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New pup?
Dog Behaviourist and Trainer Paul James Marshall gives us his top tips
Social and bonding exercises Grooming Get your puppy used to being softly brushed and handled all over their body from an early age; reward them with a treat when they sit calmly. Greeting people
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raining begins the moment you get your puppy home. One of the most important things to remember is that we are not pack leaders – dominance theories have long been disproved – and animals learn through good leadership, consistency, reward and reinforcement. Using force-free, positive training methods is the best way of building a strong bond with your dog, which in turn will motivate them to follow commands, have good manners, or simply be safe off the lead. But first, we have to teach our puppy to listen. Here are some commands that you can begin working on for 10 to 15 minutes a day. Keep it fun, and always end on a positive note.
‘Sit’ Keep the command simple. Let your puppy sniff the treat then raise it slowly back over the head so they automatically sit down. Reward with praise and a treat. Once they’ve ‘got’ it, practice in a range of indoor and outdoor locations. ‘Give’ (or drop) Practice with toys. When your puppy has an item in their mouth, approach them and gently say ‘give’ or ‘drop’ – hold the treat out so they understand you are swapping (not bribing) for the item.
‘Come!’ As your puppy is playing in the garden (or around the house) say their name to get their attention followed by a cheerful ‘come’ or happy ‘here’. When they run towards you, reward with a smile, praise and treat. This is the foundation of the all-important recall and will stand you both in good stead for the rest of their life.
Being greeted by an excitable bouncy puppy may be cute: but being bounced on by a fully grown dog is not, so start as you mean to go on. Ask visitors to approach calmly and initially ignore your puppy – it’s also important not to reward for jumping up or give any attention for this behaviour. Mouthing Nipping is normal puppy behaviour, but they need to learn that it doesn’t result in continued attention: say ‘ouch’, stop playing, and if necessary walk away. Try and stop games before your puppy gets too excited, and make sure not to allow rough or excitable play. Alone time Being left alone (initially for just 5 to 10 minutes) is an important part of growing up, and ideally should be started as soon as possible. Socialisation Puppies need to learn about the world to turn into confident, outgoing dogs. Try and introduce your puppy to a new experience – especially sounds, places, people or dogs – every day.
For advice, reassurance and professional help, get in touch with Paul to find out more about the calm and consistent techniques in his one-to-one Puppy Packages. Visit cottagecanines.co.uk March and April 2021
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