Puppy Training Tips

Have you recently adopted a puppy? Congratulations! Of course, you’ve got a lot to teach your new pet over the next few months. Training is crucial at this adorable stage of Fido’s life. A Brantford, ON lists some helpful ‘petucation’ tips below.

Keep It Simple

Dogs can learn as many as 100 commands. You don’t have to go quite that far, but you should make sure your pup knows the five most important ones: Sit, Stay, Heel, Come, and Lay Down. Leave It and Down are also useful. Work on one of these at a time. Start with Sit: it’s the easiest for your pet to learn. Don’t move on until your canine pal has mastered the command that he’s currently working on.

Make It Fun

Fido doesn’t have a very long attention span, unless bacon is involved. Take care not to bore your canine pupil with long, drawn-out classes. That may just make him form a bad association with his education! 10-15 minutes is plenty.

It’s also important to only work with your puppy when you’re in a good mood. Dogs are very, very good at reading our intents and emotions. Little Fido may become wary of school if he connects it to any negative emotions.

Reward Your Student

You probably already know where we’re going with this: treats! Positive reinforcement is crucial here. Fido needs to associate the desired activity with something good … such as snacks. Use small portions, so you don’t accidentally overfeed your furry student. Bits of kibble are good, but you can also use training treats or thin slices of hot dogs.

Be Consistent

Consistency is always very important when it comes to training animals. Always use the same words and phrases for training little Fido. Don’t say ‘Come’ one day and then ‘Fido, come here, boy!’ the next: your canine buddy won’t realize that both of those phrases mean the same thing.

Time It Right

You may have a hard time teaching little Fido if he needs a walk or has the zoomies. Schedule your furry friend’s class for a time so that he isn’t likely to be bouncing all over with pent-up puppy energy. After a walk and/or play session is a good bet.

Do you have questions about your dog’s health or care? Is your puppy due for an appointment? Contact us, your Brantford, ON animal clinic, today!