Practical Dog Training Tips

Early puppy training!

Now that you've got your new puppy home, you're probably anxious to dive right in and start training him.

What, exactly, are we talking about?

Before we start discussing training, we should try to define what it is so that we are both on the same net. There are scientific and not-so-scientific definitions of training, and then we all probably have our own concept of what training is. If I'm working with one concept of training and you're using another it might get pretty confusing. Since I can't know what your idea of training is, the best I can do is try to tell you what I think it is. That way, we can at least start from common ground.

This is not meant to be a scientific paper (note the line at the top that says "Practical Dog Training Tips"). Let's not worry about the semantic differences of teaching and training, or training and conditioning. Calling it by a different name wont get it done, so, let's use all the above to mean "we're trying to turn your puppy into a more competent, responsive, dog", and get on with it.

Most animals, dogs included, survive by adapting to their environment. Man is the only creature obsessed with modifying the environment to suit what he thinks will be to his advantage. Dogs don't do this. Like electricity, they follow the path of least resistance. like water, they run downhill. If a certain behavior doesn't work for them, they try something else until they find a behavior that does work.

That last sentence bears repeating.
If a certain behavior doesn't work for them, they try something else until they find a behavior that does work.

Hey! Training just got a lot simpler. Right?
If you want to modify your dogs' behavior, all you have to do is modify his environment.
Okay, it's a little more complicated than that, but that's the fundamental truth that all training works on. When I get a dog in for training I just show him that what he's been doing "back home" doesn't work now that he's living "in my world". He'll come up with a new behavior, and I just make sure it's the one I want.

What's the best age to begin training?

Well, see, if you've been paying attention, you know that was a trick question. There is no best age to begin training. You are training all the time. Your puppy is developing response patterns all the time. What you do when you are in contact with him determines how he develops. Even if you ignore him completely, you're still training him. You may be training him to survive by raiding garbage cans or stealing chickens, but you are still training him. If you provide an environment that includes lots of guidance, he can be molded into the type of dog you want. If he finds himself in an environment where no-one sets any guidelines, he'll make up his own rules.

When most people think of training they think of formal training; leash and collar, sit and stay, obedience command stuff. Formal training is only one aspect of educating a dog. Other, equally important, aspects include such things as house training, socialization, association training etc. More dogs are ruined by starting formal training too early than by starting it too late, so many trainers suggest beginning formal lessons when the puppy is six or seven months old and can handle the stress of obedience a little better.

Of course you will want to teach him to walk on the leash without pulling so you can take him for walks, but you don't need to shoot for perfect obedience-ring heeling right off. Besides, you will probably have your hands full with house training, socialization, and other character-building basics, during the first six months.

House training is one of the first things to concentrate on. Teaching your puppy to live in the house without soiling or chewing, etc., is pretty simple stuff if you know how to go about it and remember that word "concentrate". In the next article, I'll outline the method I use to house train puppies and give you some ideas about adapting it to your own particular situation.

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