TRAINING

There are few things a dog would rather do than please his master.  Therefore, obedience training, or even the initial basic training, will be a pleasure for your dog, if taught correctly, and will make him/her a much nicer animal to live with for the rest of his life.

WHEN TO START TRAINING

The most frequently asked question is when to start?  The answer is , “not before 6 months.”   A dog cannot be sufficiently or permanently trained before this age and be expected to retain all he/she has been taught.  If you expect too much, he/she can become frustrated, and it may ruin him completely for any serious training later on.  It can also jeopardize his/hers disposition.  Anything a puppy learns and repeats before six months of age is a habit not training.

REWARDS

The only good kind of training is the kindness and reward method which builds a strong bond between you and your dog.  The dog must have confidence and respect for his/her teacher.  The best way to teach is through repetition.  Be happy with praise to him/her and scold when he/she does wrong.  There is no excuse for hitting a dog which will tend to make the dog shy the rest of his life.  One word commands are best if pronounced distinctly and are used for the same command every time.  Use the dogs name so you will have the dogs attention at the beginning of each command.  Try not to move on to the next command before the dog has completed the one you were working on.  Try to do the training where the dog is not distracted until he/she can concentrate on you.  Needless to say, whatever the distractions, you never lose control.  You must remain in control at all times to earn the respect and attention of your dog.

LENGTH OF LESSON

Lessons should be short for a new dog, starting at 5 minutes and as the dog ages and becomes adept in the first lessons, increase the time to 30 minutes.  Public training will last a hour, but the training is not just for your dog, but a group of dogs unless you take private lessons.  There is no set rule in basic training, except, “don't push”!

WHAT YOU NEED TO TRAIN

For the 3 to 6 month training use a soft nylon show lead and when ready for basic training at 6 months, you will require a metal link choke chains sold for exactly this purpose.  Don't let the name “choke” bother you.  It is a soft, smooth chain and should be held slack except when correcting the dog. It is important to have some  one show you the correct way to put the choke collar on.  A 6 foot lead is the best length for training your dog.

WHAT TO TEACH FIRST

The first thing your dog needs to learn is his/her name.  He/she will learn this name at an earlier age than six months also how to walk on a leash.  If the puppy wants to walk around with leash in his/her mouth there is not a problem with this as long as they learn to walk on the leash.  Let the puppy walk around with lead on the ground so he/she will recognize it as something pleasurable and not used as a harness.  Getting your dog to come is quite simple with praise and a treat. Let the dog hit the end of the leash and say his/her name and a small  tug he/she will come to you and a pat on the head or a treat will reinforce  the command and make it fun for you and your dog.

Please check back for more training tips for you and your new puppy!