10 Top Puppy Training Tips

It is always going to take time and tolerance to instruct a dog. Some, of course, will be trained quicker than others, just like young people in school. Consequently if YOU abide by the rules you will get there in the end! Just keep in mind that it really is us that are the erratic ones - your puppy is just as it says on the can - a dog!

1.Never be boring. Keep the training concise, exciting and enjoyable. Puppies have shortl attention spans when they are young; so little and often are the best policies. Try training sessions of just a couple of minutes three or four times a day when puppy is very young. Gradually increase this so that the training lasts for five to ten minutes.

2.Take advantage of feeding time - food is a wonderful training tool. He will be extremely focussed if he thinks his food will follow, so make him sit, come, heel - whatever you are training at the time. You'll be amazed how compliant he is! Of course you should also use food treats during the training to reward him for doing well. But don't overdo it - food must be earned, it is not a right!

3.Allow him to burn off his energy prior to schooling so that he can focus more on you. Once he has had time to charge about he will be less likely to want to run off and do his own thing.

4.Be reasonable - he is a dog not a human being. Take it a step at a time, ensuring he really understands the current training before continuing or moving on to the next stage. Carry on repeating the training as well or he will forget, just as you can't bring to mind half the information you learned at school! Use it or loose it - applies to dogs too!

5.Constantly employ the identical expressions of command or else he will get extremely confused. If you always say come ( rather than 'here' for example) he will understand. Ensure all the family use them too. Write the commands out and place them on the wall so you all use identical ones!

6.Make certain your pup comes right up to you before you offer him a reward - on no account stretch. Remember - you are the leader and in control so the puppy must always come to you for reward, never you going to him.

7.Do not give your dog a command if he's not listening and you recognize he will not obey. Appart from being a waste of your time, if you allow your pup to take no notice of a command while he is little, you are in fact saying that it is okay to ignore you. This will register with him and when he is older he may challenge your authority through aggression or biting.

8.If the exercise is going unsuccessfully or you are getting annoyed then just end it and take into consideration what you are doing. It is you that is the problem not the pup! So forget it and just play with your puppy for a while until you are both in the right frame of mind for training. Don't forget your puppy can read your body language and feelings very well and will know when you are getting flustered.

9.Regardless of how exasperated you are every time finish with praise, reward and pleasure. Persuade him to do something you know he can do - just 'sit' or 'lie down', and subsequently give him loads of fuss. By doing this he will anticipate the next training session - not dread it! The training you do with your dog will continue for much of his life so don't start out with a bad impression!

10.If you require assistance - ask for it! There is loads of support out there - books, internet, classes, schools - so do not be shy! One of the best ways to learn is through puppy obedience training classes. You get hands on experience and meet other puppy owners. Suddenly you realise you are not the only one out there!