The first year of a dog's life is the most important in terms of training.
Raising a puppy can feel a lot like raising a child, especially when the dog reaches six months of age. That's typically the age when puppies become more aggressive and nip, bark, growl and play more often. To make sure that dogs still know who's boss in the house, proper training is essential. There are several tricks and tips to enhance training with dogs of this age.
Crate Training
Although they may be perceived as puppy punishment, crates can create a sense of safety and security for dogs. Owners can stow their dogs there when they're not home or when it's time to put the dog to bed. Crates can also work to reinforce potty training. If the owner immediately takes the dog outside following removal from the crate, it becomes a habit and helps reinforce the message that the backyard, not the living room carpet, is the correct place to do business.
Food Persuasion
Dogs are suckers for food. A good method for reinforcing commands is to have the puppy correctly execute them before they receive dinner. Once the dog properly completes the command, praise it for doing a good job and then reward it by placing dinner in front of it. The same can be done with treats. Grab a handful and have the dog obey commands before rewarding it. Eventually, owners can cut back on treats as the dog will learn to do it by habit.
Monitor Chewing
It's normal for puppies to chew. Like humans, they teethe and like to sink their new chomps into anything to make them feel better. Often, this could be your arm, hand, etc. When puppies do this, it's important to immediately divert their chewing attention to something else, such as a bone or toy. When supervised, a frozen towel can also be a viable chewing option as it helps gums feel better.
Praise
Aside from food, another method of positive reinforcement is praise. Dogs like to be loved. They recognize that they've done something wrong when people use a particular tone of voice. Telling puppies "good dog" in a happy tone and immediately petting them let them know that they've done something correctly. After much practice and repetition, dogs will recognize when they've behaved properly and when they've misbehaved.
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