Puppy Training Tips

PUPPY TRAINING TIPS

Well: you did it. You’re the proud owner of a new puppy! It’s wonderful to imagine the memories you’ll make with your new dog. However, there’s something you need to think about almost as soon as you officially welcome your pet home:  puppy training. To the novice dog owner, puppy training can seem overwhelming and confusing. You might have some pressing questions on your mind.

What exactly do I do? How do I do it? And do I have to do this all on my own?

To answer these questions, we’ve put together 4 tips to help you get started on your puppy training journey.

PATIENCE IS KEY

Training a puppy takes patience and consistency. Both of you are new to this! Get to know each other. Set ground rules around your home and other common areas. Introduce expectations for toileting, biting and other behaviors early and often. Patience is key when it comes to puppy training, and you’ll have ample opportunity to practice it!

INVEST IN A CRATE

Crate training is not a heartless practice designed to isolate your puppy solely to prevent unwanted messes. Crates are very helpful during training because they provide shelter, familiarity and can even help relieve anxiety for your puppy. If you are particularly interested in house and toilet training your dog (as most owners are), investing in a crate adds one more tool to your box of training solutions that you can use as needed.

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

There is lots of research that indicates the benefit of positive reinforcement during puppy training. Just like general puppy training, patience is of the utmost importance when it comes to using positive reinforcement techniques. Start by commanding a behavior (e.g “sit!” or “come!”) and rewarding your puppy for their obedience. Over time and with consistent training, your puppy will grow into a dog who can quickly and accurately follow your behavioral cues.

PRACTICE SOCIALIZATION

Socialization is simply the act of interacting with and learning social and behavioral expectations. Your new puppy learns how to behave from interactions with you, other dogs, and the world around them. If you’re located in Western Massachusetts and your puppy is between the ages of 8-16 weeks, consider enrolling them in our Spots Tots Program! We’re currently enrolling at both of our Chicopee and Northampton locations. Your puppy will learn to socialize easily through play and practicing behavioral and social skills.  Importantly, our program is designed to come alongside you and help support the training you do at home. We also give your puppy lots of time to play and enjoy his surroundings. The Spots Tots Program is one of the ways we support and encourage you and your dog during the puppy training process.

Welcoming a new dog into your home is an exciting time, but it can be overwhelming too. Start small: try some basic positive reinforcement training skills today and work up to other things. And remember: we’re here to help!

Want to sign your pup up for our Spots Tots Program? Give us a call at (413) 534-1333 or stop by either of our Chicopee or Northampton locations.