Among many other cute little things you have with having a dog, getting them to do tricks and obey you are two different things people are always excited about. Indeed, dogs are one of the most loyal animals you can have as a companion. They’re also one of the most obedient ones once they’ve been trained. Although some dogs can be stubborn and training can be challenging, most dogs are trainable given the patience and the most effective teaching style or technique for your dog. Not many owners know this, but you can train them early. There are many benefits to training as soon as possible.
So, when can you start? What’s the right age?
7 to 10 Weeks
At 7 to 10 weeks, you can already start teaching your puppy socialisation and obedience commands. Puppies can already develop their socialisation skills and learn obedience commands like “stay” and “sit”. Gentle orders and positive reinforcement are two of the most effective teaching techniques you can apply when you train your puppy. As these times are ideal for training, this is also the right age for your puppy to start meeting new people and new species. Let them gain new experiences and explore.
More so, these are also the crucial weeks for you to get them on board on a daily schedule where feeding, playtime, potty break, and nap time are all laid out. It would be best if you potty-train your puppy as soon as possible. Most people get to bring home puppies at 7 to 8 weeks old. As soon as you bring home your puppy, potty training should start right away. For puppies born in your homes, at 7 to 10 weeks are when they’re most trainable.
Some puppies may have or develop separation anxiety. One way to reduce this is to crate-train them. It’s one of the essential values to include in your puppy training. It helps speed up the housebreaking phase.
7 to 12 weeks
7 to 12 weeks is also the ideal time for formal classes if you plan to enrol them in one. There are classes conducted by professionals available for training for dogs. These training professionals do not only teach your dog basic and advanced commands. They also help in identifying training and behaviour concerns that you will need to address. Since this is also the perfect time for puppies to socialise, you can enrol them in a group dog training sessions.
Although some advise that 4 to 6 months old is the best time for training, puppies’ socialisation phase starts earlier than this. It’s essential to take advantage of puppies in their 7 to 8 weeks age to help prevent developing any fears or aggressive behaviours.
Before you enrol them in classes or train them yourself, make sure your puppy is in a good health condition enough for training. Their vaccines and deworming should always be up to date. When you enrol them in group dog training sessions, you should choose a trainer or dog training businesses that require all dogs in the group to have their vaccines updated.
Training a dog is both exciting and challenging. Patience and consistency are two of the best assets that will help you along the way. Establishing communication and a trusting relationship between you and your puppy takes time. Still, once you get there, it will be one of the most worthy things to be patient and consistent.
