The arrival of a new puppy is an exciting time for any household. Your cute and cuddly little fluff ball will immediately command center stage from the whole family. Before long though, it becomes very clear that the new arrival means there's lots for you to do, and even more for him/her to learn.

Your young puppy is totally reliant and dependent on you to help him habituate and fit into our human, domesticated world. Your guidance and leadership will determine what path his life takes and what type of dog he will become. During puppyhood you play the lead role and are responsible for shaping the character, temperament and behavior habits that your dog will carry throughout his life. Your puppy's future is in your capable hands...

How To Train A Puppy - It's Not All Fun And Games!

It shocks some new puppy owners when their puppy acts like, well a puppy. The little critter is a pooping machine who chews, barks, digs, cries and much more! But we still love them anyway - we just need to provide them with some direction and boundaries to follow. If you're anything like me you probably just want to get your puppy off to the best possible start in life, and also set them up to thrive as adult dogs.

Bringing a young pup into our lives is a big responsibility and commitment to fulfill. Our puppies have a long list of requirements and deadlines that must be met for their wellbeing. Tasks like puppy house training, crate training, puppy socialization, leash training and basic obedience need to be addressed right from the very start.

How To Train A Puppy - The Positive Non Violent Way

It's important with all dog training but especially with young puppies to use lots of encouragement, praise and rewards (positive reinforcement) in your training. Start your puppy training sessions as soon as your little puppy arrives at your home. Set your puppy up to succeed, concentrate on developing desirable habits in your puppy and preventing undesirable behavior. It's much a better alternative to put your puppy on the right path from the start, rather than trying to correct established problem behaviors later on.

Keep your training sessions short, consistent and always have fun. The key to shaping your puppy's behavior is to start out with very easy commands, continue to build on these successes and apply heaps of repetition. Base your training sessions around trust and mutual respect rather than old school methods based on punishment and harsh corrections. In this environment you will find that your puppy loves his training sessions and his confidence will grow with each and every session.

Always remember that you are dealing with a very immature young animal. Be realistic, flexible, patient and always fair. Your puppy doesn't just automatically know this stuff! It's all new to him and he is bound to have the odd slip up and mistake along the way. Don't worry about these mistakes, just move on and do your best to prevent them in the future.

Enjoy this fantastic time in your dogs life. His puppyhood is the time where you will lay the foundation for your puppy's life. It's also where you will develop, build and strengthen the special bond you will share with your dog for life.