Tips on Obedience Training for Your New Pup

Getting a dog is a big decision, as they require a ton of time and attention. Even though many children beg their parents for a furry friend, they may not fully grasp the responsibility of caring for the pup's entire well-being. Training is arguably the most essential part of adopting a puppy, as it'll determine their behavior for the rest of their life. If you've never owned a dog, you probably don't know much about training practices. Dive into these tips on obedience training for your new pup for the best behavioral results.

Start Training As Soon as Possible

Training should start as soon as you bring them home; otherwise, they might develop bad habits that are hard to break. Although they're adorable right now, bad behavior isn't cute in an adult dog. Jumping on people for attention may not be a big deal when they're a small pup, but a larger breed can weigh up to 100 pounds within a year. These habits can lead to an uncontrollable adult dog—stay on top of training now.

Keep Them on a Set Schedule

Like small children, structure is crucial for puppy training. That said, you should keep them on a consistent schedule for when to wake up, eat, go potty, play, and go to bed. While keeping this schedule for the first few weeks may be difficult, you and your pup will adjust to it very soon. A dog on a schedule is often very well-behaved.

Reward Good Behavior

Even though training can be a challenge for everyone involved, it doesn't have to be extensive every single day. Focusing on training for 15-20 minutes daily is the most effective, as puppies tend to have short attention spans. With that said, you can hold their attention by offering rewards. It's no secret that food motivates most dogs, and you can use this to your advantage.

Whether you're working on basic commands like sit, stay, lay down, or something more challenging, rewarding good behavior with treats is the best form of positive reinforcement for dogs. With a dog-training fanny pack, you can keep your hands free but carry plenty of treats on you to reward them during leash training.

Socialize Frequently

Like people, dogs need socialization to maintain their overall health. If you don't allow your pup around other people and dogs during their developmental phases, they may grow up to act negatively in social situations. Unfortunately, poorly socialized dogs are often aggressive toward people and animals—set up doggy play dates and take your pup anywhere you can to make them familiar with social encounters.

Now that you know these tips on obedience training for your new pup, you can transform a naïve puppy into an obedient adult dog. Being a dog owner isn't always easy, but training your furry friend is an incredibly rewarding experience.