The first 5 things to teach your puppy

Having a new dog at home requires some responsibilities regardless of their age. You need to teach your puppy physical skills, social and behavioral skills, among others. Don’t wait until your puppy is all grown to begin training. You should start training your puppy right away after getting him home.

Remember, the way you train your puppy will affect their future personality. If you wonder where and how to start training your puppy, we have some top puppy training basics that will help you start the training right away. Check out the first five things you need to teach your puppy below.

When should you start training your puppy?

It’s not too early to teach your puppy. You should start training once the puppy is home. Before you do that, you need to learn some puppy training techniques to do be successful.

Puppies start learning right after birth. Young puppies can begin learning some simple commands like “stay” or “sit” at around 8 weeks. Formal dog training should begin when your dog is around 6 months. Now, let’s check the essential things you should train your new puppy.

#1: Teach your puppy his name

Training your puppy right away after getting home is essential. You might not even know the training has started with your daily actions. You should teach your puppy his name because this gives a long-lasting connection between you and your puppy.

The main aim of giving your puppy a name is to get his attention and look at you when addressing him. Therefore, we regard the name as a sign of command. It is not complicated to teach your new puppy his name. You need to call him by his name when he is looking at you and treat or praise him.

When you repeat this several times, your puppy will learn his name in the next few days or weeks. You should always use the name positively, so don’t use it when you rectify his behavior. Call him when you want to get his attention, and this will help him recall his name.

#2: Focus on potty training

Younger puppies up to 6 weeks old do not have control of their bladders. So, expect accidents from time to time. Potty training is a process that requires patience and consistency. Older adopted puppies are usually house-broken, but this doesn’t necessarily mean accidents are inevitable when familiarizing themselves with the new place.

One of the best approaches for potty training is to teach your puppy to find the right place and then walk them deliberately to that spot when you are sure they want to go. When they do that, reward them with a treat or praise. By doing this, you will be reinforcing good behavior and routine so you and the puppy will always know when it’s time to go out.

#3: Spend time on socialization skills

Always socialize with your puppy as much as you can. You can start to teach your puppy socialization skills when the puppy is 2-16 weeks. Start by introducing your puppy to smells, sounds, and new places. You don’t have to rush this, take everything slow, and it will be easy for your puppy to learn without feeling overwhelmed.

Some puppies, like Sheepadoodles, a cross between Old English Sheepdogs and Standard Poodles that make excellent therapy or service dogs, are naturally outgoing and easy to socialize.

You can also meet different people and introduce your puppy to public places gradually. Consider taking your puppy to puppy classes to introduce him to other puppies.

You should not introduce your new puppy to strange dogs or take him to a dog park at this age. Things can be unpredictable, and you might end up harming your puppy.

#4: Teach basic commands

Start with teaching your puppy some basic commands like stay, sit, and down among others. If this is your first time training a dog, you can sign up for puppy training classes to do everything the right way.

If you do this, your puppy will learn the skills and get the chance to interact with other puppies and improve socialization skills. Take the time to teach your puppy to sit, down and stay in a fun way. When they do it right, reward them with a clicker, toy, or treat.

#5: Establish spaces and boundaries

Another essential tip you should teach your puppy is to know their space in the house. Teach them to love their bed or crate and let them know that it is their space. You also can consider having various spots for your puppy in the house to feel as if he is confined to a den.

Some dogs can learn their spaces fast, while others require some coaxing. You can try to give them a reward when they are in their crate to help them develop a positive approach with their spots in the house.

Additionally, teach your puppy about boundaries, and they respond pretty well.  For instance, if you don’t like your dog on the couch, take them off gently and reward them, then they stay down. However, stick to your rules to avoid confusing your dog. If you allow your dog on the couch at other times, taking them out the next time will create confusion since they will not know what is right or wrong.

If you also don’t like your dog doing things like chewing shoes, you need to tell him “no” and replace the shoe with their toy, which is acceptable.

Final words 

Having a new puppy at home is great but training your puppy well is another story. If you don’t want your dog to end up with unmanageable behavior issues in the future, you need to take your time and teach your puppy the right way. Proper training ensures your puppy will grow in the adult you have always wished.

Puppies are not too young to start learning. If you implement the above puppy training guide, you will keep your puppy on the right track. However, remember patience and consistency are essential throughout the training process.

Puppy training 101: 10 tips to prepare your dog for success