Have you recently welcomed a puppy into your home? If so, the next few months are going to be filled with adorable moments! You’ve also got quite a bit of pet parenting ahead of you. Little Fido has lots to learn! In addition to housebreaking and crate training, Here, a Roanoke, VA vet offers some puppy training tips.
Furriculum
Start by teaching your pet basic doggy obedience commands, such as Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Lay Down. Work on one command at a time, and don’t move on until your furry pal has mastered each one. These commands can be taught along with housebreaking and crate training. Once little Fido has these mastered, you can show him some cute tricks, or move on to more advanced training.
Pawsitive Thoughts
Never punish your puppy for not picking things up quickly enough. Instead, keep things cheerful by rewarding your canine buddy with treats and praise for doing well. Also, be sure to only work with your pooch when you’re in a good mood. Man’s Best Friend is very intuitive, and can pick up our moods very quickly. If you’re grumpy or stressed, little Fido may sense it, and could form a bad association with training. You definitely don’t want that!
Timing
Dogs don’t have very long attention spans, especially when they are young. Long classes will likely bore your four-legged student. Try to work with Fido for a few minutes every day. This will keep things fun and fresh for your furry friend. If you don’t have much time for training, consider enrolling the little guy in doggy daycare. Many of these programs offer training.
Consistency
Consistency is very important when training dogs. Be sure to use the same phrases every time when teaching your furry buddy vocal commands. If you say ‘Come’ one day and ‘Fido, get over here now!’ the next, you’re probably going to confuse your pet.
Rewards
Giving little Fido a gold star probably won’t impress him very much. Instead, you’ll want to offer your pup something more tangible, like food. Use small snacks, like bits of kibble or piece of hot dogs. If your adorable student gets too full, he probably will be more focused on napping than learning!
Does your puppy need an exam, microchipping, or parasite control? Please contact us, your Roanoke, VA pet clinic, for all your puppy’s veterinary care needs.
