How to train a puppy correctly at home

Puppies are constantly learning, whether from the environment, interactions with people or other animals, or direct training.

This creates a critical foundation that will set the stage for their adult lives. Providing puppies with appropriate socialization and basic puppy training allows them to grow into confident adult dogs.

Follow this step-by-step puppy training guide to set you and your puppy up for success! Find out exactly when to start training your puppy.

Puppy training. First steps

The appearance of a puppy in the house is always a joy for all family members. But after several days, when tenderness and delight subside, it becomes clear that the new family member needs guidance “on the true path.” Otherwise, joy may give way to big problems. So where should puppy training begin?

The desire to caress, pamper and simply love a little puppy is quite natural and more pleasant than the desire to educate it. Why? Because at first this little living and so defenseless lump is simply pitiful. It is not clear how and what can be taught to him at such a tender age. He'll grow up...

The biggest mistake new owners make is waiting for the puppy to grow up. This will happen much faster than you think, and by that time the grown-up puppy will begin to train you. The age of a dog is not comparable to the age of a person, so we must know how our puppy grows and develops.

A 2-3 month old puppy is quite ready to absorb information at the level of a 4-5 year old child. Training a puppy is a process that is necessary from the first days of being in the house. Let these be the simplest commands: “Place”, “Lie down”, “No”, “Ugh”, “Come to me”. By 6 months, the puppy will have already mastered them, and during a walk you will only have to consolidate the results obtained.

A 6 month old puppy is approximately the same age as a 10 year old child. Active exploration of the surrounding world continues. The puppy is already more confident in himself, and he is capable of more complex tasks - the commands “Sit”, “Stand” and “Near”. Perseverance is still not enough, but everything is remembered quite quickly. Gradually, you can teach your puppy to fetch. And, of course, all classes should be carried out in the form of a game, making sure to take breaks and not overtire the puppy. After all, at such a young age, his nervous system is extremely mobile.

Classes should be alternated with playing with other dogs, communicating with people and walking in different places unfamiliar to the puppy. This allows him to be socialized and accustoms him to obedience in different conditions and unfamiliar places.

The biggest mistake new owners make is waiting for the puppy to grow up. This will happen much faster than you think, and by that time the grown-up puppy will begin to train you.

From 6 to 10 months, the puppy turns into a young dog. His teeth have already changed. He is physically stronger, and puberty forces him to decide on his status in his own pack - your family. This is where what you painstakingly put into his young head from the first days of his life in your house will come in handy.

The main task is to explain to the young dog that you, the owner, are the leader of the pack. That all family members, including the youngest and the oldest, have unquestioned authority. And that from now on the dog will be treated with respect, but not equal. If the owner was able to set priorities correctly, without humiliating the dog or treating it rudely, then the dog will grow up obedient, even if it has not undergone special training courses.

It is important to remember that a dog, like a person, values ​​justice. She will humbly accept punishment if it is on time and for the cause. Will gladly accept praise. He will appreciate the owner's respect and will not forgive lies.

Raising a puppy - principles, methods, common mistakes

Raising a puppy - principles, methods, common mistakes.

Raising a puppy begins at birth.

The educational process begins immediately after birth. Blind and helpless, his mother bitch begins to raise him. She licks the puppies, teaching them to stand firmly on their paws. In the future, this tactile influence becomes the equivalent of a caress. If a spoiled child crosses certain boundaries, the mother pulls him back. At first with a dissatisfied exclamation, then, if necessary, he can shake him by the scruff of the neck. These are the very first steps in education.

Having brought the puppy home, you will have to replace the milk mother, ensuring that you raise the puppy yourself. You need to clearly define the rules of the hostel in your family. And follow them very, very consistently. From the very beginning, you need to explain to the puppy what he can and cannot do. For a baby 1.5-2 months. age, the methods used by the mother remain familiar. Instead of licking, you will use stroking, add vocal communication and praise. If you don’t need to encourage, but on the contrary, pull back, you need to do this too with your voice. The intonation just changes from affectionate to strict, a little louder. If the effect is not achieved, you can also shake the puppy by the scruff of the neck. Careful but sensitive.

Raising a puppy in a new home.

The deprivation of mother, brothers, sisters will be a real shock for the baby. And you will need to replace them all together - one at once. It is not simple.

On the first night, you should not replace your mother’s warmth with your bed. Of course, even the most comfortable and soft rug will not replace it. But here you need to be firm. The rug can be temporarily moved to the place where you sleep - within arm's length. You can place a warm heating pad under the puppy’s side during the first night.

After the first vaccinations, the puppy should start walking. This will mean training him to use a proper toilet, leash and collar. There are separate articles on methods for this. You should also, from a very early age, accustom the puppy to feeling and examining teeth while in the arms of the owner. By 3 months, dental examinations should not cause problems.

Raising a puppy and initial training.

In addition, raising a puppy will include teaching it its name and basic commands. This will be the basis for future dog training. You will teach your pet the first commands yourself. You should start with the nickname. When the puppy gets used to it, begin to master “come” (first at home, and then on walks) and “fu” (or “you can’t”), “sit.” Most important. You will operate with them in the process of future education. The “place” command is also taught from the first days, by taking the puppy there, giving him treats, toys, encouraging him with a voice and gradually ensuring that he sleeps there all the time.

The puppy should be accustomed to the nickname and the command “come” using feeding and play. Later, you can teach the puppy to come and sit at the left leg with the help of a treat and a leash when performing the “come” command. If you are not sure about the correctness of teaching commands, it is better to consult a specialist on how to do everything without the risk of making mistakes.

Remember: dog training requires only positive communication.

Examples of errors:

It is strictly unacceptable to punish a puppy that comes to you at your command! Even if he got into trouble beforehand. If you want to deservedly punish, don’t be too lazy to approach him yourself.

The puppy is not punished on the spot. This is his refuge, no matter how guilty he may be in your eyes. He should be completely safe there.

The puppy should not be punished with a leash or collar.

When teaching not to take treats from strangers, it is unacceptable to ask someone to offer the puppy a treat and hit him instead. It's a CHILD! Such methods are only applicable to adult dogs! You can only ask to push the puppy away and hide the offered treat.

The biggest mistake would be to call the puppy over with a treat, but when the puppy comes up, do not give him the treat. This way you can erase weeks of hard training.

The command “fu” or “no” is pronounced in a sharp, distinct, stern voice. The command “come to me” is, on the contrary, affectionate! I repeat: if your pet has done something, you do not need to call him to you with this command. Because, having approached on command, he should receive encouragement from you. And in no case is it a punishment for an offense. This is a VERY important point that cannot be violated even once.

Raising a puppy for protective guard duty.

There are a number of features in education here. It is necessary to take into account those characteristics of the breed that are fixed through selection. This is aggression towards other strange dogs. This is an implacable defense of family members on a walk. For guard breeds – protection and protection of the home and its territory. In hunting breeds, the inherent interspecific aggression can also cause problems. You can’t start punishing such dogs for what is specifically built into them. In general, when choosing the breed of your dog, you need to become as familiar as possible with the characteristics of this breed. And decide if it's right for you personally. Mistakes in such matters are usually very costly.

Raising a puppy's distrust of strangers.

At the age of 6-8 months, even among known aggressive breeds, puppies do not show anger or aggression; this appears later and such qualities cannot be cultivated ahead of time. Otherwise, you may end up with a cowardly dog ​​or an uncontrollably vicious one. Raising a puppy involves emphasizing courage at this age. A growing pet must learn that there is no reason for him to be afraid of dogs or people, or to be indifferent to them. You should try to both protect him from possible enemies and develop confidence in him. If the dog is overly affectionate, strangers should be asked to push him away, not to call him or pet him themselves. If your pet shows elements of aggression, you need to restrain him in such manifestations, pull him back, but not punish him. Only clear and obvious guarding of the owner can be encouraged.

Any manifestations of aggression towards the owner and family members should be strictly suppressed. As soon as he showed his teeth, he immediately received a sensitive slap on the face. The owner should freely take food from the bowl during feeding. In case of protest aggressive manifestations (growling, baring of teeth), the puppy is immediately deprived of food until the next feeding. And give it a little slap in the face. Not “stroke”, but rather give a sensitive spank.

You cannot set your puppy against other animals or other people's dogs. You cannot begin to develop anger in a puppy before the general obedience course has been fully mastered.

Behavioral education of a puppy.

A number of animal psychologists adhere to methods of education without the use of punishment, completely denying their necessity. The views are controversial. They have a number of their own arguments and supporters. In some cases this can actually work. But not in all of them. Such experts recommend adhering to a number of rules. Their essence is not to punish, not to reprimand, not to raise their voices. The puppy's upbringing should be based only on encouragement, games, treats, toys, and communication. This trend has become fashionable and has received a number of supporters. But the results are often disastrous.

1. Whether such methods are suitable for your dog should be determined by a specialist. In this case, he must write out an education program “for all occasions.” And directly take personal part in this.
2. Fashionable humanistic methods are not suitable for everyone. This must be remembered. There are breeds and individuals that cannot be raised this way - the results are sometimes even tragic.
3. Personally, we generally have a negative attitude towards this. Although this needs to be mentioned. It’s like vegetarianism: for some it’s a tribute to fashion, for others it’s a source of income... But the benefits are very, very controversial. Still others resort to this simply out of their kindness and compassion, humanizing dogs. The qualities are excellent, but, alas, sometimes they interfere with the education of animals with the initial inclinations of predators.

The concept of a behavioral model.

For this there are the concepts of criterion, formation and purpose. A goal is a behavior pattern that you want to achieve. Shaping is the process of creating this behavioral model. Criteria are the signs by which you can judge what stage of this process you are at. Each training session should be accompanied by reinforcement - negative or positive. Their rational combination is called variable reinforcement.

Principles of education.

1. Move from one criterion to another very gradually, do not strive to reach all heights at once. Take small steps forward. Use reinforcement in a timely manner and do not deprive your puppy of chances to receive reinforcement during the training session.
2. Focus on one goal only. You cannot try to achieve several goals at the same time.
3. Formation must be accompanied by the development of a sustainable result. Achieve consolidation of the effect before increasing the criterion. Raising a puppy is a constant repetition of what has been learned.
4. When adding new tasks (criteria, aspects), the previous ones should be temporarily weakened. But don’t completely give up repeating what you’ve learned.
5. Make a rough formation plan ahead of time. If your pet learns commands very quickly, you will know what to do next.
6. You cannot change a specialist during the formation process. If there are several of them, each should achieve one goal. Raising a puppy should not proceed according to the “swan, crayfish and pike” type.
7. If the formation method turns out to be ineffective, try another one. There are many methods, as well as specialists who practice them.
8. You cannot interrupt a parenting or training session without positive reinforcement. Raising a puppy should be based on positive emotions.
9. If at any stage a deterioration in results is noticed, you should go back one step. Deal with this as if at an earlier stage. At the same time, quickly go through and repeat what you have done.

Psychophysiological aspects of raising a puppy.

1. The purpose of education is the development of general and play activity, cheerfulness and good vitality. For service breeds, this is also distrust of strangers, controlled anger. Or the development of other breed characteristics necessary in the future. Depending on the intended use.
2. Raising a puppy should help proper psychophysical development. Normal growth and functioning of the sensory organs.
3. It is undesirable to raise, and indeed keep together puppies of different ages and different breeds. Taking into account the difference in educational requirements for them, inevitable competition and dominant aspirations.
4. You can't leave your puppy alone for a long time. Raising a puppy should be accompanied by play. This will help develop speed of reaction and movement, mental development. General motor activity is a necessary basis for the formation of a skeleton.
5. Proper nutrition is an important aspect of raising a puppy. Overfeeding is harmful, and stool should also be monitored. Based on his condition, you can judge his well-being - this will also affect the training process.
6. Raising a puppy takes place in constant communication with the owner - the educator. The puppy will learn to understand intonation, the meaning of individual words and phrases, and establish contact and trust. But we must not forget about the puppy’s need for daytime sleep - it is unacceptable to interfere with this.
7. The educational process is incompatible with excessively loud shouts and, especially, blows.

# Raising a puppy using the Cane Corso as an example.

Puppy training and negative reinforcement.

Raising a puppy involves more than just rewards. It is common for many owners to scold their dog with or without reason. But these methods, although necessary, do not always work. So there are a number of reasons why this might not work.

How not to scold a puppy.

The dog does not understand the meaning of your arbitrary speech. She can understand individual words, some familiar phrases, and a number of learned commands. And from your emotional tirade, only the meaning of angry intonation will reach her. Therefore, she will not understand WHAT you are “barking” to her about. A startle reaction can often be achieved. If you scold, then use short, abrupt phrases familiar to the dog. Actually, screaming should be an exceptional phenomenon.

When not to scold a puppy.

Frequent untimely swearing. Especially if you come home and discover the results of your puppy's misbehavior. Screaming, swearing - the puppy will not understand why. His emotion will be joy when meeting the owner - he will curse in response. The dog, of course, will lower its tail and eyes, bend its paws, showing signs of reconciliation and submission with all its appearance. But not an admission of any guilt at all! In her eyes, your anger will be undeserved in any case. And of course, it will not protect you from repeating the same offenses in the future. If you scold, then only when you catch the dog right at the crime scene, and immediately.

What you can’t scold or punish for.

Inconsistency between punishment (swearing) and behavioral aspects. If a dog jumps on a guest or barks at noise outside the door, for example. Will an angry cry change her behavior? Never in my life. Raising a puppy and scolding are usually incompatible. You can temporarily suppress some gesture, just that. After all, you need to understand why the dog does this. For example, protecting your home or enjoying guests are natural manifestations. Is it possible to scold a dog for such things? In no case. The result will soon be that the dog will stop responding to your shout altogether. At the same time, all your dissatisfaction will remain unrealized.

Anger can increase fear.

For some, your anger is like water off a duck's back. But there are also more subtle canine natures. You really risk causing psychological trauma to such puppies. Sometimes an angry look is enough for such pets. The resulting reaction of fear will not have any educational effect. It will only spoil the dog’s psyche when such an effect is repeated over and over again. Such dogs, instead of changing behavior, will prefer complete inaction, fearing another reprimand.

Swearing can encourage bad habits.

If the gesture you want to fight with by shouting is caused by fear, you risk only making things worse, causing even more fear. If you decide to yell at a dog barking outside the window, your scream may be perceived inadequately. Like joining a barking dog, expressing solidarity with it. The result will be completely opposite to your desire.

Thus, swearing and shouting are generally “NOT THE” methods. Raising a puppy requires a lot of patience. And in general, any negative reinforcement should be very consistent with the offense. This should not be abused. And always react not to manifestations, but to look for their causes, and think about how to change them.

And it’s also important: punishment is unacceptable some time after the offense - ONLY IMMEDIATELY. Otherwise, the baby simply will not understand why - and this will no longer be a punishment, but an undeserved insult, and will not have any educational impact. If you missed time, do not punish, even with your voice, no matter how much you would like to.

Puppy training and positive reinforcement.

What is a spoiled dog?

Most often, this is the name given to dogs with developed bad habits. For example, lack of obedience, excessive pickiness in food, beggars, barking at passers-by. But most often these are the dogs that were punished incorrectly: untimely, inconsistently. Example: a dog chews a shoe. She stole it once, chewed it twice - the owner tolerates it. I bit my slippers - okay, we'll survive. But now I got to the weekend shoes... That's it. Cannot be restored. And then my patience ran out. The punishment can even be cruel! Sounds familiar? Is the chain of actions and reactions to them roughly clear? BEFORE THE SHOES, what did the owner do? I spoiled the dog with all my might. He made it clear that this is POSSIBLE. And in the end, what was the punishment for? The puppy cannot understand why it was possible before, but now it is not. He won't see the difference between new shoes and old slippers. BOTH SMELL OF YOUR FAVORITE OWNER! And for some reason his beloved owner hit him with a sole and in the face... Here is an example of inconsistency, untimeliness, and even inadequacy of punishment. As a result, the puppy's behavior can only get worse.

How not to spoil your dog.

That is, how not to create the preconditions for behavior problems to arise.

1. Don't forget about the importance of timely socialization of the puppy (separate article).
2. Raising a puppy is also about monitoring your health. A common cause of behavioral problems is health problems. For example, uncleanliness, coprophagia, some types of aggression.
3. Provide the dog with the freedoms it should have in its home. The so-called “5 freedoms”. These are freedoms from:

• Thirst and hunger.
• Discomfort (personal place or booth, restriction from child harassment).
• Injuries and illnesses.
• Grief and suffering. Contact with the owner, communication with him and family members based on kindness and trust. Attention to each other, mutual love.
• To implement your behavior typical for your breed. Hunting for hunting breeds, protection for guards, etc. In addition, the dog needs walks, communication with relatives, games, activities, sports, training, etc.

A dog living in abnormal conditions cannot be expected to behave normally.

1. Introduce rules that are understandable to the dog and feasible for it. Achieve their fulfillment constantly, without making exceptions. What is permitted must always be permitted. And vice versa. We need PREDICTABILITY.
2. Behavior that you think is correct needs to be taught. You need to learn to explain to your pet what and when is possible and what is not. No screaming or swearing. And by creating the right motivation, taking into account the influence of causal factors. If you can’t do it or you still don’t know how, don’t spoil the dog. Contact a specialist.
3. Cruelty in teaching is unacceptable. Punishment is a method of influence in extreme cases. Try to operate only with humane methods. Any deviations from such methods are available only to specialists. Methods such as mechanical or contrast are acceptable. But only a specialist can teach them.
4. A clear feeding regimen is important. 5-10 minutes after offering food, the bowl is removed. Regardless of its emptiness.
5. Don't overuse affection. Petting, treats, and generally rewards must be EARNED by the dog. And be aware of it.

Examples of provoking “bad” actions.

Often we ourselves provoke dogs to such behavior, which we try to correct. Without realizing your mistakes. Raising a puppy becomes something of the opposite.

1. When we leave home, we begin to calm the pet down, stroke it, lament, sigh, and stress ourselves and it out. What are we causing? We aggravate the bitterness of separation and anxiety. Then we think about what to do if the dog starts howling alone.
2. Coming home from work, you urgently need to take the dog out to do its business. How do you do it? Fussy, in a hurry, excitedly saying and wailing. The dog is already excited by your arrival, and now there’s this. Transferred immediately. Soon you will scold and reprimand her when she is always overexcited when you arrive. He will bark, grab you by your clothes, and carry you out of the door and into the street by the leash, like a bulldozer. Scaring away the neighbors huddling against the wall of the entrance.
3. While walking, your dog barks at someone else's dog on a tight leash. What are we doing? We begin to calm him down, pet him, and say that there is a good dog there. The word “good” is familiar to everyone. This is encouragement. Plus a soothing, gentle voice and stroking. What are we doing? We encourage this behavior. Soon our dog, realizing that this is good, will bark at everyone in a row.
4. Or in the same situation we begin to swear and raise our voice. Your pet will perceive this clearly. This means YOU ARE BARKING AT THE ENEMY TOGETHER. And the result will be the same as in the previous example. So much for raising a puppy.

Conclusion:

Raising a puppy is not an easy task and requires a number of skills and patience. The sooner it starts, the better the effect. All subsequent training of the puppy depends on its success. And of course, you can’t neglect the help of a specialist either. After all, it’s very easy to spoil a puppy, but fixing it is much more difficult.

Dog handler Yagovitina Yu.A.

What to teach your dog in the first months

In the first three months, the baby must learn a lot. The very first and simplest thing is that he must respond to his nickname. To achieve this, you should call the four-legged dog by name as often as possible: during meals or to give a treat or toy. When the puppy comes running, you need to pet him and repeat his name several times. It’s good if all family members call the puppy. Then he will listen not only to his master, but to everyone at home.

Like every family member, the dog should have its own sleeping place in the house. It is important to arrange it in such a way that he likes it. It should be quiet and calm, cozy, away from drafts. When introducing your dog to its “nest” for the first time, you can put your favorite puppy toys and treats there. The dog must know where its place is and go there at the first request.

By the age of 3, the puppy should recognize and execute important commands:

• "ugh";
• "to me";
• "near";
• "fetch".

At first, all training sessions will take place in a relaxed manner, during games at home or on a walk. For example, the baby will become familiar with the “come to me” command if the owner wants to play with the puppy or give him something tasty. If the dog suddenly starts chewing furniture or biting, he will hear the command “fu”. You need to ensure that the puppy follows all commands the first time, without waiting for a second request. He will behave in a similar way in the future.

Place

Training consists of several stages. Training should begin when your little friend knows the commands “lie down” and “come to me.”

Choose a place, lay a rug, a blanket there, or place a special lounger, then place a toy or bone nearby and start training.

Step one. Bring the dog to his place and say: “Lie down.” After this, move a short distance and call your pet to you. When the dog follows the command, give reinforcement and praise.

Step two. Repeat the exercise, but now point towards the sunbed with your hand and say: “Place.” The puppy can be slightly pushed in this direction by repeating the command. If the dog settles down, say “Place” again. If he doesn’t want to, give the command “lie down”, wait for it to be completed and repeat the command “place”. Thank you with a tasty treat, then walk back a few steps and call your pet to you.

Step three. Leave a treat on the bedding or, better yet, hide it in a toy to make it more interesting for your dog to look for it. Voice the command “place”. When the dog comes up to eat the treat, say: “Lie down,” praise him for following the command, and while he lies on the mat for at least 5 seconds, repeat the “place” command and treat him with the treat again.

After a few days of training, increase the distance from which the dog approaches its place to several meters.

– Basic commands, such as “sit”, “lie down”, “stand”, can be taught by yourself, but complex ones, for example, “barrier”, “die”, “fetch”, “jump on the back” - only with a dog handler. In these teams, you need to carefully monitor the execution technique, and in some exercises you even need to catch the dog, warns dog handler Zlata Obidova. – The general training course lasts two months, after which, if the dog has learned everything, a certificate is issued. But everything is individual. For some animals, even 15–20 sessions may not be enough.

When signing up for courses, pay attention to what breeds of dogs are recruited into the group. Animals must be similar in size. Dwarf breeds cannot be trained together with fighting breeds.

First acquaintance with the "fu" team

This is a very important command. It will not only protect your house shoes and things from the dog’s teeth, but can also solve problems with the bad behavior of an inexperienced animal. In the future, a smart and obedient dog will no longer have to say “ugh” so often: it will already know perfectly well what is allowed to do and what is not.

The command “fu” must be pronounced with all severity. A menacing, piercing gaze into the dog's eyes will add the desired effect. The puppy will definitely sense dissatisfaction in the owner’s voice and feel guilty.

It is not recommended to punish a puppy in the first three months. It is better to indicate your dissatisfaction with a threatening intonation. Sometimes you can spank him with your hand, but only on the butt. It is better not to use items for this. Having received a slipper in the back seat, the puppy may begin to take revenge on his offender, and all the slippers will be in danger. But the dog is unlikely to get angry at the owner’s hand: among other things, it also feeds, caresses and plays.

If you punish your pet, then you need to do it during the “crime”, otherwise the puppy simply will not understand why he is being scolded.

Teaching the commands “Fetch” and “Give”

Do you want to know how to train a shepherd puppy and accustom it to the “Fetch” command? There is nothing simpler, because it is in the blood of shepherds to serve objects. Engage your pet in play with his favorite toy. Holding it in your hand, say the command “Aport” and throw it a couple of steps. If the puppy does not want to approach the toy, run up yourself, dragging him along with you. As soon as he approaches the toy and grabs it, run back and give the command “Come to me.” Seeing that you are moving away and hearing the already familiar command, the puppy will rush after you. When he approaches, say the command “Give” and take the toy with your hand. If the puppy does not want to give up the toy, show the treat in your left hand. After the toy is in your hands, reward your baby with a treat and the exclamation “Well done, good.” Repeat the exercise 3-4 times a day.

Learning the command “come to me”

Hearing the command “come to me,” the pet must rush to this call with all its paws. The team will protect the puppy from many troubles that await him on the street. The baby will not run away to a dangerous distance, will not get hit by a car, or run into adult and aggressive dogs. To make the puppy run to the call with pleasure, you can interest the baby with a treat or toy. The main thing is that the approach should evoke positive associations in the puppy.

When the dog is unable to follow a command, a long leash-roulette will come to the rescue. To do this, you need to say “to me” again and pull the pet in your direction. Another trick: when the puppy does not respond to the call, you can run away from him. He will get scared and run after you. At this time, it will be useful to comment on his action several times with the command “come to me.”

If the dog is very interested in something, and everything suggests that it will not suit, it is better not to give the command. Training should take place in calm and comfortable conditions. If the training lasts a long time, it may be that the puppy is simply tired and needs a break.

Popular questions and answers

We talked with dog trainer Zlata Obidova about what other points should be taken into account when training a puppy .

At what age can a puppy be taught commands?

You can teach your puppy commands from the age of 4 months, when all vaccinations have been completed and quarantine has passed. It is best to train your dog in the morning and evening before the main meal, then the pet will be more willing to follow commands.

How often should a puppy be taught commands?

It is advisable to carry out training every day so that the pet does not lose the habit. But it shouldn't take much time. Don't repeat each command a hundred times. 3 – 5 repetitions are enough, after which take a break.

How to reward a dog for following a command?

Treats that she loves.
But it is important to remember that the interval after executing the command and receiving the treat should not be more than 3 seconds. When the dog begins to follow commands well, you need to wean it off treats. Give a treat not for each completed exercise, as was the case in the beginning, but after 2 - 3 correctly executed commands. Instead of treats, you can pet and praise. Sources

1. Khainovsky A.V., Goldyrev A.A. On modern methods of training service dogs // Perm Agrarian Bulletin, 2020 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/o-sovremennyh-metodikah-dressirovki-sluzhebnyh-sobak
2. Panksepp J. Affective neuroscience: The foundations of human and animal emotions // New York, Oxford University Press, 2004 – 408 p.

How to teach your pet to run next to you

In the first months of growing up, you should not demand from him strict execution of the command “nearby”. It is unlikely that the puppy will be able to go toe-to-toe with the owner. He will periodically run away in his own direction, pulling on the leash. But from the age of 3 months, the baby must be taught to fulfill this request.

You may need a strict collar with links in the shape of spikes at the beginning of training. To begin with, it is important to wean your dog from pulling on the leash. On the command “near”, the puppy must run strictly next to the owner’s left leg, not lag behind and not run ahead.

In order for your puppy to quickly learn this, you need to:

• stop and start moving more often;
• turn and make turns;
• speed up and slow down.

A command must be given every time there is a change in movement. If the puppy goes as it should, you must remember to praise him, and if he does not follow the command or is confused, guide him with a leash. The hardest part will be making a U-turn. The main thing: the movements should be smooth so that the baby has time to readjust.

At what age should you start training a puppy and how long should you train?

At what age can you train a dog? It is advisable to start training your dog at 12 weeks of age. It is during this period that the puppy must become familiar with a large number of situations, commands and other animals and people.

It is believed that puppies under 5 months of age have the most developed memory.
At this time, it is worth teaching your pet to distinguish between safe and dangerous. It is important to conduct classes systematically. In this case, the training time should not exceed 25 minutes. Attention! After the specified period of time, the puppy will get tired and make mistakes. Such training will bring neither pleasure nor benefit.

When to start training

Training is intertwined with education with a thin thread. You need to start this from the very first days it appeared in your home.

Opinions often differ. Some say no earlier than six months, others suggest starting at one year of age. As you know, 1 year of a dog is equivalent to 7 years of a person.

Imagine that the child is not limited in absolutely anything, he is allowed everything and is not taught anything until he is 3.5 or even 7 years old. Will it be easy to catch up later? Therefore, we repeat: take care of the puppy from the first days of his appearance in your home.

If you don’t set your own rules, the dog will try to set them himself, and this is fraught with big conflicts with the owners.

Alone in an unfamiliar world

There are many secrets a puppy needs to learn as it grows into adulthood. If you establish uniform rules for his entire life from the first day, it will be much easier for him to get used to order in the house, and in the future you will no longer need to torment the dog’s nerves. Imagine for a moment that you were torn away from your family and found yourself in a foreign country, where they speak an unfamiliar language and live by rules that are incomprehensible to you. Today you did something and did not react to it in any way, and the next day you were scolded for the same thing. How to get comfortable in such a situation? Or, from the very beginning, they took you by the hand and showed you where to sleep, explaining every day what you can do and what you can’t do. Here you want it or not, but you will try to adapt to local traditions, and over time you will learn to understand what is said and adhere to the rules.

The same thing happens with a puppy: human logic is incomprehensible to him. There are no stupid dogs, there are unscrupulous people. You are a person, an owner, and it depends only on you how smart and understanding your dog will grow up. Now there is a lot of different literature on how to train a puppy, read several books. Think over as many clear rules as possible, be able to convey them to the dog in an understandable form, and don’t be afraid to spend a lot of time on this. Your work will not remain meaningless, if you are patient, the dog will remember all the lessons and in the future will act correctly in various situations.

How to train a husky

The Siberian Husky is a very intelligent breed. These are confident, balanced dogs with nerves of steel. Huskies are completely unsuitable for protection; they have always acted as sled dogs in distant Siberia.

If you are an active person who loves to travel and spends a lot of time outdoors, this is the breed for you. Huskies are highly trainable, but they are leaders by nature and can show their own character.

Even if you want a professional to train your dog, remember that you will have to train him too. Due to their good endurance, huskies can be trained in any weather conditions; take time for long walks in the fresh air and morning jogging.

How to properly allocate time and effort to training a dog

Proper distribution of time and effort will increase the effectiveness of teaching your four-legged friend commands and skills. Experts, first of all, recommend paying attention to:

• Duration of training. The most effective training is the first 15-20 minutes.
• Systematic training will be the key to success. It is important not to miss classes so that the dog does not forget the commands learned the day before.
• Repetition of what has been learned, allowing you to consolidate the learned skills.

Each workout should be divided into blocks, the duration of which does not exceed 10 minutes. Between blocks, the owner should play games with his four-legged friend to allow the dog to relax.

Labrador training

The Labrador is a companion dog and is perfect for families with children. In order for you to have a wonderful friend, you need to have basic knowledge of how to train a Labrador. The puppy can be taught all the necessary commands at home.

Dogs of this breed completely trust a person, they do not expect any nasty things from the trainer, so they can exercise for a long time and with great pleasure. They love human interaction, so they will happily accept a stroke or a kind word as praise instead of a treat.

The Labrador is a very peaceful dog; he will be less distracted during training with other animals, unlike fighting breeds. These dogs have a temperament - they cannot be called lethargic, but they are not impulsive, moderately active, with healthy motor activity - just what is necessary for successful training.

Instructions for training first skills

When a puppy appears in the house, its upbringing begins immediately. Of course, you cannot constantly give an inhibitory command, unless, of course, the owner wants to get a neurotic dog in the future. But some rules of behavior (not to confuse raising a puppy with training a puppy at home) must be instilled in the animal from the very first days, regardless of the breed of the baby, be it a charming dachshund or a handsome Great Dane.

How to train a husky: raising a puppy at home

As many future owners know, you cannot walk your pet until the second vaccination. The first is often done by the breeder, the second by the owner. But the baby goes to the toilet, will the whole apartment really turn into a springboard for dog waste? Nothing of the kind, the owner just needs to teach the pet to do its business in the diaper.

Note! Disposable diapers for animals are sold in all pet stores; they are quite cheap and economical to use.

So, barely noticing how the puppy is restlessly marking time, trying to choose a secluded corner for his needs, the owner carefully picks him up, carries him to a diaper, sits him down, strokes him and says “here”, “business”, etc. After that As a husky, mistakenly called a husky by the people, a pug or a chow-chow, as well as a puppy of any other breed, has done its business, it is praised and treated to something tasty. Within normal limits, of course, the treat should be one sip.

The owner must act in this way until the puppy learns to run on its own in the diaper, having felt certain calls from the body.

Now it remains to consider the problem of the pet walking throughout the apartment. Some people allow the baby to move around the house, while others don’t want this at all. Therefore, from the first days of a puppy in the house, he is taught to move only in a certain area, for example, in the hallway and in the kitchen.

If the owner entered the room, and his corgi, Doberman or Akita Inu ran in after him, the actions are as follows:

1. They take the baby in their arms.
2. They are taken out of the room.
3. Place it at the entrance so that the pet can see the owner.
4. They say the command “wait”.
5. They enter the room for a few seconds.
6. They go out to the puppy, praise him and encourage him.

A pet trained in this way will wait for the owner not only in the house, but also at the door of a store, for example. Although it is not recommended to leave the animal outside without the supervision of the owner unless absolutely necessary. You can go shopping without a dog, you never know how many inappropriate people there are around. Representatives of small breeds are especially often stolen, but large dogs are also taken away from store doors.

Ideally, the pet should also have its own house where it can relax without outside interference. Today, special dog cages and boxes are popular; they can be seen in the photo below.

Boxing for dogs

The dog feels comfortable and cozy in such a “pen,” although a lot depends on the breed of the pet. It is unlikely that Yorkies, being rather shy dogs, will be happy in a confined space. But larger and more balanced representatives of a particular breed, for example, Labradors, will simply be happy to be alone with themselves.

Stages of accustoming a puppy to a bed (box, crate, kennel):

1. First you need to put a treat in the box so that your pet can see it.
2. Then the word “box” or “place” is pronounced and the puppy is shown the direction with his hand.
3. When the dog enters the kennel (box, cage), the door closes. When he eats the treat, praise your pet and after 3-5 seconds. release into the wild.
4. The time the dog stays in the box increases by 1-2 seconds every day. When the puppy learns to be calm in a confined space, you can slowly begin to leave your pet alone.

And finally, training to use a collar and leash. This should be done from the first days of the baby’s stay in the house. The owner simply puts the collar on him for a few seconds at first, gradually increasing the time. If the animal reacts calmly to a foreign object on its neck, it is praised and treated to something tasty.

Note! The main thing is to take into account the breed of the puppy. Some immediately get used to the collar, being strong and with a stable psyche (Laika, as an option), while others try to faint as soon as they feel it on their neck. The owner must act delicately, wisely, without morally violating the pet.

Walking on a leash

Dog owner experience

From personal experience: you should not start training if you are in a bad mood, dogs are excellent psychologists, and your depression can rub off on them. Both puppies and adults copy their owner in everything; a loving dog will try to be with you always and everywhere.

Dogs are also manipulators - they are capable of finding an individual approach to everyone in order to satisfy their own whims. In general, no two puppies or adult dogs are alike; each of them has its own character and varied habits. Something is inherent in nature, and something is acquired during life.

How you train your puppy will to some extent determine its future character. It depends only on you whether your pet will grow up to be a cheerful and devoted friend or a nervous, unsociable creature.

Useful tips from professionals

The golden rule to remember is to move from simple to complex. That is, first they teach the puppy to interact with the owner and establish contact. Then the technical details of the team are worked out. And only after all this can the conditioned stimulus be slowly introduced.

For your information! The puppy must learn to think. If he wants to get a motivational item, he must think about how to do it.

You should forget about assault. Normal parents do not beat their children, but explain to them in accessible language “what is good and what is bad.” The same can be said for a good owner. A dog does not understand human language; a person must come down to its level and explain in a language understandable to the pet what he wants to achieve from him.

And finally, the last thing. Beginner owners usually spoil their dog because they have no training experience. It is better to contact a canine center or a professional specialist and clearly raise your pet under his guidance, than to save money and get something uncontrollable and evil, a creature with which you are afraid to go outside. And it’s good if the pet is a representative of a small breed, but what if it’s a huge Caucasian or German shepherd? That's it.

An aggressive dog is the result of owner negligence

Now it has become clear from how many months you can teach a dog commands and how to do it. Before getting one, you should carefully consider whether the intended owner will be able to attend classes with a dog trainer, and whether there will be enough money and time for this. Will the owner be able to devote time to training the pet on his own, or will he always disappear at work?

A dog is not a toy, but a living creature that requires attention and a special approach. Therefore, due to lack of time and eternal busyness, it is better to refrain from purchasing a pet, no matter what breed it is - Spitz or Great Dane.

How to encourage a puppy?

As soon as the puppy appears in the house, a belt bag with a treat “grows” on your belt (this can be the puppy’s diet). For example, you are making soup, a puppy comes up to you - a piece from the bag into the puppy’s mouth at the same time as the name is pronounced. Now you are already working - learning your nickname.

And just don’t tell us how you feed “natural” and how it’s not convenient for you to hand-feed it! Tell this to those who work with dogs as “straight dogs”. They will tell you how to finely chop meat, pour boiling water over the liver, roll buckwheat and cottage cheese into balls, and how to carry around a yogurt bottle with broth poured inside.

Which breeds are best trained?

Statistics show that there are several breeds that are most trainable. These include:

• German Shepherd. Very loyal dogs that easily learn even the most complex commands;
• Cane Corso. An ideal option for protecting an apartment or house. Easy to train and very loyal. But it has certain difficulties when communicating with representatives of other breeds;
• Black Russian Terrier. Animals have an aggressive and rebellious character. Therefore, training should only be done by an experienced dog handler or an owner with a strong-willed character;
• Maltese. It is perfectly trainable and belongs to the decorative breeds. Small size, sharp intelligence, combined with high2 communication skills make this breed extremely popular and widespread.

This is important: among representatives of any breed there are individuals who are extremely difficult to train. The problem may lie with the dog itself or with the person doing the training. If the dog refuses to follow commands and does not understand what they want from him, then it is better to seek help from a professional.

Game in a dog's life

Small dogs love to play from early childhood until old age. A toy (and owners buy countless toys for their pets) is very important for the normal development of your pet. He also needs your games together. This is a great way to begin to understand your dog's language and build a friendly relationship with him.

Playing with your pet outside will save him from many troubles. A dog that has been running around during a walk and has had enough of playing with its owner will never “misbehave” at home; it simply does not have the strength or energy for this.

Many of the commands mentioned above can be practiced while playing with your favorite.

Playing is a good way to relax your dog after a stressful training session. The puppy will be more willing to exercise if he knows that a reward awaits him at the end - a game with his adoring owner.

Video about training a puppy and overcoming the crisis of independence:

Where to start learning

Before starting training, you should prepare the necessary equipment. This includes: a soft collar, a comfortable leash, treats (hard cheese, dry food, homemade cookies, etc.) and a belt bag for him, toys, wooden dumbbells of different sizes.

Before you begin training, you should accustom your small pet to a collar and leash. To do this, a strap is placed around the puppy’s neck and actively praised for its indifferent attitude towards the new equipment. First, the collar is left on the animal for 15-20 minutes, but this time is increased every day.

Special attention is paid to treats. The pieces should be small, not wet or sticky. The right treat does not stain clothes and hands, does not harm the animal, and arouses strong interest in the pet.

As a treat you can use:

• cheese;
• boiled chicken or other poultry, cut into cubes (fillets, gizzards, hearts);
• dried lung or tripe;
• sausages with good composition;
• cookies from a pet store or homemade ones;
• dry food.

INTERESTING! The correct piece size is no more than 0.5-1 cm, depending on the size of the pet. If your dog's usual dry food is used as a treat, you can skip breakfast or lunch and feed this portion during the training process.

Commands that a puppy needs to learn at the age of 3-6 months

During this period, you need to not only continue to consolidate basic skills, but also start learning commands such as “Near”, “Lie down”, “Sit”, “Fetch”, teach the puppy to show his teeth, overcome low obstacles, climb stairs and go down with it, you can calmly endure travel in transport. The necessary skills are developed not only through treats, but also through mechanical influences (light tug or tension on the leash, palm pressure, etc.). By the age of 3 months, the puppy is already able to ask for a walk in a timely manner, however, mistakes can still happen quite often; after playing too much, he cannot always correctly interpret the body’s signals. Take the puppy out after each meal, after waking up, or when you see that he is nervous, hesitates, and seems to be looking for something. In order to avoid further mental problems, it is important for your pet to communicate with peers as often as possible, take care of this.

When to start training

Before adopting a puppy, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the breed. This information will give you an understanding of what your pet is inclined to do and whether your personalities will get along. But each dog is an individual and has its own preferences and habits.

By working with your puppy, you can develop “positive” behavior, eliminate “negative” behavior, and begin to trust each other.

At what age should you train a puppy? This question worries people who have purchased their first dog in their life. Answer: “As soon as the puppy was brought into the house.”

To the question “from how many months can a puppy be trained?”, we can answer that training can begin as early as a month and a half, but it is better to practice OKD from three months of age.