House training a puppy need not be that difficult and can actually be enjoyable. Playtime with your new puppy can be fun, but did you also know that it could be the first steps in your puppy’s education as well? Even in the wild, young wolf cubs learn about their world through play and your puppy is no different. By utilizing play as a tool you can effectively teach your pup all the basics that will help her be a well-behaved dog when she grows up.

There are three basic things that a puppy - even one as young as six weeks old - needs to start learning. The first and most useful of those things is simply the word, “No.” You will be using that command repeatedly during your relationship with your dog and so it is very important that he knows it from the start.

And it’s easy. Dogs, even puppies, are adept at recognizing tone of voice. When they learn to associate a displeased, forceful tone of voice with the word no, you will not in the future have to be so forceful in your utterances. But first you do have to get his attention. When the pup does something wrong, simply pick him up, gain eye contact and tell him very firmly, “No.” It will get an immediate reaction. Depending on your pup’s personality, he will drop his head and become sheepish, growl or attempt to talk you out of it by asking you to play. If either of the latter two happens, you will have to repeat the command to show that you are not kidding.

Then, simply let it go. Put the pup down and keep a watchful eye on his response. A rebellious pup may repeat the action as a way to test you, in which case you need to repeat the process. Be gentle, but be firm and consistent and your pup should get the message.

As for the other things that your baby needs to know, you will probably default to teaching him the proper way to go potty. This is actually easier than you might think, as pups are a lot smarter than they look. Timing is, however, everything. If you notice a puddle on the floor and your pup has since gone off to play with his ball, the only thing you can do is clean it up and watch him more closely. Don’t rub his nose in it, or he will simply be hurt and confused. What you want to do is catch him in the act. When you see him start to take a tinkle, grab him and take him outside. Chances are he will be so shocked that he will save some for the yard, and when he goes there you can praise him lavishly.

The third thing that your pup needs to know is that he should never put his teeth on a human being. This is a tough one, as it is so much fun to play “bite” with a youngster. But when they are older, you really don’t want them to play so rough. So when you play with him, be sure to do so with toys that are okay for him to bite. If he bites when you are trying to pet him, tell him no and give him his toy or put his toy right in his mouth. If he persists, pick him up and tell him no. If you are consistent, you should get good results.

When your pup has accomplished learning her first command, or goes outside instead of on the floor and stops puppy-biting, she is well on her way to graduating from puppy to a well-mannered adult.

Jack Chambers is an avid dog lover and research writer on a number of onlinedogbreeds.com/index.php” target=”_blank dog behavior topics at onlinedogbreeds.com onlinedogbreeds.com You can find a great source of dog related information on a variety of topics from finding the right onlinedogbreeds.com/Best-Dogs-For-Families-With-Kids.php” target=”_blank dog breeds for young children to a number of dog health issues and more.

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Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, puppy training

Give your new pup a few days to adjust to his new home. Hopefully, your new pup is at least 8 weeks of age or older when you adopt. A good breeder or good rescue organization will have you wait until at least 8 weeks of age before surrendering a pup to his new home.

Initially, when you take your puppy home, give him a walk through tour of your home on his leash. It is important to let him sniff around the rooms of his new home. It is best to keep him on his leash so you can control the situation (some what!)

Potty training can start the day you bring your new bundle of loving fur home. You will need to be patient and loving with your new dog. The best way to start, is to walk your dog on your own lawn every 15 minutes for the first few days. No, I’m not kidding! Dogs are very smart and will quickly understand that potty belongs outside. The secondary benefit to this is that your puppy will also need to learn how to walk on a leash. These frequent trips outside will help.

If your new puppy decides to mark his new territory inside the house or continues to pee after a play session, start out by startling him AS HE IS GOING… You will need to say, “Potty outside…potty outside…potty outside”. Keep repeating this phrase as you pick up your puppy, put on his leash and take him out immediately. The moment you step outside the door of your house, you will need to reinforce, “Potty outside…potty outside…potty outside”. By now you are probably thinking, oh boy what have I gotten myself into! All I can tell you is that potty training really isn’t that bad IF you get your entire family to use the same commands and act constantly when these little mistakes occur. This puppy is a part of the entire family and as such, the entire family needs to be equally accountable for the potty training process.

Your nighttime routine should be to crate you new puppy. Dogs as pack animals, like the security of sleeping in an enclosed “safe” space. Also, dogs do not like to dirty in the spot where they sleep.

Some dogs will be potty trained very easily and the whole process may take just a couple of days to weeks. I have also had the more “normal” puppy experience, in that my last dog it took us about 4 months to completely potty train. The good news is once you are through the potty training process both you and your dog will feel great and really look forward to those daily walks!

Donna Skolnick is a respected industry leader in the pet industry. She runs MyDogsBreed.com, a free mydogsbreed.com dog breed directory to help people learn about the different dog breeds and find the right dog for their family.

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Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, potty training, puppy training

Whether you have a dog or a new puppy, it’s important that your child becomes involved in the training and raising of that new family member. Children are eager to help in anyway they can so help them understand exactly what they need to do.

The minute the puppy comes home be sure your child learns how to feed and water the pup. Make a measuring cup by marking the amount the puppy needs to be fed with a permanent marker (you can purchase an inexpensive measuring cup from the dollar store). Remind them that once they feed the puppy dog to then leave them alone. Dogs can be very unpredictable when it comes to food so it’s always safer to leave them alone. To help your child to learn how to water the dog, clean out a plastic mike carton and mark it with a permanent marker where it needs to be filled to. Just a side note: Labrador Retrievers love to be in water so you will not want to leave a full bowl of water on the floor all day. Once the carton is filled at the desired level, put the lid back on and show your child how to carry it over to the water dish and how to pour it in. Children as we know are very clever so it will only take showing them one or two times and they will have it down pat.

Next encourage your child to take the puppy out to go potty. Remember you do not want to carry your puppy or dog through the door. Instead have your doggy walk through the doorway he will then know to go to that door. Remember: Always go through the same door; this way the puppy or dog will learn which door to go to when he needs to go potty. Once outside use a call word such as, “Do it!” or “Hurry, Hurry!” This will stimulate the puppy or dog to go potty faster which is very useful when you go on a trip.

Children love to feel independent so put them in charge. Remind them that they need to be the “Boss” when working around the dog. Tell them to pretend that they are Superman or some character that commands respect. They do not have to raise their voice to the dog but rather show the dog they are the boss. It does not matter what age a child is, everyone in the household is above the dog on the totem pole.

Next, when training the dog keep the training sessions short - 5 minutes is long enough. Puppies and children have a lot in common, both have short attention spans, both have lots of energy, both are eager to please and both thrive on praise. By making the training sessions short and enabling children to achieve success, both puppies and their young trainers will be encouraged by their efforts and eager to continue the training. Make the training fun! Keep the puppy and child interested by clapping when a command is done correctly and encouraging when they have made a mistake, just remind them to start again. The puppy or dog won’t mind, they are being given attention by a good pat or by saying a kind word or by giving them a treat. Dogs love to work, keep them working and they will be happy. Before a training session have your child say something like, “You want to work?!” Each time the dog hears those words he will be that much more excited to train. Also, choose a special toy to play with after each session then put the toy away until the next session. Each time your child goes to train, the puppy will see that special toy and know it’s time to work and then have fun. After each training session be sure your child releases the puppy dog by saying, “Free or OK!” Your child is then giving the puppy dog the command that says it’s OK to be free. Keep in mind that training should be fun and it is fun when you keep your attitude up and positive.

Encourage your child to train and raise the puppy dog. They can and will train the dog and you will be very surprised how quickly they achieve a successful session.

Some points to remind your child when training:

1. Be the boss. Always help your child be confident when training the dog (shoulders back,

head up).

2. Keep training sessions short. Only train for 5 minutes in one session.

3. When praising your dog use a treat, toy or a pat on the back to let the dog

know he is doing well.

4. Remember when potty training to walk your dog through the same door.

5. Make training fun! By putting a favorite toy away after each training session your dog will

look forward to working hard.

To learn more about dog training for children visit kidstrainingpuppies.com kidstrainingpuppies.com

JoAnn Dahan has been training dogs for over 15 years, her trainees include dogs that have appeared in print ads, on greeting cards, in major motion pictures, on TV shows (most recently Satuday Night Live, HBO’s The Sopranos and IBM’s Sliced Bread commercial). JoAnn is the author of a new children’s puppy training book, Kids Training Puppies in 5 Minutes which includes a puppy training DVD. She also hosts and produces her own cable TV show on the east coast, Kids Training Puppies a show where families come to learn about dogs. JoAnn offers regular dog training classes from her home and has a special class just for children.

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Tags: dog training, potty training, puppy training

Crate Training is, with out a doubt, one of the first essential steps in training your puppy and an exercise for your puppy needs to master in their early days. It can be an effective means of housebreaking your puppy. However, many people misunderstand the proper methods of crate training and the benefits it will bring. Your dog will see their crate their space, their sanctuary, their escape from the very odd human world.

Size of Crate
Before you start on this training exercise it is important to consider what size of crate to buy. The crate needs to be big enough to see your puppy through from their early days to their full size. Bear in mind though that if it’s too large, your pet may end up using one end as their ‘Business’ area. Some crates offer divider panels to expand the size as they grows. Choose one large enough to stand, comfortably turn and sprawl.

Night Time
Crate Training through the night can be a daunting task, don’t worry. When you are housebreaking puppies and they “go” as soon as they see you in the morning. It is very difficult for a puppy to hold his bladder until they are around 9 months of age.

Make Arrangements
While crate training is excellent for housebreaking puppies, do not leave dog confined in a small area for too long. If your work allows, try to make arrangements to come home during your lunch hour to allow your pet to relieve himself. Also there are even services you can hire to provide this. A pet ‘holding it’ all day can cause bladder and kidney problems.

When Supervised
When crate training a dog, leave the door open while he’s not confined. Generally, in addition to housebreaking puppies, you are creating a safe place where your pet will feel comfortable sleeping.

Accidents in the House
Don’t make crate training a punishment. If your dog does their ‘business’ in the house, make a loud, surprised sound take them outside. Avoid shouting “NO!” for this routine as they might associate it as something bad. Be sure to give exaggerated praise when your pet ‘goes’ outside in the regular chosen area, so they will learn that there is a good thing.

Keeping Clean
Their crate is their space, but there will be some jobs you’ll need to do on their behalf. Regular cleaning and disinfecting will protect your dog from illness and you home from unwanted smells.

Matthew Glover - AdviceDogTraining.com AdviceDogTraining.com - offers Free Dog and Puppy Training Advice for owners and trainers around the world. Visit AdviceDogTraining.com AdviceDogTraining.com for all your K9 training needs.

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Tags: puppy training

Puppy Training is for every dog, regardless of breed, size or temperament. Puppy training is one of the fun parts about having a puppy. The single most important aspect of dog and puppy training is that you reward and praise your dog or puppy each and every time she does the right thing.

The main goal of puppy training is to prevent problems before they get started. The best time to start puppy training is as soon as your bundle of joy comes into your home. Puppy training is very important, whether you are training your first puppy or your 20th. Puppy training is, as much as anything else, the formation of good habits.

The amount of patience required during puppy training is a test for even the most mellow of us. Reinforcing commands in puppy training is essential. All puppy training is designed to direct your puppy’s behavior into making her an acceptable member of human society. For this reason, puppy training is extremely important for the happiness of the dog and for your household.

Puppy socialization and puppy training is a very specialized type of training. Successful puppy training is all about proper supervision. Puppy training is a very important part of being a puppy owner and can prevent possible problems from developing in the future. Puppy training is a must for a happy pet and family. Best of all, puppy training is easy, fun and can be done by all family members, including children.

Puppy training is often considerably easier than training an adult or adolescent dog. Puppy Training is for every dog, regardless of breed or size. Puppy training is an important part if your dog’s life. Although puppy training is not hard, it takes a lot of dedication and patience on the part of the owner.

The goal of young puppy training is to get your puppy headed in the right direction to enhance future formal obedience training. Puppy training is the key to proper adjustment. Puppy training is a vital and necessary component of a well-adjusted, well-behaved dog. The main purpose in puppy training is to build a communication system between the two of you. We know that puppy training is very important to the character development of your puppy.

A puppy does not have a very long attention span so short segments of training are definitely the best. Puppy training is a matter of consistency which means always using the same word for each command. Puppy training is nothing more than positive praise when he does a good job and prevention so that he doesn’t make any mistakes.
The greatest value of very early puppy training is the opportunity you create for your puppy to succeed and be praised for it.

Puppy training is widely recognized as a huge step in deriving maximum pleasure from a well controlled and obedient dog. If you’ve got a new puppy, then puppy training is vital to his future well-being. Part of puppy training is socializing your pup to people, other dogs and new situations and surroundings.. All training, including the early puppy training is teaching your dog what he or she knows to be safe and happy.

A lot of good puppy training is preventative (housetraining, barking and chewing, for example). The goal of puppy training is to build a bond between you and your dog and for both of you to enjoy the process. New dog owners may be daunted by the task, but puppy training is not as hard as you think. Puppy Training will teach your puppy basic manners that will be carried into your puppy’s adult life. Early puppy training should be done with bits of food as rewards such as pieces of cheese (kibble takes them too long to chew).

Introducing your puppy to new experiences and new locations is also an important part of puppy training. Repetitive actions are a large part of dog and puppy training. You want to have a smooth and easy time with this puppy, and a wonderful life with her. Puppy training will help you turn an adorable ball of fur into a well trained companion for life.

Copyright © 2007 B. Steele

B. Steele is a realtor in Nevada and a contributing editor for Best-Free-Help.com Best-Free-Help.com She has worn many hats during her career-mostly in sales of some kind. Among her work experiences she lists: retail fashion owner, restaurant owner, sales manager at a weekly newspaper, etc. She enjoys working with the public and training other sales people. Visit:

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Tags: puppy training