Puppy Training - Things Mutts Must Learn

No matter how smart a dog is, there are some things it will never learn unless taught. If you wind up with a disobedient dog that doesn't know where it is meant to pee or when it is meant to bark, chances are - you are a bad trainer who failed to teach his dog how to live with humans. Here is a list of things you MUST include in your puppy's training.
Potty Training
The initial 'aaawe' wears off when folks wake up to the fact that they've just brought home a mess machine. One of the first things you need to do show your puppy is toilet training. If you fail, you're stuck with the poop scooper and a smelly house. While some dog owners swear by the paper-training method, others claim crate training works better. Whichever option you go for - remember the basic potty rules -
a. Watch your dog for signs that it needs to go and help him go IMMEDIATELY b. Gently correct your dog for going in the wrong place and take him outside to show him the right place but ONLY if you catch him in the act c. Praise your dog for going in the right place
Teach Your Puppy His Name
To have any amount of control over your puppy, you have to learn to communicate with each other. Start by teaching him his name and move on to other commands once he becomes familiar with the concept of learning from you. To begin, offer the puppy a treat by in the palm of your hand while calling him by his name to catch his attention. If your puppy approaches you and sniffs around the treat, raise the snack to make puppy look at your face, say his name and praise him lovingly as he gobbles up the treat. This will help pup form an association between the sound of your voice and the treat in your palm. Continue to repeat this exercise. Your puppy will begin to approach at the sound of his name whether or not you have anything to offer it.
Teach Basic Commands
You can begin to teach him his second command here - by cheerfully saying 'Yes!' or giving him a much loved toy when he responds instead of giving him an edible treat. Whenever he responds to you - use the word 'Yes' or 'Ok' so he associates them with treats and affection. By offering your puppy a reward for his behavior, also known as positive reinforcement technique - you can teach him a a range of other tricks. The most useful ones include - sit, stop, sleep, stay, out, yes and no.
Appreciating Silence
Remember, while most countries have no rules about noisy dogs, American dogs aren't allowed to bark for longer than 8 minutes at a stretch. It is a punishable offense! Train your dog early in life that it is not okay to bark for long periods of time. Once your dog understands the word 'No', use the word to shut him up. If your puppy shows barking tendencies, use disciplinary tactics. Check and see if he has a legit reason to yowl, if not scold him and send him to his kennel or basket. If there is a legit reason like a stranger in your yard or stray dogs outside, calm you pooch, give him a treat and distract him by playing.
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Leash Training Your Dog - 3 Simple Steps to Teach Your Dog to Walk on a Loose Leash

Does your dog pull when out on a walk? Are you embarrassed walking through your neighborhood? Do your arms and shoulders hurt after a walk? Training a dog to walk on a loose leash can be frustrating, especially if you have adopted an adult dog who has never been trained. It is not, however, impossible.
Before starting to train your dog you will need a collar and leash. The collar should be flat, rolled leather, a martingale or a head collar, and the leash leather or webbing. Avoid retractable leashes, chain and rolled nylon leashes as they will hurt your hands when your dog pulls.
For most dogs the following method works well.
1. Attach your leash to your dog's collar, have them sit on your left hand side, and wait until they are relaxed and the leash is slack. Hold the leash in both hands with some slack between your hands.
2. Have a command to tell your dog that you are going to start walking (lets go, come on). Say it once and then begin walking.
3. When your dog starts to pull, let go of the slack in the leash, stop, turn, and walk in a different direction. When your dog turns and walks in the same direction as you praise them and give a treat, but ONLY when the leash is slack. If your dog keeps pulling, modify this technique. When they pull, stop walking and wait until they come towards you and the leash slackens. When this happens, praise, give a treat, and again start walking in a different direction.
Repeat as necessary. Remember that training a dog to walk on a loose leash takes time and your first few walks will likely be a very short distance only, although you will cover a significant distance as you turn numerous times. Remember to keep the leash loose whenever you are moving.
For puppies, or dogs that are shy, nervous or have never had a leash on, you need to go more slowly and be low key. Attach the leash to their collar, and use treats, a favorite toy and your voice to encourage them to walk with you. Give lots of praise, keeping everything upbeat and positive. You want walking on a leash to be an enjoyable experience for your puppy, not something to be feared.
Leash training your dog will take time, especially if they are used to pulling. The key is to be consistent and persistent, eventually they will learn and you will be able to go on long walks together that you both will enjoy.
Want to learn more about leash training your dog?
Visit http://www.trainyournewdog.info for more tips and advice on effectively training your dog.
Katie Mills enjoys sharing resources about dog training. In doing so she has created relationships with certain experts and in recommending their products may receive compensation for doing so.
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