Training a Puppy is a
vital part of owning a
dog. It is very important that a puppy is trained while it is still
young,
instead of when the dog is older as it will be more difficult to
train.
When a puppy is a the rightful age of between ten
to twelve weeks old it will be time to start training. This is the
stage that people normally receive a new puppy. When training it is
very important to address your puppy using the name that you have
selected. Try to use the name at every opportunity.
It
will usually learn to respond to its name within a few days. If your
dog hears all kinds of nicknames, it will become confused and
eventually not respond to any name at all.
Housebreaking your Puppy
The sooner your puppy
is house trained, the better.
The
sooner your puppy is house trained, the sooner its company will become
a pleasure and not a burden. You should take the puppy outside
immediately after every feeding so that it can relieve itself. With
males particularly, allow time for the puppy to sniff and investigate
before the dog urinates or passes stools. Remember to remain patient at
all time, even in the cold and rain. It may take a long time at first,
but later it will become routine for the dog and things will go
quicker. When the dog has done what it is supposed to do, you must
praise the dog. Use the same words eg: "Good Dog" and speak in a
friendly, encouraging tone, praise while using the dogs name.
During
the course of the day you should take your dog out every two to three
hours so it can relieve itself. To encourage cleanliness during the
night, take your dog out for a last walk late in the evening, just
before going to bed. Accidents will occur at first and they need to be
tolerated as the dog is learning. If an accident does happen, approach
the dog with a sharp 'NO!". Rubbing your dog's nose in its urine or
stools is NOT
hygienic and it
is also pointless as the puppy cannot understand it.
A
useful tip is to lay newspaper over puddles to soak up the urine. When
dry, shake freshly ground pepper over the spot or wipe it with a
disinfectant. This will prevent the puppy from using the spot again.
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