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Improving My Pet's Experience

Adding A Puppy To The Family? How To Ensure It Grows Into A Well-Behaved Adult

30 April 2018

Rafael Hopkins

If you've brought a new puppy into the family, it's time to start with the training. How well you train your puppy while it's young will determine how well it behaves once it's older. The last thing you want is for training mistakes to lead to problems later on. Here are four steps you need to take to ensure that your new puppy matures into a well-adjusted, well-behaved adult dog.

Be Consistent with the Training

When it comes to training a puppy, consistency is key. Your puppy is going to have a very difficult time understanding what you want when the rules – or the words – are constantly changing. Once you start training your puppy, make sure you remain consistent throughout the process. This is particularly important when it comes to verbal commands. For instance, when teaching your puppy to sit, don't switch between one and two-word commands, such as "sit" or "sit down." Remember that simple, one-word commands work best when trying to train a puppy. It's also important that carry through with the training by enrolling your puppy in an obedience class. The professional assistance will ensure that you don't overlook any potential bad behaviors.

Give Them Their Own Space

When you bring your puppy home, be sure to give it a space of its own. Whether you'll be using a crate or a portable enclosure for training, you'll want to make sure that the space is specifically created for your puppy. Providing your puppy with its own space will go along way towards creating additional consistency. Not only that, but it limits the area for potential mistakes and messes.

Don't Encourage Bad Behavior

While you're training your new puppy, it's important that you avoid encouraging bad behavior. You don't want to approve of behaviors that will need to be curtailed once your puppy gets older. For instance, if you're not going to allow your full-grown dog to lounge on the couch, don't approve couch-lounging while your puppy is small. The same goes for table scrap treats. If you don't plan on allowing table scrap treats once your dog is full-grown, it's best to avoid them while you're puppy is still young. By not encouraging bad behavior, you'll help your puppy avoid confusion once it's older.

Familiarize Them with the Veterinarian

When you have a new puppy, it's crucial that you create a proper health routine. Part of that routine includes visits to the veterinarian. Unfortunately, your puppy isn't going to get the best care if it's unruly during those visits. That's why proper puppy training should involve the veterinarian's office. By taking your puppy to the vet for all their routine care appointments, you'll familiarize them with the staff and the doctor who will be providing the care.

For more information, contact a company like Night and Day K9 Training.

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