How to train your puppy

As a dog owner, who has lived with dogs for the last 40 years, I am only too aware of the huge responsibility you have right from the very first day you get that cute little puppy home. Sadly, there's too many irresponsible owners and badly trained dogs, which inevitably lead to problems and in some cases, tragedies.

The book "After you get your puppy" by Dr Ian Dunbar is so well written and has helped me so much, that I just want to recommend it to anyone who is thinking of getting a puppy.

It's as simple as that!

According to the website of Sirius Dog Training, Dr Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and writer.

Ian Dunbar had a Malamute puppy and when he couldn't find a training class for young puppies anywhere in the San Francisco Bay area, he started up the Sirius Puppy Training classes.

Ian Dunbar is also a VERY good speaker - check out the YouTube Videos.

Socialization with people is the most URGENT priority after you get your puppy.

Well-socialized puppies grow up to be fantastic companions, whereas anti-social dogs are difficult and potentially dangerous. It is essential that you get your puppy used to a wide variety of people, particularly children, men and strangers.

During the first month after you get your puppy, socialization with people has to be a prime directive. But the problem is, until it has finished its puppy shots (vaccinations), your puppy has to be confined to home.

Having to keep your puppy at home means that you have to invite lots of people to visit and Ian Dunbar comes up with lots of ideas on how to achieve this.

Learning bite inhibition is the most IMPORTANT priority after you get your puppy

Puppies bite! It is a normal, natural and necessary behaviour.

Play-biting is the means by which dogs develop bite inhibition and a soft mouth. But to develop the soft mouth, they need feedback - like "Ouch!"

The more opportunity a puppy has to play-bite with people and other dogs, then the better developed its bite inhibition will be as an adult.

We see lots of evidence as to how well our German Shepherd's bite inhibition has developed as she plays with my children and my parents' puppy.

Does this mean that your dog will never ever snap, lunge, nip or bite?

No!

Good bite inhibition means that should the dog snap or lunge, its teeth will seldom make contact with the skin and if it does, it will cause very little damage.

Ian Dunbar gives examples of situations where a dog would normally be expected to react, including:

the sleeping Rottweiler whose owner accidentally stepped on its leg wearing stiletto heels

the three year old child who jumped off the coffee table and landed on a sleeping Mamalute

In our family I regularly step on our dog's fur. She likes to lie at my feet in the office when I am working and I often catch the long fur trailing from her tail. She may yelp but she never even snaps, let alone bites.

Enjoying the world at large is the most ENJOYABLE priority after you get your puppy.

The main purpose of all this training at home and as your puppy ventures into the outside world is so that it is better prepared to deal with all the social upheaval that it will face (particularly if it is a male) as they go through their "adolescent" phase.

A dog's temperament and behaviour tend to stabilise as it reaches its second (for small dogs) or third (for large dogs) birthday. However, if you do not keep up with the training, it could be a disaster.

As soon as your veterinarian says it is safe for you to take your puppy out, then get walking! Lots of them and make sure puppy gets the chance to meet as many new dogs as possible.

And right from the start teach your dog to always sit when meeting a greeting people.

Note: You may also have to teach people to ask your puppy to sit before they can stroke it!

Ian Dunbar has lots of tips and ideas about how to train your dog to be sociable outside the home, which is just as important as getting your puppy socialized in the home.

It is a fact that many people are resistant to what Ian Dunbar is trying to teach us about our dogs. Yes, they are resistant!

For some reason we try to put human emotions and feelings onto our dogs. Personally I blame Walt Disney for that!

Not only does Ian Dunbar explain how to train your puppy in very easy to read language, he also patiently debunks any protests you may have. For every excuse you can come up with for NOT following his guidelines, Dunbar tells you why you SHOULD.

For example, excuses people use for not following the socialization techniques:

"He's fine with me"

Dunbar: "Wonderful! Certainly the first step of socialization is to have the puppy perfectly friendly with the family. But it is imperative that the pup become Mr Socialble with friends, neighbours, visitors and strangers so that it does not object to being examined by the veterinarian or playfully grabbed and hugged by children."

"I don't have the time"

Dunbar: "Then give the puppy to someone who does have the time! This puppy may still be saved if someone is willing to take the time to socialize it."

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