It’s never too early to start training your puppy. From the moment they are born, puppies are learning. They learn survival skills such as how to find their mother, how to create a puppy pile to help stay warm, and how to locate dinner even though they can’t see. By the time they are three weeks old, they are learning about their environment. They begin playing with their littermates and testing newly acquired skills. Capitalize on your puppy’s curiosity and desire to learn. Start training him on the way home.
There are many advantages to beginning training early. Training is a great way to bond with your puppy. At this stage of his life, your puppy is inquisitive and outgoing. He’s left his littermates and you are his new best friend. Every interaction you have with your puppy strengthens the bond that you will have with him for the rest of his life.
Puppies are incredibly fast learners. Every waking moment they explore and learn about their world. During this time, training becomes your way to communicate with your puppy. Teaching your puppy to greet people by sitting to take a treat shows your puppy what you expect from him as an adult. If you want a well mannered adult dog, start teaching manners to your puppy.
Young puppies have not had a chance to develop unwanted habits. The more the puppy practices unwanted behaviors, the harder these behaviors are to change. If you allow your puppy on the furniture while he is small, cute, and cuddly, he will have months to practice this behavior before you decide that it’s not acceptable anymore. He isn’t likely to understand why the rules changed when he becomes a 50 pound adolescent. Start training your puppy before unwanted habits develop.
Maybe the greatest advantage to training a puppy is the benefit to the person doing the training. Training a puppy is just plain fun. You are only limited by what your puppy can physically do. Take advantage of your puppy’s inquisitive nature, outgoing personality, and desire to please. Train manners, tricks, or useful behaviors just for the sheer enjoyment of doing it. You’ll be surprised how fast your puppy learns and how often you smile.
So when should you start training your dog? There is no time to waste. Start right now!
