If you’ve added a new relation, of the canine puppy persuasion, to your household, you have probably been having a great deal of fun playing with this furry, curious and playful little guy. You’re doubtless covering the house-training front. Your next essential step in making him – and your loved ones – happy campers, is to get back your puppy obedience training. Surprisingly, many dog owners neglect this step, or approach it in a haphazard way. The result? That puppy develops into an undisciplined, adult dog! Here, we’ve got a quick guide to a puppy obedience training program that’s simple, fun and successful.

Dog House Training

What’s the right age to regain your puppy training? Well, house breaking is certainly the initial step. That’s when your puppy begins to realize that certain behaviors are ‘good’, while other people are frowned on. Once your puppy is housebroken, leave it at that until he’s about 3-4 months old. You could incorporate a little light leash training with the housebreaking, which also gives him a clue on behaviors and habits.

Dog Training Tips

Giving him lots of praise for ‘good’ behavior, such as doing his potty business where he’s going to, helps prepare him for your puppy obedience training program as well. Along with praise, delivered in a cheerful, pleased tone of voice, you’ll have to get him used to the other – a sternly, but not harshly spoken, ‘No. Baaad dog!’ when he exhibits unacceptable behavior, like jumping up on Grandma in an overly friendly greeting. Now, he’s got the thought of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’.

Dog Potty Training

Incidentally, jumping is the most commonplace of puppy faux pas. The best way to handle this issue is to grab his front paws (gently, but firmly) and – wait. This is a quite uncomfortable position for your puppy to sustain. When this becomes your standard response to his enthusiastic jump-up-on-the-person, he soon learns he’s best refrain.

Next on your puppy obedience training agenda? Teaching him to sit and stay. He’s already primed to want to please you, knowing you’ll bestow a great many praise when he goes along with the program. (Dog biscuit treats provide a great deal of incentive.) You want to make the ‘command’ words short and sweet. If you’ve been putting him on a leash already, this makes the tutorial even simpler for him to comprehend (’ah, it’s discipline time – woof!). When on the leash, gently push his behind on to the sitting position, as you say the single word, ’sit’. He may not get it the initial few times. Just be consistent in the repetition of the magic word, ’sit’. Dogs like to sit anyway, so this part of your puppy obedience training program should go quickly and smoothly. Give praise and maybe a biscuit, from time to time. Don’t lead your puppy to feel that he must have a biscuit every time he sits. Verbal praise should work.

OK, now you’re in phase 2 of your successful puppy obedience training program. It’s now time for the ’stay’ command. This one can take a bit more time, but once he’s recognized the rewards for good behavior, he’s wanting to please. While he’s on the training leash, give the ’sit’ command, then walk a short distance away – just a couple of feet will do. He may like to bound towards you. In this instance, lead him back to the original ’sit’ spot, repeating the sit command as necessary. Lay down a dog biscuit a short distance away and say ‘Stay!’ in the stern voice. Remember, you’ve got the other end of the leash! The second he strays from the sit position, collect the biscuit, lead him back to the ’sit’ spot and repeat, ‘Stay!’ He’s going to want that biscuit bad! He’ll soon figure out that he’s not going to acquire it until he retains the sit position in the designated spot. Once he continues sitting for about 5-10 seconds without moving, loosen the leash and let him go for the treat. Praise him with enthusiasm! Repeat.

Now, you’ve completed puppy obedience training 101! He won’t jump on Grandma, he’ll sit still long enough to let the family unit cat achieve higher ground, and he’ll stay where you tell him too and leave the mail delivery person drift off the mail without mishap. What’s next? Heel. This ought to be a piece of cake at this moment in time.