Many say that having a puppy is just like having a baby, with the demands and duties of bringing a young pup into your home being infamously stressful. However, there are a few tactics and tricks that can make the puppy training phase easier on you and the family.

Positive reinforcement

Whether you are training your pup to sit, roll over, stop chewing or anything else, practising positive reinforcement with them is always a good idea. Whether rewarding good behaviour with treats, a pat on the head or games, such rewards will see your dog want to repeat these positive behaviours.

Bite inhibition

Puppies bite; fact. From your lovely new scatter cushions to skirting and shoes, the majority of puppies go through the rather inconvenient chewing phase.

Puppies learn to bite from an early age from their littermates. In order to teach them to bite lightly, play with them regularly, stopping playtime when their bite becomes too hard/aggressive.

Some owners will make a yelping sound when the bite becomes too hard, communicating the fact that aggressive biting is harmful and unacceptable to their pup.

Crate training

While some crates can look a bit like puppy prisons, they can play an imperative role in your puppy’s training and progression.

Crates are great for toilet training as dogs tend to not want to create a mess in their own environment in which they feel comfortable. By giving your dog some crate time it will help them associate the outdoors with being the place to ‘go’. Our advice would be to ensure the crate is full of nice soft bedding and toys, making it a space they want to spend time in.

Long walks

Although a slightly obvious point to make, ensuring your dog has regular exercise will only help with training and stamp out bad practices. Behaviours such as chewing, biting and barking are far more common in dogs that have energy to burn off!

There you have it; our top puppy-training tips. If you have any useful tips or tricks, feel free to share them with us! There is no such thing as too much advice when it comes to pups.