| The basis of training your puppy is winning his | | | | about proper training collars. You can also check |
| trust,respect, | | | | with your |
| and confidence. Real training can't begin until | | | | pet store or breeder.Begin to walk and allow |
| your puppy has accepted you as his leader, | | | | your dog to walk beside you. If he |
| respects you,and has | | | | begins to pull, gently pull on the leash. This, in |
| confidence in you.A mistake many puppy owners | | | | turn, will |
| make is confusing love and | | | | tighten the training collar and give your dog a |
| affection for respect and confidence. It is | | | | gentle |
| important to | | | | correction. If the gentle pressure is ineffective, it |
| love your puppy. It is equally important for your | | | | may be |
| puppy to | | | | necessary to slowly increase the pressure. |
| respect you, have confidence in you, and see | | | | Always be careful not |
| you as the | | | | to over-correct your dog. Using too much |
| pack leader. Dogs are naturally pack animals and | | | | pressure could |
| every pack | | | | frighten him and cause him to strain more. If the |
| member looks to the pack leader for direction. | | | | opposite |
| Making | | | | problem occurs and the dog lags behind, you |
| yourself the pack leader is vital to the success | | | | should gently |
| of training | | | | encourage him until he is walking beside you.Most |
| any dog. If you don't, your dog will assume the | | | | dogs figure out the heeling concept fairly rapidly |
| role. If that | | | | and |
| happens, neither of you will be happy.Failure to | | | | they soon realize that they should walk beside |
| gain the confidence and respect of your puppy | | | | you, neither |
| can | | | | lagging behind nor pulling ahead. You should also |
| create a dog who is out of control, disobedient, | | | | pick up the |
| and even | | | | pace and allow him to speed up as well. Finally, |
| dangerous. It is important to train your puppy | | | | walking along, |
| correctly from | | | | changing pace, and changing direction often will |
| the start since retraining a problem dog is | | | | reinforce the |
| possible but more | | | | lesson the he should always walk at your |
| difficult than training a puppy correctly the first | | | | heel.From heeling, the next step is for him to halt |
| time.It is critical for any new dog owner, whether | | | | when you stop |
| working with a 12 | | | | walking. The halt works well as an adjunct to |
| week old puppy or a 12 year old dog, to get his | | | | heel. As you are |
| respect. That | | | | walking, stop and watch your dog. Many dogs |
| does not mean using rough or dangerous handling | | | | immediately |
| methods, but it | | | | understand that they are expected to stop |
| does mean letting him know that you are in | | | | when their human does. |
| control of the | | | | Others may need the reminder of the leash and |
| situation. Dogs need structure in their lives and | | | | the training collar.After the halt has been |
| they will not | | | | mastered, encourage your dog to sit on |
| resent you for taking control. As a matter of | | | | halt. Once your dog has stopped, gently push on |
| fact, your dog | | | | his |
| will appreciate your taking the role of trainer and | | | | hindquarters to encourage the sit. Usually after |
| coach as you | | | | this walk, |
| begin your training sessions.When you start | | | | halt and sit procedure has been done a few |
| working with your dog it is important to keep | | | | times, he will begin |
| the training sessions short at first. This is | | | | to sit on his own each time he stops. Of course, |
| particularly | | | | it is |
| important when working with a young puppy. | | | | important to provide lots of praise and maybe |
| Puppies tend to have | | | | even a treat every |
| much shorter attention spans than older dogs so | | | | time he does as he is expected.These three |
| keeping the | | | | commands should be taught without voice. Get |
| sessions short is fun and essential for proper | | | | your |
| training.Beginning training sessions should focus on | | | | dog used to your body language. We will cover |
| the most basic | | | | halt and sit off |
| commands. The heel command is one of the | | | | leash in later articles. For now, get your dog to |
| most basic as well as | | | | walk beside |
| one of the easiest to teach. Start by putting the | | | | you, halt when you stop and sit immediately. You |
| puppy in a | | | | will be so |
| properly fitted training collar. Be sure to follow | | | | proud of him and he will be proud of himself.Join |
| the | | | | me on the web and sign up for my newsletter at |
| instructions for fitting and sizing the collar to | | | | |
| insure that it | | | | Perkins is a dog lover who is allowed to live with |
| works as intended. There are other articles in | | | | her two dogs, Tillie and Pierrot, in the beautiful |
| this series | | | | foothills of North Carolina. |