Puppy Training Advice and Tips

In all the excitement of bringing your new puppy home, it’s important to remember to start their training right away. The sooner you introduce good habits, the better it will be for both of you as your puppy begins to understand basic commands and gets to grips with your house rules.

Puppy training doesn’t just improve their manners; it’s a fun and rewarding way for you to spend quality time together and really helps you strengthen your bond. Most dogs love training – it’s a chance for them to challenge their brains, earn rewards and get lots of praise and attention!

Teach your puppy their name

Puppy training should begin the day they arrive in your new home. Start by helping them to get to know their name. Use it every time you play with them, feed them or cuddle them and they’ll soon recognise it and respond when called. Once they know their name, you can use it to communicate with them and start training your puppy.

If they haven’t had all their vaccinations, you’ll have to do this in your house and garden at first. They may well be very excitable, or pull on the lead when you take them out. If they are, you may want to try a gentle leader head collar. These make lead walking and basic training easier and calmer for both you and them.

There is no joy in walking a dog who drags you around all the time, and many owners don’t exercise their dog enough because it’s become a chore – especially with an enthusiastic teenage puppy. Luckily, putting some effort into teenage dog training and teaching your puppy to walk on a lead can help put this right.

Crate training your puppy

If you’re planning on using a crate to transport your puppy, keep them safe at night in the house or even make toilet training easier, there are a few things to keep in mind that will make crate training a more enjoyable experience for both of you:

• Make it comfortable by using plenty of bedding for your pup’s new den.
• Introduce your puppy to the crate slowly.
• Leave the door open and encourage them to go in and out of the crate as they get more relaxed.
• Feed your puppy inside the crate to help them see it as a place where they can rest and enjoy positive experiences.
• Get them used to the door being closed for short amounts of time and gradually increase the time the door is shut.

Crate training your puppy doesn’t have to be difficult. You can always make the process smoother by approaching it with patience and making sure you take incremental steps every time your dog seems happy and relaxed. Check out how to use puppy training to help them adjust to the new sleeping arrangements with our article.

House training your puppy

Toilet training is an important step in the life of any puppy. Luckily, dog owners have been helping their dog form this useful habit for a while now, so there are plenty of helpful tips you can use straightaway:

• Establish a toilet area and take your puppy there often until they figure out what the area is meant for.
• Use plenty of reward and praise when they get it right, but make sure not to punish your pup when accidents happen.
• If you live in an apartment, use baby gates to delimitate the area used for toilet training and help reduce the number of accidents.
• Create a routine and be consistent with it (for example taking your dog to the toilet area first thing in the morning or after they’ve had their meal).

Discover the rest of our tips with our easy-to-follow guide to toilet training your puppy.

Socialising your new dog: how to train your puppy to be friendly and confident

Puppy training isn’t just about teaching them to ‘sit’ or ‘fetch’. It’s also vital that your new puppy is well-socialised if they’re going to grow into a happy and confident adult dog.

One of the best ways to socialise your puppy in a fun and friendly environment is at a puppy party. You’ll probably find that your veterinary clinic organises them for puppies that have had their first injections (at about eight weeks old) – if they don’t, they may be able to refer you to somewhere that does.

Puppy parties are a great way to train your puppy in some basic skills, as they allow similarly-aged puppies to get together for fun and games. Make sure that you find one that’s run by experienced trainers or veterinary nurses, as they’ll know how to make it a positive, enjoyable experience that will help build your pup’s confidence. If the party’s not run properly, your puppy might not enjoy it, or even feel scared – but with experienced handlers, they’ll love making friends. Check out our puppy socialisation guide for extra tips and advice.

This is a very important aspect of puppy training as they’ll learn valuable lessons for life. A puppy party can help your puppy learn about:

• The importance of not biting.
• Understanding canine body language.

Parties are also a great opportunity for your pup to mix with and be handled by trainers, which will build their confidence when interacting with people. The instructors will help you teach your puppy good manners, such as not being possessive over food or toys, giving them up when asked and not pushing past people through doorways. With plenty of practice at home, and a few good, healthy treats for rewards, you’ll soon have a calm, happy, polite family member who is a joy to live with.

Puppy training classes

Once your puppy has had all their vaccinations, between 12 and 16 weeks old, they can progress from puppy parties to training classes. These are crucial for your puppy’s development and are great fun for you both.

At training classes you’ll teach your puppy basic exercises and commands like “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “come” – and you’ll also probably introduce some fun tricks like “give a paw” or “roll over”! These classes are an opportunity to teach owners as well as their dogs, and you’ll be shown how to train your pup using modern, kind, motivational approaches.

When you’re looking for a puppy training class, you want one that’s friendly, organised, fun and reward-based. There should be at least one trainer or assistant for every six puppies, so the dogs stay interested and don’t get bored. A good trainer will let you sit in on a class before you sign up so that you’re confident you’ve found the right place. If the class is over-crowded, chaotic or the instructor shouts or punishes the dogs (or owners!) or uses choke chains, walk away. You and your best friend deserve better.

Your puppy’s breeder and your veterinary practice will be pleased to give you further help and advice.

Training your puppy helps to build a precious bond between the two of you, so enjoy every moment. Good luck, and have fun!

Next, why not try teaching your puppy these 5 cool dog tricks now that your pet knows basic dog training.