Puppy Training: Laying the Foundation for a Happy and Confident Dog
Puppy training is proactive. It's crucial in helping to build a confident and happy adult dog. Think of it as the foundational years of schooling. Children that don’t learn the basics like counting, their ABC’s & that it’s safe to explore will have a much harder time advancing their education. And similarly with new puppies, without learning how to navigate and feel comfortable in the world, we can’t build on our dog’s behaviour.
If we rush ahead without considering the developmental stage your puppy is in, we often end up backtracking, fixing issues that could have been avoided if we had started training earlier. When you bring your puppy home at 8-10 weeks of age, they are in a critical developmental phase. This period often sets the tone for how they will learn and interact with the world throughout their lives. Learning how to support your puppy during these first months is essential.
We don’t just want to expose our puppy to experiences; we want those experiences to be at their pace and focused on fun, positive interactions. Think of it as filling your dog’s "trust fund" with positive experiences across various aspects of life (comparison reference from Chirag Patel!).
If you dream of having a family dog who can go anywhere and do anything, starting training early is key. It helps them find new environments safe and enjoyable, making them more adaptable as they grow.
The Importance of Puppy Training with a Certified Trainer
The benefits of puppy training are different for every puppy & family.
For puppies that lean on the friendly, easygoing side of things; this means setting up positive, polite greetings with dogs and people (no jumping, barking, mouthing or pulling you around on leash). It also involves preventing excitement reactivity and ensuring your puppy experiences a variety of situations while learning to promote good behaviour—both passively and actively. The goal is to fill your dog’s “piggy bank” with positive experiences where your puppy is also making good choices!
For nervous or reactive puppies, training may start with helping our puppies learn to feel safe, we need to build even more on your puppy’s piggy bank while focusing on preventing the rehearsal of feeling fear, anxiety, and stress - a trainer can help you recognize these sometimes subtle signs and help create a plan for where your puppy is feeling now. This prevents these emotions from developing into bigger behavioural problems later on (AKA a whole lot of bank debt!!).
Setting Up Your Puppy for Success
Our Private Puppy program covers essential topics to help you and your new puppy succeed during this important developmental period. Start training today with The Wiser Canine and work WISER, not harder!