You will be training your new puppy from the moment you bring it into your home. Training to go outside to potty is normally the first step of obedience new pet owners decide to try. There are a lot of things you could teach your puppy, such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay,’ but it may take awhile. Take a look at these steps listed below.
Using toys or small treats to begin training
Puppies can be taught simple commands, such as ‘sit,’ using a technique known as food-lure training. Small treats or a favorite toy may be used to get the puppy motivated to perform certain tasks. If the treat is appealing, he/she can be encouraged to perform the desired task. Do this by first showing him/her the treat, after you can give the command, then move the reward to get the desired response. For example, treats that are drawn to the floor should get the puppy to lay down. Pairing a command with each action and giving a reward for correct responses will help the puppy to learn the meaning of each command.
When training, how often should I give my dog a command?
You should give the command once and then use the food or toy to move the puppy into the said command. Once the puppy has performed the task, give him/her praise and affectionate pat. If you continuously repeat the command, the puppy will learn that being told several times before obeying is okay. Always remember that puppies do not know the meaning to words during early training, the key is to associate the word or phrase with the command.
How should I stop giving food rewards for obeying commands?
As your puppy begins to follow your commands without hesitation, you can begin hiding the food in your hand, still giving the command or motion they learned to follow. After you have done this a few times, you can begin to supplement the treats with praises and affectionate pats. Try to only give the puppy a treat every 3 to 4 times a command is followed. In time, the puppy should respond to the command or the hand signal.
Puppies are sometimes hard to work with, they always want to play and never want to sit still. An impatient person should hire professional Dog Training in Chicago. Call us today to set up an appointment with a dog training specialist.
