A Positive Approach to
Dog Training |
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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. |
Keep a Few Toys for "Special" Training
Select a few toys you can use for retrieving or tug games with your dog and put them away in a special
place that your dog does not have access to. Bring one of these toys out when you are training or playing
with your puppy and put it away again after the play has finished. The “novelty effect” of this approach
will increase your puppy’s interest in the toy and allow you to use it effectively for training your puppy
to retrieve, to give when commanded, and to redirect nipping to toys. |
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Providing Safe and Stimulating Toys
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