Tips for Basic Puppy Dog Training for Kindergarten

Puppy kindergarten training refers to basic training that all dogs should learn when they are still young. This type of training includes leash training, crate training and house breaking. It is easier to teach dogs these things while they are still puppies, before they start to develop bad habits and become set in their ways. Knowing the best way to communicate with your puppy during his kindergarten training is important and will help train him quickly and easily.

  1. Positive and Negative Reinforcement

    • Avoid using negative reinforcement when training a puppy. Negative reinforcement such as yelling, punishing or hitting the dog only creates fear and anxiety in the puppy. Positive reinforcement is a much more effective training tool and helps build the bond between the puppy and its owner. Dogs want to please their owners, so positive reinforcement such as praise and treats reward the dog for its behavior and encourages it. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't correct a puppy when it makes a mistake though. Correcting the puppy's behavior is an important part of training, but instead of showing anger simply tell the puppy "no" in a firm tone.

    Consistency

    • One of the most important parts of training a puppy is being consistent. When the puppy does what you ask, give it positive reinforcement immediately every time. When the puppy misbehaves, tell him "no" in a firm tone immediately. Letting the puppy misbehave one day with no correction and then scolding him when he does the same thing the next day sends mixed messages and will confuse him. The puppy needs to see the clear distinction between good behavior and bad behavior. Using consistent command words help too. Stick with a few commands words like "stay," "heel" or "no" and use them every time you train your puppy so he learns what the words mean.

    Start Early

    • Start training the puppy as soon as you get him. This will prevent the puppy from developing bad habits, such as jumping on the couch or barking at noises, before they develop. Once a bad habit develops, the owner has to work to break the puppy of the habit, which is harder than preventing the behavior from happening in the first place. Stay consistent with the training so the puppy doesn't develop new habits or fall back into old ones.

    Socialization

    • Socializing your dog with other people and animals is an important part of training. Your puppy may focus on you and your commands at home but if he is suddenly around other dogs or people that he is not comfortable with, he will be too distracted to pay attention to you. This will make it hard to control your dog out in public and can lead to dangerous situations such as dog fights. While the puppy is still young, let him play with other dogs and interact with people often. Puppies are naturally social; he will enjoy the interaction and will grow up knowing that strangers and other dogs are nothing to be afraid of.