Bringing Home Your New Pet: Dog Behavior Training Tips

Everyone knows what it is like to get a puppy for the first time, especially when you were a child. If you're looking to get a new puppy it's likely now one for your children and although there is probably lots of excitement, you know it won't be plain sailing.

Prior to bringing the puppy home, bring your family together and have a meeting of what the rules will be for the dog and family. Write a chore list and distribute certain chores such as feeding, watering and walking the dog.

As soon as the new pup is brought home you should start with its behavior training. Don't wait until it starts to develop habits and then try and break them.

A few basic things you will need to take care of before the new member of the family joins you will be to create a comfortable place for it to sleep and eat. Also be sure to designate an area outside for it to do its business.

Once in agreement and everyone understands their roles, is when you should bring the puppy home. Instruction will also be easier to give to your puppy when you designate who in the family will be the "Alpha Dog" or the leader of the family. It should be someone who will be responsible for the dog's primary training.

Consistency is crucial to behavior training for you puppy. Simple things like always praising your dog when it does something good or reprimanding it in the same way when it does something wrong will go a long way in getting the best behavior.

There is a technique some people use to display disapproval to a new puppy and that is to 'growl' at it when it misbehaves. It does sound silly but this is how the puppy's mother would have let it know if it was in trouble. If it works for you then use it otherwise just a firm 'no!' should suffice.

For behavior training to be effective, you will need to be on alert throughout the day. There will be times you set aside possible each day to give specific training but if the dog jumps up onto the couch and its not suppose to, you can't wait until later to teach it not to.

From this point on, your dog will respond to a sharp "No," knowing that what it is doing needs to stop.

Having patience is imperative in order to be in control while you train your dog. The level of time spent with the dog will pay off in the long run with a well behaved and respectful animal.

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Find professional dog behavior training recommendations and tips before you bring your new puppy home. Read our review of dog training online and uncover other useful dog training resources.