Obedience Training for Puppies
Obedience Training for Puppies
If you’re looking for basic, easy-to-do training at home for puppy training, then stop in your paw tracks, because this article is for you.
Adding a new puppy to the family means smelling the sweetest of puppy breath and needing to upgrade your iCloud storage because you now have 2,389 new videos of your new beloved family member.
It also means dealing with the puppy zoomies at 5 AM, finding your beloved pair of shoes nibbled away, and puddles of potty accidents.
Let’s look at the easiest ways for your pup to learn the best behaviors with easy at-home training.
Starting With A Clean Slate
I knew a guy who had worked at Starbucks for over five years when he applied to a new local coffee shop in his new area. He thought he would have no problem securing this job, because after all, he had a handful of years of experience and moved up to a supervisor position before moving cities.
He didn’t get the job. Why? The owner of this local shop wanted to train people with a different system and a different approach to serving coffee than it had traditionally been known.
He wanted to train people with no experience to learn the method of training he wanted to implement in his business. It’s always easier to start with a clean slate rather than reinvent the wheel.
The same goes for puppy training vs dog training. If you start your puppy out with some basic manners, those good behaviors will grow with the puppy and into doggy adulthood. If you wait until the puppy is older or an adult dog, you will have to break bad habits and teach appropriate behaviors.
The best time to start training with your new puppy is the day you pick them up. Many people want to give them time to settle in before asking anything of their new friend.
I disagree and here’s why.
You want to mold their behavior in a positive direction with positive reinforcement and fun. Waiting even a few days can set behaviors and routines that are going to need correction.
I am hoping you have already read my blog Puppy 101 for Helping Your Pup Transition Into Their New Home. It gives you a quick overview of initiating a puppy schedule, our recommendations for puppy food and some basics to training.
Activity is Key to a Growing Puppy
Let’s look at the next steps to things you can do every day at home to instill good behavior.
First and foremost, exercise is the most important thing you can do to help your puppy’s behavior. It’s critical a puppy receives physical exercise, as well as exercise for their mind.
Physical activities such as indoor tug or a game of fetch work well for your growing puppy. As they grow and need extra space to run, you can begin to walk your pup on a leash or move your game of fetch outdoors.
Mental exercise is as equally important for your growing puppy’s brain! Puzzle toys with treats or a stuffed Kong are both excellent ideas to help exercise your new family member’s mind.
By allowing your puppy to achieve the appropriate amounts of activity — both physical and mental — their tension and anxiety will be reduced to better concentrate on training.
Incorporating Basic Obedience Training in Day-to-Day Activities
Everything is a lesson to puppy, whether it’s teaching them what to do or what not to do. Their little puppy brains are like a sponge. They soak up everything – the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Let’s start with teaching them the basics.
Teaching the command “sit” should be the first command your puppy learns. It’s an essential command to be used at every meal, when your puppy is waiting at the door to go outside or back inside, or anytime you are wanting to distract a behavior in your pup.
Start off training with a high-value treat, such as Off Leash Mini Trainers by Presidio pet. I like these because they are small (read: puppy-size), they can be cut in half to be even smaller so not to fill their little bellies up, and the nutritional content is high in protein and low in carbs, which means your pup isn’t filling up on empty calories.
Stand or sit in front of the puppy, let them smell the treat and begin to move your hand with the treat slowly from their nose over the top of their head. Say their name to get their attention and tell the puppy to sit during this process.
This action makes them follow the treat with their nose and naturally sit. If they do not sit, you can assist by gently pushing the rear down with your other hand. Once in the sit position, give them the treat and tell them, “Good sit”.
Using the word good and the command in a happy voice communicates to them that they did exactly what you were asking of them while attaching the word “sit” with the command.
Repeat this command a few times to help them understand this is the behavior you want attached to the word “sit”. Do this a few days in a row at each meal time, and after a few days, you can start using their food bowl instead of the treat to command “sit”. Use the same motions if they haven’t gotten the hang of “sitting”, and use the food as their reward.
Once you have the sit working at meal times, you are ready to start commanding “sit” at the door. I suggest investing in a treat bag such as the Woof Hoof treat bag to store the treats and take with you outside or on walks.
It also helps to wear the treat bag around the house so that you are prepared to reward your puppy with good behavior when you see it! Every time you take your pup out to potty or return inside from a walk, ask the puppy to sit and verbally reward them with “good sit” and a treat.
Leash Training For Your New Puppy
Leash training is an important part of puppy training, especially if you will be walking your dog to keep for them physical activity.
Leash training is simple and usually only takes a day or two. Use a treat in your hand to lead the puppy by placing it in front of their nose. The leash, at this point, is a suggestion. You want the puppy to follow the treat.
As they are moving to meet your hand, you can gently put pressure on the leash so they feel it. If they resist, release the pressure and focus on the treat. The idea is to make them walk beside you because they want that treat.
Eventually they will relate the leash to reward, as well as going somewhere fun like to their puppy playdate or to the dog P-A-R-K.
I like to use the word “heel” for a dog to walk with me. It’s a correct term for obedience training and that makes it a smooth transition if you decided to compete in dog competitions later.
The Wait Command
Another command, “wait”, is another top command to teach your puppy early on. This command will keep your puppy from running out of the front door, protect them from broken glass on the floor, or steer them away from an accident they had on the floor.
Have your furry pup sit, then place the palm of your hand on their chest tell them to “wait”. Once your puppy isn’t pushing to move forward, move your hand in front of their nose with your palm facing them as if you are saying “stop”.
Keep repeating, “wait”, and if they move, start over from the beginning. Only make your puppy “wait” for about 5 seconds. At that point, tell them “okay” as a release and reward their good behavior with a treat. Remember, as you give them that treat to tell them “good wait” in a happy voice!
Practice this a few times throughout the day. As your puppy begins to understand this command, you can increase the time on how long you wait.
The goal is to be able to walk away and leave the dog on a “wait” command. “Wait” is different than “stay”, because it is more informal and can released from a distance with a command. Wait is an invaluable command for your puppy to learn and master.
It may take some time to teach these commands, but by teaching this from an early stage, you build a foundation for your puppy to learn more advanced commands.
Training Your Puppy, the “Recall” Command
Last but not least in the list of commands is the recall. Recall is probably the most important command a dog should know.
Knowing the recall command saved our Kyia’s, (American Staffordshire Terrier), life once, in the dark, on the side of a busy road as she slipped her collar. I am busy trying to lock the door, hold two leashes, and my work bag full of things needing to be finished, all while I have two dogs excited about going home. The next thing I know one leash is limp! I swing around to see my Kyia running happily towards a dark busy road. I know she could hear the fear in my voice as I called “Kyia, Here”! I have to say I was both surprised and relieved at how well she responded! She turned on a dime and happily came back to me. I did not have a treat available but I am sure the outpouring of love and kisses proved the point that I was beyond happy with her obedient behavior. This once again proved to me how important early puppy training really is.
To start, you will need a 6-foot leash for your puppy.
I love and recommend the Mendota, 6 foot snap leash. They come in many colors and last forever! Mendota also has a longer 15-foot lead that you could use later on for training.
Grab that treat bag and let’s get this puppy to learn the recall command!
With the leash on, have the puppy sit. Use your wait command as you step to the front facing the pup. Make sure they are at the wait and not moving forward as you take a step backwards.
Give the leash a tug and in a happy, upbeat voice, say their name followed by “here” or “come”. As the puppy runs towards you take two steps backwards so he has to run to you. Once they have made their way to you, tell them “Good boy/girl” in an extremely happy voice and give them a treat.
Over time you will take more steps back and run backwards further to instill the idea. Once your pup has the concept, and waits until you call them, you can start using a lone line.
A 15’ lead is great or even a soft cotton rope tied to your leash handle will work. It’s the same concept, just no running backwards since you are now farther away.
To make this training more fun you can introduce the sit-front when they come back to you. As they are coming into you for their treat, just tell them sit before giving the treat. Once this concept is solid, you can use this as a reward game off leash in your home or yard.
Simply call them when they are off leash, name first and the command you chose, in a happy, excited voice. They should run happily to you for a treat and verbal praise. This really does turn into a game that they enjoy.
Correcting Your Puppy’s Bad Behavior
So we’ve covered some basic training puppy commands to get your puppy started off on the right paw. Teaching your puppy basic commands at an early age instills good behavior rather than allowing them to make the rules.
Now it’s time for the not-so-fun part of training — correcting your adorable little puppy’s bad behavior.
Dog correction is a tricky subject. Your tone of voice will tell dogs of all ages you are not pleased and disappointed in their behavior.
There is no need to raise your voice, or say bad words when your puppy has created an accident. A simple “oh no” or “bad potty”, in a tone that sounds like you are not pleased, will convey your message. Dogs of all ages want to please their people, as making you happy is their top priority.
Well-Mannered Puppies to Well-Behaved Dogs
These basic tools, if taught as a puppy is growing up, will lay the foundation for good manners and lifesaving behavior. Whether you are training for obedience competition, a future service dog, emotional support animal, or a member of the household, these are the beginning steps of a solid training program.
Remember to call their name first to get their attention before giving them the command. This action insures you have their attention. Puppies have short attention spans, so keep your training sessions short but often.
Once you have mastered the “How to train your dog at home” techniques, you are prepared to venture out to walking your dog anywhere. You are also a step up on any further training you chose.
Remember, positive, happy voice and treat right as you get the desired behavior. You always want a happy dog that wants to please you. Always use their name first to get their attention. (Puppy dogs of all ages are busy thinking about other things while you are talking.) Use the command so they know what you are asking as well as when you are praising them so they know what they did right!
Continue to follow these routines to help your puppy become a mature, obedient dog. Your clean slate of a pup is now a well behavior part of the family!
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Annette Clark
Certified Pet Nutritionist, Pet Allergy Specialist, Master Groomer
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