This is a question often asked by people who are new puppy owners. There’s a bit of dispute in the dog training community as to when it is best to start training a dog. Some trainers will tell you to wait until the dog is about 6 months old. At this age, the dog has entered his teenage status and can pick up on verbal commands and cues rather quickly. Of course, what they don’t tell you is that if the dog hasn’t undergone any type of training prior to 6 months of age, he’s likely to have picked up some pretty annoying habits too.
Then there are other trainers who will tell you that it’s best to start training a dog as early as possible. This is the camp I’m in. You see, dogs are always in training, whether we realize it or not. They are always looking for cues and feedback, or in other words, cause and effect. Dogs are magnificent observers and learn very quickly. Anyone who’s owned a food-motivated dog can testify that within a matter of days, the dog learned where her favorite treats were located, and had no problem making herself available whenever the owner gave any type of indication that a treat was about to be presented.
If a dog can learn at 6 weeks of age that her favorite treats are on the third shelf of the kitchen cupboard, and that if she sits and whines at the cupboard she may get a treat, then she can also learn that sitting quietly or lying down might also produce a treat.
Unfortunately, many dog owners reinforce the wrong behaviors by giving their dog’s inappropriate feedback at a young age. A good example of this is a puppy that jumps up to greet his owners. The owners pet the puppy and tell him what a good dog he is, and so, the puppy has learned that if he jumps up, he’ll get attention. Once the puppy grows up to become a 60 lb powerhouse that has the ability to knock down visitors when they come through the door, it becomes very apparent that reinforcing this behavior while the dog was in its youth wasn’t such a good idea after all.
So, even in the earliest stages of life, a puppy is already learning.
The real questions are:
What is he learning?
What type of feedback is he receiving?
Whenever you introduce a new dog or puppy into your home, it’s important to lay out his training right away. That doesn’t mean you need to put him through a grueling 3 hour course of AKC obedience commands when he first arrives. It simply means you need to lay down the ground rules (ie: letting the puppy know he can sleep in his bed, but not yours), and reinforce them by offering appropriate feedback at the right time (praising the dog and giving him a treat when he goes to his own bed).
Here are some simple ways to offer simple training and positive reinforcement to your new canine addition.
• Spend 30 seconds at least 5 times a day giving the dog a treat while saying his name. He’ll learn to give you his full attention whenever you call him and that good things come to him when he hears his name.
• Give the dog lots of praise and treats when she goes potty outside. Really go overboard on the enthusiasm as if it’s the best thing she’s ever done. Don’t hit or punish the dog if she’s gone inside the house. Simply acknowledge and reinforce the times she goes outside.
• Lure the dog to his bed or spot with a tasty treat. Whenever he tries to jump onto the bed, couch, or any other place he doesn’t belong, simply remove him and put him where he does belong. Give your dog a treat and lots of praise whenever he goes to his spot on his own.
• When you catch your dog chewing on something she’s not supposed to have, offer a trade. Give him a toy in place of what she’s chewing. For example, if you catch your dog chewing on a shoe, have her drop it (resist the urge to pull it out of her mouth as she may thing you’re initiating a fun came of tug-of-war) and give her a kong or rubber bone instead.
Here’s a video of an amazing dog who started training the day she was born.
