Puppies are extremely cute, but many people don’t realize that it takes a lot of training to raise a well-behaved, well-balanced dog. What must a puppy be able to do? Which commands should he learn and what should he be able to do first?
A puppy should learn a set routine, e.g. B. where he can use the potty, where his safe place is, and when various events such as meal or potty time take place. Also, a puppy should learn the basics of obedience to develop impulse control.
There are many important skills a puppy needs to learn and you, the owner, are the primary source of training for your puppy. In the rest of this article, you will find out everything your puppy needs to be able to do and what you need to give him as part of puppy training.
What is the first thing a puppy needs to learn?
There are a lot of important skills a puppy needs to learn. The two most important things a puppy should learn first are a regular routine and trust. Your new four-legged friend is still learning a lot about the world, both inside and outside the home, and whether he can count on you as an owner.
Puppies have a lot of impulsive energy and will throw themselves down if they don’t establish a routine about when what happens. That’s why consistency is the be-all and end-all.
A puppy should understand the following things within a few weeks of moving into their new home.
- Where his food and water bowl is
- When he eats a day (puppies need three meals while adults need two)
- where his bed is
- bedtime
- Schedule for the toilet and location of the potty
- where he grooms himself
These key aspects define a large part of a puppy’s new life. A safe, consistent routine can save a puppy a lot of stress once they understand the rules in their new home.
Feeding times
Keywords can be helpful but aren’t required when setting meal times.
For example, you can use the word “dinner” to signal your dog that you’re about to feed him, but for most puppies, the mere sound of the drawer where you keep the dog’s bowls is enough. Try to discourage agitated behavior during mealtime and sit before putting the bowl down.
Give them an “okay” when they’re seated, and you’re well on your way to relaxed eating habits. If you have multiple dogs, be careful not to steal food as this could lead to aggressive behavior later.
If one of your pets is misbehaving, you should put a leash behind them so you can curb unwanted eating habits. There are special domestic leashes that are particularly light.
Always pick up your dog’s food bowl when he’s finished eating to avoid picky eating habits and unwanted guarding behaviors.
Housebreaking
Get in the habit of taking a potty break after every meal. Again, you can initially signal with a keyword like “get out” or “go potty,” but simply walking your puppy outside on a leash is enough to establish a routine for potty breaks after meals.
If you have a new puppy, be patient about the issue of housebreaking.
2-3-month-old puppies cannot yet reliably control their bladder and have yet to learn that there is a designated place for the toilet. Small breeds make it even more difficult to housetrain a puppy.
Introduce the routine as early as possible and start as soon as you bring your new dog home.
The puppy box
Many people often see the puppy crate or pup crate as a form of punishment, a dog jail if you will, but this is dead wrong. The crate is not a cruel means of confining your pup, but a safe haven for dogs, a sheltered place away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A puppy needs a lot of sleep and the best way to get it is to have a safe place to sleep.
Plus, the positive association with the crate makes it much easier to take your dog on vacation, transport your dog in the car, or drive to the vet.
Locking up overnight isn’t cruel, but will help your pup develop a healthy sleep routine and reduce stress.
Of course, a puppy won’t like the crate the first time, but encouraging him to go in the crate with treats and gently guiding him on a leash will keep him from destructive behavior overnight and ensure that your dog is less stressed when it has to be in the crate when traveling.
Movement
Exercise is one of the most important factors in building a good relationship with your dog and preventing boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors like barking or chewing on furniture. Keep your playtime organized and avoid overwhelming your pup.
Set aside short hours (about 15 minutes) of playtime with your puppy each day and give them toys that help ease the pain of teething.
Dogs that have teething toys are less likely to transmit their biting behavior to you or your guests. Different breeds have different exercise needs, so make sure you meet your pup’s exercise needs.
Commands
At first, puppies won’t understand much of what you’re saying, and to some extent, your dog’s ability to obey depends on the breed. Nevertheless, every dog should internalize its name quickly. Names ending in an “e” are easier for puppies to understand – Lily, Lucy, Ozzy, Finley – there are a lot of good names out there.
That’s not to say your dog won’t learn other names, it just might take a little longer. Your dog should learn early on that there is a reward for answering his name.
Treats and affection are a great way to reward coming. Say his name followed by the come command and reward him with treats if he answers correctly. When your dog obeys a command or does something right, acknowledge the behavior with an enthusiastic “Yes” or “Good.”
This serves as a trigger word for your dog, especially when learning new tricks.
It shows him that he did something right and makes it much more likely that he will repeat the behavior on the same command.
Likewise, you should stop bad behavior with a clear “no”. It is important to understand that you must not be angry or aggressive toward your dog at any time.
A dog doesn’t understand the concept of guilt or responsibility, strange as it may sound. Rather, he recognizes that certain behaviors upset you and damage the status quo of your relationship and the established routine.
Saying “no” isn’t teaching your dog that something is bad, you’re telling him that, as an alpha animal, you find the behavior undesirable. The pack mentality of dogs plays a role in a lot of dog training and conditioning, but this is one of the most basic tenets of canine psychology.
This is how you can use operant conditioning to discourage unwanted behavior. A hard “no” can snap your puppy out of his behavior, but remember he’s still a poor impulse control puppy with lots of energy. Be patient, reward good behavior, and shy away from bad behavior.
Commands a puppy should know
Puppies should learn the following commands and behaviors
- Come on command
- Walk on a loose leash
- Seat
- lying down
- stay
All of these commands are useful for a variety of reasons. Responding to calls is very important in social situations like a dog park, while “sit” and “stay” can help reduce your dog’s anxious tendencies.
What must a puppy be able to do at 10 weeks?
Fasten your seat belt. The earliest stages are the most difficult: you need to prepare your dog to accept routines, handling, and training.
He should already have a set routine and be housebroken. Also, he should know that “yes” stands for good behavior and “no” for undesirable behavior.
Do not allow rough play at 10 weeks to establish calm housebreaking. Behaviors such as running to the door when there is a knock or barking/jumping excessively. Walk your dog on a leash often so you can control these behaviors. Also, it should not be allowed to bite or bark at you or your guests.
Don’t wiggle your fingers or toes — this encourages pinching since you’re treating your appendages as toys. There are several methods of controlling teething and biting behavior, but a distraction with a toy works well.
Just as the puppy mom would sternly correct an unruly and snappy puppy, so must you.
Teach your puppy to accept any kind of touch. Groom him often, also extensively, trim his nails, brush him, and take his harness and leashes from time to time.
These behaviors, when introduced early, will instill confidence in your dog and make it much easier for him to accept any type of grooming or trimming you may want to do in the future without fuss.
This is also a way of getting your way. It may seem cruel, but asserting yourself as the alpha dog and demanding obedience is the best way to help your pup have an optimal schedule and a less stressful life.
Another important milestone at week 10 is teaching your puppy to walk politely on a leash—without pulling or tugging. Teach him to wait at open doors and gates until you give him the okay to go through. Also, don’t allow excessive barking at unnecessary things.
What should a 12-week-old puppy be able to do?
By 12 weeks your puppy should be able to learn basic commands. Sitting down until you give the okay to let go should be at the top of your list of tricks.
Building obedience with your dog is great for developing impulse control and responding to your commands.
Teaching your puppy to go to his bed when he hears the command “to your bed” is also a useful skill puppy should learn.
This is how you can teach your puppy to be calm when stressful situations arise.
What must a puppy be able to do at 16 weeks?
By this point, your puppy should already have mastered a few commands and be responsive and obedient to you as the owner. Work to resolve any issues that may be disrupting your day-to-day life.
For example, if you’re still struggling with your dog barking every time another dog comes by, it’s worth looking into alternative or more advanced methods to limit the behavior.
Your dog should also learn to take a structured walk where he stays close to you and focuses on you throughout the walk. At this age, it is important to develop social skills.
Build healthy relationships with good playmates – they should be non-aggressive, of a similar size, and well-behaved so your puppy learns to greet other dogs politely.
Avoid allowing your dog to exhibit excitable, fearful, or aggressive behavior, and teach them to be polite around other people or animals. At best, you’re teaching him to ignore other dogs. Above all, you should address lunging as early as possible.
There are three reasons for this:
- Excitement,
- prey drive or
- territorial behavior.
All three are undesirable. When your dog is overexcited or trying to chase something like a bicycle or a runaway squirrel, the “sit” and “come” commands are extremely important for maintaining impulse control in such situations.
Territorial lunging is an absolute no-no for your pup and should be addressed immediately. Most often, territorial behavior in dogs is caused by anxiety or fear, which means they’re not happy in their home or they feel they need to protect you.
Review your basic obedience training to establish yourself as the alpha animal and reward desired behavior. Boredom is another cause of territorial barking. That’s why it’s important to give your puppy plenty of exercise and play opportunities.
What should a puppy be able to do at 20 weeks?
By 5 months, your puppy should be well on his way to becoming a well-behaved member of society. However, he has also fully reached the length of his puberty.
He should have developed a solid routine, be obedient to you at all times, and be good with guests.
Of course, at the end of the day, he’s still a baby as far as maturity goes, and any pup will be a little boorish.
As long as you stick to basic obedience rules, meet your dog’s need for exercise, and establish a consistent routine, your puppy should be learning everything it needs to become a polite and well-balanced adult dog.