You are doing wrong if you don’t ask what the best age for puppy training is. Puppies start learning from the early days, and the best time for puppy training is as soon as possible. According to experts, puppy training starts from 8 weeks and lasts till their life.
According to experts and animal behaviorists, the puppy should be trained from the 7-week age. Many pet owners ask if can we start puppy trailing after 3 or 4 months. The answer is yes, but it will be difficult. Puppies start to learn at an early age and make their habits. You should take benefit of this habit and teach them more.
The best age for puppy training starts when you bring the puppy home. Puppy is not the only individual here who has the entire burden on their shoulders. It is you who is responsible for all the hard work. The puppy will follow your routine if you have the following tools on you.
Use food as a training tool
Now you know the answer to the question can a puppy start training earliest? In the beginning, the puppy will give importance only to the food. Thus you must use young dog food to get the puppy trained.
You can start puppy training before waiting for the so-called right age. The best age for puppy training is when the puppy gives importance to food. That’s the very thing you can make them stop from doing things you don’t want them to do.
For example, if your puppy is going to the no-go area, you can offer them food to call them. You are teaching them new behavior over time with the help of this technique.
Be Patient
Asking when is the best age to train a puppy is not the only thing you need. Patience is the most important thing to training your puppy. Your puppy will make many mistakes initially, and you can lose your temper because of failures.
But you must remember that the puppy will improve if you are patient and forgive their mistake. Puppies cannot understand the concept of punishment. So you must avoid it at all costs. If you lose your temper and shout at the puppy more often, you will destroy the fabric of your relationship.
A puppy can never bond emotionally with a person who is not patient and shouts or uses punishment. You will not get the emotional essence of this relationship. As a result, the puppy will try to avoid you, and you will have a badly behaving dog when the puppy grows up.
Consistency is the key
Puppies get scared of sudden changes, and you must also avoid making them. You must understand that you can only communicate with your puppy through a consistent schedule. The puppy will learn the plan if only you remain consistent.
An unvarying schedule will make your puppy feel comfortable and happy. When the puppy is happy, you can get the best out of them. Your consistent behavior will help them differentiate right from wrong.
Puppies love the happy voices and appreciation they deduce from your facial expressions. You must also remain consistent with the commands, playing routine, and nap breaks. It will increase their learning, and you will have great results in the first few days.
Practice makes a puppy perfect
Asking if you should start training early to get a perfect dog is not the right approach. Rather than getting a close-to-perfect dog, you must understand the ideal age is just the first thing. Continuous practice is the most important thing to get the best out of your dog.
Canines love to be trained if you involve them in training and help them practice the behavior. There will be many mistakes in the beginning. But if you help them practice the acts and routines, you will help them imprint this behavior in their minds.
Puppy training schedule
The answer to the puppy training question can we start early is yes. But you must know that a puppy should be trained with a strict schedule. You cannot keep teaching the same things to the puppy till adulthood. There are various tricks and routines that you must teach to get the desired behavior.
When the puppy grows, the behavioral responses you need from the dog changes. That’s why the owners must follow different routines and behavioral responses. You must choose a suitable training activity according to the puppy’s age.
You don’t need to wait till adulthood to teach your puppy different things. A puppy needs to learn Socialization and impulse control early. With the help of the following, you can learn how to train your puppy
The best age for puppy training
It doesn’t matter whether you have an 8 to 10-week-old puppy or six months old. A trained dog will behave well in different situations. You will enjoy your life and relationship to the fullest with a well-behaved dog. You will need to do the following:
a) Potty training
Potty training is the first thing in the process of training a puppy. Making a schedule for potty time is best for training. The best time for potty training is when you bring your puppy home. You must teach the dog about the designated area by taking them to the potty area after every activity.
The right time to take the puppy to the designated area is after a nap, a meal, and after playtime. It will help them know that this is the right spot to potty. They will learn to hold it till you take them there.
Dog behaviorists say that any age is the right age to start training, but early is good. The best-trained dog is the one who remains comfortable in the crate without whining and barking. You must put on a soft towel to make them comfortable.
Puppies usually do not potty in the crate as they consider it their den.
c) Obedience training
You can start teaching your puppy “sit” and “come” on the command. Teaching a puppy will need you to use dog treats. Consult your vet for a safe and healthy dog treat. Don’t go for the sugary treats, as they will disrupt your pet’s digestive system.
You can start by making the puppy look at you and then say sit. In the beginning, you might not see any improvement. But with patience and the right approach, you can make your puppy follow these commands.
d) Socialization
Socialization is most needed if you have other pets and family members in the house. In the beginning, do not allow all the members to come and play with the puppy. Rather take it slow, and when the puppy is accustomed to the house, now it is the right time.
The best approach is to bring pets and family members one by one and let them connect. When the puppy is not anxious or frightened in the presence of others, now allow them to play together. Early socialization will help your dog stay happy and calm in the presence of others.
Try to make your dog accustomed to family and close friends first. Puppies have to meet new people and go to different places over their lives. So getting them used to it early will help them associate those interactions.
e) Leash training
Do not rush to make your puppy wear the leash right away. Wait for the right time and let the puppy play with the leash for a couple of days. When the puppy gets comfortable with the leash, only then can you add the collar to its neck.
Try to walk them with you inside the home and make them walk behind you. This way, you will teach them that you are the leader, and they will not try to protect you. If the dog tries to protect the owner, the canine will bark at every approaching object.
f) Introduction of a chewing toy
Puppies communicate with their surrounding with their mouth. They chew and nibble anything they happen to come by. It also helps them relieve the pain of swollen guns. The puppy training must also include the introduction of a chewing toy.
Adding the chewy toy to the puppy training routine at the right time will save you a lot of trouble. This toy can save your shoe, laundry, curtain, and furniture. The puppy will chew and satiate the urge on the toy and will leave the other things.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to experts, the correct age to start puppy training is 7 to 10 weeks. If you have brought a puppy home older than this age, you can still start the training immediately. But the more you delay the training, the more difficult it will be for a puppy to learn new behavior.
According to experts, you can hire dog trainers when the puppy is 8 to 10 weeks old. Many pet owners start puppy training on their own without professional support. But if you are a first-time pet parent and want professional help, 2nd month is best.
The ideal age for training starts 3 to 4 weeks after the weaning period. Before weaning, you can start socialization training by holding the puppy in your hand. There is no good in starting potty training at this age. A puppy has a very short bladder, and you cannot make them hold pee even for a minute.
Police dogs undergo rigorous training that is too much to handle for a puppy. The training for a police dog starts when the puppies are 12 to 15 months old. Before that, obedience training and other small training techniques can be good.
Guard dog training routine starts when the dog is over ten months of age. Before that, there is no benefit to teaching the puppy. When the dog has learned how to use teeth and jaw power to snub, now it is the right time. The guard dog training is a bit different than the police training. But still, there are some same routines that trainers follow.
Final thoughts
The best age for puppy training is 7 to 8 weeks. You must start crate training, potty, and obedience training the earliest. Always be more patient if you have brought a puppy older than six months.
Give time to the dog, and never use negative reinforcement. Punishment will harm the emotional health of your dog. The dent in your relationship in the early days can stay longer and affect your relationship.
