7 Tips to Training Your Puppy

Having a puppy can be a challenge and when it comes to training. Below are have some great training tips from Roxie Shepherd, professional trainer at Barkefellers. Roxie will give you tips on dealing with puppy teething, leash walking, crate training, jumping and more.

Keys To Training Your Puppy

Teething

Puppies tend to chew on anything and everything to find relief for their gums. One tip to help ease their pain (and save your furniture) is to take a tube sock, tie a couple knots in it, soak it in chicken broth, and put it in the freezer. You can also use any old, stuffed toy. They will love chewing on this flavorful, handmade toy. Another fun treat for your pup (and a good way to keep them focused for a while) is to give them a Kong toy filled with frozen peanut butter.

Walking on a leash

Sometimes puppies have trouble catching on to the whole leash thing. To help them learn, take a lightweight leash and hook it on to their collar. Let them walk around the house with the leash attached to get used to it. Make sure they are supervised at all times while the leash is on. The leash could get caught on something, trapping or choking them.

Crate training

The trick to getting your puppy to accept the crate is to make it a happy, cozy place for them. You can put a Nylabone or Kong toy with treats in it. Do not put rawhide in the crate – you must supervise your puppy when eating these because they could choke on them. If your puppy barks or cries in their crate, try putting a dark, lightweight sheet over it. This tactic makes it feel more like a den for them.

Jumping

The best thing to do when a puppy keeps jumping on people is to ask for a sit. Once they sit, praise them. If they jump again, say “no,” and tell them to sit again. Do not pet the dog until they sit. Persistence and consistency are key. Just remember, it’s cute when they are little, but you will not like it when they get bigger. It’s also important to remember the difference between the commands “down” and “off.” “Down” should be used to lie down, while “off” should be used to command them to get off a human or object on which they are jumping. Distinguishing between these two commands will help the dog learn more effectively.

Learning their name

When teaching a puppy’s name, it should always be used in a positive way. You want your puppy to look at you when you call them. With that being said, let’s pretend your puppy is getting into the trash. Rather than using their name, you should simply tell them “no.” Name recognition is the foundation to the command “come.” Keeping it positive will help them when you begin to teach them to “come” to you.

Come or recall

“Come” is very important to instill in a positive light because it should only be used for safety. For example, you would not want to use “come” to retrieve your dog for a bath if this is a negative situation for him. I say “let’s go” instead of “come.” This command could save the dog’s life. You never want them to hesitate when hearing “come.” A fun game the whole family can play when teaching this command is hide and seek. Everybody takes treats with them and hides throughout the house. Say your puppy’s name, then say “come” excitedly. Repeat this process for each person hiding.