Puppy Training - advice on tips, tricks and treats!
Puppies. One of the most seen items on children's wish lists to Santa. A perfect addition to starting or growing a family. The cutest computer background. Hilarious viral video content. Puppies are adorable and the best present ever… until they're chewing holes in every sock you own and deciding to wee all over your favourite new jumper (speaking from personal experience). But one flash of those puppy eyes and all is forgiven. Training a puppy is critical as they need to learn how you want them to behave from a young age and instil these lessons when they're still discovering what the world is. We'll talk about what puppies should be taught, the most effective training methods, and the best puppy treats to use!
Just like human babies, fur babies also need a routine. This will include naps and bedtime, so it is important to set up their space and train them that this area is for sleeping and making them feel comfortable there. The same goes for toilet space. Grass, pee pads, fake grass mat - whatever it may be, puppies must learn that this is the area dedicated for them to use for the bathroom.
Puppies also need to learn sitting and staying on command. Not only so they follow your directions, but it will also be for their safety, especially when walking. Walking on a leash is another skill that puppies need to learn how to do correctly. This may include walking beside you, not pulling on the lead and not chewing it either.
Covid puppies especially found themselves spoilt for human interaction, with many of us working from home due to the pandemic. This resulted in little to no time spent alone, and have missed the opportunity to learn those skills. Puppies may now be too dependent on their human parents or may even suffer from separation anxiety. The same for socialising with other dogs. They too missed out on some doggy birthday parties, beach walks and park plays.
There are just some of the lessons puppies need to learn and no explanation on how to do it! We are no experts in these areas, but we have been through the process and can recommend various methods for training.
When training your pup, ensure the environment is a familiar and quiet location without too many distractions. The amount of time to teach should be around 15 minutes, and this may be a couple of times a day. Make sure you do a few smaller sessions rather than one larger one, as this may confuse and overload your puppy with information. After a few attempts, you will become aware of the best puppy treats to use based on your puppy's preference.
Hopefully, now you have a better understanding and clarity around some of the key areas you should be training your puppy. Now go and teach that little cherub some good manners. And if you don't' have a puppy… what are you waiting for?
