Welcome Home - Training Your New Puppy

Online, April 1, 2011 (Newswire.com) - You have finally made it home with your new puppy. Then it starts!

Your living room carpet now looks like a paint drop cloth. The dag have chewed the heel off your new design shoe. The neighbors are already calling about the barking. The kids have bite and scratch marks all over them.

You need a plan to train your puppy and you need it fast!

Every dog owner wants a dog is a happy addition to their life and falls into line with the everyday flow of the existing household. Having a well behaved, socialized and housebroken dog is the ultimate goal. Puppy training early is the key to success.

One of the first things you should do to reach that goal is decide what the rules of your house are and stick to them. The sooner your puppy realizes what is expected of him/her the happier everyone will be. Puppies really want to please you and look to you as their pack leader.

Make sure you step up to the plate and take full control of that role, otherwise you'll soon find yourself second in command to your pup, and regaining control can be a challenge. Bad learned behaviors are harder to break and often take way more time to fix than establishing some simple rules from the get go.

Housebreaking:

One of the easiest ways to housebreak your puppy is to use a crate. Crate training offers a safe and secure place where your puppy enjoys spending time will add to the success of housebreaking your puppy. When you first get home, set up a regular schedule for going outside to the bathroom and keep returning to the same spot.

Also, make sure the crate is close to the outside door so the exit can be made quickly. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on the amount of food and water your puppy is taking in. You will soon see patterns appear and be able to anticipate when your puppy will need to go out. This routine will encourage your puppy to hold his/her bladder/bowls as he will soon learn that you will be back to take him out soon.

Stopping unwanted behavior:

Whether it's biting, jumping, barking or any other number of unwanted behaviors your puppy is showing, you will need to stop them right away. Puppies will naturally nip and scratch and even piddle on the carpet in the excitement of some much needed attention, however, how you deal with the situation will dictate the way your puppy will grow into an adult dog.

If you have tried several methods or correction on your own and are seeing little improvement in your puppy's behavior, you may want to consider looking for professional advice. Training your puppy in a group setting is a great way to socialize your dog at the same time as getting the much needed help and support your looking for. Knowing you are not the only one learning how to manage your puppy's behavior can be a reassuring thing.

Remember, when things seem like they're taking forever to improve, keep telling yourself that consistency and routine is the key to your success and by sticking to the path you're on you will be rewarded with happy, well adjusted puppy and a happy, confident you.