Training a puppy is a job that requires endless patience and perseverance. It is a long-term commitment that will pay off as the puppy ages into adulthood.
It is important that you begin right away to reinforce good behavior and discourage unwanted behavioral traits such as biting, chewing and jumping.
The following is a list of things that you should not allow a puppy to get away with:
1. Puppies have a natural instinct to chew on things, especially when experiencing pain from teething. It is your job to teach the cuddly, little ball of fur that he or she has his or her own toys for chewing. Be sure to supply plenty of chew toys for younger dogs. If you find the puppy chewing on something of yours, say “no” in a loud tone of voice and take the item away. Try substituting one of his or her chew toys.
2. While you may think it is cute that a six-week old puppy is nibbling on your fingers, you may change your mind when he or she grows into a 100-pound adult that has the power to crunch your fingers into smashed bone fragments. Discourage hand nibbling and biting from the start!
3. Don’t feed a puppy table food. Introducing different foods can cause stomach upsets, diarrhea and allergic reactions. Some dogs will shy away from their own kibble when they know that there is people food to be had.
4. Don’t let a puppy get away with ignoring you when you tell him or her to come to you. It is important that you teach your puppy to obey your commands. Obeying can keep disaster from striking.
5. If you let your puppy get away with begging – whether it is when you’re having a snack in front of the TV or having a meal at the dinner table – he or she will continue to do so. Teach the puppy to lie quietly while you are eating.
6. Don’t let your puppy run loose. Puppies are a lot like very young children. They need constant supervision to keep them safe. It is important to know where your puppy is at all times.
7. Jumping is something that you may find cute, but your guests probably won’t agree with you. It is important to teach puppies not to jump up on people. It’s also a good idea to teach a puppy to not jump up on furniture unless you invite him or her to do so.
8. Do not tolerate a puppy’s aggressiveness over food. There are a lot of reasons this can happen, but it is vital that you discourage this kind of behavior immediately.
9. Never change your puppy’s food abruptly. If you feel the need to change varieties, do so by gradually introducing the new food.
10. Do not use cheap plastic dishes to feed puppies. Some of the cheap plastics contain chemicals that can be harmful to your puppy if ingested. Use ceramic or stainless steel dishes so that the puppy cannot knock them over or chew them up.
Take the time to teach wanted behaviors at an early age. This will go a long way in producing a dog you are proud to call your own.
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