Happiness is a warm (and well-trained) puppy

Puppies are bundles of joy covered in fur! It’s hard not to fall in love with their tiny button noses, little paws and curious nature to explore the world. Although their exploring sometimes leads to traces of shredded toilet paper in the bathroom, muddy pawprints on Persian rugs and chewed couch corners, they are totally worth it and can be trained easily!

Not sure if your pup is ready for training but keen to teach her a command or three? No worries, we’ve asked the experts from PupBox to guide you with some ‘pawsome’ puppy training tips.

PupBox says that training is a critical part of your puppy’s growth and development. However, it’s important to know when to start. Training can usually begin as soon as your pup is 7 to 8 weeks old.

Covering the basic commands

Teaching your little furry one basic commands is the foundation for every other type of training. “Simple commands such as ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ ‘lay down,’ and ‘leave it’ are important ways to keep your puppy safe and happy as they explore the world.”, says PupBox.

Here are some puppy training tips by PupBox:

1. Try to choose an area of your house with as few distractions as possible and keep training session length to about 5 to 10 minutes, with sessions spread throughout the day. Puppies are notorious for short attention spans. Plus, they tire out quickly!
2. The key to successful puppy training is to make it a positive, fun activity. Do everything you can to maintain high spirits and energy during each training session (how can you not with a cute puppy in the room, right?).
3. While there is no specific order in which to train basic commands, one of the best skills to teach first is “come” because it is a lifelong skill your puppy needs for obedience and safety.
4. “Sit” is another relatively easy command to teach your puppy, especially if you use rewards and lots of praise. “Lay down” is slightly more difficult to teach simply because puppies are full of energy! Similarly, “stay” can be a bit trickier with an energetic pup but is another key element of your puppy’s basic training.
5. Be consistent with training and experiment with different treats for rewards. Stick with the healthy treat your puppy enjoys most.
6. House-training should start early and should be scheduled. Take your pup outside every two hours for a bathroom break.
7. Leash training your puppy at a young age will build good leash manners for a lifetime.

For more awesome puppy training tips click/tap here.

When to teach your pup more skills

Before you move on to more advanced skills such as “rollover,” “shake,” “leave it,” or “wait,” make sure you get the foundation training sorted. And remember: Training never really ends. As a pet parent, it’s your job to keep up the training, continually practice known commands, and move on to advanced training as your dog matures.

Not a puppy parent yet, but thinking of adopting?

Responsible pet ownership begins before a pet enters your home. The Western Cape Government provides the following guidelines on what to consider before adopting a puppy:

• Will you have enough time during the day to spend with your active furry one?
• Are you financially capable of owning a new puppy? Puppies can be pricey!
• Do you often travel long distances for work?
• Does anyone in your home have allergies?
• Are your children capable of taking care of a pet?
• Is there an adequate amount of lawn for your puppy to explore their new surroundings?
• Are you willing to be there for your puppy throughout his/her entire life? This could be approximately 15+ years depending on the dog breed. It’s a long commitment.

Once you’ve set your mind on adopting a puppy there are a few things you should do to ensure that he/she has a healthy and happy life:

• Feed your puppy a healthy diet to support healthy growth.
• Ensure that your dog always has clean drinking water.
• Provide your pup with adequate shelter and a comfortable, cosy place to sleep.
• Ensure regular exercise. Puppies need to stay active so enough playtime is important.
• Take your little one to the vet for routine check-ups and vaccinations.

Finally, make sure your new puppy is covered with pet insurance as their curiosity and inquisitive nature often land them into peculiar situations and possibly (but hopefully not), accidents too. For the added peace of mind, why not get a quick online quote for dotsure.co.za pet insurance now? It won’t take more than 5 minutes. 😉

Let’s embrace the joys of puppy parenthood and continue to cherish the ‘inner-puppy’ of our older fur babies as well!

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