tips for training your large breed dog

3 Tips For Training Your New Puppy

27 August 2015 by Aiden Hill

Getting a new puppy for the family can be fun for your entire family. However, once you've got the puppy in your home, you have to make sure that they know how to act. Here are some tips you can use to encourage obedient behavior from your dog and address problems along the way.

Teach Them to Sit

Having your puppy sit and remain calm is one of the first things you should do when trying to make sure your dog is obedient. When your puppy can sit and stay, you can avoid a lot of other problems they might have, such as becoming too excited when visitors come to the door and jumping up on people.

To teach your puppy to sit, you'll need a doggie treat. Sit down or get down to your puppy's level, and then tell them to sit, moving the treat upwards with one hand so that their head moves upwards. This movement should cause their bottom to go toward the floor, but if not, you can use one hand to guide them. As soon as they are sitting, give them the treat and praise them.

Your puppy may not get the hang of it right away, but if you continue the routine regularly, over time they will catch on. Once you have gotten them to sit down, hold off on releasing the treat with the command to stay. Their eyes will stay locked on the treat, and wait a few seconds before finally giving your puppy the treat.

Practice Positive Reinforcement

It is important to remember that your puppy isn't trying to do the wrong things; they are not trying to upset you when they chew on your shoes, for instance. For that reason, it's important to practice positive reinforcement instead of yelling and screaming when they do something wrong.

When they start chewing your shoes or doing something they shouldn't, give them a short, stern command such as "No Chewing!" and then guide them to better behavior; offer them their toy bone instead, for example, and encourage them to play with it. Praise them for this good behavior, and they will learn that it is more fun for them when they act properly.

Talk to Your Family

It may seem odd to talk to the family about your puppy's behavior in order to make things better, but it is imperative that everyone in your family is on the same page. If you don't do this, the puppy will receive inconsistent messages, making it harder for you to train them. Come up with a list of things you want to work on with your puppy, and get everyone to agree to handle problems the same way and use the same commands and techniques.

Use the information in this article to make sure that your puppy is obedient and trained properly. If you need more help, contact local obedience training schools, such as Levenson Barb Dog Training Centers. With a little work, your new puppy will be a well-behaved, beloved member of your family for years to come.

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