When your puppy is with his litter, mom and his siblings will teach him manners. Once he̵7;s in your home, it̵7;s down to you carry on their good work. Gentle, patient training will give your new pup the best chances of living a contented and rewarding life as part of your family.
Things You'll Need
- Food treats
- Leash
- Toys
- Crate
Instructions
House Training
Observe his toilet routine. Note down how long it takes between eating, drinking and waking and going to the toilet.
Leash him and walk him outside. Using your knowledge of his toilet habits, make sure he is outside at times he is likely to go. It̵7;s easier to reward good toilet behavior than to correct bad toilet behavior.
Issue your chosen command as soon as he begins to go. This builds an association between the command and the action of toileting.
Issue a food reward as soon as he is done. This teaches the dog that going on your command has a positive outcome. Repeat this exercise regularly throughout puppyhood.
Distract him when displaying inappropriate toilet behavior. Accidents do happen, so if you see your dog cocking his leg or squatting in the house, call his name, clap your hands or stamp your feet. Get his attention, then calmly and patiently guide him outside. Never punish a dog for a toilet accident.
Crate Training
Open the crate door and place a toy or food treat inside. Wait for your puppy to investigate for himself and once he approaches, say ̶0;inside.̶1; Once he̵7;s inside, issue verbal praise. Make the crate a rewarding place to be. Repeat this for a few days so he gets used to his crate and associates the command with the act of entering the crate.
Command him into the crate and close the door. Leave him alone for five minutes, then return and let him out. Only let him out at a time when he is calm and relaxed. If you open the door when he is whining or barking, this teaches him that attention-seeking behavior results in being letting out.
Reward him with food or a toy when you let him out. Repeat this exercise and gradually increase the amount of time you crate him.
Teaching the Sit
Hold a treat in your hand. Move it toward the dog̵7;s nose and pass it over his head. Your dog will follow the treat with his nose and will eventually sit to avoid falling back. Repeat the ̶0;sit̶1; command as you move the treat.
Release the treat as soon as his butt hits the floor. This teaches your puppy that sitting has a positive outcome.
Issue verbal praise and fuss. This reinforces the positive feeling of getting the treat. Eventually you will be able to perform this command without the treat, using just verbal praise as the behavior reinforcer.