Five Simple Ways to Train Your Puppy. Have Your Puppy Begin Training Before 12 Weeks of Age. By Annette Masse At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

In the past, a dog had to be at least 6 months old in order to begin a training class. Some trainers used to think that even a one year old puppy was too young. Most people now believe that the first few of months of the dog's life is the critical, ideal time to start training.

The following are possible reasons:

* Puppies are learning new things each and every day.

* They are naturally curious and will learn, regardless of being purposefully taught.

* Puppies learn quickly because they have no other experience with the situation and, therefore, don't have any experience on how to act.

* Puppies are very accepting and can be trained to be well-behaved pets.

While there are many different ways to train a dog, I usually select the one that is most humane to the animal. In order to keep this article short, a quick overview is given below.

1. Opportunity training: You introduce a puppy to training without the puppy realizing that he is being trained.

2. Attention Training: Before giving a new command, I wait for the puppy to be doing what is it I want. I introduce the command "watch" while he is watching and waiting to get his reward. The puppy needs to be rewarded instantly, because he has a short attention span and will not remember what the praise was for otherwise.

3. The Sit: Kneel on the ground and encourage the puppy to pay attention by allowing him to sniff the treat in your hand. Hold your hand over the puppy's head. The puppy will then sit, since it is easier to look up at the treat from the sitting position. Give the sit command and then praise the dog only when he is sitting. Repeat several times.

4. The Down: Start off the same as you did for sit. Use your open hand to cover the food this time. The puppy will do many things to try to get the food. He is not able to see it; however, he is able to smell it. He will try to push your hand with his nose. Eventually he will realize that laying down makes this task much easier. When the puppy lays down, tell him "down", then reward with a treat while he is in the down position.

5. The Recall: For the safety of the pet a recall or "come" command is important to the training. This can be taught in conjunction with the sit command and the down command. Have someone restrain the dog while you kneel on the ground. Walk a few yards from the dog, then sit or kneel on the ground. To get the puppy's attention, put both hands out in front of you. Issue the command for "come". Have the helper release the dog once you have its attention. While the puppy is running, command "come" with an encouraging tone. Once he successfully reaches you, give him his rewarding treat. Do not make the puppy sit or lay down simultaneously. Do one exercise at a time, and constantly repeat it until he has mastered it.

I has been proven that even extremely young puppies can learn a lot. With proper technique and an encouraging attitude, puppies can learn quickly. Building a bond between the pet and owner, as well as, building confidence, is the main reason behind this type of training. One should always keep this in mind. Training should be conducted in a fun and relaxed setting. This will keep the puppy content and make him WANT to continue to learn.

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