If you have never had a dog before, you may not know what to expect when it comes to training. If you are looking for some advice and top tips on how to train your pup, you’ve come to the right place – from reducing barking and toilet training, we have got you covered.
Be prepared
A dog is a life-changing pet to have. While they are a bundle of fun, loving and loyal – they are rather demanding and require a lot of time and patience. They are exploring a whole new world and you need to be prepared for the time it’s going to take for them to get used to it (but don’t worry, it’s not too long).
Be persistent
Your little puppy in whole new surroundings. This means they’re going to be nervous and they may cry – morning, noon and night (mainly at night though when they aren’t getting any fuss).
You may, at the start, experience less sleep than you’re used to due to crying or whimpering in the night. One way to tackle this is to be persistent with your routine. Try not to give them too much attention, but giving them a toy or blanket that smells of you can soothe them.
Set the rules early
Dogs learn by doing. If they pee inside and were told off, they tend not to do it again – so set the ground rules early on for what is and isn’t allowed. If, for example, you allow your dog to sleep in your bed one at the beginning, they will assume that’s normal.
So unless you’re happy for it to be a regular thing, you should avoid doing this. If they go to sleep in your bed one night and are told off, you will confuse them and make training even harder.
Toilet training requires much dedication
Accidents are going to happen. It’s a fact – and if they don’t, you’ve got a good one there. There are a few ways to toilet train your dog:
- Open the door as soon as you are awake to let them outside for their morning wee. On the first occasion that they pee outside, praise them. Tell them that they are being good and maybe offer a treat as a reward. They will start to establish when they will be rewarded.
- At least every two hours open the door or take them outside to allow them to go to the toilet.
- Don’t punish them for accidents while you’re training. This can slow progress and make your dog feel anxious around you. Try to keep training positive. You can say peeing inside is bad, but try and avoid an angry tone of voice.
- Stay dedicated. It can take four to six months to toilet train a dog – but you will get there.
You can train them to stop barking
Dogs like to bark. It’s just not great at 10pm. But there are ways to stop barking, whether it’s at other dogs, strangers, the mailman or any other triggers. Before you find the best solution, you’ll need to take into consideration their age and breed history.
Here are three steps to follow:
- Train: Give a verbal command such as quiet
- Treat: Once they listen, reward them
- Repeat: This is the key to success.
Training a puppy isn’t easy, but with time and dedication, it can be done.