Free report on Dog Training
Choosing and Training Your Puppy
This report on dog training assumes that you are a novice dog owner and that you are going to do your own initial puppy training. The initial section is about teaching, you the trainer, how to train a puppy. Section B helps you understand how to select a breeder, choose a puppy from the litter, and provides you with questions you might want to ask the breeder and the breeder might want to ask you. Section C suggests things you might want to do and buy before you bring the puppy home. The second part of this dog training report focuses in on what to do after your puppy comes home. Section D concentrates on the first two weeks of socialization and training. Section E is all about how to crate train. Section F is about house training. Section G teaches you how to introduce clicker training. Section H deals with bite inhibition and other behavioral problem training. Section I focuses on the initial collar and leash training. A final section on obedience training will be added in the next update to this free report.
A. Train the trainer
If you are going to train your puppy, then the first thing you should do is learn about canine instincts and the best way to train dogs using their instincts.
1. Dogs are pack animals and you need to understand the rules of the pack to understand your puppy’s canine instincts.
-In the wild, dogs had to fit into the pack’s social hierarchy in order to survive. The modern dog retains these pack instincts and needs to know how to fit into the family pack hierarchy.
-A puppy needs to understand the rules of the family pack. In the wild, puppies are not punished but are rewarded with acceptance, security, food and companionship for following the rules.
-In the modern family pack, you must clearly establish the rules and teach them through reward-based training not punishment. Puppies cannot distinguish between right and wrong, they simply follow their canine instincts. A dog has about a 3 second memory recall time frame. Therefore when you yell or hit a puppy for some wrong-doing that is more than 3 seconds old, he won’t understand why and will just think you can’t be trusted.
-In the wild pack, the dog who is the strongest will assume the role of leader. In the modern family pack, you must teach the puppy that he is at the bottom of the pecking order. You must always take the leadership role and never let your puppy manipulate you into doing the things he wants to do.
-Puppies learn how to behave, play and fight from their litter mates. If one puppy hurts another, that puppy bites back to warn the offending animal. Therefore never leave a young child alone with any dog, as that child may harass the dog and get bitten as a warning. Of course what would be an acceptable warning to an unruly puppy in the pack is quite unacceptable in the human family pack.
2. Decide on the rules that you want to teach your dog to follow in the household and get everybody to apply them with consistency.
-All family members must decide on the rules together. If you won’t let your puppy climb up on the sofa and your daughter encourages it, then you have a confused puppy.
-Once the rules have been established, the family must apply them consistently. If you let your cute puppy climb up on the sofa to join you when he is clean and dry, then you can’t yell at your puppy for doing it when he is wet and muddy. You have to be consistent.
-If you agree not to feed your puppy scraps form the table because your dog will start begging and ruin your quiet meals, then you can never allow your children to do so.
3. Make sure that you are the one doing the training and not the one being trained.
-If you don’t take the leadership role, your dog will assume it for you.
-If you play wrestling or tug-of-war games with your puppy, he will assume you are equal in status. It is better to teach your puppy to use his brain and play games like fetch or hide and seek.
-You must always make the decision to initiate an action, and try not to let your puppy manipulate you. Don’t let your puppy push a toy at you to start a play session or let him nudge for attention and affection.
4. Train your puppy through reward-based training using praise, treats and petting.
-Praise your dog for doing something right. He won’t understand the words but he will enjoy your tone of voice.
-Make sure that some rewards include a lot of human contact.
B. Choosing a Dog Breed and Buying a Puppy
1. Read our free report “Choosing a Dog”.
2. Use the Directory of Breed of Dogs to decide on the right dog breed for you.
3. Once you have decided on a dog breed, then you need to select a reliable breeder from whom to buy your puppy. You can find breeders through dog shows, the internet, local newspapers or popular dog magazines.
-Select an experienced breeder who is knowledgeable about the dog breed and has raised several litters of pups.
-Try to find a breeder who has shown his dogs at dog shows which indicates they meet breed standards.
-Choose a breeder that cares about dogs as pets and companions and breeds for good health and behavior and not just conformance.
-Select a breeder that has his breeding stock certified against hereditary genetic defects that are common to that breed.
-Select a breeder where the dogs and environment appear clean and well looked after.
4. Choose a puppy from the litter by examining each one separately from the other puppies.
-When you pick up a puppy, it should feel solid and heavy with sturdy legs.
-The puppy should have no signs of infection or inflammation characterized by unpleasant smells or redness.
-The puppy’s coat should be glossy but not oily and there should be no sign of redness or discharge from the eyes, ears or anal area.
-You can judge the puppy’s temperament by how they react when they are picked up and handled. You should try and choose the average puppy. You don’t want the overly shy and timid puppy or the overconfident and assertive puppy.
5. Questions you should ask the breeder.
-At what age will the breeder allow you to take your selected puppy home? The best age for the puppy to leave is about 10 weeks.
-How was the puppy socialized with other dogs outside the litter and other people?
-Was the puppy raised in a household with normal household activity and noises or was it raised in a kennel or pen outside the home?
-What is the medical history of the puppy and his parents? Were the parents tested for the breed’s common genetic defects?
-Has the puppy’s worming program been started and has the puppy had any vaccinations?
-What is the breeder feeding your puppy? If the puppy food isn’t readily available in a store, ask the breeder for a week’s supply so that you can gradually switch to another brand.
6. Questions the breeder might ask you.
-Have you previously owned any dog and have you owned this particular breed?
-Do you know about the potential behavior problems that may be common to this breed?
-Why have you selected this particular breed? Do you want to enter the dog into a dog show or compete the dog in agility or obedience competition? The breeder might suggest that one particular puppy would make a better show dog than another.
C. Before you bring the puppy home.
1. You must make sure your yard is safe for the new puppy.
-Fix any holes in walls or fences through which the puppy could escape.
-Make sure any gates can be securely closed.
-Put away all sharp tools and implements.
-Keep dangerous chemicals such as pesticides and anti-freeze out of reach or locked away.
-Keep paint and solvents out of reach or locked away.
-Check to see if you have any poisonous plants in the garden because puppies like to chew on vegetation. Some species include foxglove, ivy and daffodil bulbs.
2. You must also puppy-proof your home.
-Make sure all family members understand they have to keep outside doors closed so that your puppy can’t escape outside.
-Think about installing child gates in the hall to keep the puppy away from the front door and also at the top and bottom of stairs to keep the puppy from falling.
-Keep dangerous household chemicals such as bleach and cleaners out of reach of the puppy.
-Don’t leave prescription pills or vitamins out on the kitchen counter or anywhere your puppy might swallow them.
-When cooking, turn your pot handles facing in, so that your puppy can’t jump up and scald himself.
-Make sure your puppy can’t burn himself on the fireplace or a heating stove.
3. You should buy the toys, chews, bed and training equipment that your puppy will require well ahead of time.
-See Dog Toys, Dog Clothes and Dog Supplies information here.
-Essential equipment will be a puppy bed, dog pen or crate, collar and leash, and toys, treats and chews.
4. You should also buy the puppy food and treats that your puppy will require.
-See Dog Food and Dog Treats information here.
-Make sure that you have at least one week’s supply of the same puppy food that the breeder fed your puppy. You can then gradually transition your puppy to another high quality food recommended by your veterinarian.
-Initially a premium dry puppy kibble is recommended as a moist puppy food can result in a loose stool and make it more difficult to houses train your puppy.
D. The first few weeks
During the first week your puppy comes home, you must remember to implement the rules and schedule previously agreed upon. Once you get the adorable puppy home there is a tendency to disregard the rules for the first few days. The puppy will cry during the first night and you will end up putting him in your bed where he will probably have an accident. The next night you will probably banish him to his crate where he will cry all night expecting to be picked up. Don’t confuse your new puppy. Remember to have all members of the family apply the rules on a consistent basis.
1. Puppies thrive on schedules so they should be fed at the same times everyday. They should be taken outside to relieve themselves after meals, exercise and play times on the same regular schedule.
2. Puppies need lots of sleep so don’t try and play with them for extended periods of time.
3. Remember to pick up and handle your puppy a lot right from the beginning while rewarding him with praise and treats.
-You should get your puppy used to having its ears, mouth, teeth, belly and toenails examined on a regular basis. This will pay tremendous dividends later when you want to trim his nails or have the vet examine him.
-Start giving your puppy regular weekly baths to get him used to the process.
-Start grooming your puppy on a daily basis while playing with him and making a game out of it so he will learn to enjoy the process.
4. Start food training your puppy as soon as he arrives home.
-You should get your puppy used to you and your family being around his food when he eats.
-You should handle his bowl and stroke him while he is eating.
-Put only part of your puppy’s dinner in his bowl and then add the rest while he is eating.
-After doing this for a number of meals, your puppy will learn to trust you with his food.
5. Choose a short, one or two syllable, name for your puppy so you can say its name quickly and then start name training.
-Start calling your puppy by name and always add the word “come” when you want him to come to you.
-Remember to praise and reward him with treats when he responds.
-Don’t always put on his leash and collar when he comes but play with him first.
-Never shout his name in anger or he will learn to associate it with unpleasantness.
6. The first week is the time to initiate an entire range of training plans.
-Start crate training – see Section E.
-Start house training – see Section F.
-Start clicker training – see Section G.
-Start bite inhibition training – see Section H.
-Start collar and leash training – see Section I.
E. Crate Training
In order to save money buy a crate that is large enough for your full grown dog but small enough that your puppy looks at it as his bedroom and not a place to go to the bathroom. Crates made of plastic covered metal are easier to clean than bare metal. Crates that can fold up and fit in your vehicle are useful for transporting your puppy.
1. Crates are very useful for houses training but remember you can leave your puppy in the crate only after he has eaten and been taken outside for exercise and for his bathroom needs.
2. Cover three sides of the crate with a blanket to make a den for your puppy that is a quiet and secure place to nap and have a quiet time.
-Remember to put the puppy’s bed in the crate.
-Always leave a full bowl of water in the crate.
3. Introduce your puppy to his crate gradually and correctly so he doesn’t view it as a prison cage.
-Leave the door open the first few days and encourage your puppy to wander in by feeding him his meals and treats inside.
-If your puppy falls asleep elsewhere in the house, carry him to his bed in the crate so he gets used to waking up there.
-After a few days, you can gradually increase the time you leave the door closed on the crate.
-Make sure your puppy has lots of toys and chews in the crate when you go out for awhile.
F. House Training or Housebreaking
Be prepared to take your puppy outside many times during the day. Puppies are like human babies and need to relieve themselves frequently until they gain more control over their bladders.
1. Mark off an outside area with a rope and encourage your puppy to always relieve himself in that area.
2. Take your puppy outside after eating, after he wakes up, after a play session and after walking and exercising.
3. After the puppy relieves himself in the correct place remember to praise him and reward him with treats.
4. If you leave you puppy’s last droppings in place in the designated area, this will indicate he is in the right location.
5. Remember your puppy has about a 3 second event recall. Therefore if your puppy has had an accident indoors, there is no sense yelling at him, hitting him or rubbing his nose in it. He won’t understand why you are mad at him. If you do catch him in the act, then simply say ”no” and take him outside to his bathroom location.
6. If your puppy has an accident, clean the area thoroughly to remove all odors so that he won’t associate this location as a good place to go to the bathroom.
7. You may want to put down newspapers on the floor in the puppy’s room to make it easier to clean up during the first week.
8. You should learn to recognize the signals a puppy will use to let you know he needs to relieve himself. He may pace the floor, refuse to settle down or even whine at the door.
G. Clicker Training
A clicker is a small handheld device that “clicks” to tell your puppy that he has done something right and that a reward has been earned.
1. Clicker training is a quicker and a more effective way of communicating with your puppy than words of praise.
2. The moment your puppy behaves in the correct manner immediately click and then reward with a treat. Your puppy soon knows that a click means reward and no click means no reward.
3. A clicker is also useful in that your puppy can hear it from a distance and then come to you for praise and a reward.
4. Remember to praise and reward your puppy lavishly when he has done something well. There is nothing like positive re-enforcement to let your puppy know you are pleased with him.
H. Bite Inhibition Training
Puppies like to bite and chew things because it helps them when they are teething. Therefore you should always have plenty of puppy toys available for them to chew. However you need to have your puppy fully bite inhibition trained before he gets his adult teeth and his jaws get strong enough to hurt another animal or child.
1. The puppy starts to learn about bite inhibition right from the early days in the litter. If the puppy bites too hard on the nipple when suckling, then his mother will probably growl and get up and stop feeding the puppies. The puppy soon learns if you bite you don’t get any food.
2. The second lesson happens when the puppy is playing with his litter mates and he bites hard enough to cause pain. The injured puppy makes a noise and either runs away or retaliates. Whatever the result, the puppy soon learns if he bites too hard then playtime ends.
3. The puppy usually leaves the litter before his bite inhibition training is fully complete. Therefore it is incumbent on his new owner and family to ensure the puppy is completely trained.
4. Some trainers like to spray a repellent spray on their arm and hand and then encourage their puppy to nibble and bite it. The repellent is non-toxic and foul tasting and the puppy soon learns it tastes bad if you bite a human. You can also use the repellent spray to discourage your puppy from chewing other items such as furniture legs, and shoes
5. Most trainers suggest using the following more traditional approach to teaching bite inhibition.
-Offer your puppy your hand or arm for him to mouth and nibble. When the puppy starts to bite too hard say “ouch” loudly but don’t pull your arm away otherwise the puppy will think it is a game.
-When the puppy reacts to the “ouch” and withdraws uses your clicker, then reward him with a treat and praise him.
-If your puppy doesn’t react to the “ouch” and back off, then simply stand up, walk away and ignore the puppy for a little while. The puppy should associate this with his litter mate letting out a yelp and stopping play or his mother stopping feeding when he bit too hard.
-Remember to keep up this bite inhibition training several times a day for the full two weeks. Eventually you should start saying “ouch’ even if he is not biting but only mouthing your arm. After two weeks of this training your puppy will stop mouthing completely.
6. This “ouch” and ignore approach to training can be applied to other behavior problem areas.
-When your dog jumps up on you to greet you or get your attention, say “ouch” and turn your back on him and ignore him for a little while.
-After your dog learns that you don’t talk to him and always ignore him for jumping up, he will gradually modify his behavior.
-Remember to click, praise and reward your dog for staying on all four feet and not jumping when he greets you.
-Similarly ignore your dog when he begs for food. You don’t have to say “ouch” but remember to break off all eye contact and never but never give in to his begging. All family members must be consistent in this approach.
I. Collar and Leash Training
You should start collar and leash training in the first week but keep the sessions short and make a game out of the training. Remember to click, praise and reward when your puppy does something right. Puppies grow quickly so keep checking to make sure his collar isn’t getting too tight.
1. First start putting the collar on the puppy for short periods of time while praising him and rewarding him with treats. You want him to associate the collar with praise and rewards.
2. After your puppy gets used to his collar, then attach a short leash and let him follow you around the house for short periods. Remember to click, praise and reward.
3. During the initial leash training, walk your puppy on your left side holding the leash in your right hand across your body. This leaves your left hand free to hold treats and reward your puppy when you need to get his attention. Keep the leash fairly short and always slack so the puppy doesn’t learn to resist the pull on the leash.
4. Don’t take your puppy outside your yard on walks until he has had his vaccination shots.
5. Start using cue words such as “walk”, “heel” and “stay” as you progress with your training. Your puppy will gradually start to associate the cue words with his actions and rewards.
6. Some trainers recommend buying an adjustable nylon leash that can be lengthened or shortened to provide a slack lead for the pace of your puppy. Several types of training collars are also available that make a noise when the puppy is checked or stopped.
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