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Read MorePuppy Obedience Training: Secrets to Success
Welcoming a new puppy into your home can be fun and exciting. Still, it also comes with some challenges, especially regarding training. Puppies come with much responsibility, particularly puppy obedience training. The first few months of a puppy's life are crucial for shaping their behavior and fostering a strong bond between you and your dog.
As a veterinarian, my primary purpose and goal is to foster that human-animal bond, which can't happen when there are behavior issues. In this blog, we'll discuss the importance of early obedience training, the key areas to focus on, and how to effectively incorporate positive reinforcement to set you and your puppy up for success.
Why Early Puppy Obedience Training Matters
Research repeatedly shows that the age of your puppy matters when you start obedience training, and the earlier, the better. Puppies have a period of time in their life called the imprinting time, which is somewhere between birth and 2-3 weeks up until 12-16 weeks of age. It's essential to expose your puppy to various experiences to "imprint" a positive association with those experiences during this time. When puppies form positive associations during the imprinting period, they are likely to view those experiences positively later.
When the imprinting window is missed, puppies can develop behavior issues. This puts a huge strain on the relationship between the owner and the pet. It can be stressful when you want to have people over and your dog barks or gets leash aggressive, and taking them for walks becomes stressful. Early puppy obedience training helps prevent these behavior issues so you can have a really awesome relationship with your dog.
Training Philosophies
There are two main approaches to puppy obedience training: old-school negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement relies on fear of punishment, which may get results but doesn't foster a desire to learn. On the other hand, positive reinforcement focuses on rewarding desired behaviors, encouraging your puppy to make choices and learn willingly. While both methods can produce results, positive reinforcement is preferred as it avoids the adverse side effects of fear-based training and builds a more trusting, cooperative relationship.
Basic Commands
Starting with basic commands is a great way to build a bond with your puppy and provide mental stimulation for your dog. Teaching commands like "sit," "stay," and "come" using positive reinforcement not only helps your puppy learn but also makes training enjoyable and rewarding for them. By associating these commands with treats and praise, your puppy will want to participate and will look forward to learning more. This reward-based approach fosters cooperation and strengthens the connection between you and your puppy.
Leash Training
Leash training your puppy is essential for safety and local leash laws. Walking your puppy provides exercise and mental stimulation, especially with "sniff walks." Sniff walks help your puppy explore its environment and interact with it at its own pace. Your pet dictates the speed, pace, and what it does.
It's important to begin leash training early by starting inside your home and making it a positive experience. Having a leash on for the first time can be scary for your puppy. We recommend harness training over leashes around the neck. Having any kind of collar around the neck increases the pressure being put on your pet's neck and can cause unnecessary discomfort.
Leash training is essential and takes a lot of patience. The sooner you start, the better.
For more tips on making the most out of your walks, check out our blog on dog walking.
Crate Training
Crate training for puppies has many benefits. It keeps them safe and also helps make potty training easier. Given the appropriate size of the kennel, most puppies don't want to sleep in the same space they go to the bathroom.
Ensure crate training is always a positive experience, not a form of punishment. Start by making the crate a safe, quiet space in an easy-to-access area. Let your puppy explore it on its own, and when they do, slowly close the door without locking it. Crate training won't happen overnight, so use rewards to encourage your puppy. The goal is to create a positive association with the crate, and many puppies will naturally choose it as their sleeping spot.
Socialization
Another important time in a puppy's life is the socialization period, which occurs between 3 and 12 weeks of age. During this time, puppies learn to communicate and relate to other dogs, humans, and even the environment. This critical socialization period closes between 12 and 16 weeks. However, it is still extremely beneficial and necessary for socialization between dogs and humans to continue beyond this period.
Socialization includes desensitization, which can be achieved by introducing your puppy to new environments, people, and animals. Helping your puppy adjust to various sounds, surfaces, and situations positively is essential for helping them with many different experiences, from nail trims to ear cleanings to going to the groomer or going for a car ride. Everything you plan to expose them to should be a positive experience before the end of their imprint age.
One aspect of socialization that often gets overlooked is massage handling. Massage handling involves gently touching every part of your puppy, including their ears, nose, mouth, and feet, respectfully when relaxed. Let them eat and sleep undisturbed, as this helps them feel secure and comfortable.
As a veterinarian, socializing your puppy helps immensely with vet visits. We want to be able to get them in for a visit, get them on the scale, get a blood draw or injections, check their ears and mouth, and trim their nails all while they feel at ease.
If you have a new puppy or are thinking about it and are local to us, you are in luck. At Buddy's Vets, we host monthly Puppy Socials for puppies ages 16 weeks through 6 months and 6 months through 1 year old. Follow us on our Facebook page for event details.
Different Types of Puppy Obedience Training
There are different types and methods of puppy obedience training.
Dog Trainers
With so many options available when looking for a dog trainer, look carefully at their experience, where they received their training and the methods or tools they use. Both the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and veterinary behaviorists provide clear guidelines on the proper tools and techniques for effective and humane training.
If you're considering a particular dog trainer and they first suggest using an electronic shock collar, I strongly advise against it. Instead, seek out a different trainer. Shock collars should only be a last resort; in most cases, they're unnecessary. Using shock to force a dog to behave doesn't create a positive experience for your puppy. You can read further on the less effective nature of electronic collars here.
Online
The internet is an excellent resource for everything, including puppy training. Blogs and videos can provide helpful tips and a lot of useful information. However, while online resources are great for gathering knowledge, there's no substitute for in-person training. In-person training offers a much more effective experience when it comes to putting those skills into practice.
In-person
In-person puppy obedience training is hands down better than trying to DIY through videos.
The benefit of an in-person obedience class for your puppy is that it provides real-time feedback, socialization, and expert guidance.
Obedience training offered inside a veterinary hospital provides even more benefits. It exposes your puppy to things they wouldn't typically experience in regular dog training sessions, like getting on and off the scale and encountering the unique smells of a vet hospital. These scents differ significantly from those at a training facility, pet store, or doggy daycare, and animals react differently to them. For example, you wouldn't believe how scary a stethoscope can be! I've had dogs let me examine them from head to toe, even give them injections, but the moment I take out the stethoscope to listen to their chest, everything changes.
For all of these reasons and more, Buddy's Vets has created an amazing opportunity for you and your puppy with Buddy's Bootcamp, a four-week puppy behavior program.
Buddy's Bootcamp:
- Is for puppies 8 weeks to 6 months of age. (Puppies should be up to date on vaccines according to their age and on monthly flea, tick, and heartworm prevention.)
- Has a small instructor-to-dog ratio, and spaces are limited.
- Is facilitated by a certified veterinary technician and behavior specialist under the expert guidance of our veterinarians.
- It is provided in a safe and controlled setting (Buddy's Vets East) where your puppy can learn and grow without the usual distractions and stresses of the outside world.
Having an obedience training class where your puppy's behavior gets monitored is crucial here. Dogs communicate without speaking, whether it's a subtle ear movement, a shift in their eyes, or a slight change in posture. Recognizing these signs of discomfort or anxiety requires experience, especially in a veterinary hospital setting, where animals may feel more anxious than they would in a non-vet environment.
For more information on Buddy's Bootcamp, call us at 920-337-2266 or email info@buddysvets.com.
A Well Trained and Happy Puppy
Puppies bring a lot of joy and responsibility into our lives. When starting puppy obedience training, it's important to remember that every puppy is unique. Be patient and consistent using positive reinforcement during this very critical time in your puppy's life. At Buddy's Vets, we believe that a strong bond between you and your puppy is the key to a happy, healthy relationship. Follow us on social media to stay updated on our Puppy Socials and Buddy's Bootcamp, or contact us today to learn how we can help guide you toward a well-trained, happy puppy.