What Happens At Puppy Training Classes? - Purely Pets

Puppies are adorable bundles of fun, but they are also a big responsibility.

There is a limited period in the beginning to teach young dogs the good habits and behaviours that will see them through life. Get it wrong in this crucial time and you may end up with a badly-behaved pooch.

Far too many dogs are abandoned each year because they haven’t been taught how to behave as puppies. Make sure your dog has the best start in life by taking him or her to puppy training classes and protect your pooch with Purely Pets dog insurance.

Dog insurance will cover the cost of unforeseen costs for accidents and illnesses however, this insurance will not cover the costs related to behaviour and training.

Introduction to dog training

Dog training is an important part of dog ownership, and it’s necessary to start training your dog as early as possible. Whether you have a new puppy or an adult dog, training can help improve your dog’s behaviour, strengthen your bond, and prevent unwanted behaviours.

As a dog owner, you must understand that dog training is a lifelong process that requires patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. With the right approach and techniques, you can help your dog become a well-behaved and loyal companion.

Starting early with your puppy’s training sets the foundation for good behaviour and helps them adjust to their new environment. Remember, training your dog is not just about teaching commands; it’s about building a relationship based on trust and respect.

What does a puppy need to learn?

There are four main things a puppy needs to learn: socialisation, bite inhibition, obedience and tolerance of handling. It is necessary to focus on the important things such as establishing a strong foundation for obedience and good behaviour from an early age. Let’s look at these in turn.

Socialisation

Your puppy needs to learn how to cope with life beyond your family and your home. This means mixing with other dogs, humans and other animals as well as coping with new places and situations.

New sights, smells and sounds are very exciting to a puppy but they need to learn how to behave in a suitable way. Distractions can impact socialisation and training, as young puppies may become easily distracted and lose focus during these sessions.

Puppy classes will show your pet lots of different people as well as new obstacles such as ramps and tunnels to get them used to more variety in their environment.

Bite inhibition

Puppies need to learn how to control the pressure of their mouth. Bite inhibition means the dog is conditioned not to bite down hard if they ever bite.

It is not always possible to prevent a dog from biting in any situation, for example when scared, sick or injured, but bite inhibition means they should not clamp down hard.

Just like babies, puppies naturally want to explore the world by nibbling and chewing things. They use their nose to explore their environment, so it is important to guide this behaviour and teach them to distinguish between appropriate chew toys and hands or shoes.

Around six months of age, puppy jaws strengthen and if they have not learned bite inhibition by this age, they can cause real injury or damage. It is important for a dog to obey the command to leave something by this point.

Obedience

At the very least, a puppy needs to recognise a name call and obey commands to sit, lie down, walk on a leash, come and stay. Recall is a critical command in obedience training, ensuring dogs respond promptly when called.

Recall training is highly important for safely letting dogs off-lead and preventing potential accidents when a lead is accidentally dropped or a door is mistakenly left open. If your pup does not learn obedience, he or she will not be under control, which could be dangerous for them and for others as they grow into a full-sized dog.

You are responsible for ensuring your pet does not harm others, so this is an important duty as a dog owner. Don’t forget to check whether your dog insurance policy covers you for harm or damage caused by your pet.

Tolerance of handling

This is about more than you snuggling with your little ball of fluff – a pup needs to learn how to respond when other, unfamiliar people touch or restrain them.

In the course of their life, your dog will be touched by vets, groomers, and other people (including children).

They need to respond in an appropriate way to make life easier and prevent biting. Teaching your dog to tolerate and even respond positively to touch will make life much easier in the long run.

Understanding how dogs learn

Dogs learn through association, repetition, and positive reinforcement. They associate actions with rewards or consequences, and they learn to repeat behaviours that are rewarded.

As a dog owner, it’s necessary to understand how dogs learn and to use this knowledge to develop effective training techniques. For instance, if you reward your dog with treats for sitting, they will learn to associate sitting with the reward.

Consistency and patience are key to successful dog training, and it’s important to use positive reinforcement to encourage good behaviour. By understanding how dogs learn, you can tailor your training methods to be more effective and enjoyable for both you and your dog.