Bringing home a new pup is always an extremely exciting time. You’re overjoyed by the fact that it’s there, it’s snuggly, and it’s going to be around for a long time.
Then you realize that those little pups aren’t going to be little for long. If you’re looking to bring home a dog and train it immediately, we’ve got some of the basic tricks and tips that you’ll need.
Here are the essential steps of basic obedience training for dogs.
Everything You Need to Know About Basic Obedience Training
You have a couple of different options when approaching basic obedience training. The first question you need to ask is whether you want to train your dog at home or away.
Hire a Trainer or Do it Yourself
It is definitely possible to train your dog yourself. However, before taking on the task of training your puppy, consider whether or not you have the time to do it. If you go to work for eight hours a day, you may not be able to give your dog the attention it needs in its formative months.
Also consider the breed and the effort that it would require to train that breed. Some dogs are more easily domesticated than others, meaning that you would need to put a little more effort in.
If you’re thinking that you’ll be working or away for most days, start considering trainers that would work for you. Some trainers will even come to your home and work with you. However, if you’re going to do it yourself, the following tips are for you.
Keep Mealtimes Regular
Setting a regular meal schedule for your dog will be valuable for a number of reasons. First, it will set the stage for your dog’s relationship with food. Eating regularly will provide a foundational schedule for your dog to follow.
Additionally, it will be beneficial to have regular meals for the sake of potty training. You can take your puppy out to go to the bathroom after meals, establishing an association that allows them to want to go outside and go potty.
Go Outside Every 30 Minutes to an Hour
Going outside this frequently with your puppy will firmly establish the idea that they must go outside to use the bathroom. Reward them with treats after each time they do their business outside. Do that, and they’ll rarely slip up and go inside.
Use Positive Reinforcement and Teach Commands
At the very least, you should teach your dog to come and sit. You can train them as much or as little as you want to, but come and sit are going to be extremely useful in the future.
When teaching your dog commands, don’t use negative reinforcement. While it is effective in a sense, positive rewards will work better. In fact, positive reinforcement works much quicker than negative reinforcement.
Get More Tips and Tricks For Your Dog
You’ll need some help getting the fine details on how to raise your dog. Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there that will help you with basic obedience training for dogs.
If you’re looking for more information on how to train your dog, we have everything you need.