Some tips on dog-training

When you get a young dog, it is important to spend some time with him so that he becomes easy to live with and a part of your household or family. There are some hints and tips here to give you some idea on training your pup and managing his canine behaviour

Dealing with teething and chewing

We all know that pups love to chew so it is best to choose suitable things for your young dog to chew on. Many people buy chew toys in the pet shop but another idea is to make him chewable toys which will help with teething. The way to do this is to take an old sock and fill it with ice cubes, tie a knot in it and put it in the freezer. As soon as the pup starts to chew things, give him the sock as a better substitute so that he can indulge his instinct to chew as well as reducing his teething pains.

It is best to keep a number of ice-filled socks in the freezer for this purpose but it is important to supervise the dog when he is chewing on these to ensure that he doesn’t eat the socks. Of course, getting suitable bones from the butcher is another option. These are great for chewing on after boiling as you don’t want to present your pup with raw meat on these bones.

Training your pup on a lead

It is best to get your pup used to a collar and lead by putting it on him in the house or in a fenced in place so that the dog gets used to wearing the collar and lead while moving about freely. When the pup has become accustomed to this, take hold of the lead and call the pup to you. Give him lots of praise when he responds correctly to this. It will take some time to get a pup used to walking on a lead but it is not a good idea to attach the pup to the lead and drag him in a specific direction. Instead, take some time for the pup to get used to wearing the lead and at the same time praising him when he comes to you while on the lead.

Digging

Pups like to dig and are not particular where they do it. If you are a gardener, your pup will vandalise your plants by digging around them unless you give him a special area in your garden where he is allowed to dig. If your pup is kept indoors he will still indulge himself with this digging behaviour which is another good reason to supply a place where he is allowed to dig. It is a good idea to fill a children’s pool or a sandbox with soil or sand and train the pup to dig there by putting treats in the soil or sand for him to retrieve. In this way, your pup can dig to his heart’s content without doing any harm to your garden or your furniture.

Conclusion

Some of the above ideas should prove useful to you if you have just got a new pup. Remember, it takes patience and time to train a young dog but it is time well-spent and you will have a loyal, life-long companion in return for this investment of time and patience

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