School is in Session! Top Tips for At-Home Puppy Training
Bringing a puppy to their new home is an exciting moment in any family’s life. We’ve got you prepared with toys, treats, and plenty of research! Training and teaching your pup how to be a member of your household will begin the moment you bring them home.
In this guide, Get Joy will offer essential tips to master puppy training at home. Let’s take a look!
Putting Your Pup Back to School
First and foremost, there is no right way to train your new canine companion. Ultimately, you establish all the rules to set the stage for raising a well-mannered dog. By starting early, your puppy can learn good house manners and new skills.
From the moment you bring your puppy home, every interaction is an opportunity to teach a lesson. That being said, here are some training tips to consider.
Top Puppy Training Tips
Training your cute furball will require a lot of time, effort, and patience. Here are some tips that will help you achieve puppy training success.
- Begin Training Right Away: Basic training will begin as soon as they enter your home. While some behaviors may appear cute to you early on, like jumping on you for attention, they may be a nuisance later on. Keep this in mind as you encourage or discourage certain behaviors in your pup.
- Always Supervise Your Pup: Puppies are very much like newborn babies and need to be supervised during their first few months. Supervise your puppy until potty training and other important skills have been learned without mistakes.
- Use Cue Words: Choose cue words consistently in their foundational training. Verbal cues like “go potty” are important in teaching your dog to relieve themselves in the proper spot. When the connection between the cue word and behavior seems to be understood, praise your pup by telling them, “good potty.” You can follow a similar process with other cue words.
- Establish a Routine: Scheduling a daily routine for your puppy will help them thrive in their new environment. Having a consistent schedule for their feeding, playtime, walk time, crating, and bathroom breaks will add structure to their life. Repetition is a critical factor in their learning process, which is why a puppy schedule is highly beneficial to implement.
- Positive Reinforcement: Help your dog become proactive in the training process through positive reinforcement. The American Kennel Club describes positive reinforcement training as rewarding your dog for its good behavior. A focus on rewards encourages a love of learning in your dog. You can use treats, games, or attention to reward your dog for what they do right.
Additional Training Tips For First-time Pet Parents
There are more aspects to puppy training, including:
As a first-time pet parent, there are some tips and tricks that will help you teach your pup what to expect.
- Practice Patience: Teaching your pooch all the household rules will require tremendous effort with their short attention spans. Remember that training is not going to occur overnight. If you begin to lose patience, take a break and start over.
- Be Consistent: Consistency will be key in your puppy training. Puppies thrive on routine and consistency, so keep this in mind as you create a lifelong bond with your beloved canine.
- Celebrate Milestones: Lastly, celebrate small achievements with your pup. They grow up so fast, so make sure to cherish the important milestones they go through!
Get Your Questions Answered by Get Joy
Need more help training your puppy at home? Get all your questions answered with Get Joy’s on-demand virtual vet services. Connecting with our licensed vet experts is easy – all you need to do is confirm your dog’s details, start your session, and ask away! Book your free video session here.
