As we all know puppies are just about the cutest thing in the entire world. Unfortunately they are a HUGE mess! And they don't seem to speak English very well because they never listen to anyone. Although training your puppy is a difficult task there are several things you can do to help yourself and your puppy.
The most important thing to remember any time you are dog training is that you are the alpha. You have to remain calm and maintain control of all situations. When it comes to dogs if you lead, they will follow. This is true for puppies as well as adult dogs. By showing your puppy that you are the pack leader you ensure that he or she will always follow your lead. If they don't look to you for leadership you're gonna have a heck of a time getting them to learn from you.
Everyone knows that trying to housebreak your puppy is one of the most trying times in your relationship with your dog. Truly, if it was always like this you wouldn't have bothered getting the dog in the first place. Of course there are a few things you can do to ease the burden. First and foremost is to begin your puppy's training outdoors from the start. Teaching them to go on the newspaper in the kitchen is a mistake. Take them out from the start and give them lots of praise and back scratches when they do it outside. If you catch your puppy going inside don't yell or lose your cool. Say something like "BAD DOG!" while near the site of the "accident" and take them straight outside. Make sure you use the same word or phrase every time you reprimand them, but don't use the same phrase for other things your dog does wrong. It will just confuse them. The last thing I will mention is also the most important. You need to take your puppy out every time he or she eats, sleeps, drinks more than a few sips, has been alone for awhile or confined. I know it sounds like a lot, but puppies go a lot. Over time try to get a schedule that you and the dog are both comfortable with, but for now going outside all the time is better than cleaning up each mess.
Many people like to use reward and punishment to train their dogs. This is a good method since puppies respond very well to operant conditioning. When training your puppy to do certain things you must make sure you, and everyone else, always use the same command word for the same action. When your puppy responds with the desired response give them a reward. The reward you give should vary. I alternate with three different types of rewards. Sometimes I go with the obvious food treat, and sometimes I will give my puppy a new toy to chew on. The third is hearty praise. I will scratch my dachshund under her chin and tell her she's "such a pretty girl". Changing the reward helps the dog to associate the action with a good response, not just food. When your dog does something wrong make sure not to just start yelling. Try to correct the behavior with your own actions, helping the dog to see what you want. Your puppy will learn over time, but not immediately.
Puppy training can be one of the most difficult times you will have with your dog. However it can also be one of the most fun and rewarding times. Showing that cute little mutt how to do everything. So best of luck to all you new pet parents out there. You're gonna need it!
