Having a new puppy is an exciting time for a home. The new puppy brings a lot of love and laughter into a home. Puppies are also a lot of work. You may be surprised at just how hard training your puppy can be. However, there are ways to make it easier, like puppy training classes in Fredericksburg Virginia. Here are 5 important training tips for your new puppy.
1. Clarify house rules and stick to them
When you get your puppy, you need to decide what you will allow in your home and what you won’t. Are they allowed to jump on the couch? Are they allowed to eat scraps? You and the people in your home need to decide on the rules of the house. Most importantly, after you establish rules, you need to ensure that you stick to those rules. As puppy training classes in Fredericksburg Virginia will tell you, puppies will become confused by inconsistency. They won’t understand the rules if you don’t stick to them.
2. Positive Reinforcement
When your puppy does something correctly, you need to reward them. Have plenty of treats on hand so that you can use them when your puppy obeys a command or otherwise does something right. This positive reinforcement must be done immediately after the desired act. Wanting more treats, the puppy will continue to do the desired behaviors.
3. Dedicate yourself
Dog training in Virginia is a lot of work. You need to guarantee you have the time and patience you’ll need. A new puppy will need to be taken out multiple times throughout the day. They may also make mistakes at first. Be prepared. Get help from puppy training classes in Fredericksburg Virginia if you need it.
4. Don’t hit your dog
Your puppy will make a lot of mistakes. They may have an accident or chew on something they shouldn’t chew on. It can be frustrating. You may even be tempted to punish your dog by hitting them. Unfortunately, your dog will probably not know what they are getting hit for. Instead of teaching them to correct their behavior, it will only cause them to fear you and even hide from you.
5. Enlist help from the professionals
It’s difficult to take on the training of a puppy all by yourself, especially if you have work or other responsibilities. Look into puppy training classes in Fredericksburg Virginia. They will be able to help train your dog. They may even be able to help watch your dog during the day while you are at work. Make sure your dog bonds with the trainers before you leave them there for the day. You can do this by taking some time to watch them during the first training session. You may even learn some new tricks about dog training in Virginia. We at Wag Ur Tail Dog Training have professionals who can help train your dog for you and teach you how to continue the training at home.
It’s a good idea to train puppies young. If you train them young, they will be more likely to behave in their adult years. Follow these tips, and training your puppy will go smoothly. Call us at Wag Ur Tail Dog Training to learn how we can help turn your puppy into a good boy.