How Does a Puppy Get Trained?

By Debra Driza

Instructions

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There's nothing quite as cute as a puppy. They're cuddly, soft and sweet, and melt your heart with their warm puppy breath and sloppy puppy kisses. Unfortunately, though, most puppies know next to nothing about training. Although puppy training actually begins when they are still with their mothers, It's up to you to teach them most of what they need to learn to become good pets. Owners must be dedicated to train their puppies. However, with a little time, consistency and good training techniques, even the naughtiest puppy can turn into a well-trained dog.

Step 1:
Puppy training actually begins long before you bring your new puppy home. The training process is started after the puppies are born by their mother. Some of the most crucial training, like learning to potty away from their bed and learning not to bite all the time, is a process that is initiated by mom. The mother dog doesn't hesitate to put an overly rambunctious or biting puppy in its place. Even further bite inhibition training comes from playing with siblings. This is why it's so crucial not to take puppies away from their littermates and mother until they are at least eight weeks old. Otherwise, this crucial first training isn't complete.

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Besides learning from its mother and littermates, a puppy also learns a great deal initially from the breeder. Responsible breeders begin the training process early for things like where to potty, eating from a bowl and sleeping in a crate. When puppies are consistently taken to the same spot outside to potty and praised when successful, they learn the fundamentals of potty training. Puppies that sleep in a crate learn the initial steps of crate training, and puppies that are fed from a bowl every date when little learn what to expect at feeding time. Beginning basic training for these types of things at a very young age can facilitate the training process once the puppy goes to its new home.

Step 1:
Even though training begins early, the majority of puppy training occurs once the puppy goes to its new home. The key elements to a successful training program are consistency, immediate feedback and positive reinforcement. Most trainers agree that puppies get trained through the process of classical conditioning, which involves the use of positive and negative reinforcement, and positive and negative punishment. However, positive reinforcement is the most commonly used training technique, as it is the safest, most enjoyable and typically works the best. What this basically means is that when you want to teach a puppy to do something, you reinforce the desired behavior with something the puppy likes. Every puppy is different, but typical reinforcers included food, toys and praise. Besides positive reinforcement, timing of feedback is also important. When your puppy exhibits the desired behavior, you need to let it know immediately, to make sure you are reinforcing the right thing. And finally, consistency is key. If you're trying to train your puppy not to jump on you, don't make him sit sometimes, and other times cuddle him when he jumps. He'll get confused, and you can be assured that there will be a lot of jumping in your future. Remember to be patient and dedicate some time every day to your training sessions, and before long your puppy will be a well-mannered addition to your family.

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