TRAINING YOUR PUPPY TIPS:

	Congratulations on your new puppy. (Your newest family member) Remember Training your puppy starts as soon as the puppy comes home. Puppy Training Basics start during the first week the puppy is home. This is critical to start your puppy out correctly. You need certain physical items for your puppy right away, such as a dog bed or crate, food and water bowls, puppy chow, collar, leash, toys, etc. Also important, is all family members must decide and agree upon daily routines, such as responsibility and rules. This is very important. So be prepared for the many training opportunities that will arise.
	Remember the first few days are extremely important for training your puppy. Excitement and emotions are up. Everyone wants to feed the puppy, play with the puppy and hold the puppy. Pre-established rules can be easily broken. Don't confuse the puppy, keep the lessons routine. Another important factor also is, that all family members must decide, and agree upon the routine, responsibilities and rules for the newest family member. If you all agree, there should be no confusion for the puppy. Everyone will agree that the puppy will sleep in his/her crate but as soon as the puppy is brought home, someone melts and insists that the puppy will sleep in their bed. Decide where you want the puppy for sleep time and keep it uniformed. What happens next? Everyone previously agreed not to let the puppy jump up on them, but in all the excitement, no one even notices that the puppy is jumping up. Teach the puppy NOT to jump. It's that simple. No one sleeps the first night either! Because the puppy whines and gets to sleep in someone's bed. The next morning, we find the puppy has urinated and messed all over the bed. The puppy will eventually cry itself to sleep, just like a baby. Just make sure that the puppy doesn't have to go out to relieve itself. Always take the puppy out before bed. You may be out for a long time, if you don't wait for the puppy to poop and pee, you will be up in the middle of the night, or be cleaning up a mess inside. Puppies will usually hold themselves for their age, for example, if a puppy is 4 months old, they should be able to hold themselves for 4 hours. So now the following night, the puppy is banned to her crate. The puppy now whimpers and yelps all night. No one will sleep tonight either. Oh no! Now your enthusiasm is down. No one wants to get up at the time we agreed upon for that early morning feeding. Now, how will we go about house training the puppy? How are we going to get some sleep with her constant whining and barkinng? Just follow this advise and your puppy will learn the rules very quickly.
Do's and Don'ts	Here Are Some Do's and Don'ts When Starting Out... Begin puppy training as soon as you bring your new puppy home - DON'T wait for bad habits to set in! Always put the puppy in a crate or small confined area when you can't be watching him or her. Set up a small room to be his very own special place for the next couple of months. Paper the entire floor and put his food/water bowls and bed in one corner. Scatter his toys everywhere. Remember to make the crate a "Happy Place", Toys, blankets and treats work wonders. Take the puppy out every two hours for potty breaks - and ALWAYS after eating, sleeping and excited play. Always give lots of praise for toileting on cue and in the right place. "Puppy Proof" your house - keep tempting and dangerous items out of reach and out of sight! Always correct bad behavior at the moment it's happening. Use a guttural or growl tone and a loud clap of the hands to correct. Always praise the puppy as soon as he or she stops. Remember to end every training session on a positive note - make it lots of FUN! Puppies need lots of sleep. When the puppy is sleeping, leave him or her be. When playing with your puppy, do so quietly and gently. Aggressive play will tend to make the puppy over excited. NEVER: Use hands for punishment - hitting, grabbing, dragging and forcing the puppy down creates a fearful submission or aggressive retaliation. NEVER: Assume that he'll "Grow Out" of bad behavior - it's your job to teach him right from wrong. NEVER: Encourage behavior in a puppy that you don't want to see in an adult dog - eg. biting hands,, junping up. NEVER: Use your dog's name in a hostile tone - his name should be a positive. NEVER: Reprimand after the fact - if you see evidence, but have missed the bad behavior - it's too late! NEVER: Give your puppy free run of the house - until he knows the rules he will do whatever suits him. NEVER: Let your puppy off leash unless the environment is entirely safe and secured. NEVER: Leave Children in charge of a puppy - adult supervision is imperative! NEVER: Rub the puppies nose in his pee or poop - it's very traumatizing to the puppy and makes NO sense at all. NEVER: Give into your puppies demands - if the puppy wins, the puppy rules!

	Crate Training Your Puppy We start the puppies with their crate training here when the puppies are very young. As you can see in the photos to the left, they have no issues with being in the crates. If you buy from a breeder that doesn't crate train their puppies, the guide below can assist you in crate training your puppy. Crate Training your puppy may take some time and effort, but can be useful in a variety of situations if you have a new puppy. A crate is an indispensable tool for house training, as well as keeping your belongings and your puppy safe while you are gone. It is a good idea to start crate training your puppy immediately when you pick him or her up. Crate training the puppy is the process of teaching your puppyto go into it's crate on command, and to accept the crate as a familiar and safe location. Dogs are Den-Dwelling animals and advocates claim that a crate can become a den substitute. Those who advocate the use of crates believe that crate-training benefits both the dog and owner. Crate training is used widely in North America but is also used in Europe, Australia and elsewhere. Benefits To Crate Training Your Puppy: 1. HOUSE TRAINING: A crate can be used as a big advantage to house training a puppy. By instinct, most dogs do not want to defecate or pee in their den. The crate is intended to be a substitute for a den. A puppy may be kept in a crate except during feeding time or during supervised play time. When allowed to exit the crate, the puppy is taken to a soiling area to poop or urinate. A crate should be large enough for the puppy to be able to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortable. The length should be about 1.5 times the length of the animal. If there is too much space, the puppy might use the unoccupied end for wastes. If an owner doesn't want to buy multiple crates as the puppy grows, it's possible to block off one end of a larger crate, or to buy a crate with removable dividers. The puppies potty breaks must be frequent enough to avoid accidents since puppies have a difficult time controlling urination and defecation. Control gets better as the puppy gets older. Even an adult dog, when ill or affected by certian medications, can end up soiling the crate, making the dog uncomfortable both phyiically and mentally, if the owner isn't vigilant and aware of the dog's needs. Toys and a soft bedding material in theh crate make it more comfortable for your puppy. Always provide water for your puppy anytime he or she is in the crate. Spill proof bowls or bowls that attach to the kennel gate work the best. A Crate should not be used as a prison. Trainers advise that the crate only be closed when the owner is home. Crate Training is not the same as confinement for extended periods. 2. AWAY FROM HOME: Many veterinary clinics and hospitals keep dogs in crates when the dog must stay for observation or care. A dog who understands the concept of a crate may be less stressed during medical care and may be easier for the staff to handle. Some kennels also use crates. This is another good reason for crate training. 3. TRAVELING BY AIR: When your puppy travels on an airline, he must be enclosed in an approved crate. Because travel is stressful for the dog, crate proponents claim that a crate-trained dog finds this experience less stressful than a dog who has not been crate trained. Molded plastic crates are suitable for this purpose as long as they have steel bolts connecting the upper and lower parts of the crate. Before we fly out puppies to their new homes, they are completely crate trained. 4. TRAVELING BY VEHICLE An unrestrained dog traveling in a car can create hazards for itself or it's human companions by distracting the driver, leaping from the car or attacking passersby. Dogs also should be restrained for the safety of the driver and the dog. A crate that is securely strapped into the car provides an easy method to contain the dog that still allows the dog to move comfortably during travel, although dog car harnesses and seat belts are also available. CRATE TRAINING: Crate training usually involves rewarding a dog for entering the crate and for remaining there, using the crate as part of a play session, feeding the dog in the crate, allowing the dog to explore and use the crate until it is no longer intimidating. SOME SUGGESTED RULES: 1. Confinement to a crate should not be used as punishment. 2. Introduction to a crate should be gradual and accompanied by rewards. 3. A dog should not be placed in a crate unless it has relieved itself. 4. On release from a crate, a dog should immediately be taken outside. 5. A visibly stressed dog should not be confined to the crate. TYPES OF CRATES AND VARIATIONS: Solid Plastic Crates are usually more suitable than other types for secure travel, such as in an airplane. They might also be safer in a car accident than other types. Disadvantages are that they take up a lot of space and do not fold for storage. Aluminum Crates can be either fixed or folding. A few of their advantages are: light weight, very strong when constructed with appropriate bracing, will not rust, excellent airflow & cvision for the dog and appealing looks compared to the wire crates. Aluminum Crates are suitable for use at veterinary hospitals, car travel, as a permanent "Den" for your dog inside the home and in breeding kennel environments. Wire Crates usually can be folded for storage or transport, although it might be difficult to do and they are fairly heavy for their size. They provide more airflow for the dog and provide people with a clearer view inside and they range in many sizes. Such crates are often used in car travel, at veterinary hospitals, and at kennels. There are a variety of covers and pads available to make crates safe and more comfortable. Wire Crates are also popular at dog shows; they allow the dog to be clearly seen by spectators, and the sashes, rosettes and ribbons won can be hung on the crate for display. Soft Crates can always be easily folded for storage or transport and are lightweight. They provide the dog with a stronger sense of security but still allow visibility and airflow. They cannot be used with dogs that are likely to dig or chew at the crate. and they are NOT SUITABLE for transporting dogs in any type of vehicle.
	House Training Your Puppy One of the most popular methods of house training your puppy today is the use of crate training. Like most animals, dogs instinctively try to avoid soiling their own dens. The crate training method makes use of this instinct by confining the dog in an artificial "Den" when it cannot be closely supervised. Because the den instinct is common to all canines, this method of house training is highly effective for all dog breeds. The crate is most often a plastic carrier, although other kinds of small, comfortable enclosures can be used. It must be large enough for the puppy to stan and turn around comfortable, but not much bigger. If the crate is too large, the puppy will simply eliminate in one end and sleep in the other end, defeating the purpose. As long as the crate is comfortable and the puppy is introduced to it gradually and is taken out to receive plenty of attention every day, the puppy will accept the crate openly. Most puppies will not only grow accustomed to the crate, but actually become fond of it. Many dogs voluntarily continue sleeping in their crates long after they have been fully house-trained and no longer require confinement. The puppy must not be confined in the crate for long periods of time. Most puppies under the age of about six months are incapable of waiting long periods of time for a chance to eliminate. If the puppy repeatedly finds itself forced to eliminate in the crate, it will eventually lose the inhibition against soiling it's den entirely - making house-training much more difficult. The puppy must be taken outside to "go potty" at least once every two to four hours during the day. In addition, it will almost always need to "go" shortly after eating a meal or drinking water, after waking from sleep, and being removed from it's crate, and after play or exercise. You should also closely observe the puppies body language and take it outside every time it shows signs of being ready to eliminate, such as squatting, walking in small tight circles, or sniffing the ground as though searching for the ideal spot. They only use this body language for a few seconds before they eliminate, so careful watch on the owner's part is required. If the puppy is caught in the process of urinating or defecating indoors, the owner should make a sharp, loud noise. The purpose of this is not to punish or frighten the puppy, but to startle it so that it will stop. The owner should then take the puppy outside through the same door or to some other designated area to finish the process. It is very important that after the dog has relieved itself in the appropriate area, it should be warmly praised, to make going outside seem like a very good act to do. If the puppy does not eliminate itself after 15-20 minutes of being outside, the owner should return it to it's crate and try again later. In the wild, all the dogs or wolves in a pack urinate and defecate in a designated area, away from the den. With house-breaking, the puppy comes to understand that the designated area for elimination is outside. Then the puppy will begin going to the door when it feels the urge to "Go Potty". You should watch for this behavior and, when you see it, praise the puppy and immediately take the puppy outside. If the door is not opened quickly, most puppies will spontaneously whine, bark or scratch at it to get their owner's attention. We hang a bell on our door, and all the dogs know to ring the bell. Some owners may even train the dog to ring a bell, as we do here in our home, when it needs to relieve itself. As the puppy grows older, it gains the ability to control it's bowels and bladder for longer periods of time, and becomes increasingly able to wait for long periods without requiring confinement. The amount of hours a puppy can hold it's bowels is approximately equal to the number of months of its age. For example, if a puppy is 5 months old, then it can usually hold for 5 hours. This is true until the puppy is 10 months old, when 10 hours is the maximum time for ay age. However, some breeds, especially the basset hound and many of the toy breeds are harder to housebreak than others. If a puppy seems not to be able to hold it very long (e.g. only 1 hour when they are a year old), then the puppy should be examined for bladder problems by a vet. One decided advantage to house train a puppy is the choosing of the proper breed of dog. Some breeds such as the hound family can be rather difficult to house break, due to the natural instinct to be overly excitable. SOME COMMON MISTAKES: Most experts advise against punishing dogs when they defecate indoors, at least during the early part of the house training process. This is not because they believe all punishment is necessarily inhumane, but because it can very easily create more problems than it solves. If a dog is punished for urinating or defecating, especially before it really understands where it is supposed to defecate, quite often it will simply learn not to defecate when people are watching. It may actually begin to avoid going when it's owner brings it outside. Then, when the dog is indoors, it will look for an opportunity to hide and relieve itself, creating a mess in a place where the owner may not find it until hours or even days later. This can make house training your puppy much more difficult that it needs to be. Another extremely common mistake is for owners to punish a puppy for eliminating in the house whwen they have not actually caught the dog in the act. If the owner finds a mess on the floor and goes to find the dog and scold it, the dog will believe it is being punished for whatever it was doing when the owner found it. Dogs are totally incapable of associating the punishment with their earlier actions. Even if their owner drags them to the mess and points it out to them. Punishing a dog when it cannot understand what the punishment is for only makes it confused and upset, possibly creating entirely new behavioral problems. One traditional method of punishment - rubbing the dog's nose in its own mess is particularly counter-productive. As noted above, dogs and wolves have a natural urge to defecate where the rest of their pack does. They locate the spot by scent; this is why dogs will generally spend some time sniffing the ground before they relieve themselves. Thus, rubbing the dog's nose in it's urine or feces actually reinforces to the dog that it should continue eliminating in that particular spot.
	Puppy Jumping Up TEACH YOUR PUPPY NOT TO JUMP ON YOU AND YOUR GUESTS! Dogs often jump up on people, especially puppies. They will stand on their rear legs and will rest their front paws on you. This is normal behavior for a puppy to do. Jumping up serves both as play and to teach them how to act as a predator or how to challenge other pack members in the dominance hierarchy. In some homes, puppies are encouraged to jump up on their owners. Obviously, this is a mistake! While it may seem cute or a sign of affection while the puppy is small, these actions can be harmful when it is done by a 100 LB German Shepherd! A lot of owners complain about their dogs doing this. They shout "No" or "Get Down" or any other phrases that make perfect sense to them at the time, but unfortunately the puppy or dog does not understand. They scream and punish the animals but little seems to help. Some of these human actions may excite the dog even more, and when this occurs, nothing is learned. In all honesty, this behavior can be eliminated completely in a week or less, and as usual, we do not think you need to say anything. You need to communicate to the pet that this is not acceptable behavior and should not be done, but do not waste words or try and make up new phrases to correct it. A Simple Body Block Will Do The Trick Every Time! When your dog or puppy starts to jump up on you, just turn sideways and either extend your leg or lean over and with your hip, give a body block so that the dog never gets their paws on you. You see, once the dog has his front paws on you, he already got what he wanted. In other words, the dog won and you lost. When the dog has all four feet on the floor, immediately squat down and give him attention. He will soon learn that by sitting quietly with all four feet on the floor, he will get what he wants. What If The Dog Surprised You And Got His Feet On You Before You Had A Chance To Block Him? Do NOT push the dog away with your hands. Because now the puppy thinks that this is play. Some people lightly step on the toes of one of the animal's rear feet, but not enough to hurt the dog. All you want to do is make something they think is play suddenly uncomfortable to them. Do not say anything and don't waste words on this kind of behavior. Remember this, you do not want to step down on the toes and make the animal in pain! Done consistently, either of these actions will eliminate the jumping up behavior.

Stop Puppy Biting Tips To Stop Your Puppy From Biting.... Puppies in general have a very strong need to bite and chew, some more than others. However, you need to control it. But be sure you are providing a Proper Outlet for the chewing puppy, such as gummy-bones and chew toys as you work on controlling the puppy from chewing and biting. Some Ideas For Discouraging Finger Biting: When your puppy clamps down, let out a very loud YELP in imitation of a hurt puppy. Then, fold your arms and ignore him for 5 minutes or so. After that, get a toy and return to the puppy. Encourage the puppy to play with the toy. If he goes for you with a nip, repeat yelping while walking away. With very young puppies, this sometimes works wonders - it's the same thing that happens when they get too rough with another puppy. The wounded puppy yelps and runs off, refusing to play for awhile. The yelp must be startling enough to stop the behavior. If nothing changes you probably didn't yelp loud enough. However, depending yn your pup's personality, this could also incite him to become aggressive and chew all the more. In that case, you may need to use some aversive methods. A first approach is to try Bitter Apple. Use it liberally, and not just a light spray. If you make a big impression the first time, it's likely to have a better effect. The Nipping Games: Certain games you play with your puppy can encourage biting and should be avoided. When playing Tug-Of-War, chase and tackle games and other games where you actively encourage the puppy to bite a person. Dangling treats and encouraging a puppy to jump for them can encourage snapping for food as well as injuring growing joints. If you play Tug-Of-War, make certain YOU start the game and YOU stop it. If the puppy brings you a toy and wants you to play, reverse the rules. Remember, if the puppy wins, the puppy RULES! Some puppies need more. It's helpful if you could enroll your puppy in a puppy class designed especially for young puppies in order to get the proper guidance, because it's sometimes difficult for a novice trainer to recognize when an aversive should be escalated. If you are reading the puppy wrong, increasing the aversive could actually make the problem worse instead of better. To introduce an element of "Natural Discipline", grasp the recalcitrant pup by the scruff of the neck with one hand and place your other hand over the top of his muzzle, gently pressing his muzzle towards his chest as you say, in a low, growly tone of voice, "NO BITE". If they begin to throw a tantrum and thrash around trying to bite, just hold the line until they "Give In" and "Say Uncle" (quit resisting). You should not find it necessary to get aggressive with a young puppy. Simple restraint is usually enough to get the message across. Absolutely do not use any stiffer discipline without guidance from an instructor.

Prevent Destructive Chewing First off, it's a good idea to Puppy-Proof your home. Instead of constantly reprimanding your puppy for getting into things he shouldn't, Puppy-Proof all areas of your home to which your puppy will have access to, just like the way you would child proof an area for a baby. Temporarily take up any rugs you may have in the area where the puppy will be. Place any plants, household cleaners, trash receptacles, paper products (such as tissue, newspapers, magazines and toilet paper, puppies LOVE to rip up paper), POISONOUS SUBATANCES, shoes, and any small chewable objects out of reach. VERY IMPORTANT: Either remove, or place higher all accessible electrical wires, you could also tape wires down or cover them in some way, you definitely do not want the puppy chewing through an electrical cord! Remove or secure any heavy objects which could fall or be pulled down and cause serious injury to your puppy. Also, limit the number of toys for the puppy. While all puppies should have toys to play with, the problem with providing your puppy with too many toys is that it makes it more difficult for the puppy to tell the difference from what's his and what's yours/ Don not provide a destructive puppy with more than a few toys at a time. (This rule does not apply to dogs who are not destructive chewers). It's also important to give your puppy lots of outdoor exercise. Puppies that are destructive indoors, need lots of active outdoor exercise daily. (Make sure your puppy has been immunized before playing with other dogs) Puppy shots are usually administered by a veterinarian when the puppy is around 4 to 8 weeks old. Teaching your puppy to retrieve a ball, toy or frisbee will help cure his chronic chewing problem or to give him any access to outdoor areas where neighborhood dogs go (dog parks, dog beaches and such). Association with other dogs is vital for the puppies upbringing. Limit the playing to moderate play. You don't want to damage your puppies bones from to much hard running and jumping on his or her growing bones! Chew Toys: Rather than attempting to stifle your puppies chewing tendencies, The puppies desire to chew should be constructively channeled and directed towards acceptable items such as his chew toys. Avoid giving your puppy articles of clothing such as old socks or shoes, discarded sneakers, towels or other old household articles. While some puppies may learn to differentiate between these things which are his and those which are yours, most puppies can not. When it comes to choosing which toys to give your puppy, here are a few pointers to look for. FIRST AND FORMOST IS SAFETY. Only allow the puppy those toys and balls which can't be chewed apart or accidentally swallowed. Tennis balls are out because of the fur on the ball, this can get stuck in the puppies throat and cause quite a cough, much like "Kennel Cough". Also, beware of small objects such as bells, buttons or squeakers from squeak toys, which may be hazardous if chewed off of a toy and swallowed. Make the chew toy fun. if it is not fun, your puppy won't want to play with it. Make sure the toy is also easy to clean. After all, who wants to spend all of their time cleaning chew toys? Good chew toys should also last a long time. Make sure they are durable. Another good tip is to purchase two or more of the same toy, that way if the puppy starts to destroy the toy, you can replace it with the new one before he completely destroys it, this also will confuse him and he will stop trying to destroy it, now he thinks he can not do it.

Obedience Training Ideally, puppies that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to obedience training and living in human households. Puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it is against the law to take puppies away from their mothers before the age of 8 weeks. Puppies are innately more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home and obedience training. Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands as early as 8 weeks of age; the only limitations are stamina, concentration, and physical coordination. A puppy requires discipline, consistency, and the patience of it's owner. Owners should take time to train their puppies and take steps to make their home safe. The puppy training phase is integral in raising a healthy and happy dog and keeping a safe and fun home environment. Puppies need consistency more than anything else. A stable diet and clear expectations will help the puppy learn what it is expected. Dogs are expressive and may communicate needs by biting, whining, and getting fidgety. The owner's response may contribute to a healthy, obedient puppy. Am important principle is that the best way to change a puppies behavior is to modify one's own conduct. Giving a puppy toys that are similar to householld items he likes to chew may facilitate easier puppy training. An Integral puppy training issue is house training. Various methods of house training will work although the key is to be consistent. With regularly enforced rules, litter box, crate, or paper training can be successful. Puppies also like to jump up on you. this is a very easy process to stop. BASIC TRAINING... Most dogs, no matter their eventual advanced training or intended purpose, live with people who want them to behave in a way that makes them pleasant to be around, keeps them safe, and provides for the safety of other people and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; they must be trained. The hardest part of training is communicating with the dog in a humane way that it understands. However, the underlying principle of all communication is simple: reward disired behavior while ignoring or correcting undesired behavior. Basic dog obedience training usually consists of 5 behaviors: 1. Sit 2. Down 3. Stay 4. Recall ("Come" or "Here") 5. Close (or loose-leash walking) 6 Heel Corrections of these commands should never include harmful physical force or violence. Using force while training is controversial and should not be taken lightly, because even if it ends the behavior, when applied inappropriately with some dogs it may lead to a loss of drive (enthusiasm for the given task). stress, and in some cases even aggression. A handler may decide to use mild force; however the standard used by most trainers is the minimum amount necessary to inhibit the unwanted behavior. BASIC TRAINING CLASSES... Professional "dog trainers" train the dog's gardian or handler on how to train his dog. Although it is also possible to send a dog to a training school, the owner must learn what the dog has learned and how to use and reinforce the techniques. Owners and dogs who attend class together have an opportunity to learn more about each other and how to work together under a trainers guidance. Training classes are offered by many kennels, pet stores, and independent trainers. Formal training in classes is not always available until the puppy has completed all it's vaccinations around 4 months of age, however, some trainers offer puppy socialization classes in which puppies can enroll immediately after being placed in their permanent homes as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies have received initial vaccinations. In most cases, basic training classes accept only puppies that are at least 3 to 6 months old. It is however recommended to start training as soon as the puppy comes into your home. A better way than group classes is "In Home Dog Training", with companies who will have trainers coming to your home; you can start training as early as 8 weeks and set a great start to proper housebreaking procedures and building a good consistent start. DON'T USE PUNISHMENT: Punishment as a training aid does not foster the willingness to please the excitement for work, which comes with positive reinforcement and treats. Any negative stimuli should be limited to using the word "no" and blocking (using the hands) the puppies negative actions. Hitting and physical abuse of any sort are unnecessary in a young pup, and should not be used unless under the most extenuating circumstances in an older dog (it should never come to this). TIMING AND CONSISTENCY: Remember that timing is everything. Coordination of the trainers movements and corrections is directly related to the ability of the puppy to comprehend the lesson he is being taught. It is important to make him understand that the corrections given are a direct result of his behavior, and will not take place if he does as the trainer wishes. For example, if a puppy is given the command "Come" while in another room shewing on a toy, he is unlikely to respond. If no one brings him to the trainer on the command "come" he will learn the work "come" is synonymous with "ignore". On the other hand, the puppy is only told to "come" under controlled circumstances, while on leash and in the hands of the trainer. He is gently pulled towards the trainer with praise and learns that "come" always means to approach the trainer, and that to do so brings praise. REWARDS AND PRAISE: Directly related to timing is praise. If when given the command "come" a puppy responds with the correct action and is not praised, he quickly loses enthusiasm and interest. Conversely, when given plenty of praise and caresses immediately upon correct completion of a given command, he quickly learns that the exercises are fun and profitable. He also learns to duplicate the correct action quickly in order to reap his rewards faster. in this way, praise and treats strengthen the understanding and willingness of a pup to respond to a given command. ALLOW THE PUPPY TO THINK FOR ITSELF: Allow a puppy the chance to act on it's own before forcing or using corrections. Guiding a puppy is more confidence building than using force. When a puppy realizes that the trainer will do the work for him, he has no motivation to perform a given task on his own. Given the choice between being hauled around on the end of a leash and getting a treat at the end, or having to pay attention and work for a few minutes, then getting praised, a puppy almost always chooses the lazy way. Let him work for the rewards and he accepts it as a job he must do. As the puppy progresses, he becomes more sure of himself when he does not have to "Lean" on the trainer. WORK FOR SHORT PERIODS: This is pretty self explanatory. Puppies have very short attention spans. Keeping sessions short (10 minutes) and doing them frequently (2-3 times daily) ensures that the trainer will have the full attention of the puppy, and that the dog will not grow bored. Again, working for short periods will be rewarding, too. REPETITION: This works hand in hand with working for short periods of time. Do an exercise for as many times as it takes to get it right, or close to right. Once you get it right, STOP! A puppy will learn that doing an exercise correctly and quickly will be a reward in and of itself, because it will not have to keep doing the exercise over. PATIENCE AND CONFIDENCE: Training a puppy requires patience and confidence. Puppies know when the trainer is sure of himself and what he is doing, the information travels down the leash to the puppy as easily as electricity down a wire. Lack of confidence can be overcome by the trainer practicing and working on his own, but will deter from the puppies ability to learn if not dealt with. Patience is not as easily learned, but if not used consistently, impatience will cause fear and lack of confidence in the puppy. KEEP IT SIMPLE: Doing easy exercises one at a time is much simpler concept for a puppy than learning a whole exercise in one sitting. The Sit-Stay for example, is not taught all at once, but broken down into it component parts. First a pup must learn to sit reliably, on it's own, and then the trainer can add movement away from the puppy. Once that part is learned, the trainer can make the distance between himself and the puppy greater and greater. Then he can add time away from the puppy as a factor. Eventually, the puppy learns that no matter how far and how long the trainer is gone, he must stay in the position originally placed, until he is released. TALK TO THE PUPPY: A constant flow of happy chatter from the trainer to the puppy insures that the puppy is paying attention. Praise words along with corrections can be given, and the puppy will learn to watch the trainer and listen for changes of command given with the tone of voice. In this way the puppy also learns to watch the trainers face, a great beginning for attention training. HANDS OFF: One sure way to defeat your training ideal is to constantly touch a puppy while working. This does not apply to the first 12 weeks of life. At this time in his life, a puppy needs reassurance and cuddles, these are necessary to build trust and love. Once a puppy has started to learn commands, withholding some touching will help the training process. If the trainer corrects a puppy that keeps leaving a Sit-Stay by using his hands to encircle the body and replace, the pup associates touching as positive reinforcement to misbehavior (So! If I move, so an so touches me). Instead, use the leash to replace the puppy into a sit with minimal use of the hands. During training, use the hands only to praise and pat at the end of the exercise. In the same way when a dog comes to the trainer and nudges for pats and attention while relaxing, take the opportunity to train briefly. The trainer must ask the puppy to "Sit" or "Down" or any other command to re-enforce his trainning. then be generous with hugs and pats once the desired exercise is completed. This serves to build the rapport between the trainer and puppy, and further strengthen discipline.