Getting a brand new puppy can be a very exciting time. At first, it is so easy to get wrapped up in puppy snuggles all day, cooing over how adorable your new furry friend is. However, it won’t be long before that initial excitement wears off, and you realize your dog has already picked up some bad habits. Of course, professional training can help with obedience skills, but there are a few things you can do right off the bat to get your puppy on the right track. Set your puppy up for success before he even enters your home by following these few simples tips.

1. Choose a name wisely- The name can be the hardest part. You want to choose a name that you’ll love, but also something that will be beneficial for training purposes. Try to pick a name that has a strong consonant at the end, so he can always hear it clearly. Emphasizing a strong ending, such as Cooper, Jack, or Scout, will perk up your puppy’s ears.
2. Decide on house rules- Before you bring your new friend home, set clear rules on what he can and can’t do. Will he be allowed in your bed or on furniture? Are certain parts of the house off limits? Where will the puppy sleep? Can the puppy eat scraps from the dinner table? If you set these rules from day 1, it will avoid confusion in the future for you and your puppy. It will be easier to start on a good note than to correct poor behaviors later!
3. Teach him to come when called- This is the first command that you should focus on mastering with your dog. Be sure to use positive reinforcement throughout this process. As time goes on, you’ll see the benefits of learning this command early on in his life.
4. Discourage the jump up- Puppies are often just excited to be settled into their new homes as you are, and love to jump up when greeting people. However, you’ll realize this is a bad habit to develop when your dog is jumping all over everyone in the park a few months down the road. So when your dog jumps up, try completely ignoring him. Do not reprimand, but simply give him no attention or praise by patting him when he is in a jumping up position. Wait until he returns to the ground and settles before acknowledging him.
5. End training sessions positively- Positive reinforcement always goes over well with your puppy. At the end of a training session, be sure to treat him with lots of praise, a treat, or belly rub. This enforces that the behaviors he has performed are associated with positive results, and he will be likely to do them in the future.

Contact Argos Dog Training

These few tips are a great place to start for getting your puppy on the right track. For more structured and advanced obedience courses, contact Argos Dog Training! We offer basic leash manners, basic communications, puppy day-care and more.