Puppy Training

Every puppy owner wants a well-behaved puppy and obedience training is a skill that all caring puppy owners should learn. For, without a doubt, a well-behaved puppy makes for a happy owner.

Obedience training is a skill that has been taught in umpteen different ways, some good, some bad. Training techniques vary, but the best puppy trainers agree that puppys respond best to positive reinforcement. Above all, learning your puppy new tricks and handling obedience training demands both commitment and patience. It also demands a degree of skill and individual awareness of not just your puppy's actions, but your own body language and training methodologies also. Below are a couple of tips that any puppy trainer can use when handling their puppy.

Your Tone Of Voice is Fundamental.

Give your commands in a strong, smooth tone of voice and, when he follows your commands, praise your puppy in a very encouraging tone that echoes with sincerity. When your puppy is close to you teach him to respond to commands that are given to him softly. When your puppy is working away from you, perform the commands crisply but just loud enough for him to hear.

How To Signal Your puppy

You should give signals to your puppy with just your hand and arm. In the beginning you may exaggerate the signals to gain the puppy's attention, but eventually all signals must be made smoothly and swiftly without any excess body motion. The size of your puppy is not a factor in obedience training, for you can train just about any puppy to pay attention, and once you have his attention he will take notice of your signals.

One thing you need to be aware of is that you will have to be aware of your own movements to avoid giving unintended body signals to your puppy. It is natural for a novice to nod his head, lean forward, or move his hands when he calls his puppy. He is so intent in observing his puppy that he is unaware of his own actions. Have someone watch you so he can tell you when he notices you doing this.

Consistency Is All Important.

Be consistent - never reprimand your puppy for a misdemeanour one day and praise him the next for the same act. You cannot expect your puppy to know what to do if you keep changing your training methods every time you try it. Your puppy will learn the basic work by repetition, and the entire training program should go along smoothly and systematically. For example, the techniques that you use for puppy training will be repeated in more advanced exercises when your puppy gets older, and your obedience training will be done in the same manner.

You should analyse your puppy so you can anticipate his reaction to any situation. You should become attuned to your puppy's sensitivities. If you have a mild-mannered, quiet puppy, do not antagonize him by rough handling. He will become more alert and responsive if you train him in a calm and gentle manner with consideration for his feelings. With aggressive or more mischievous puppys you might need a more forceful approach.

These are just a few basic obedience training tips to get you off to a good start with training your puppy and you can get more from.