Puppy Training For The Novice Puppy Owner

>> 6/18/09

The most vital fact about puppies and dogs that owners must realize is that dogs are pack animals and the person must set up dominance. You, the owner, are the "pack leader" and you must behave the part.

Intuitively a new puppy will spend a enormous sum of time trying to create their place in the hierarchy of their new-found home. They usually try to do this by trying to start their own power. Some breeds such as terriers have more dominant personalities while other breeds tend to be more naturally docile.

As soon as your puppy comes home you need to help him find his place in the hierarchy. All of the human members of the family are above him in the "pecking order" and he needs to be aware of that fact. This is not reprimand at all and dogs actually prefer to be compliant to their owners. If your dog is to become content and dutiful member of your household this hierarchy must be recognized.

In order to begin the domination you must abide by a few easy rules. If not your puppy will be receiving mixed signals and it will be more challenging for you to train him and he will be baffled as to what you really want.

One of the leading rules you must follow is that the leader always eats first. Do not let you puppy have a meal before you eat. If you and your family are planning to eat at about the same time you want to give food to your puppy, you should make the puppy wait. If not you can arrange for your puppy to eat at a whole separate time as you. At the beginning it may be of use for your training to make the puppy come to you and wait for his food until you are ready to give it to him. You may want to train him to sit before you put the bowl of food down.

Touching and handling a dog provide solid signals to him about who is in charge. Your puppy may complain and wail or even act as if that you hurt him at the beginning when you handle him for fundamental grooming rituals. If he does this you must absolutely ignore him and persist on finishing. You must always follow through with what you start with a puppy because he will ascertain quickly when you really mean something and if you are wishy-washy he will get another bewildering sign.

Most puppies use their mouths to nip and bite at things when they are very young. This behavior must be stopped at once. Give him a abrupt reaction of "No" and a tap if necessary. The pack leader never gets nipped and you are the pack leader.

It is vital with a new puppy to show him that you are assertive so try to avoid games like "tug'o'war" where he can get insistent and show too much power. Make sure that you reward his good behavior with praise and treats but just disregard his bad behavior as you begin obedience training. Keep these straightforward rules in mind and you can quickly teach your puppy to be a well-behaved and subservient dog.

Puppy Training For The Novice Puppy Owner by Calvin Ferguson

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Learn essential information about dog training at http://universitydog.com.

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