Training your Puppy

Puppies need to go to school just like children.  Good quality training is important if you want your puppy to grow up to be an obedient mature dog.  Here are some tips to find a trainer that will care about your puppy as much as you do.

Every puppy needs training.  You can teach him commands that help him to become housebroken and crate trained, but in the long run, there is more that puppy needs to learn and you will burn out eventually.

Ask someone that you trust about a puppy trainer.  Your veterinarian is a good resource.  He or she has probably dealt with them before.  Or, you can talk to friends with dogs that have been through the training process.

Interview puppy trainers just like you did with the puppy breeders and veterinarians.  Prepare a list of questions.  Find out how long they have been in the dog training business.  Dog trainers are not regulated by government agencies.  If the trainer you talk to has been in business for only a few months, move on to the next one. 

Puppies can start training as young as six weeks of age.  During puppy’s training, try to get the entire family to participate.  Puppy needs to practice his new skills with his family.  He may perform well in class with strangers, but not transition his training to you when he gets home.

Training sessions that encourage family participation is the best choice.  Some trainers may offer private lessons with puppy or dog only sessions.  While puppy needs to learn how to interact with other animals, he also needs to interact with you.  Besides, if puppy is left alone with the trainer, you can’t evaluate the quality of the training being done.

Train with your puppy at least twice a week.  Classes that include puppies of the same age are the most desirable.  Pay particular attention to the trainer’s methods.  Puppy should not be abused in any way for the sake of learning.  Yelling may frighten your puppy.

If for any reason you are unsatisfied with the quality of training, withdraw from the class.  Substandard training will affect puppy in the long run.  You are paying for the sessions and are entitled to the best for your puppy.  Don’t let the loss of money cause you to sacrifice puppy’s care.

Training is important to puppy’s life.  Without it, puppy could grow up to be an unruly adult dog that causes strife for the entire family, including puppy and no one wants that.

Originally posted 2008-12-08 21:40:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter