Just because puppy training is necessary doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and there are all sorts of ways you can make the occasionally arduous and patience-testing process more enjoyable for you… and your dog!
Of course, you want your puppy to grow up to be well mannered and obedient, but remember that training also serves as an excellent way to really bond with your new arrival and to deepen the connection between the two of you.
Ensuring that training sessions are fun and enjoyable means that you’ll be more likely to stick with it and stay consistent with your methods, which will ultimately mean your dog picks things up more quickly and you can move onto different commands.
So, with that in mind, our first top tip for fun and uproarious training sessions is to smile, smile, smile! Your dog will pick up on your cues so staying upbeat and positive will keep them in the right frame of mind for learning. You may even see your dog smiling back at you!
Also try not to run before you can walk. Shorter bursts of training that focus on one or two tasks will keep your dog interested, whereas spending a long time teaching them lots of different commands may confuse and overwhelm them.
You can also see a lot of success if you combine playtime with education. If you want your pup to stop barking every time there’s a knock at the door, distract him with a toy each time you hear a knock and keep him playing for a time. He’ll soon learn to associate that knock with a toy and before you know it, he’ll no longer be reacting to that particular stimuli.
Rewarding your dog with playtime or a treat when they do what you say means your dog will also be more likely to actually listen to you and you’ll find you won’t have to repeat commands as much to get them to be obedient.
Of course, these are just a few little hints and tips. If you’d like further help or advice, get in touch with Sean Hyden today to see how he can help.
