Have you recently adopted a puppy? Congratulations! Little Fido is bound to keep you smiling with his adorable furry face, antics, affectionate kisses, and cute antics. Owning a puppy is lots of fun, but it’s also a big responsibility! As you start out on this wonderful journey of love and friendship with your new furbaby, you’ll want to take steps to ensure that he grows into a polite, well-behaved adult dog. Puppy school is in session! Read on for some great tips from a local Frisco, TX vet on training puppies.

Short Classes

Puppies have rather short attention spans. To keep your furry pupil from getting bored, keep little Fido’s classes short and sweet. About 20 minutes at a time will do nicely.

Curriculum

Housetraining and crate training should both start right away. These things can be done together, and in conjunction with other training. You’ll also want to immediately start teaching your pooch basic doggy obedience commands. The five most important ones are Sit, Stay, Heel, Come, and Lay Down. Make sure little Fido has these down pat before moving on to cute tricks or advanced training.

Reward

Never punish your canine buddy for not picking something up quickly enough. We also don’t recommend using methods or items that use negative reinforcement. Instead, keep things positive by rewarding your puppy with treats and praise when he gets something right. Use small snacks, like pieces of kibble or cut-up hot dogs, so you don’t end up overfeeding your adorable student.

Keep It Simple

Teach your furry friend one thing at a time, as otherwise you could overwhelm him or confuse him. Also, make sure the little guy has mastered one thing before moving on to something new.

Keep It Light

Don’t work with your four-legged friend when you are tired, or are having a bad day. Dogs are extremely perceptive, and it won’t take little Fido long to pick up your mood. This could cause him to form a bad association with school. You don’t want that!

Focus

Choose a quiet, isolated area, where you can work with your furry pal without interruptions. Little Fido probably won’t pay much attention if his classroom is full of squirrels! Does your puppy need vaccinations, microchipping, or an exam? We are here to serve all of your dog’s veterinary care needs. Call us, your local Frisco, TX animal hospital, anytime.