Pets

10 things you should teach your puppy before he turns one year old

Have you ever met a dog at the dog park, or had to babysit a dog for a friend, only to discover that they don’t have any canine manners? That’s because they haven’t been properly trained. Here are the 10 things you MUST teach your pup before he’s a year old, so you can have the best dog on the street!

 

Alright, let’s start with the basics…

 

Training bathroom. We all know it’s important to teach your pup where to go potty, but it’s just as important to teach him to let you know WHEN he needs to go potty. You might think it’s easier to teach your pup to go at set times (after meals and just before bed), and it’s true. However, there may be times in your dog’s life (such as when he’s not feeling well) when he needs an extra stop.

 

It’s a great idea to teach your dog to let you know when he needs to go outside. Or, you can teach your dog to answer your “do you need to go potty?” question. No, really: if you ask this question every time he goes to relieve himself, he will eventually associate that phrase with going to the bathroom. So when you ask the question they will either be uninterested or jump in ready to go. Trust me, this is very helpful later in your dog’s life.

 

Sit down, stay, let go. I feel like I shouldn’t have to mention this, but I am amazed at how many dogs don’t sit on command! The sooner you teach your puppy, the better. Drop can be particularly difficult for puppies, but it’s worth persevering. The Release command is quite a submissive action for a dog, and can be very useful when small children are around, putting the dog below them in terms of height.

 

Walk on leash and off leash with you. Going for a walk should be fun, but not out of control. Teach your puppy from a young age to stay still while you put the leash on (and the collar if he doesn’t wear it indoors). When walking, your dog should walk beside you, not in front of you, and not wander all over the place sniffing and urinating. Your dog may have some “free time” (see later in this article), but the majority of the walk should be at your side and calm.

 

It’s also a good idea to teach your dog to walk beside you off-leash (once he’s mastered the leash, of course). It’s best to start this in your own fenced yard before moving outdoors. And always take the lead with yourself as a backup. However, this is very useful if your dog somehow slips off the leash when he is outdoors. You should be able to call them out and then put them on a leash or take them home without one.

 

get and release. Throwing a ball or Frisbee and having it retrieved is a great game for a puppy. It’s great exercise, it’s fun, and they’re with you! However, it is just as important that you teach your pup to drop the ball or Frisbee when they return to you. Actually, it is more important: they must recognize that you are in charge of the game and that the ball always comes back to you.

 

DO NOT wrestle with the dog over the ball or Frisbee, and do not allow them to “play growl.” Tug is a separate game played with a tug toy. In Fetch they always have to return the ball to you. If they don’t, stop playing.

 

puppy tag. When your pup meets another dog or cat, she needs to know proper etiquette to introduce herself. Puppies usually learn this from their littermates, but I have seen many cases where puppies were obviously removed from their litter too early and have no idea how to behave around other animals.

 

You will know if your pup has a problem by how he behaves when guests arrive. A well-behaved puppy will approach visitors and want a pet or some attention, but won’t demand it. Misbehaving puppies demand attention by poking their noses at people or jumping up. If your pup does any of these, chances are he won’t behave very well around new animals either. And that could spell trouble at the dog park! Nip it in the bud now.

 

Do not jump. Following on from our point about etiquette, you may think it’s cute now that your pup jumps on your lap for attention or tries to jump onto your lap. But wait until he’s an adult dog, or when he’s tried on a frail elderly person and knocked down. Don’t jump on people, ever.

 

Share food and toys. This is a very important lesson to teach if you have, or plan to have, other animals or children in the house. Some dogs can be very possessive, especially with their food and/or toys. Puppies should be taught at a young age that nothing is theirs alone, not their food or their toys. You need to start this training when they are young. Take the toy or food away from the dog and give it to your child to return to the dog. This teaches the dog that things come back, they won’t necessarily be lost forever.

 

If you have another animal, especially another dog, make sure both (or all) of the dogs play with all of the toys. No toy belongs to any dog.

 

go to your bed. Your dog needs a “safe” area, a place where he can go to rest, sleep or eat his food. This can be your bed, a rug, or even his cage. Teach them from a young age to go there on command. That way, if the pup misbehaves, you can send it out for a timeout with this command.

 

“Leisure. OK, I mentioned this when we talked about walking on a leash. It is important that your dog is allowed some free time to run and play and goof around and sniff things and pee on things. Teach your dog early using the word “free” said out loud and you’ll happily train him so he can now be himself! This is a great command to use at the dog park. You should also have an “out of place” word so they come back to you when it’s time to go home or put the leash back on. Either calling them by their name, or “come”, or another word you use.

 

Who is in charge. If you have been able to teach your puppy all of the above behaviors, then you have also taught your dog who is in charge: you!

 

If you teach your puppy to be a well-behaved and well-mannered puppy, then you will have a dog that you can be proud of later in life.

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