Training a puppy requires an extra level of patience and diligence. Puppies, by nature, are playful and slightly unruly. Controlling their activity and focusing their attention is often challenging, especially if you're trying to do so in an environment that offers distractions. The benefit is that investing the time and effort to train your pup helps him learn how to be a better companion to you and your family.

There are a few ground rules to follow when training puppies - and even adult canines. In this article, we'll explore four of the most important.

Consistency Is The Top Priority

Dogs learn by repetition. But in order to learn effectively, the repetition must be consistent. For example, suppose you're teaching your puppy to heel. If you say, "heel" and your spouse says, "down," there is a chance your canine will become confused. He may eventually learn to heel on command, but the process of learning is slowed. It may even prevent him from committing the command to memory. Be consistent. If a family member or friend participates, ask them to do the same.

This is also important when rewarding successful behavior. Only provide a treat as a reward if your puppy fully satisfies your command. For example, if you call for him to come, but he only comes halfway, withhold the treat until he fully complies. Otherwise, he will soon learn that coming halfway is sufficient.

Limit The Duration Of The Sessions

Puppies have short attention spans. For this reason, you'll find that shorter sessions are more effective for holding their attention and producing positive results. A lot of owners push forward with longer periods despite their pups becoming bored. This rarely has a positive effect. The pup becomes less attentive while his owner become increasingly frustrated.

For the best results, keep sessions under fifteen minutes (this is also a good rule when training adult dogs). Doing so helps guarantee your puppy will stay focused.

Always Remain Calm

This is an often overlooked, but critical part of effective puppy training. Always remain calm, regardless of whether your pup successfully responds to your commands. Owners often become frustrated with their puppies during training sessions, and react in anger. Even if they manage to avoid yelling, the pup senses tension. This shatters his focus and makes it even less likely he'll behave as desired.

The calmer you remain, the more control you'll have over the training sessions. If you feel frustrated, give your puppy a final easy command and reward him when he satisfies it successfully. Then, end the session.

Never Punish

Most professional dog trainers are in agreement: positive reinforcement is far more effective than negative reinforcement. In other words, your puppy will commit your commands to memory more effectively if he has been rewarded for complying with them in the past. By contrast, if he has been punished for failing to comply, he is unlikely to commit the command to memory. He will have learned nothing from being punished except to fear you.

Canines, whether puppies or adults, do not use logic in the same manner people do. For example, suppose your pup digs a hole in your garden and you stumble upon it hours later. If you punish him, he is unlikely to make the connection between the hole he dug and your reaction. This is the reason trainers strongly recommend rewarding behaviors immediately. If you wait, even for a few minutes, your pup won't understand why you're rewarding him (though he'll happily accept the treat).

Most owners are well-intentioned about training their puppies. Unfortunately, many lack the patience or time to do it properly. If you intend to train your pup on your own, use the four ground rules above to improve your chances of success.

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Posted under Puppy

At some point, most dog lovers have probably at least considered adopting a puppy or dog. For some, the attraction is the cost, while for others the thought of rescuing a dog is the deciding factor.

Of the many dogs that are available for adoption, most are mixed breed dogs. Only rarely will a pure bred dog be up for adoption. When it happens there is usually a special circumstance.

If you're looking for a dog to be a companion and share your home and your heart, adopting is a wonderful way to find that special dog. The first place where many start their search is the local animal shelter. It's a good place to start.

If you are looking for a dog at the animal shelter, it will probably to easier to find an adult dog than a puppy. There are just fewer puppies brought to animal shelters. When you adopt a dog from an animal shelter, there won't be any health surprises. That's because they will have been checked out by a veterinarian.

By adopting a dog from an animal shelter you may actually be saving his life. Many more animals are available than can possibly be adopted out. For the "left-over" animals, euthanasia may be what lies ahead.

It's easier to find a puppy by looking for signs on front lawns or in the newspaper. Asking friends to keep their eyes out for you can also work. You could also get in touch with a veterinarian's office. They frequently have clients post notices about pets that are available to be adopted.

Be aware though that "free" puppies are not really going to be free. Most will have had just the bare minimum in shots so they will be needing a quick visit to the vet's office before they get much older.

Although many people are unwilling to consider adopting an adult dog, these animals often make wonderful pets. Not all adult dogs turned over to the shelter are problems. Sometimes it can be a case of an owner's situation changing so they are forced to give up their pet.

Before you do take on an adult dog, try to find out as much as possible about his past situation. If there is no information, you may want to be cautious. But if the past owner has had to move or can no longer care for their pet, you have probably found yourself a winner.

If you are considering the possibility of getting a dog, think about adopting. There are lots of dogs and puppies who are in need of a good home. You will no doubt find it a very satisfying experience.

A comfortable bed is a wonderful way to show your dog that you care. Dogs love to feel warm and cozy. A heated dog bed is the absolute ultimate in comfort. Some dogs prefer the soft padded cushion and the bolster which doubles as a pillow in a bolster dog bed.

Posted under Puppy