In certain ways, it is easier to train a puppy than to train an adult or adolescent dog. This is because the puppy basically starts from "zero base", as they are are untroubled by past training techniques and other issues. On the other hand, in some ways, the puppy is a bigger challenge than an older dog.



One challenge to training a new puppy is that puppies are more easily distracted than adolescent and adult dogs. Everything is new to a puppy, and every new experience provides a new chance for distraction. For this reason, it is best to keep training sessions short when working with a puppy, and to end each training sessions on a positive note.

It is also important to allow the puppy plenty of time to play, and to interact with other puppies and dogs. Socialization training is vital to making your new puppy a good canine citizen, as dog aggression is a growing problem in many areas. A properly socialized dog learns how to play properly with other dogs, and overly aggressive play is punished by the other dogs in the play group.

This kind of "learning through play" is something that happens among siblings in litters of puppies. As the puppies play with one another, they eventually learn what is right and what is not. Wrong behavior - such as hard biting or scratching - is punished by the other members of the play group or the mother dog, or both.

Unfortunately, many puppies are removed from their mothers and sold or adopted before this socialization has fully occurred. Therefore, puppy play sessions are a very important part of any puppy training session. Most good puppy preschool training programs provide time in each session for this type of dog interaction.

Letting your puppy have enough of new experiences and introducing them to new locations is an important part of puppy training. Training your dog to obey and respond to you, even in the face of distractions, is vital when training dogs and puppies.

One great way to socialize your puppy both to new people and new dogs is to take it on a trip to your local pet store. Many major pet store chains, and some independent ones as well, allow pet parents to bring their furry children, and these stores can be great places for puppies to get used to new sights, sounds and smells. Of course you will want to make sure the store allows pets before heading over.

It is really essential for puppy owners to implement a structure in their pet's environment so that the puppy is rewarded for good behaviors and not for the wrong ones. For example, jumping on people. Many of us unknowingly reward this wrong behavior because it can be cute. While it is quite correct that jumping can be cute for a 10-pound puppy, it will not be so when this same puppy has grown into a 100-pound dog.

Instead of rewarding the puppy for jumping, try rewarding it for sitting instead. This type of positive reinforcement will result in a well behaved adult dog that is a valued member of both the family and the community at large.

This type of reinforcement training can also be used in potty training the new puppy. For example, teaching a puppy to use a unique surface such as gravel or asphalt is a good technique. Behavioral training theory says that puppy will associate this surface with going potty, and therefore be reluctant to use other surfaces (like your kitchen carpet for instance) as a potty.