The day you bring your brand new puppy into your home for the first time is a joyous one; but it can also cause a lot of stress, especially if this is the first time that you?ve had a dog. You?ll need to learn many things in order to be a good caretaker of your new dog.

The first step is to make your puppy feel safe and loved in its new home. Speak gently to your dog ad whatever you do, don?t yell at them if they do something which is out of line. Yelling at your puppy can cause them to become afraid of you; this is something which can be difficult, if not impossible to remedy. It?s better to take your new puppy for training as soon as you can after bringing your new family member home.

But there are other reasons that you would want to have your dog trained and it in reality it is not just your dog that needs training! You as the dog owner will also need training so that you know what the right way is and what the wrong way to handle a dog is.

The need for training your new puppy will be immediately obvious once you bring them inside. Puppies have a lot of energy and they are prone to bolting around the house, knocking things over, chewing on everything and even peeing on the floor!

Learning the right commands to use and the right tone of voice to use them in is a big part of dog training classes. Learning these all important elements of dog training and getting lots of practice can help you to prevent (almost) all damage that your energetic new puppy may cause.

You?ll need to walk your dog once or twice every day. You?ll need to teach your dog to walk without having to tug on their leash; your dog will need to learn to take direction in order to accomplish this.

There can be very serious consequences to being unable to control your dog while going for a walk ? and a leash is necessary at all times, no matter how well behaved your dog may seem. Your dog will naturally want to chase squirrels and other small animals ? even into the middle of the street!

Traffic accidents are one of the major killers of especially dogs and often times it are because the owner can't control the dog with words and commands. That is why the training part is so vitally important in order to keep your dog from harm.

Posted under Dogs

Assuming that your little guy is familiar with the Sit command, he is now ready to move forward to the Lie Down command. This Intermediate Training behavior is simple to implement for most dogs and should be easily integrated into his routine.

First, command your little pal to Sit. Take his favorite treat and move it a bit closer to the ground prior to allowing him to take it. Don't allow movement from the Sit position. After he has this process learned, move the treat a bit farther away but still keeping it on the ground. Uh Oh! Now, he must lie down in order to reach this little goody. When he does this, simply say, "Lie Down." Be consistent and eventually you will be able to fade out the treat completely. Patience is a must -- he may try to get up but simply keep him in the Sit position until he has mastered the entire technique.

Teaching the Heel command is really important for your little pal. You want him to have good manners, and lunging at other people or pets is just not good behavior. You first teach your dog not to pull on the leash. Start off in a small area, making small circles and walking very slowly. This will cause him to think about going slow and also help him understand whether you are going left or right. Occasionally, however, give him a little room to explore -- have you ever met a dog who didn't like to sniff every thing in sight?

The Sit Up command can be a lot of fun to implement. Your dog must be very familiar with the Sit behavior as you take a piece of food or treat and hold it over his head. He must be able to reach it at this point. Continue this movement, holding the treat higher each time, until he is forced to reach for the food but can still remain seated.

Begin to raise the treat even higher at this point. Unless he raises his front paws from the ground, he won't be able to reach the treat. And when he does this, now is the time to use the verbal cue, "Sit Up." Once he understands the behavior you are looking for, you can fade out the treat and use only your hand, giving him his cue of "Sit Up."

Teaching you little pal Intermediate Behaviors is going to be a very rewarding experience, both for you and your dog. Remember, patience is the key and loving and accepting your pet will cause him to want to please you. Enjoy the time you have together.

Posted under Dogs