Are you bringing a puppy home or already have one? There are a lot of puppy resources out there and chances are you’re a bit overwhelmed! Supplies, food, vet care, puppy training classes, etc., where do you start? Avoid the puppy overwhelm with these helpful tips, straight from our new online puppy training class “Set the Scene for Success!”
Bringing a puppy home fills your life with so much joy and daily activity! But as amazing of a time it is, puppies require work and patience especially during their first few weeks at home. In our puppy training classes, we get a lot of the same questions from new owners on house training their puppy, crate training their puppy, getting their puppy to stop pulling on walks, jumping, biting, and just getting their puppy to start listening. For many new puppy owners, the list of puppy problems seems endless, and figuring out how to solve them seems impossible. It’s not!
Our Online Puppy Training classes bring new owners the best of what we have to offer at our school in Hermosa Beach, CA. Being at home doesn’t mean that puppy training classes are taking a break -- the exact opposite! In our online puppy school, new puppy owners work with our trainers in live-coaching sessions to cover a variety of puppy training topics!
Lesson #1: Set the Scene Success with Your New Puppy
Before jumping into puppy training classes one very important and sometimes overlooked topic is one we like to call “Set the Scene for Success” which encompasses preparing for bringing a puppy home (check out the rest of our puppy-proofing tips!), setting up a schedule, establishing leadership, and setting realistic expectations! We spend a full online puppy training class covering these tips in full detail for new puppy owners but here are the highlights to help you get started at home!
A Puppy-Perfect Setting means just that -- a place in your home that’s ideal for your pup! Young, untrained puppies really should not wander about in your home unsupervised. That spells a recipe for unexpected accidents, chewed up furniture, and all sorts of pup mishaps! Avoid the mayhem with a simple tip: Set up a spot in your home for your puppy using a playpen! We recommend the kitchen or family room where a pup can be supervised and has a hard floor surface for easy cleanup!
Many of our new puppy owners ask about crate training a puppy and the benefits that come with it. One of the biggest is helping your pup boost their confidence and independence. Why is this important? Even though many of us find ourselves at home now, when you go back to work, the change could lead to separation anxiety in your pups, causing a variety of unwanted behaviors! Our tip: Give your puppy “alone time” in their crate to nap or relax while you step out to another room, and do this throughout the day!
Create a schedule for your puppy to give the both of you instant structure each day! Eat, play, sleep, puppy training classes -- plan out your pup’s activities to help them successfully adjust to their new home! What are the benefits of creating a schedule? It helps them learn faster, speed up their training and housebreaking, promote confidence since they know what to expect at home, and improves their behavior and temperament. And it’s not difficult to figure out how to do this! You can follow our Create a Daily Schedule for Your Puppy blog to set one up for yourself!
Establishing leadership comes from implementing routines, training your puppy, and creating boundaries for them to follow. An easy way to start doing this is by introducing “calm thresholds”– so having your pup sit and wait in doorways, before coming out of their crate, etc., and check-in with you by giving eye contact before going through them. This establishes the habit of checking in with their owner as they grow and is a great foundation before starting puppy training classes.
The right mindset, energy, and expectations will help set YOU up for success most of all. New puppy owners sometimes have really high expectations right off the bat but puppies need time to learn, lots of guidance, repetition, and #1: patience! No matter how many puppy training classes you enter, consistency is key to getting your puppy learning faster! We tell all our owners to make sure to practice puppy training at least 15 minutes a day and make sure the family is on board with the puppy training classes and house rules for your puppy.
Examine your energy when you begin puppy training classes at home! We like to say “You get what you pet!” which means if your puppy is overly excited and you’re petting them, it’s a reward and it will encourage them to keep doing it! Only pet them when your pup is calm to reward that good behavior. And the tone of voice is important too! Keep your tone and energy direct and low-key when puppy training. And if your pup needs some motivation or encouragement to get moving along, use a higher-tone voice and higher energy!
Online Puppy School:
If you’re considering bringing a puppy home or have one already, and feel stuck -- online puppy training classes can help! We get it, it’s tough especially if you’re doing puppy training on your own at home. In just 90 days, you can teach your puppy all the commands they need to know, plus train them to stop chewing, biting, jumping, pulling on the leash, having potty accidents at home, and more! How? Live-coaching with our trainers, Q&As, and a virtual campus full of on-demand training videos and puppy training resources for our students -- we’re with you each step of the way! Our enrollment ends on May 7th, so there’s still time to sign up for online puppy training classes!
ENROLL YOUR PUPPY IN ONLINE PUPPY SCHOOL!
Check out these related blogs on puppy training and more!
Create a Daily Schedule for Your Puppy!
Why and How to Crate Train Your Puppy!