Sit, Down, Stop! - Tips and Tricks for Raising Your Puppy
The first glance, the first time you feel a puppy tongue on your face, then the long-awaited day: Your puppy is finally moving in with you. And with them comes a whole new chapter in your life, filled with fun, play, cuddles, and discovery.
But at the latest, when you want to wear your favorite leather shoes to a restaurant again and only one of them is still somewhat wearable while the other has almost been digested in your puppy's stomach, you'll realize: The fluff needs to be trained.
How do I train my puppy?
You lay the foundation for good training best when your furry friend first arrives. Thoughts like "He's so cute, he just needs to settle in first!" are understandable, but will make successful training of your little treasure harder in the long run.
That doesn't mean that retriever puppy Mila needs to master a triple somersault on the Zugspitze cliff at five months old, but there are a few basic things she should definitely have down by then:
Sit
Down
Please don't eat the other shoe too!
The list of opinions about what makes good puppy training is at least as long as the receipt of things you might have to replace if you let your puppy run wild. But as different as the approaches may be, when it comes to the basic ideas, almost everyone agrees.
Consistency is everything
So your beloved four-legged friend can trust you unconditionally from day one, it's important that you show consistent behavior yourself. If you set rules you should always enforce them. So if Mila heads for the sofa in the evening and you invite her up for a cuddle, she'll see that as a general permission to use the sofa.
Training through conditioning and imitation
An important rule for the beginning is: Use the power of conditioning and reward desired behavior. How you reward depends on what your pet responds to best. For most dogs, nothing works without tasty treats, for others, a loving ear scratch is the ultimate jackpot.
Always use the treat to lure them into the desired position. For example, to teach "sit" you can hold the treat in front of their nose and move it upwards—most puppies will sit down right away. As soon as your puppy does what they're supposed to, you must clearly say the command. This creates a link between the action and the word. Then it's time to: Quickly pop the treat into your puppy's mouth and reward them. Repeat this process over and over, making sure to present the command and the treat as quickly as possible.
Are punishments allowed in training?
If you know one thing for sure, it's that regular praise is essential in puppy training. But what about punishments when your little one just won't stop chewing everything that's not nailed down?
What you might not immediately think of when you hear the word "punishment" is that your puppy has already had some experience with punishment. This starts with interactions with their mother in the form of corrections and roughhousing with siblings. So your puppy has already learned through punishment before even living with you.
The use of species-appropriate punishments can definitely play a role in puppy training. Gentle grabs at the scruff are already familiar from their mother, and puppies usually stop what they're doing right away.
Important: Never grab your puppy by the scruff to lift them up, even if some sources claim: "They know that from nature!". Actions like this can cause serious neck injuries to your puppy and are painful. Any physically painful punishments will permanently damage the basic trust your puppy has in you.
Instead of using punishment, you should focus on reinforcing desired behavior and reward it. Science shows: This way, training is more successful and your four-legged friend's trust in you grows.
Give this a try!
Starting a life together with love
Puppyhood is a very special time in a dog owner's life, and of course you want to enjoy it to the fullest. And you should! Give your little one lots of love from the very beginning and be the trusted person you would wish for yourself.
Train with love and consistency, so that later you'll have a relaxed and well-balanced companion by your side, who will stick with you through thick and thin—for a whole dog's life. That's your goal and we truly believe that you can achieve it together!
