5 Rules Of How The Puppy Learns Obedience, Part 1

obedience training

The following thoughtful premises are crucial to set the stage, for a

very smooth obedience training for your lovely puppy

1 – A puppy learns via associating his deed with pleasing or displeasing

results. The puppy will want to repeat the act that brings a satisfactory

reward and very quickly discontinue the one that brings a discomfort.

2 – A corrective measure needs to be simultaneous with the act to be

most effective. A puppy must be disciplined the moment he does something

wrong or will not remember nor understand why he is being punished

3 – The needed correction must be made every time the puppy makes a mistake.

It becomes painfully confusing if he is permitted to do something once or

twice,then later is scolded for the very same behavior.

4 – Any forcefulness with which the corrections are made should be

according to the temperament of the puppy. Kindness is in order with

a shy puppy but firmness is the order of the day, with one having a willful

nature.

5 – Severe correctional measures if any, are necessary only when bad habits

are already a part of a dog’s behavior.

Homecoming For The Puppy

As a step to the right start, be prepared for your lovely puppy before he

arrives. Not advisable to buy him in a hurry just because his pleading eyes

break you down, then bring him home and wonder what you are going to do with

him.

You can easily avoid a great deal of trouble, worry and anxiety by preparing

his accommodations well before he arrives. And accommodations he should have.

That is a requirement, no doubt.

The pleasant way to spoil your newly acquired puppy is to give him free

run of the house and grounds at once. Advisable that you build or acquire at

very reasonable cost a small indoor pen for him, which is to be his own, his

apartment, his haven of refuge. It may be elaborate or very modest, but at

any rate it must be serviceable.

Be sure to have it so constructed that it will meet his needs, when he is

fully grown. An average middle-size dog pen should have dimensions no

larger than three feet by four feet, of sufficient height to allow

him to stand up. It could be built of wood or ply board, covered on top,

and have a door of strong wire mesh. It is preferable that the pen be raised

from the floor about four inches also.

This personal dwelling is to serve many purposes. It is fundamentally the

puppy’s sleeping quarters, where his own mattress or rug may be placed. It

may be used as a place to keep him when he is not under supervision, or as a

place of safety when he is left alone in the house, as detailed later here.

Be aware that small puppies require almost constant supervision or they will

get into mischief a lot. That pen will be a great aid in taking care of the

puppy in that respect. It certainly will not take him long to adjust himself

to it.

Make him stay in it for reasonably long periods just after you bring him home.

Indeed, he will cry. But try to be tolerant of his whimpering for a few days.

You will find it well worth it when he has come not only to accept but actually

to appreciate and enjoy his own private quarters.

As addition to the indoor pen, he needs to have a fenced-in yard out-doors.

The size being optional, depending upon the amount of ground you want him

to have. No doubt a large yard is better than a small one, with a safely

fenced-in enclosure necessary if you expect to bring up your puppy free

of danger and with a minimum of care on your part.

The Freedom Of Outdoor Puppy Training

Of course, a yard for your dog may be as small as four feet by twenty feet

or it may be an acre or more.

The crucial emphasis is to have the yard.

Okay, with the indoor pen and the outdoor yard, you are ready to start a

very important part of the obedience training for a puppy.

His lesson No.I in cleanliness is about to start. It is not difficult to

housebreak a YOUNG DOG. But take careful note that we say young dog and

not puppy. Huge, very huge difference there.

What an exception when a puppy under the age of four months becomes reliably

house-broken.

Note that elimination of urine and feces is almost an involuntary act with

the puppy – it is not thought about it in advance. The moment the puppy

feels the urge, he relieves himself. The older dog differs in that he

anticipates the act and makes his wants known well ahead of time.

It is not difficult to housebreak the older pup, whereas with the little

fellow it can be a pretty discouraging job for a good while.

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At this puppy age, punishment is out of the question. Many dogs have become

shy, even ruined for life, caused entirely by severe punishment when they were

just small puppies. So here is where your indoor pen and outside yard play

their critical big part.

When the puppy is brought home, take him to the outside yard, and leave

him there until he relieves himself; then praise him and bring him into the

house.

Allow him investigate about only one room, be it the kitchen, denying him

access to any other part of the house. Later, he may be introduced to other

rooms, one at a time, but the point now is not to confuse him with so many

seemingly strange things all at once.

With his curiosity satisfied, and probably showing a little friendliness,

it is time to introduce him to his indoor pen. Have the pen so constructed

so that in one corner is his bed or sleeping mattress, divided from the rest

of his pen. In the remainder of his pen, spread several thicknesses of

newspapers.

Of course the puppy’s reaction first will be to explore his new home, but

soon satisfied, he’ll probably wish to get out. He’ll whimper, maybe cry and

bark. And it is right here where you must be firm and have extra patience.

Please, let him cry! It won’t be forever. If he has had plenty of exercise,

and is tired, chances are that he’ll curl up and go to sleep. If you can

get over the hurdle of the first few days, the result will well justify

whatever annoyances you may have developed.

The next step is to be on guard for the time your puppy wakes up.

He will stretch and yawn,so pick him up gently and take him outdoors to

his yard. Be sure to make him stay there until he relieves himself. Then

bring him in at once.

Notice that you are trying to teach the young puppy that outdoors, is the

place for certain acts. As soon as he has obliged you, bring him back

into the house. Once again, play with him in the kitchen, letting him

get better acquainted with you and his surroundings. Should the play extend

into a lengthy period, take him out to the yard again before putting him

to bed.

Since the puppy is very young, five or six weeks of age, his need for relief

will be at more frequent intervals, about every two hours or even less. As

he grows older, the going out periods will be stretched out. A puppy of four

months need not have a bowel movement more than three times a day, while

in some cases you will find puppies that relieve themselves only twice a

day. However, the elimination of urine comes at more frequent periods.

Nevertheless, as the puppy grows older, this can be controlled, and when

correctly housebroken, the dog may be adjusted to a specific routine of

your own making.

Should your puppy be four months of age or older when you get him, there is

no reason why he can’t be housebroken promptly. The toughest part of the

battle is won at the outset, by giving him almost constant supervision

for a week or even two, taking him out at regular intervals and bringing

him in when he has relieved himself.

As his cleanliness improves, take him out less frequently, until you

have finally adjusted him to going no more than five times in a day.

A bit later, when he is seven or eight months of age, it is possible

to train him to relieve himself of urine four times a day on regular

basis, and have no more than two bowel movements daily. You may know

that the majority of adult dogs have only two bowel movements a day,

and there are still others who have a movement every other day, that

latter state of affairs demands a closer look at nutrition, and

promptly.

Housebreaking in Apartments

Persons living in a large city, especially apartment dwellers, will find

greater trouble and inconvenience in housebreaking young puppies. Taking

a puppy up and down the stairs or elevator whenever he must urinate,

and having only the pavement as out-of-doors, instead of a yard into

which he may be safely placed, will be nothing short of a nuisance for

a lengthy time interval.

Your apartment puppy may be handled in a somewhat different manner.

So, instead of an outside yard, have a second small pen, placed wherever

it is convenient, but not near his sleeping pen. In the bottom of this

pen lay some newspapers, spread flat.

Forget shredding or crumpling them in any way.

Then do use this housebreaking pen in the same manner you would use

the outside yard.

Placing the puppy in it immediately that he awakens and at all other times

when it is necessary for him to use it. The pen should set on the floor, which

may be covered with a small piece of linoleum.