I have had diabetes my entire life, and I am very thankful for the fact that modern medical discoveries have helped me live a happy, healthy life despite my disease. I have had to watch what I eat and take medications daily for most of my life, and while i used to feel like I was "missing out" when other children were able to eat sugary candy and I wasn't, I eventually learned that sugar-free candy tastes great. I am always keeping up on the latest diabetes research, and while researching, I have also learned about many other diseases and ailments and how they are treated and controlled. I know others are too busy to browse a bunch of medical websites, like I like to do, so I decided to start a blog that others can visit that contains information on a variety of medical topics all in one place!
Modern Medicine Saves Lives Every Day
Training Your New Puppy
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It's never too early to start teaching a new puppy positive behaviors. Getting the ball rolling will take patience, and a firm grasp of some very essential concepts, but building this foundation early will simplify future training. Even small successes can be built upon to achieve greater goals, so make sure you're providing the right reinforcement as often as possible.
House Training
One of the first hurdles in a new puppy's life is learning where and when they can relieve themselves. The best way to build the habits you want to develop is through repetition and proper reinforcement, so make a schedule and stick to it. Make hourly trips outside with your dog, provide plenty of encouragement, and reward them for getting it right every time they do.
Accidents will happen, so don't get angry when they do. These incidents should also be rebuked appropriately, but if you treat them as learning opportunities you and your puppy will have a much stronger relationship. Remember that dogs key in on smells more than any other sensory input, so make sure to remove every trace of urine or feces each time your puppy makes a mistake. You can also take the soiled cloth or paper towels you used to clean it up and place them in the area your dog should be using instead.
Leash Training
One of the most important reasons for training your dog is to keep them safe, and leash training is very closely linked to that goal. A dog that is well-mannered on a leash is less likely to slip from your grip and end up in a street or lost in the neighborhood, so early exposure is important. In fact, early exposure is just as important as controlling the learning environment, so start in your backyard, a gated area, or even your living room while you're working on the basics.
This is also the stage at which training collars can be helpful, just remember that the point of training collars isn't to cause pain. Their purpose is to apply pressure through manipulation of the leash, so a firm tug is really all you should need to use in order to correct a behavior. Start with short walking circuits around or across whatever area you're using for training. To keep your puppy engaged, vary the exercises you focus on to include things like heel, sit, stay and come, using the leash to apply both direction and correction.
Puppies are especially malleable, and are often eager to learn and please, so make the most of those traits early on. While you can teach an old dog new tricks it can take more time, so working with a puppy is more likely to show strong results with less time. You'll have the rest of your puppy's life to reinforce positive behavior, but first you have to show them what that is. Contact a clinic, such as Munster Animal Hospital, for more information.
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