Training your puppy.

When you first start training your new puppy, you will find he what he responds to best. Toys, treats, or affection. You will also start to learn if your puppy deals with distractions (noise, people, other pets, etc.) Just take your time and be patient.

The easiest way to start training your new puppy, is to start in a quiet, well lit room, least distractions possible is best. Bring treats, his/her favorite toy, and bring your patience. Some dogs will catch on easier then others, so make sure if you are using a training schedule, to allow less or more time, depending on your dog. You may also want to purchase a clicker, which is a small box that "clicks" when pressed. This allows you to mark the exact time your puppy did the right thing, making it easier for him to learn. Below, I'll go into a simple step by step training process.I will show you how to train with treats, as most dogs respond to treats well. If you decide to train with toys or affection, just opt. out the treats, and add in your reward.

Clicker (optional): if you decide to purchase a clicker, you must first train your dog to realize the "click" means "good boy" and that he/she will get a treat, toy, or affection. Start by clicking the clicker, and saying "good boy", and giving him a treat. After 15-30 times, (depending on your dog) stop saying "good boy" and just click the clicker, and give him/her a treat. You will soon see your dog "catching on" realizing what the click means. Good job!

Sit: Possibly the easiest command to train, is sit. Start by backing your puppy up to a wall, and then holding the treat over and behind his head, while saying sit, until he sits down trying to get the treat, click your clicker then. Keep repeating until you must just say sit once, and he obeys. You may also want to add in hand signals, as these can be very useful in noisy environments. Invent your own, or the most popular is to stick your arm out strait, palm up, and flexing your elbow in, so your hand is strait up.

Stay: Training stay before come, makes training come so much easier, I learned that out the hard way. Sit your pup down, and stick you arm out, with your palm facing him, and say stay. After a second or two, click, and give him him reward. Slowly lengthen your time, until you feel that your dogs understands. Now, take a step back, then click, and return to your dog with his reward. Make sure to not let your dog move, walking TOWARD HIM, not visa versa. Keep taking more steps back, and more rewards, until your dog is staying for atleast 1 minute or more. Also make him stay standing too, as that will take more will power for him to do.

Come: To train come, Sit, and stay your dog. Take a few steps back, and then with your arm sticking strait out and palm to the left, flex your arm to the left, as if your putting your hand on your heart, and say come. When he gets DIRECTLY next to your feet, click, and reward. Keep practicing, until your dog comes even when he occupied.

Remember, with all of these training tricks, slowly accustom him to more and more distractions. You can also try to just use hand signals, or just voice, and see how he responds. Use these methods, into all training, and soon you'll have obedient friend for life. Enjoy, and remember to please share, as Im trying to expand this blog.