Puppy - Training (Basics)

At what age can I start training my new puppy?

You will be training your puppy from the moment you pick him up since puppies start learning as soon as they are born and are learning even when we do not realise it! It is therefore important for you to ensure that your puppy is learning appropriate lessons.

Many good breeders encourage handling and socialisation from birth and some training can begin as soon as the puppy can open its eyes and walk. Young puppies have short attention spans but expect them to begin to learn simple obedience commands such as "sit", "down" and "stay", from as early as 7 to 8 weeks of age.

Traditionally, formal dog training is often delayed until 6 months of age but actually this juvenile stage is a very poor time to start. At this age a dog is beginning to consolidate adult behavioural patterns and finds it very difficult to change those behaviours that it has already learnt to be successful. In addition a 6 month old puppy may be at the start of the hormonal changes associated with puberty and find it hard to concentrate.

When training is started at 7 to 8 weeks of age it is much easier to make associations, but this fact makes it absolutely critical that you only use methods that rely on positive reinforcement and kindness. The use of punitive (punishment) techniques at this early age will have far reaching negative consequences for your relationship with your dog and also for its emotional welfare. Puppies have short attention spans, so training sessions should be brief but frequent (several times a day). Puppies can be taught to "sit", "down", and "stand" either by using a method called food-lure training. This is where food treats are used to entice the dog to follow its nose into the proper positions for "sit", "down", "stand", and "stay", or by introducing your puppy to the concept of clicker training.

How do I get started using food lure training?

Small pieces of food or a favoured toy can be used to encourage your puppy to perform most tasks. Provided the reward is sufficiently appealing, your puppy can be prompted towards the desired response by showing your puppy the reward, and then moving it so as to get the desired response. For example:

• Food held up over your puppy’s nose and moved slowly backwards and slightly upwards should induce a "sit" response.
• Food drawn down to the floor and slightly forward (if your puppy is already sitting, or taken downwards and slowly back between the front legs if your pup is standing) should induce a "down" response.
• Food brought back up and slightly forward should induce a "stand" response.
• Food held at a distance from your puppy should induce him to move towards the food, and can be used to train a "come" response.
• Food that is held at your side at the height of your puppy’s nose as you walk should induce a "heel" or "follow".

By pairing a command phrase or word with each action as it occurs, and giving the reward for each appropriate response, your puppy should soon learn the meaning of each command.

How often should I give the command?

Ideally you should give the command phrase during the delivery of the action. Once your puppy has performed the task, give verbal praise and an affectionate pat just before giving the bit of food or the toy. The praise and physical contact will then act as secondary reinforcers (see below). Some trainers also use clickers as secondary reinforcers (see below).

Remember: In the early stages of training your puppy does not know the meaning of the word. Therefore, you could just as easily teach your puppy to sit with the word "bananas", as you could with the word "sit". The key is to associate the word, in this case "sit", with the action of placing the hind end on the floor. If you keep repeating the command your puppy will learn that several repetitions are acceptable before your needs to obey, so it is important to work on the 'labelling' stage first to ensure that your puppy understands what the word means.

How should I phase out the lure and food rewards?

At first you are going to let your puppy see the food in your hand so that you will have his attention and can use it to guide the response. As your puppy begins to comply more regularly and readily you can start to hide the food in your hand, but repeat the motion or hand signal that has been used to date. Soon you should give the signal and command without any food in the hand at all. However at this stage it is best to follow the compliance with delivery of a food reward that is fetched by you from a nearby food source after the correct action has been performed. Next, you can begin to vary the frequency, giving the "good dog" and perhaps patting each time, but giving the food randomly, perhaps every 3 or 4 times. In time, your puppy should respond to either the hand signal or simple command even if there is no food in the environment at all.

Whilst it is important to fade out the luring part of the process as soon as possible so that your puppy does not expect to see food before it will obey, it is important not to fade the food as a reward too quickly. If there is no apparent reward from complying with the commands your puppy may decide that doing other things such as jumping up at a visitor for attention or running off to say hello to another dog, has a better chance of a payoff than responding to you.

Over time, the words "good dog" or the affectionate pat become secondary reinforcers, because they have been paired with food in the past, and therefore they become a reinforcement in themselves. It is important to use secondary reinforcement because you will not always have food with you when you need your dog to obey. In addition, if you rely on food to induce your puppy to comply, you will have a puppy that will only do the task when you have a treat.

At first training may take place in designated sessions throughout the day, with a variety of family members. All rewards should be saved for these training sessions. Over time however, you should begin to ask your puppy to perform the tasks on occasions other than formal training times. This is important for your puppy to understand that the words have meaning even when you are not engaged in a formal training situation.

How does clicker training work?

An alternative to lure training is to use a clicker to reinforce behaviour that your puppy voluntarily offers. The idea is that the sound of the clicker is paired with the delivery of a food reward, so that the clicker becomes a secondary reinforcer and a signal that a positive outcome is about to occur. Rather than luring your puppy into a particular position, such as a down or a sit, you wait until he is spontaneously in the position and then you sound the clicker and deliver a food reward. The idea is that the click signals to your puppy that his spontaneous behaviour was a good idea and the food reward reinforces that message. In the early stages of clicker training it is usual to click and treat the response without using any form of command but once your puppy is regularly sitting or going into a down position you can begin to use the appropriate command during the action and then click and treat. Eventually, the command can be used just before the action as a cue, and the click and treat can be used to signal that compliance with the command is rewarded.

How much time should I spend training my puppy every day?

A goal to strive for is at least 15 minutes of training every day, but it is more beneficial to spend several shorter periods with your puppy (for example 3 five minute sessions) than a single long session. Try to have all family members ask your puppy to do the required tasks so that he understands that the commands mean the same thing irrespective of who is issuing them. Remember to train in every room of your house, as you want your puppy to sit, lie down and stay everywhere, not just in the training location.

When different people work with your puppy it is very important that they understand the training process and the commands and signals that are going to be used, otherwise your puppy will become confused.

The aim of training is to give your puppy the necessary manners to live successfully as a domestic pet and therefore you need to integrate training into every day activity. For example, ask your puppy to sit prior to receiving food, sit before you let him in or out the door, and sit before you pet him. In this way you are training your dog all the time, throughout the day irrespective of the situation. Training your puppy prior to getting each reward also helps to prevent problems. Having your puppy sit before getting a food or treat prevents begging, while teaching your dog to sit before opening the door can prevent jumping up or running out the door. Be creative; the time you spend training your puppy now, will pay off when you have an adult dog.

To have a well-trained dog, you need to be committed to reinforcing the training tasks on a frequent basis. The more you teach and supervise your puppy, the less opportunity he will have to engage in unwanted behaviours. Dogs do not train themselves, when left to choose their behaviour they will act like dogs.

Remember, it takes repetition, time and perseverance for your puppy to be able to predictably and reliably respond to commands in a variety of situations.

What can be done if my puppy is too distracted or excitable to control?

Training should begin in a quiet environment with few distractions, and the reward chosen should be highly motivating so that your puppy is focused entirely on the trainer and the reward. Although a small food treat generally works best, a favourite toy might work just as well or even be more rewarding for some dogs. Some owners think that it will be helpful to train the puppy just before a scheduled mealtime when it is most hungry, but remember that it can be difficult to concentrate when you are really hungry. Therefore it may be better to feed a small meal shortly before a training session rather than train on a completely empty stomach.

The golden principle is to be consistent in the reinforcement of correct responses whilst ignoring demanding or inappropriate behaviours. When properly applied this principle will usually work with even the most boisterous or headstrong of puppies. However, if you feel you are not making progress, you may need to alter your approach slightly, by reinforcing approximations to a behaviour instead of waiting for the behaviour to be completed for example. In this situation you may need to ask for assistance from someone experienced in the field, and your veterinary practice should be able to direct you to a suitable person.

Even calm puppies should be restrained on a lead if you take them to an unfenced area to train,as unpredictable things can happen which might cause your puppy to run off or place him in danger.

Should I also consider training classes?

Pet owners who are novices at training can begin a training programme with these few simple steps but attendance at a good, reward based, training class can also be beneficial.

• Trainers can demonstrate techniques and help guide you through the steps in training.
• They can help advise you on puppy training problems, and can help you advance your training to more difficult exercises.
• Your puppy will be learning in a group situation, with some real life distractions which can be very beneficial.
• Also the dog owner who takes his dog to a puppy class, will be more likely to practice (do their homework) throughout the week, if they do not want to fall behind by the next class.
• A training class is a good place to meet and talk to other new puppy owners and see how all puppies behave.

Well run training classes for young puppies are an excellent way to socialise your new puppy to a variety of people, other dogs, and stimuli in a controlled environment. In addition, you can learn how to prevent problems before they begin, or deal with them as they emerge, rather than having to find a way to correct problems that have already developed. Your puppy might also make some new friends of the same age and you may meet people with whom you can enjoy your daily dog walking experience. You could also visit these friends (or they could visit you) with your puppy for social play and exercise sessions.

Since the main socialisation period for dogs ends by 3 months of age, puppy socialisation classes are most valuable for puppies between 8 and 12 weeks of age. If all puppies in the class have had initial vaccinations, are healthy and parasite free, the health risks are low and the potential benefits are enormous. However it is vital to select your puppy class carefully and to ensure that the atmosphere is one that induces a positive emotional experience for all of the puppies that attend. Please talk to your veterinary surgeon who can advise you on the best puppy classes in your area.

Selecting a puppy class is possibly an even more important decision than selecting a training class for an adult dog, since at this impressionable age a negative experience can have serious long term consequences. Amongst other points, the following should be considered when selecting a class:

• The class should be small – no more than 6-8 puppies. If there are more puppies the area needs to be sufficiently large and additional trainers should be present.
• Positive food or toy based training methods should be used.
• Interactions between puppies should be closely supervised to prevent bullying and to encourage appropriate interactions.
• No puppy should ever be forced into a situation where it feels uncomfortable.

Good socialisation and habituation depends on controlled exposure to novelty so that puppies form positive associations and gain confidence in dealing with the outside world. Any situation that induces a negative emotional state, and causes your puppy to become scared or anxious is very detrimental to his future behaviour and should be avoided.