A puppy is no different from a human child, he/she brings an equal amount of joy and also comes with some responsibilities. If you want your furry friend to be happy and also want your family to be comfortable and happy in their presence you need to train them well. You need to teach them many important things, and we shall discover 10 such things to teach your puppy right away.
Toilet training
All of us know that we need to teach our puppy where exactly they should relieve themselves, but it is also important to teach them how to alert you when they want to poop or pee. You may feel by taking your pup to the designated area at particular times like after meals and after he wakes up is good enough, and this is true.
However, there can be times when your puppy may need to relieve themselves more often. So, it will be helpful if your little friend knows how to alert you when they need to go. You may ask them a question like do you need to go poop or pee and keep asking them this question whenever you take them out to do their business. Gradually, they will start associating this phrase with the act they are doing. So, when you ask them the question, either they will show no interest or jump or make some sound to show they need to go.
See also; 10 Dog Breeds That Have Most Adorable Puppies.
Sit, drop, and stay
Though this may seem so obvious, there are many puppies who do not sit on command. So, it is crucial you teach your pup the sit command and the sooner the better. Together with sit, you also need to teach them to stay, as there can be many situations when you do not want them to move.
It may not be as easy to teach a puppy the drop command, but you can start trying nonetheless. This, in fact, is a must teach command before you start taking your friend out for walks. There can be so many things on the road and the park and you would not want them to enter your little friend’s mouth.
Walks off leash or on the leash with you
Going out for walks certainly is a fun activity for your pet but they should be under your control all the time. Teach your furry friend at an early age to walk beside you, neither at the back and nor in front. You can allow your pup a little “free time” but most time they should walk only by your side. Also, teach your puppy to walk by your side even when off leash.
Fetch – release
Throwing a Frisbee or a ball and then having your puppy bring it back to you is a great fun game. It is a good exercise and also a good time to bond more with your friend. However, it is important to make sure not only does your puppy fetch, but also releases the Frisbee or the ball and gives it to you. You should not try to wrestle and take the Frisbee or the ball out of their mouth and nor should he growl at such times. You have to teach them to release automatically.
Good etiquette
When your puppy meets a cat or another dog they should behave well. Generally, puppies learn such behavior from their brothers and sisters or so to say their litter mates, but at times puppies are taken away from their families too soon and thus do not get the time to learn how they should ideally behave with other animals.
To learn how well-behaved they are you should watch how your pup behaves when you have guests. A puppy with the right etiquette will approach your guests and want a pat on their back and some attention, but will not demand it. Badly behaved dogs will start jumping or push their noses, screaming attention. If your little friend behaves like this then they will not likely behave in the right way in front of other animals. So, start teaching them the right etiquette right now.
Teach them not to jump
You may like it when your little puppy jumps on you now and then to get attention and it looks cute. But imagine how it would feel when they are a full grown dog. They could harm a kid or may even knock over an elderly and you certainly would not want that to happen. So, no jumping on any humans ever, this is something you need to teach your puppy right away.
No biting
Right from day one you need to teach your puppy that you do not like it when he bites. Stop playing with them whenever you feel their teeth on your skin. You should sound disappointed and withdraw yourself immediately. However, after 5 minutes start playing again. This will teach your puppy that fun can stop whenever they bite.
Sharing toys and food
This is an important thing to teach, particularly if you have children at home or want to adopt other pets. Some dogs are too possessive, particularly with their toys and/or food. They need to be taught right from a young age that their toys and food are not theirs alone. Take their food or toy away from them, give them to your children, and ask your children to give it back to your puppy. This will help them learn they do not have to worry when things are taken away as it will come back to them. If you have more than one puppy, make sure they play with the same toys, no one should have their own toys in particular.
Go to bed
Your puppy must have a particular space where they can sleep or rest. This can be a crate, a rug, or a bed. Right from an early age, teach them to go there when you ask them to. Once they learn this, and then they misbehave ever you can ask them to go there on command.
“Free” and “Off” time
Free time is when your puppy can run and play and be by himself. Say the word “free” happily and loudly and let your dog be off leash. At the same time do not forget to teach the “off” word. This is when the free time gets over and your puppy should come back to you and be on the leash again.
Teaching your puppy these 10 things not only helps them grow into a well-behaved and adorable adult, it also makes your bond with them strong and beautiful, and makes you a happy and proud parent.