How to train a puppy requires that you follow certain steps and tips to successfully train your puppy. It also requires avoiding certain mistakes when you are teaching your puppy new habits.
Here is the list of the top mistakes to avoid when you train a puppy.
Table of Contents
Top 11 mistakes to avoid when you train a puppy
1.) Taking your puppy to your home too soon
Don’t take out your puppy too soon to your home, doing so will let your puppy not learn all the socialization that they learn from their mothers and littermates.
However, there are shelters that allow puppies to leave their families and become adopted by people. This leads to problems such as they struggle to learn how to bite and proper socialization techniques with other dogs and people.
You can avoid problems with puppies by getting puppies when they are eight weeks old or ,at best, 12 weeks old.
2.) Not starting training immediately
Start training your puppy immediately from day one. Give your puppies trainings such as obedience training, socialization, and housebreaking.
Give them commands such as sit, come, and stay. You can also teach them how to potty effectively in the correct place. As for socialization, you can enroll them in a kindergarten puppy class where they mix and mingle with different puppies.
It is important to start right away so your puppy can learn the rules and puppy trainings needed.
3.) Rushing your puppy and being impatient
Being impatient with your puppy doesn’t do any good. Puppies take time while learning new skills so be patient.
You have to start slow and challenge your puppy building their confidence and training abilities.
4.) Failing in crate training
You can make your puppy learn how to potty effectively through using crate training. In crate training, you get your puppy and put them in a crate for a certain time so they learn how to hold it in.
The idea is that puppies and dogs like their homes and dens to be clean so they are less likely to eliminate in it to keep it clean.
Crate training is an important step toward teaching your puppy how to potty effectively. If you do not succeed in this step, it will be hard to housetrain your puppy when you are away for a period of time or to teach them to not mess the house.
4.) Not supervising your puppy while training
Allowing your puppy to roam freely when you are not at home spells out big trouble. Your puppy may chew things in your house, eliminate in the house , and escape.
This is the reason that you should always keep your puppy in a crate when you are away. Also , you should not give all access to every part of the house ,in the beginning, so you can easily keep your eyes on your puppy for any problems.
5.) Bribing your dog with rewards
It is important to know the difference between giving your puppy a reward and bribing them to do a certain behavior. But how do you know which is which?
When teaching a puppy a new behavior, never put the treat in your hand while asking the puppy to complete an action. This makes the puppy do any behavior because of the treat.
Instead , you have to tell your puppy the behavior and then offer the treat. By doing so, you teach your puppy the new behavior.
6.) Letting your puppy bite you during playing
Don’t allow your puppy to bite you while playing. Your puppy grows and so does their bite become rougher. As a result, it will hurt you and cause you pain.
Instead, allow chewy toys so your puppy knows what they can bite and what they can’t. Let them play and bite with the chewy toys.
7.) Yelling or shouting
Do not yell or shout at your puppy. This action is going to let your puppy become afraid of you and will not understand what you are telling them to do.
An example would be scolding your puppy for accidents that they made. This isn’t the right action to take because your puppy may secretly eliminate when you are not looking due to feeling afraid of you.
8.) Free feeding
Free feeding your puppy is a big mistake when you train a puppy. By allowing your puppy to eat all day, they don’t have a constant elimination schedule.
By feeding at specific times, you can know when it is time for your puppy to potty. Also not giving your puppy lots of food will keep them in shape and healthy.
9.) Reassure your puppy when they are afraid
Do not reassure your puppy when they are afraid. By reassuring your puppy while they are afraid, you reinforce the behavior and your dog is going to repeat the same action next time.
Instead, you have to give your puppy a command and reward them for this behavior.
10.) Failing in puppy proofing the house
Another aspect of puppy training is to puppy proof the house. Remove any shoes, clothes, cleaners, human medications, and other things that can harm your puppy.
By doing so, you ensure that your puppy doesn’t chew and bite these things, you ensure the safety of your puppy. Replace these things with toys designed for puppies.
11.) Not establishing a routine
Establish a routine for your puppy as this will help them know when they are going to eat, eliminate, play, and sleep. If there is no schedule for these times, your puppy will get confused and accidents may happen.
Thus, it is very important to set a schedule for your puppy so they can easily transition into adulthood with these habits.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when you train a puppy, there are certain mistakes that you have to avoid so your puppy learns the correct habits and behaviors that are associated with puppy training.
Some dog owners fall into these mistakes when first training their puppy. This is the reason that you should be careful when training your puppy.
For more information regarding how to train a puppy. Check Puppy Training: What You Need to Know.
