To train a puppy, you need strong control tools. Without them, the pet won't be able to hold his attention and won't understand what's required of him.
We're talking about developing food and play motivation - the skill to work for a piece or toy, and to see them as encouragement.
Some breeds - such as service breeds - find this easy; some - such as native breeds - find it difficult.
Here are the basics you need to stick to from the start:
To turn food into value, train when puppy is hungry and integrate new exercises into the daily routine - for example, offer a bowl of food only after a command is given. This could be a call to come, a sit-lie-stay complex or any command you've learned the day before.
To stimulate interest in toys, choose them according to their size and weight and encourage them to play. A hollow ball on a string that you can roll around on the floor like a kitten usually helps.
Consider the age of the pet when learning commands. Don't give exercises that the puppy can't handle. This will reduce his motivation to learn, and the animal will feel insecure. However, stomping in one place is also not necessary. This will cause the pet to get bored, and he will switch to something more interesting.
Here's a sample training plan for the first six months of your dog's life:
3 months - commands "to me", "sit", "lie down", "cannot", "can", "yes", "no", "place";
4 months - commands on restraint;
6 months - dog playground and group lessons with an instructor.
The introduction to the larger world begins with the arrival of guests and the first outing for a walk.
The main task of socialization is to cope with overexcitement. The puppy actively pulls the leash, jumps, barks, tears to other dogs, or, conversely, is very afraid of them. To avoid this, use calming exercises and focus on training him to concentrate on his owner.
Here are the basic rules for successful socialization:
Don't let your dog out for a walk while agitated.
Give praise and treats when he walks and reacts calmly to people walking by.
Don't let your pet play with other pups for more than 10 minutes. This undermines interest in what the owner has to offer.
Find the company of adult trained dogs to teach the puppy basic intraspecific skills.
Memo to the owner.
7 major mistakes in puppy training
Ignoring individual and breed characteristics. Every breed has its own working qualities. Shepherds and service dogs are human-oriented, so they are willing to work hard. Terriers are stubborn and independent. And their play motivation is stronger than their food motivation. Aborigines have passed a minimal path of evolution from the wolf and do not tolerate aggression towards them. If you build a training process in isolation from the breed and the nature of the pet, progress will be slow, and the wrong training methods will lead to destructive behavior.
Escape from Problems. If a dog jumps on guests, growls when their bowl is touched, or is afraid to go outside, the behavior needs timely correction. If you put up with bad habits that have already been formed, new ones will soon appear.
Lack of positive reinforcement. If a puppy obeys a command but does not receive encouragement, his motivation for further work will be weak.
Late correction of behavior. The dog does not associate actions performed in the past with the punishment it carries in the present. Therefore, it is useless to scold the pet for shoes spoiled in your absence or a puddle left on the floor.
Ill-conceived training process. If you give your pet more than he can handle, or repeat the same exercise several times in a row, the pet will become bored and switch to something else.
Doing the exercise when he is not feeling well. If the owner or dog is in a bad mood or poor physical condition, it is better to abandon the training.
Inconsistency in action. If the dog fails to obey a command and immediately receives a new one, the owner's demands lose force and their fulfillment becomes unnecessary.
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