When Should I Start Training My Puppy?

Formal obedience training – puppy training in a class situation – can start

anywhere from 9 to 12 weeks of age.  Most schools like to see the pup receive a

series of 2 vaccinations given before starting in a class for the pup’s

protection, as well as the protection of all other pups in the class.  A

Bordatella (a type of kennel cough) vaccination and negative stool sample also

need to be done beforehand.

Training at home should start the day you bring your puppy home!  In the first days

after you bring your puppy home, you do notwant the training to be intense.  You

want your training sessions to give your puppy the desire to work with you.

Training at this stage should be done in many little lessons, in short spans

of time (2-5 minutes per session).

Puppies and dogs learn from the instant they are born.  At first their world

is small and their learning comes from their mother, other littermates, and the

whelping box (their environment).  By the time they are weaned and sent on their

way to new homes, they have learned a vast amount of things – all from their

mom, their littermates, and from any environmental influences they had.

Hopefully, if the pup comes from a reputable breeder (or from a mixed-breed home

with understanding about raising puppies), they have had a good foundation set

for future learning.  This is one of the biggest reasons to purchase a pup from

a knowledgeable and reputable breeder.

Learning comprises many factors:

Socialization – positive exposure to many different people, animals,

environments, surfaces, situations, sounds, etc, and teaching the pup

how tobest react to new things.

Innate personality – there is a set type of personality all animals and

people are born with.

Environment – an enriched environment will provide positive experiences

and socialization.

Lifestyle committment – in-home work with potty training, crate training,

leash & collar training, teaching appropriate stuff to chew on, your

household routine, words, basic home manners.

Training classes outside the home – where you teach your puppy the essentials

of obedience commands, manners, and ability to do everything with the

distraction of other people and dogs.

Serendipity – what the pup learns on his own – a huge part of early learning!

As you are reading this article, YOU are learning, but so is your dog!  What

is your dog doing righ this moment?  One big thing pups learn is that when your

are busy or distracted, they are free to make their own decisions, good OR

bad!

At what age should training start?  The answer is “RIGHT AWAY!”

Marvin Versteeg

Serving: Monroe, Marysville, Lake Stevens, Everett, Snohomish, Mukilteo, Sultan, Edmonds, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Maltby, Mountlake Terrace, Kenmore, Bothell, Woodinville, Duvall, Carnation, Sammamish, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Juanita, Issaquah, Medina, Mercer Island, Seattle, Clyde Hill, Laurelhurst, Greenlake, Renton, Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Maple Valley, Tacoma, Puyallup, Tukwila, Fife, Bonney Lake, Pacific, Des Moines