Before you brought your puppy home, you had dreams of a well-behaved dog that’d sit, stay, and maybe even fetch your slippers. Now that you’ve got your furry bundle of joy, you’re finding reality much different. “Sit,” you say, and the puppy defiantly goes potty on the carpet. And instead of fetching your slippers, the pup has turned them into its new favorite chew toy.
If your pooch is being naughty, you’re probably making a few puppy training mistakes. Learn some of the most common mistakes below, then call Peace Love Dogs for puppy training in Houston, TX.
The Eight Most Common Puppy Training Mistakes New Dog Owners Make in Houston
Want to set your puppy up for success? Watch out for these dog training mistakes and learn how to train your pooch the right way.
1. Not Starting Puppy Training Right Away
One of the biggest myths about puppies is that you can’t start training when they’re young. Prevailing wisdom says, “Don’t start training until your puppy is at least six months old. It’s too young to understand what you’re saying.”
As professional dog trainers, we can confidently say that this is one myth that deserves busting. It’s completely possible to start basic training with your puppy as early as day one! Sure, you won’t be able to teach advanced commands (like fetching those aforementioned slippers), but basic commands and potty training are simple enough for young pups to pick up.
2. Failing To Practice Crate Training
Plenty of new dog owners don’t bother with crate training, instead opting to let their puppy roam freely around the house wherever it pleases. They think crate training is akin to punishing the dog, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Crate training teaches your puppy there’s a safe place where it can retreat to and rest. It also teaches puppies that being alone sometimes is okay, which helps build their independence. Best of all, it can speed up your potty training efforts.
3. Confusing Your Puppy With Inconsistency
Just like human babies, puppies do best with a consistent schedule. You’ll need to feed, walk, and play with your puppy at set times every day.
Having a set schedule helps the puppy know what to expect, keeping it calmer and more obedient. Constantly mixing things up, on the other hand, creates anxiety and confusion.
Consistency is important when you’re practicing commands and training methods, too. For example, suppose you’re trying to teach the puppy to come. You’ll want to stick with one consistent command (come) instead of switching it up (get over here, walk to me, etc.).
4. Neglecting To Socialize Your Puppy
One of the biggest puppy training mistakes new owners make is failing to let their puppy socialize with people and other dogs. Maybe they’re afraid their pup will jump on someone or worried about bigger dogs picking fights with their pooch at the park.
But the earlier you start socializing your puppy, the better. Early socialization teaches puppies how to interact with dogs and humans outside their immediate family. Without this socialization, your pup could become fearful of others and develop lifelong trust issues.
5. Punishing the Puppy for Potty Accidents
It’s only natural to get mad when your puppy goes potty on the floor yet again. But whatever you do, don’t yell, hit the puppy, or push its face in the mess. Doing that only teaches the puppy to associate its waste with fear and shame, which could cause it to eliminate in hidden spots around the house.
Instead, if you catch your puppy doing its business where it shouldn’t, clap a couple of times, gently say “no,” and escort it outside.
6. Dropping the Ball on Leash Training
You may not like the idea of putting your furry friend on a leash, but it’s a must if you’re going to take the pup for walks around Houston. By getting your puppy used to the leash early, you’re teaching the dog that it has nothing to fear when the leash comes out.
During leash training, don’t allow your puppy to pull at the leash. That’s one of the biggest puppy training mistakes you can make. If you allow this now, walks will become a real hassle when the puppy gets bigger. Correct your puppy’s leash pulling now and your back will thank you later.
7. Not Enough (or Too Much) Command Repetition
Dogs learn through repetition, so when you’re trying to teach your puppy to sit, stay, and come, you must use the same commands each time. It’s equally as important to not use the command too much.
For example, suppose you’re trying to teach your puppy to sit. It doesn’t listen, so you say “sit” over and over again. All that does is desensitize the puppy to the command. Additionally, the puppy might learn that the command is “sit, sit, sit, sit” instead of one single “sit.”
8. Feeding Fido From the Table
You’re trying to eat dinner in peace, but who could resist those adorable sad puppy eyes? So you give in and give your puppy a snack off your plate. You might think begging is cute now, but it will get old very quickly.
Once your puppy realizes that begging for table scraps results in a reward, it’ll become a behavior that it sticks with well into adulthood. It’s best to nip begging in the bud early on. When your puppy begs, say “no” and then proceed to ignore its whining until you’re done eating.
Are You Making These Puppy Training Mistakes? Let Peace Love Dogs in Houston Help
Feeling a little overwhelmed by puppy training mistakes? Our pro trainers at Peace Love Dogs can help you set your puppy up for success! We offer private training and group classes for new dog owners and their furry friends in Houston. Our experts will teach you how to leash train a puppy, get your puppy to come when called, and more.
Call us at (346) 639-3629 to schedule your training session today.