Introducing a young and playful puppy to the concept of training can seem an impossible task, but with the help of Petplan’s expert behaviourist, Nick Jones, we’ve compiled our top tips for laying the right foundation.
Introducing training early on will encourage your puppy to look and listen to you which is what basic training is really all about.
When is the best time to begin puppy training?
Dogs are capable of absorbing information from a very early age so it’s never too early to start introducing the principles of training. Most people bring home a new puppy at about eight weeks of age, so this is an excellent time to start on some very simple commands at home.
Once your puppy has had all of its vaccines you can start to look at more formal training options such as puppy training classes. This will be a great opportunity not only to work on more advanced training techniques, but also to start socialising your dog with people and other dogs.
What training commands should you start with?
Some of the key commands to start with include:
- Sit
- Lay Down
- Stay
- Recall
You may also consider teaching your dog to fetch you an item, such as one of their toys. Further down the line this command could even develop into teaching your dog to clean up his toys!
Once you have mastered these basic training techniques you will likely find you have developed a stronger bond with your dog. Training is an ongoing task, and with a strong bond and basic training principles in place you will have a great foundation for moving on to more advanced training techniques over time.
We have plenty of puppy training videos and dog training guides to help you on your way!