Don’t puppies look absolutely cute and adorable? Aren’t they just the cuddliest and most huggable creatures in the whole wide world? They sure are.

But, as they totter around your house on their tiny legs and lick your nose with their wee little tongues, you almost forget how big a responsibility they can be. Very soon, you are going to be cleaning up behind them, running around the house trying to figure out where they’re hiding, and coming home to furniture that’s been chewed up or a pile of doggy poop right in the middle of your precious carpet, or half your garden dug up like an army of moles went through them.

You didn’t think that your puppy was going to get trained all by himself, did you? Well, that doesn’t happen on this planet. Here you have to dedicate some time and effort and follow puppy training techniques to teach your pooch how to follow basic commands and become more disciplined.

Puppies will be … how can I put it … well, like PUPPIES! And, it would it be ridiculous to expect them to behave like solemn dogs who mind their P’s and Q’s, show exemplary behavior and exhibit impeccable manners like they’d been trained in the Buckingham Palace. That’s not going to happen. So, get ready to put in some serious effort on training your puppy. Wondering when to train puppies? How long to wait before you begin their obedience classes? Well, you should start off as soon as possible. If you start off early, your puppy will grow up to be a well behaved dog, one that you can be proud of.

And to do my little bit, I have some tips here that you will find most helpful when conducting training sessions for your puppy. Good Luck!

Only One Person Should Conduct the Training

While he is expected to follow the commands of everyone in the family, when you begin training your puppy, the sessions should be conducted by only one person. That one person has to take responsibility for training the puppy regularly and consistently. Too many people overseeing the training will only add to the confusion in the puppy’s head. Once his learning is well under way, other family members can begin working with him, but at the initial stages, the show has to be run by only one person, preferably someone who is very, very patient.

No Brute Force, Only Positive Reinforcement

If you think that spanking the puppy when he gets a command wrong or whacking it on the nose when he pees in the house is going to help, think again. The only impression he is going to get is that the training sessions aren’t fun and that’s going to hamper his learning process. Reward him with treats, praises and affection when he does something right and you’ll notice that he is more eager to learn and obey you. If the training sessions are positive, your puppy will be more responsive towards them.

One Thing at a Time

Sure, dogs are very intelligent creatures but that doesn’t mean that you unload a cartful of commands in the first week and expect your puppy to get them. Teach them a new command only when they’ve got the older one perfectly. Too many new commands at the same time and you will have one confused puppy on your hands!

Allow for some Mistakes Occasionally

Like humans, puppies too have their good days and bad days. On some days they are able to concentrate better and pick up the command in just a few tries, whereas on other occasions, they will seem a little distracted and make too many mistakes. That is natural and a little bit of love and patience will tide you over. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Keep the Sessions Short and Loads of Fun

One of the more important puppy training techniques – keep the sessions short and crisp, no more than 15-20 minutes a day. Your puppy has very limited attention span and the longer the session, the less he will be able to concentrate. A few short lessons spread throughout the day will be a lot more productive. And, don’t forget to have fun. He is after all only a puppy – a tiny, exuberant, mischievous, fluffy ball of energy, and he will stay that way only for so long. Enjoy his puppyhood while it lasts.