age to start puppy training
Puppy classes for young puppies, instructors will tailor the instruction for the age of the puppy. Most of the class in the beginning will be geared at play and socialization. By the time the puppies graduate 6 weeks later, they are developmentally ready to begin learning additional new skills. Adapted from: AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy: A Positive Behavioral Approach to Training Your Puppy (Dogwise Publishers, 2013). Once a puppy is aged between 9 and 12 weeks old, you can start to think about introducing him to formal obedience training in a classroom situation. In order to protect the health of you dog, as well as the others in the class, most places require that all pups have at least 2 vaccinations. They should be kept up to date on all vaccines throughout the class.''. The idea here is that inadequate socialization during the first two to three months of the puppy's life can result in behavioral issues (including fears, phobias, avoidance, and aggression) that extend well into the dog's life. We also like starting with puppies at 7 weeks of age because they are so eager to please. They are very formative at this age. You are their new family, their home base. They, in their canine way, reach out to you for security and love. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) states: ''In general, puppies can start socialization classes as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. This is one of the reasons we stress bringing your new puppy home at 7 weeks of age. In addition to the effects on socialization, those that make their grand entrance at 12 weeks or later are a much greater challenge to initial training. You’ll stop-and-start a lot at first, but eventually she’ll get it. You can reinforce this learning by rewarding him with praise or treats when he does follow. Practice obedience training. By the time your dog is ready to go out on walks, between months 3 and 6, it’s also a good window to start obedience training. Start with basic commands such as “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “heel,” and “down,” and make sure everyone doing the training is consistent, using the same words and gestures. Otherwise, the dog will become confused. One of the best ways to teach these basic commands is the “Ask, Tell, and Command” method. Some people believe that young puppies (those less than 16 weeks of age) should not be exposed to any sort of a puppy training program. They feel that people should be using this time to simply allow the puppy time to get acquainted with her new home and family. 1 Janice Day: My puppy won't eat the food he as been having sin... 2  Smithk515: Some really quality content on this website, s... 3  baba: Training one’s dog seems to be a complicated tas...  Shauna: Have your dog checked by a vet asap a dog that's ... We think training, at least for house-dogs, should start as soon as you bring them home. We see no reason to wait. As a matter of fact, we see reasons not to wait. Puppy training is, as much as anything else, the formation of good habits.
Between months 3 and 6