferable that one starts training while the dog is still a puppy. This is because a puppy has significantly higher abilities for faster learning as compared to an adult dog. Training a puppy from way early in its life ensures that it matures bearing good behavioral qualities, and this makes it more desirable. Therefore, one should not keep postponing a puppy's training for a later time for there is no better time to start than today!
Works Cited
Ancic, Mario. "Puppy Training Is The First Step In Building A Solid Foundation." Training-your-dog-and-you.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 4 Apr. 2018.
Kutsumi, Ai, et al. "Importance of puppy training for future behaviour of the dog." Journal of veterinary medical science 75.2 (2013): 141-149.
Lindsay, Steven R. Handbook of applied dog behaviour and training, adaptation and learning. John Wiley " Sons, 2013.
