What do I teach my puppy, and when?

If you've made your way here, you're probably interested in having a well behaved puppy. There are so many things to teach - toilet training, house training, sit, stay, fetch, handshake, get my beer....the list is endless.

I've attempted to draw up a rough month wise syllabus for you. Every puppy is an individual and will have its own pace of learning. The time periods I've mentioned are broad enough to accommodate minor variances in learning abilities. It's also possible to teach an older dog all these behaviours. If you're in control of your puppy's learning today, however, this is how you should structure it.

I've limited the list of behaviours / commands to those that I consider basic. That said, if your dog masters these basic commands, you will be surprised at how well behaved he is overall. The confidence that your dog gains from knowing he's doing what is expected of him transcends all interactions with him.

Suggested dog training schedule

Its name

Most dogs learn their names over time. If they are adopted by the time they are two months old, likely they will learn their name in under a month.

Dogs that are adopted later in life will also get this in under a month. You only need to be consistent with the word you use to call her.

Yes and No

These are intrinsic to furthering your dogs learning. If he does not know what makes you happy and what pisses you off, you'll find it difficult to proceed.

House Training

House training is the sum total of all things your dog needs to know to co-habit your living space. This includes eliminating where he's supposed to, not chewing up the furniture, not eating food that is not meant for him and knowing where he can go and where he cannot.

Being handled

You should be comfortable inspecting your puppies paws, ears and mouth anytime you want to. Your dog's level of comfort with being handled can mean the difference between life and death in a medical emergency.

Bite inhibition

Learning how to control its bite is not optional training for your puppy. If it's one thing you teach your puppy this is it. The earlier you start the better. You want your puppy to know to limit its bite well before it's six months old.

Come / Sit / Stay

A dog that understands these three golden commands has more freedom than a dog that does not. You can start teaching your dog these commands as early as three months, and even earlier, if you feel your dog is ready. These commands can also be used to teach your dog other behaviours. Only when your dog knows to sit can you expect her to wait patiently for the door to open instead of jumping all over you and the door.

Separation anxiety

A dog that always have someone by its side is at a risk of developing separation anxiety. You should teach your puppy to be comfortable with a few hours of being by herself. It'll keep both you and the dog happy in the long run.

Leave it

Dogs love to play tug. So when they grab that new sock and you fight her for it, you're rewarding her. Instead teach your dog to 'Leave it' and save your socks.

Socialization

Puppies need socialization with other dogs and humans. It helps them develop into calm, well rounded dogs. A good time to start socialization is a month after she has gotten her booster shots. You can introduce other vaccinated dogs to her even sooner.

Walking on a leash

While you can introduce a collar to a 3 month old puppy, walks around the neighbourhood are only going to begin by month five. It takes a dog many months to learn how to heel. The more often you go out on walks the faster he'll learn. For a young pup the world outside is new and overwhelmingly exciting. With more walks under his belt, he will begin to know what to expect outside and behave himself a little more.

Fetch

While every other command / behaviour is related to obedience, fetch is a trick. I include it because it is a trick that helps mould correct behaviour. The best time to train a dog is right after an intense workout and fetch is my workout of choice. It allows me to be a couch potato while my dog does all the hard work.

At Happy Puppy, we teach your dog all these commands and more. Call us if you have trouble achieving any of these behaviours. And if you are in Dehradun, come visit.