Just got a puppy and wondering where to start from? Here’s 3 easy things that you can teach your new puppy.
1.Bonding:
It can be a tad difficult getting along with a new puppy. Some people sometimes expect the bond to be automatic from the get go, far from that.
Consider puppies as humans, you meet someone new, you don’t just jump at them, you take time trying to study, analyse and understand them before you can fully adapt. Puppies need time to grow a bond, they need time to acclimatise and get used to you as its new owner.
So make out time to teach them to bond. It can be hard for them to grasp how we want them to behave. Try to understand things from their angle. This can take a while, but what you need ultimately is patience to groom them into the puppy that you want them to be.
2.Teach them their Name::
The next thing you want to teach your new puppy is their name and how to recognise it when you call them. That way, they can understand you want their attention when you want it.
But of course the dog won’t immediately start out by recognising and responding to some random name you give it. A great starting point is making sounds that can get their attention, then you can infuse the name. So…. the sound, then the name. The puppy will start getting used to it, and will soon realise that that is its name.
Another tactic you might want to deploy is, when you’re able to get the puppy’s attention, reward him -maybe by kissing, or rubbing his back, or give him something- for a good job. We all know what role reward plays in our lives, and how it motivates us.
You have to be very intentional about everything. Take your time, and again, remember, patience is key.
3.Teach them to Sit: :
Because you’re going to want your dog to do this time and time again, another thing you want your dog to learn is to sit, not just instinctively, but when you want it to do so.
The easiest way to teach them this is by luring them into the position. To get the dog in position, you can use food, and lure him into position by taking it high enough the puppy would have to sit up straight to reach/eat it, all this, while also introducing the word “sit”.
You can further slowly tilt it sideways, using that as a technique to teach the puppy to lie down. Don’t forget to reward the puppy for progress at every stage.