Have you recently adopted a new puppy? Good for you! That day you bring little Fido home is a very special one. You’re in for a lot of very special (and cute) moments with your furry friend over the next year. Of course, puppy parenting does entail a lot of work. Little Fido needs proper training to learn how to be a good boy! A Washington DC vet offers some helpful training tips below.

Start Right Away

Don’t wait until little Fido is all grown up to start teaching him. Petucation should start right away! In fact, obedience training works very well in conjunction with house training and crate training.

Make It Routine

Our canine companions really thrive on steady schedules. Work with your pup daily. If possible, schedule little Fido’s training sessions for about the same time every day.

Pick A Proper Curriculum

There’s nothing wrong with teaching your furry buddy cute tricks. Just teach him the basics first. The commands all dogs should know are Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Lay Down. Down and Leave It or Drop It are also useful. Work on these one at a time, starting with the command to Sit.

Time It Right

You don’t need to carve out huge chunks of your schedule for dog training. Ten to fifteen minutes at a time will do just fine. Try to time it so your pooch is in that sweet spot where he isn’t too tired or too excitable, but calm and alert.

Have Fun

It’s important for your fuzzy student to have a positive impression about learning. Only work with little Fido when you are in a good mood. If you’re stressed or grumpy, he’ll pick up on it, and may become wary about learning.

Rewards

Reward (okay, food) is really the best way to praise your furry pal for getting something right. Use small portions, though. Otherwise, you may overfeed your student! Small slices of hot dogs are a good bet. Praise is also very important. Dogs look adorably proud of themselves when they know they’re being good!

Be Consistent

Always use the same vocal commands when working with your canine buddy. Fido won’t know that Sit means the same thing as Fido, sit down now! As your Washington DC animal clinic, we are dedicated to offering the best veterinary care around. Please feel free to contact us anytime.