Training Tips #3: Starting Training

After your dog gets comfortable with your home, meets some new dogs and people, learns the basics of "No," and begins on the process of house training, it's time for some early learning of other commands. It's easy to get frustrated with your dog during this stage. Avoid scolding your dog at all costs. Often the mix between scolding and praising will confuse a young puppy. If you constantly scold your dog, it will learn to run away much faster than it will learn to "come."

"Come" Command
Many puppies instinctually come to you when you talk, move or do just about anything. This makes it easy for them to learn that when their name it called, it means "come." Try calling your puppy by its name and rewarding it with a treat when it comes. This simple command if often the easiest thing to teach a young dog. If your puppy doesn't pick up on the command so quickly, don't loose patience. For some puppies it will take much longer to learn than for others.

Walking with a Leash
Training Tips #1 discusses the different kinds of collars you should consider trying out. When the proper collar is selected, its time to learn how to walk with a leash. This is another one of those things that some new dog owners forget actually has to be learned. But think about it, it would be pretty odd for you to suddenly have limited control over where you are free to stroll. The same feeling goes for dogs. It is not uncommon for puppies to try to scratch off their collar the first time you put it on. Try to distract your puppy with a toy or petting for the first few minutes. Next you will need to attach a leash. As I mentioned in the earlier post, let your puppy run freely with the leash dragging for a few minutes. When you do pick up the leash, hold it lightly at first and don't tug on it. The goal here is to get your puppy accustomed to the new feeling, not to take your puppy on a forced march. Finally, hold treats by your side to direct your puppy where to walk. Bribery is the best tactic for teaching your dog to walk with you.

Car Sickness
Some basic signs that your puppy is experiencing car-sickness include whining, drooling, uneasiness, and vomiting. When I first got my puppy, his car-sickness was so bad I took him into my local Denver Veterinarian. My vet told me that overcoming car-sickness is actually a matter of early training. It's extremely important that if you encounter the car-sickness problem, you deal with it quickly. If ignored, your dog will learn to fear the car and can develop the reflex of salivating upon being put into a car. A few simple tactics for overcoming mild car-sickness are facing your dog forward in the car and rolling down the windows. A light breeze and even pressure is sometimes a quick cure for the problem. Other times, just driving your puppy for short periods can fix the problem. If a puppy knows he can go in the car without vomiting at least for a short while, longer trips because easier and easier. Unfortunately for my puppy, this strategy wasn't enough. We ended up taking another trip into my veterinarian in Denver at which point my vet recommended travel sickness pills for long trips. I give these pills for my dog about an hour before a long drive. One side-effect seems to be sleepiness but apart from that the pills have cured the problem. Most dogs will overcome the problem in time. It is crucial however, that you address it early.

For more discussion of the car-sickness problem, see here.