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| These tips will help you get started with puppy training |
Collaborative post by another author.
When bringing a puppy home everything will be a new experience for them. The world around them will suddenly become much bigger with new environments, people and other animals all ready to greet them. It may also be a new experience for you as owners if this is your first time welcoming a puppy. If so, you’ll want to understand early on how to train and socialise them and why this is important for their development.
To help, below you’ll find a few tips on starting basic training that will help your new puppy bond with you and listen to your instructions, and how to socialise them to be happy, confident dogs as they get older. Starting socialisation and training when they’re young can be beneficial to their overall wellbeing and help reduce behavioural issues from developing, plus it can be a great opportunity to have fun with them and strengthen your bond.
Basic Training Techniques to Try
As you may expect, you’ll need both patience and consistency when it comes to training your pup. It can be challenging to begin with, but once you get into a good routine with it, you’ll hopefully see the results fast. Rather than get too complex too quickly, it’s best to start with basic commands:
The Basics - "Sit," "stay," and "come" are three of the basic commands that you’ll use most often. Teaching these can be made much easier when using positive reinforcement and rewarding them. Always use treats, praise or even toys as this will help to encourage your puppy each time they successfully follow your command. It will reinforce the behaviour and help make training fun and enjoyable for your puppy.
Gradually introduce one command at a time – To avoid overwhelming your pup, try one command at a time and keep each training session short, about 5 to 10 minutes. This will help to keep their attention. Practice this regularly and use the same words and gestures each time . You’ll also need to ensure other members of your household stick to the same ones as this will help your puppy learn faster.
Use the new commands regularly – Making training part of everyday activities will help them learn quickly. Ask your puppy to "sit" before meals, "stay" before opening the front door for walks, or "come" during playtime. This ensures that you can make the switch from simply teaching them these commands to using them when necessary and your pup will soon get into the routine.
Be patient and positive! – Don’t forget that young puppies may take time to learn and will make mistakes. Some pups will pick up these commands quickly whilst others may take a bit of time, so stick with it and keep everything positive, especially if it is at the same time as toilet training them. Using a treat to get their attention before trying a command like “sit” will help them focus on you.
Looking After Their Health First
The health of your puppy is the most important thing, and part of training and socialising them is to keep them safe from potential issues. By teaching them the basic commands they will listen to you whilst out for a walk, such as asking them to “sit” when waiting to cross busy roads, or when eventually letting them off the lead and being confident they will “come” when asked. It’s also important in the home to avoid them coming into contact with toxic substances, such as teaching them to “drop” anything they have in their mouth, or “stay” when the front door is open, so they don’t run out.
If for some reason anything did happen and they become injured or ill, or you need help with their behaviour, you’ll want the peace of mind your vet can help provide advice and emergency treatment. Having a suitable pet insurance policy that covers accidents, illnesses, and behavioural treatment can be helpful when the unexpected does happen. It will help cover the costs of vet fees for treatments and surgeries where needed, whilst also provide complementary therapy and expert advice that can help with their recovery and development.
If you’re ever unsure about your puppy’s behaviour or if they are acting differently than usual, it’s always best to speak to your vet as soon as possible. It may not always be that there is something seriously wrong with them, but having reassurance from your vet, as well as knowing you can cover the financial side of treatment, can prevent you from worrying.
Beginning Your Pup’s Socialisation
Socialisation is very important for your puppy as it will expose them to a wide range of experiences, people, other animals and environments sooner rather than later. When done well, it will help prevent behavioural issues such as fear, aggression or anxiety when they are in new and unfamiliar situations. Just like us humans, it can be daunting when having new experiences, so you can imagine this is exactly the same for our pets.
According to the Dogs Trust National Dog Survey 2024, 80% of dog owners said they were confident in reading dog body language, but only 24% consistently identified worried dog behaviours. Being able to understand your dog’s behaviour is crucial and early socialisation can go a long way to help them grow up to be less anxious and happier overall.
Gradually introduce different sounds, sights, and surfaces – When they are only a few weeks and months old, be sure to plan new experiences gradually. Too much too quickly can be overwhelming, so if meeting other family members and their pets, do this in stages. You want to introduce them to what will be normal parts of their life, so the sound of cars outside, noises in the home such as the washing machine and doorbell, along with seeing and meeting other dogs when outside are all important, just make sure your pup is fully vaccinated before meeting other dogs.
Keep an eye on your puppy’s behaviour – If they seem too anxious or worried, it’s best to stop the new interaction and try again another time. Keep everything positive and avoid situations from becoming negative experiences for them. Also, before you welcome other people into your home to meet your pup, do so when they are relaxed and ready for this rather than overexcited or overwhelmed.
Common Challenges and Solutions
As there will no doubt be some challenges along the way with their training, sometimes it isn’t always their fault. Puppies are still developing, and they can tire easily, so whilst they may struggle to keep focus on what you are trying to teach them, this is normal.
Also, depending on what their first few weeks were like with the breeder, they will hopefully already be used to a few things within the home along with other people. A puppy without this experience in the first 8 weeks (which is before they come home with you) may struggle a bit more when training, just remember to stay positive and consistent with them.
You may also find that certain breeds will need more training than others as they all have different personalities and temperaments and can inherit traits from their parents. Before choosing a puppy, it’s best to research the breed to understand this fully. That way you can choose a breed more suited to your situation such as a busy family household.
For puppies struggling with socialisation, such as being shy, introduce new experiences slowly and never force them into interactions and situations if they are not relaxed. One of the best things you can do is sign up for puppy training classes if you are struggling, as you can get help and guidance on basic training as well as give your pup plenty of opportunities to socialise with other dogs. You’ll still need to train them in between classes, but taking them regularly can improve their confidence, as well as yours, that you’re on the right track.
Hopefully your training efforts will be successful, but do speak to your vet if you need further advice. They may be able to put you in touch with an animal behaviourist and recommend good training classes in your area. Good luck, and here’s hoping you and your pup enjoy this time together.
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