A Positive Approach to Dog Training
By the time your puppy has been weaned and is ready to join your family, his experiences with his mother and litter mates have taught him much of what he needs to know about “being a dog”. Now, as he joins his new home, he will learn about living in a home and playing with his human family. Carefully channeling your puppy’s play toward appropriate toys and teaching him how to play gently and to respond to basic commands can prevent the development of behavior problems and will help your new puppy become a well-behaved family member.
Training Methods
Like all other animals, dogs learn through experience. If a behavior results in a pleasant and enjoyable experience, your puppy will tend to repeat that behavior in the future. Likewise, animals avoid repeating behaviors that result in unpleasant experiences. The best training procedures for puppies rely primarily upon positive reinforcement for desired behaviors and management of the home environment to prevent problem behaviors. Puppies can quickly learn to walk on a lead, come when called, wait at the door without bolting, accept handling and grooming, and greet without jumping up. Most communities offer puppy training classes that teach these manners and also provide valuable opportunities for puppies to socialize with other dogs of the same age.
Dogs Respond to Many Types of Rewards
A variety of positive reinforcers (rewards) can be used with dogs. The most effective are small food treats (use dog treats, not human foods!), petting, praise, and an opportunity to play a favorite game. Because every dog is an individual and has specific preferences, experiment and find out what things are most enjoyable to your puppy.
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