There is a reason that dogs are often called man’s best friend. They are loyal, friendly, energetic, and always happy to see you. And studies have shown that spending time with dogs has a marked positive impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. The time spent walking your dog and playing with them helps keep you fit. And the dopamine released from spending quality time with them is sure to keep your mood up.
Getting a new dog is an exciting time for any household. But there is always an adjustment period as they acclimate to their new environment. And, it is during this time that you have to properly house train your new dog. But why is it so important to house train a new puppy? And how is it done?
Importance Of Training
It is often easy to forget that dogs were once wild animals. When you see trained dogs in TV and movies. Or interact with your friends’ dogs. But these dogs didn’t become house trained all on their own.
Puppies will try to exert their natural instincts as often as possible. And this can cause a lot of issues around the home. They will want to play and can end up biting or scratching members of your family. They can destroy furniture or ornaments. And they will go to the toilet wherever they want to. There are all habits you need to train out of them before they become too old to be receptive to training. The most common bit of advice for dog owners at HappiestDog, one of the leading dog care websites out there, is to start a dog’s training as early as possible.
Toilet Training
This is perhaps the most important part of puppy training. If you are lucky enough to have a garden then you will most likely want to train them to go out here. But you will also need to ensure you have a designated toilet area inside the house for them to use. For times when they can’t go outside.
The first step is to ensure they are aware what area has been designated as a toilet for them. It is important to avoid playing games with them in any area that is being designated as a toilet, like the garden, to ensure they don’t confuse the two areas and activities. If you manage to get your puppy to go to the toilet on some newspaper you should put it in their designated toilet area so they learn to associate that area with that smell.
When toilet training them outside you will want to take them to their designated area when you think they need to go. Let them sniff around the area for a while, as this behavior often stimulates their need to go. If they don’t go after ten minutes you can take them inside but keep an eye on them for any signs they might need to go.
One of the most important parts of the training process is to avoid negative reinforcement. If your puppy goes inside the house, do not shout at them or punish them. Simply clean up the mess calmly. Dogs do not understand punishment like a human would. All they will learn is to try and hide where they go to the toilet inside if you punish them.
Instead you need to use positive reinforcement when they go to the toilet in their designated area. Give them lots of praise and a few treats. This will create a positive association in their mind and ensure they are more likely to go to their designated toilet area.
Biting
Puppies are naturally curious. And this curiosity will often manifest in a few behaviors. Smelling and licking are some of the more harmless ones. But biting is one that can be dangerous if not addressed early.
Biting, or nipping, is a normal part of how dogs play with one another. And as a puppy, they will engage in this behavior with you while playing. If your dog isn’t biting your hand very hard then it is ok to allow them to nip it a bit. You only need to be concerned if they bite down too hard.
If your dog does bite your hands, or anywhere on your body while playing, you simply need to pull back and turn away from them. This will indicate to them that your attention has shifted away and the play is over. They will soon learn that biting will precede a lack of attention. And remember, do not use negative reinforcement.
We highly recommend getting a good selection of toys that can handle being chewed and bit. Ropes are a good one as you can play tug of war with your puppy. And there are many great dog treats that are designed to allow your puppy to get their biting habit more focused.
