How to Train A Puppy

It is essential that your puppy is trained using reward and positive reinforcement from a young age. This ensures that they will see these ‘tricks’ as a positive thing, and so will be more motivated to continue replicating these good behaviours. It is important to be patient – as training is a matter of repetition and reward, and you should always avoid using punishment or getting angry at your puppy when training them.

The most important developmental and behavioural learning age occurs at the earliest stages of your puppy’s life. You can start teaching your puppy the basics as soon as they come home (after 8 weeks of age). A good breeder will have already begun the process for you, but just like having a toddler, it is very important to continue this training at home, right away.

• You must reward them immediately as if you wait too long they are likely to have forgotten what they’ve done right and not understand why they are being praised.

• Dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans and are animals of habit, so you want to avoid toilet mistakes as much as possible. If they do go to the toilet in the wrong spot, this scent can linger and you may find them repeating this pattern. If this happens, you should immediately disinfect and thoroughly clean the area to remove as much of the urine scent as possible.

• Look out for key signs that they are about to pee or poop – they will usually begin sniffing around and circling an area for a place to go. If you do see them squatting down to go in the wrong spot, simply pick them up (yes whilst they’re about to go!) and place them in the correct toilet area.

• If they do have an accident when you aren’t watching, make sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect the area to avoid a repeat pattern.

Find more tips and tricks on our How to Train A Dog page.