Raising a happy, sociable puppy takes time and effort. These four puppy training principles will kick-start the process!

First, in terms of training, let’s separate fact from fiction.

Myth and reality

Myth: Puppies are cute furry balls that magically follow you, quietly occupy themselves while you’re working from home, and automatically know when to sit and stay outside in public.

Reality: Puppies are small birds of prey capable of great destruction, noisy opinions, and reactive leash behavior in front of other people or dogs.

Fortunately, the reality phase of puppies is temporary.

With expert guidance and ongoing home training, small birds of prey puppies can be the dream companions you look forward to when you bring your dog home.

4 principles of puppy success

1) Take your time. Take baby steps when working with puppies; Don’t be afraid to backtrack and repeat material.

2) Stay positive. Make training fun and make your puppy enjoy working with you. Use plenty of food and toys for rewards.

3) Built on natural behavior. Dogs love to sniff, hunt, track, and chase. Create games to stimulate these natural desires.

4) Record the journey. Document the work you do and regularly review progress and areas that need more attention.

Yes, raising a well-behaved fur family member takes time and effort, but know that your puppy just wants to work and play with you to be successful.

Online puppy training

Many people have adopted a puppy during the pandemic, and many did not expect that it would take so long to responsibly raise a “newborn baby”. Coupled with pandemic restrictions and reduced face-to-face puppy lessons, some puppies are missing out on important training and social opportunities.

Stacey West, manager of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Patriotic Puppies Program, said, “The socialization of new puppies is essential to grooming any dog to be a confident dog. “In addition, consistency in effort and training techniques is key to developing a great dog, whether it’s a detection dog or a family pet.”

The basic training program that West uses for her puppies is now available to everyone for free through AKC. The Confident Puppy course is designed for working dogs, but its main training principles provide proven guidance for the growth and learning of all puppies.