Training

How Do Puppies Learn?

Most dog owners would agree that training a puppy can be both difficult and time consuming, yet highly rewarding. It is, undoubtedly, a vital part of owning a dog. By finding out how puppies learn, this makes it easier for an owner to train and teach their puppy in the most effective and time efficient way.

So how do puppies learn? Puppies, like children, learn from the results of their behavior. So, if they do something and are rewarded for it, by, for example, a treat or a pat, they notice this and are much more likely to do it again.

On the other hand, if a puppy is actually punished for bad behavior, it may not realize that you want the bad behavior to stop. As an example, if you are angry at your puppy for going to the toilet on the carpet and punish it, it may begin to associate the punishment with actually going to the toilet in front of you. If this happens, your puppy may continue to go to the toilet on the carpet, just not when you are there, or they may do it in a place which you may not initially notice.

This being the case, it is far more effective to train your puppy by using a reward-based system when they do something right, rather than punishing them when the opposite is true.

Puppies can also learn and pick things up without you being aware of it. For example, if your puppy whines and you pay it attention, it will learn that whining produces a good outcome, like a cuddle or a treat. It is paramount that you do not inadvertently rewarding behaviors that are not desirable, or your puppy will continually persist with them.

Food can be used as a very effective tool in teaching and training your puppy. A special treat, such as diced chicken or hot dog, can be used to great effect. When your puppy does something right, say, for example, “yes” and give them the treat. In this way, they will come to view the word “yes” as a marker, or indication, that they have done the right thing and may be rewarded for that.

Take sitting as an example. Teaching your puppy to sit is not very difficult. Take the treat and hold it in front of their nose to get their attention. Then, move it slightly back and above their head. At this point, your puppy will look up and follow the treat, and as this happens, their bottom should hit the ground. When it does, say “yes” and give them the treat. By doing this, they will quickly learn that they earn a treat each time they sit on the ground.

There are lots of advice books and information available which claim to help with the training of puppies. Make sure that you follow a method which employs a reward, rather than punishment, scheme. This makes it very easy and enjoyable for you puppy to learn.

House Training Your Puppy

House training your puppy can be one of the most important, and potentially stressful and time-consuming, aspects of having a new puppy in the house. It is very important to start as soon as you introduce your puppy to the house, and be sure to remain consistent and vigilant.

Before you even bring your puppy into the home, it has already started learning that there are some places he shouldn’t eliminate. When puppies are with their mothers, they quickly learn to go to the toilet away from the main sleeping area.

Investing in a crate is usually the easiest way to house train a young puppy. Contrary to what some people may think, crate training is actually not cruel to the animal. The crate becomes your puppy’s den, and he can use it when he needs some time away from potentially stressful family activities. It’s a good idea to feed your puppy in the crate, and make it comfortable so that he is happy to go into it.

When your puppy is comfortable in the crate, you can gradually start to shut door, then to leave the puppy alone in it for a little while. Allow your puppy to sleep in the crate, and, again, it will not go to the toilet in the sleeping area. Remember, routine and consistency makes house training easier and faster.

Do not give your dog anything to eat after dinnertime. Also, remember to also take him outside to go just before you go to bed at night. In the early stages of house training, you will need to get up during the night to take your puppy outside to go to the toilet, as he can’t hold on for very long. As soon as you get up in the morning, again take him outside to go to the toilet.

Also, make sure you take him to the same part of your yard each time. The smell there will encourage him to go to the toilet in that area. You may need to wait for a while he sniffs around, but do be patient, and remember to praise him when he does eventually go.

If your puppy does have an accident inside the house, use an enzyme-based cleaner to remove all of the traces. If you do not do this, the smell will persist there and he may be encouraged to go to the toilet there again in the future.

If your puppy does make a mistake, do not yell, get angry, or even worse, rub his nose in it. Doing this can lead to fear and toileting problems, such as hiding to go to toilet because they’re scared of your reaction. It can also damage your relationship with your dog. It is better to keep an eye on your puppy at all times, and give him every opportunity to do the right thing.

As with children, gentle persistence and consistency will lead to them eventually becoming house trained. If you do it correctly, it will be as stress free as possible, for both you and your pup.

Training Your Puppy

What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy

It is important for your puppy to feel he is a valuable individual. Try to have your training sessions in a relatively quiet place. Because he is so playful, he can be easily distracted by other people and activities. If he is constantly being bombarded by other sights and sounds, it will be difficult for him to get the message from you that you enjoy being with him.

Use words:The only way he will learn to associate the command with the action is if you use the word every time you guide him into doing what you want. A puppy can learn a very large vocabulary with such words as “Outdoors,” “Bedtime,” “Go for a walk,” as well as the basic commands.

Reward your pup: To teach him anything, you must first have his attention and then you must reward him as soon as he has done what you ask. The reward can take three forms; a
tidbit, a pat, or your voice. Consider the use of tidbits a highly successful means of puppy training. By guiding his behavior with it, you can avoid pushing and pulling with your hands and all of the jerking and pulling on the leash.

A puppy learns much more quickly when he performs the activity himself rather than being pushed or pulled into doing it. Then, as he begins to understand what you mean by “Sit” or “Come” or whatever, you can use your hand or leash to perfect the performance, thereby keeping handling at a minimum. Timing is of the utmost importance when using tidbits in puppy training. Obviously, your puppy is not going to know what you mean by the different commands when you first begin to train him, and the only way he will learn that he is doing the right thing is when he receives the reward at the moment he does it.

An example in using tidbits is to teach the command “Sit.” If you have a puppy who prefers bouncing around and absolutely hates sitting, you may have to begin by rewarding a bending of the hind legs. If you were to wait until he sits all the way down with his bottom on the floor, you would never get the job done. After a few rewards for partial sitting, the puppy will suddenly sit all the way, at which time you will not only reward him but tell him how marvelous he is.

Another example of rewarding with tidbits is with the heeling exercise. This is the most difficult thing for most puppies to learn. Too often, it involves excessive jerking on the leash. The more a puppy is being pulled, the more he resists and pulls in the opposite direction. Their natural tendency is to run off and sniff around. Cheese tidbits is very effective in overcoming the problems of teaching a puppy to walk beside us. It works even better off-leash (but only for a minute at a time).

As you begin walking, the instant the puppy begins to look away from you, get his attention with your voice and give him a tidbit. This will keep him at your side for another few steps. Repeat this a few times during each session, reversing your direction and taking some turns. Then stop while you are both still performing well and give him lots of praise with your voice along with some pats.

Teaching your Pit Bull to sit and stay

Teaching your Pit Bull to sit and stay

Now that your Pit Bull has learned to follow the command “come,” he is ready for his next trick. Another very useful behavior that you can teach your dog is to learn how to “sit.” “Sit” is one of the simplest tricks to teach. Learning this behavior is vital because it is an effective way to control your dog and also help you set the foundation for other training to follow.

It is very easy to teach your Pit Bull how to “”sit.” Stand right in front of him while holding a treat slightly above his eye level. Say “sit” and then move the treat closer to him until it is just above his eyes. You may have to put your other hand on his rump to prevent him from jumping up.

If he takes a step back instead of sitting down, place his rear against a wall. When he begins to look up and bend his hind legs, say “good” and then give him the treat. Repeat this process again. Have him bend his legs more and more this time until he is in a full “sit” position before saying “good” and giving him the treat.

Once your Pit Bull knows how to “sit,” he then needs to learn how to remain in the sitting position for as long as necessary. The way to do this is to teach him to “stay,” which is another very useful command that you can teach your dog.

Dogs have a dangerous habit of running off through open doors, whether from the house or from a car. It is very important to teach your dog to sit and stay until you give him the signal that it is ok to get back up. Only then can he walk through the door or exit the car.

Get your dog to sit and then say “stay” in a calm and soothing voice. If he tries to get up or lie down, immediately gently place him back into position. Have him maintain the position for a few seconds and then give the release word “ok.” Do not forget to praise and give him his favorite treat for doing a great job.

Repeat the process again, gradually increasing the amount of time that he has to sit and stay. However, do not ask your Pit Bull puppy to stay longer than 30 seconds. The goal is to let your pet succeed, not push him to the limit. Remember to be patient and to increase time and distance in small increments.

Avoid staring into your dog’s eyes if you think that it will help him to focus his attention on you. Doing so only creates the opposite effect. Your dog will sense the staring as a threat and can be intimidating.

Find more great training tips and Pit Bull info with the NEW: Complete Guide to Owning and Raising Pit Bull Terriers: Pit Bulls Revealed. Pit Bulls Revealed provides an honest, no-holds-barred look into Pit Bull ownership. Discover fascinating facts about the history of the breed, learn which myths are outright lies, discover how to select the ultimate Pit Bull puppy breeder, and much more.

Pit Bulls Revealed is the “ultimate resource” for anyone who is serious about getting answers to all of their Pit Bull questions. As a bonus you get TWO FREE additional handbooks- Pit Bull Training (a great guide) and Pit Bull Snacks (lots of fantastic recipes your dog will love!)


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Puppy Training Tips

Whatever your pup’s pedigree and whatever your goals for him, any puppy is still an emotionally immature animal. At the same time, no two pups are exactly alike and what works for one puppy is not necessarily best for another.

You must constantly be aware of your pup’s personality and of how you can get him to pay attention to you. However, there are some general characteristics of puppy training that are important to working with all puppies. These are basic principles which should be adapted by you as the basis of working with your puppy.

Do not get tough: Emotionally and psychologically, the puppy is still extremely sensitive. This means that learning takes place quickly, but also that fears can easily occur and inhibit learning.

Pups cannot take pressure or harsh treatment. Repetition is the key to puppy training. Never punish him if he does not do what you want him to do. This will defeat the purpose of the training and cause him to dislike the entire procedure.

Bad behavior during training sessions is more often than not a sign of the pup’s lack of confidence or understanding of what you want him to do. Therefore, many repetitions will be needed.

Keep it simple: A puppy learns to do things in a step-by-step manner. For example, in teaching him to stay, do not expect him to stay put for several minutes at a time while you are off someplace away from him.

You must first teach him to stay while you stand toe-to-toe in front of him, then to stay when you are standing a couple of feet out in front of him, then to stay while you walk around him, then to stay while you are standing several feet away and not holding on to the leash.

Many pups will take several weeks to progress through these steps, but they are necessary if you want to teach “Stay” effectively. If you tell him to do something before you have properly trained him to do it and then scold him for not doing it, you are
asking for trouble. The pup will lose his confidence and will learn not to try.

Be brief: Puppies have a very short attention span. A pup learns only while he is paying attention to you, so it does not accomplish anything to keep on training when he is mentally tired even though physically he is still very lively.

Five minutes at a time is long enough. With many puppies, two minutes is long enough to begin with, gradually moving up to five minutes.

Build confidence: Your puppy needs confidence-building as well as discipline and he will constantly be telling you by his body language which one he needs more at any particular time.

Relax while you are with him; smile; speak in a pleasant voice; play running games with him. In puppy training, building confidence means knowing what you expect from your pup.

Rewards And Punishments

Using Rewards And Punishments In Puppy Training: Part 1

Puppies and dogs learn new things or change their behavior only if the undesirable behavior is punished or the desirable behavior rewarded. We can reward a dog for performing certain tasks on command, such as sitting, lying down, or coming, with simple petting, affection, and praise. You can also use rewards for coming when called, for sitting when strangers arrive at the door rather than jumping up on them, or for going to rest on his bed when people are visiting.

For rewards you can use reinforcement such as petting or verbal reassurance like saying “good dog.” Another reward is food treats, if given judiciously, especially foods the puppy really enjoys such as a piece of meat. It is not our position that using food treats to train puppies “spoils” them, because the treat may simply be phased out by giving it less and less frequently, while retaining the praise and affection.

Most puppies learn rapidly and quite willingly if there are rewards, and in most cases punishment is not necessary. Praise and affection, along with food treats, can be used to house-train puppies, especially when they are taken outdoors and can eliminate in a desirable area.

Punishment can be thought of as being either interactive or remote. In interactive punishment, the owner hits an animal with his hand or with a rolled-up newspaper, shouts at it, or in other ways makes it obvious that an aversive stimulus is coming from the person. The animal clearly associates the unpleasant stimulus with the person giving it.

Unfortunately, dog owners are frequently misguided about how to use interactive punishment.
Interactive punishment is indicated when owners must assert their dominance over dogs to maintain an acceptable dominant-subordinate relationship, especially when threatened. A dog’s growling or snapping at you when it is not a reflection of fear is best met with force. Dogs are social animals that respond naturally to factors in a dominance hierarchy, and their growling or snapping at you is an indication that they have not completely accepted your dominant position. In fact, insufficient dominance, one of the most common behavioral problems of a dog-owner relationship, often stems from a lack of assertiveness on the owner’s part.

Breeds differ in the degree to which they display a tendency to be dominant over their owners. The tendency to be dominant also varies with whether we are dealing with male or female dogs. A breed such as a Shetland Sheepdog, which is very low on tendency to be dominant, may never need to be confronted with interactive punishment, whereas a Doberman Pinscher or Akita may need periodic reinforcement of the dominance position with a sharp voice.

Teach Your Dog to Sit and Stay

Teaching your Pit Bull to sit and stay

Now that your Pit Bull has learned to follow the command “come,” he is ready for his next trick. Another very useful behavior that you can teach your dog is to learn how to “sit.” “Sit” is one of the simplest tricks to teach. Learning this behavior is vital because it is an effective way to control your dog and also help you set the foundation for other training to follow.

It is very easy to teach your Pit Bull how to “”sit.” Stand right in front of him while holding a treat slightly above his eye level. Say “sit” and then move the treat closer to him until it is just above his eyes. You may have to put your other hand on his rump to prevent him from jumping up.

If he takes a step back instead of sitting down, place his rear against a wall. When he begins to look up and bend his hind legs, say “good” and then give him the treat. Repeat this process again. Have him bend his legs more and more this time until he is in a full “sit” position before saying “good” and giving him the treat.

Once your Pit Bull knows how to “sit,” he then needs to learn how to remain in the sitting position for as long as necessary. The way to do this is to teach him to “stay,” which is another very useful command that you can teach your dog.

Dogs have a dangerous habit of running off through open doors, whether from the house or from a car. It is very important to teach your dog to sit and stay until you give him the signal that it is ok to get back up. Only then can he walk through the door or exit the car.

Get your dog to sit and then say “stay” in a calm and soothing voice. If he tries to get up or lie down, immediately gently place him back into position. Have him maintain the position for a few seconds and then give the release word “ok.” Do not forget to praise and give him his favorite treat for doing a great job.

Repeat the process again, gradually increasing the amount of time that he has to sit and stay. However, do not ask your Pit Bull puppy to stay longer than 30 seconds. The goal is to let your pet succeed, not push him to the limit. Remember to be patient and to increase time and distance in small increments.

Avoid staring into your dog’s eyes if you think that it will help him to focus his attention on you. Doing so only creates the opposite effect. Your dog will sense the staring as a threat and can be intimidating.

New Puppies First Day

On your puppy’s first day home, give him a complete tour around the house on a loose leash. This is the pup’s first introduction to whatever limitations you want to put on his future access to your possessions – your furniture, golf clubs, books, the kids’ toy shelves, etc.

This is not the right time for “no.” (The puppy might begin to think that “no” is his name!) Instead, use a guttural “Yack!” combined with a very slight tug-and-release of the leash as he sniffs to warn him away from untouchables. He’s new at this, but just saying, “Puppy!” in a happy voice may be enough to get him to look at you – “Good dog.” Back to happy chatter as you move on.

All you are doing is letting him know by means of prevention (a growl sound he understands) what things he will have to avoid in the future. Let him sniff first because he’ll remember the objects more by scent than by sight. He looks up at you and he is praised. Think of it this way: “No!” means “Don’t do that!” whereas “Yack!” means “Don’t even think of doing it!” Chit-chat is natural and pleasurable to both of you; but in the beginning the puppy will only pick up on his name because everyone uses it in connection with things he finds pleasurable – play, food or praise.

If you use the word “din-din” many times while fixing his meals, that word will stand out in the midst of a five minute speech on nutrition as a clue to the observant pup that he is about to eat. The human-canine teaching language is based on short, simple words that are consistently applied to specific actions.

This first guided tour teaches your puppy the layout of his new home, what it looks like, smells like, even feels like (rugs, carpets, tile, wood) and that some things are off limits even to adorable puppies. There is one more important lesson he is learning from this adventure: that you are his new Leader, the He or She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. If you do not take on this role, the puppy will.

Somebody’s got to do it, and he’ll fill the vacancy immediately! You may be familiar with the saying, “Lead, follow or get out of my way.” Every dog is born knowing it and continues to live by it!

Once the house tour is over, now it’s down to specifics. Show Sparky where his water bowl will always be. Let him investigate his crate. Then take him outside (still on leash) to the exact area where you want him to eliminate. Stand there until he does.

(Patience. He’s new at this.) Praise quietly as he goes, after which you can make the same kind of tour outside, with warnings about flower or vegetable beds, bushes or plants. Or you may live in a city and by law (and responsible dog ownership) must curb Sparky. Go to the quietest no-parking spot you can find.

If you remain on the sidewalk, he will naturally want to join you, so stand down in the street with him. It will take time, plus your casual, confident attitude, to get him used to the noise, the confusion and the speed and size of trucks and taxis. No outside walking tour at this time. Wait until his immunizations are complete, by which time he will also be more accepting of city life.

Note: If the original trip home from where you picked up Sparky took more than an hour, reverse the two “tours” to let the pup eliminate first.

Dog Show

Inside The Ring: Always Be At Your Best!

With your eyes on your dog, glancing up occasionally to see what the judge is doing, be prepared for the judge to call out or point out his placing of the dogs. If he says to you, “first,” or “One,” or points to you and holds up one finger, go at once to the first-place number marker in the ring. If you are showing a very tiny dog, it would not be harmful to pick him up and carry him to first place.

If you have a large dog and the lead has been removed, put it on him quickly and go to first place. If the judge calls to you “Second,” “Third,” or “Fourth,” or points to you or catches your eye and holds up two, three, or four fingers, go at once to the proper marker.

Now is the time for you to give your dog a great big pat and/or a tidbit. Let him know he has performed to your satisfaction and you are pleased with him. He’ll come to look forward to this moment of glory in the ring and will eventually love the applause. At first it may frighten him a bit, so be prepared.

If the judge does not advise you in some fashion that your dog has been placed in the class, leave the ring. If you want to watch what is going on, do so from the outside of the ring.

If you are not placed, you remain in the ring only if the judge specifically asks you to or if you are entered in the next class with the same dog, and then you should go to the side of the ring and wait until the dogs who have been placed in this class leave the ring.

Let us assume, however, that your dog has placed in his class. If the judge has gone to his table to mark his book, or if he has his book in his hands and is writing in it, just be sure that he can see your arm band. The band may have slipped around so that the number is not visible. Make it as easy as you can for the judge to see the number.

Before marking his book, however, if the judge should hesitate or take another look at the dogs, which are now standing in front of the numbers one, two, three, and four, be sure to keep your dog in a show pose.

If the judge hesitates, it may mean that he has not completely made up his mind and he may change the placings. Once he writes down his placings in his book, he will not change them, but a class is not considered judged until it has been written down by the judge. If he hesitates and you are standing in front of the Number One spot with your dog in a sloppy or poor position, and the Number Two dog is looking his very best, that dog may catch the judge’s eye.

He may change his mind, changing you from first place to second and the second-place dog to first. If you were in fourth place and the third dog at this moment looked inferior, the judge might decide that he liked your dog better and move you up to third place before marking his book.

Training your Pit Bull

Training your Pit Bull to “down” and “heel”

There will be many occasions when you will need your Pit Bull to stay in one place for more than 30 seconds at a time. It is easy for him to get impatient after a while on a sit and stand position. Teaching him the “down” command can come in really handy for this type of situation.

Begin teaching “down” by getting your dog in a sitting position. Say “down” while showing him a treat. Move the treat below his nose and toward the ground. Give it to him as soon as he reaches down to get it. Go over the process again, this time requiring him to reach farther down without lifting his rear from the ground, until he eventually lowers his elbows to the ground. Never try to force him into the down position. Doing so can scare a submissive dog and cause a dominant dog to resist. As soon as he is familiar with the “down” command, practice “down-stay” the same way as “sit-stay.”

Walking on-leash is probably the exercise that your Pit Bull does most often. In this case, teaching him to walk right beside you should be fairly easy. But if walking on-leash is new to him, he will more likely resist the leash or freeze in his tracks once he realizes that his freedom is being restricted. If your dog is not used to walking on leash, do not try to drag her along. You have to coax your dog a few steps at a time with food. Reward and praise him as he follows you. This helps him realize that following you while walking on-leash is a good experience.

When he gets used to walking alongside you, he is ready for his next step. Teaching your Pit Bull the command “heel” creates for a more enjoyable and relaxing walk with him by not having the pull the leash. It is also a way of letting your dog know that it is your turn to lead the walk.

Having your dog heel means making him walk on your left side with his shoulder even with your knee. Lining up your feet and your dog’s front paws is also ideal. Say his name followed by “heel,” then step off with your left foot first and keep on walking. During the few practices, stay on a short lead, hold him in the heel position, and continue with the praise.

If your dog still tries to walk ahead of you after showing him what he is supposed to do, gently pull him back to position with a quick light tug and then take the lead. As you progress with the training, try walking at different speeds and turning right and left to your walks. Practice in different locations and around different distractions.

Get complete Pit Bull Training Tips and more with the NEW: Complete Guide to Owning and Raising Pit Bull Terriers: Pit Bulls Revealed. Pit Bulls Revealed provides an honest, no-holds-barred look into Pit Bull ownership. Discover fascinating facts about the history of the breed, learn which myths are outright lies, discover how to select the ultimate Pit Bull puppy breeder, and much more.

Pit Bulls Revealed is the “ultimate resource” for anyone who is serious about getting answers to all of their Pit Bull questions. As a bonus you get TWO FREE additional handbooks- Pit Bull Training (a great guide) and Pit Bull Snacks (lots of fantastic recipes your dog will love!)


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