What Age Do You Start Training a Puppy?
People bring problem dogs into our shop all the time that have simply waited too long to start training. Unfortunately, some people don’t take the time out of their life for the new pet or focus too much on the cost of quality training and do not start early. The top problems in not starting early include: dogs that pull on the leash, jumping on people, biting, running away, other obedience issues, and an unbelievable list of destructive behaviors that would blow your mind. Many people have told me stories of dog destroying well over $10,000 of household items.
Puppies Are Constantly Learning
If you have an 8 week old puppy, the fact is that puppy is learning. There is no period that your puppy isn’t being trained. So the real question is, do you want him to learn good things or bad things. If not given instruction on what you want like not pulling, your puppy is learning to pull. If you are taking up some very formative time and allowing your dog to believe anything goes, you are doing a lot of serious training- believe me. If you are not formally showing what you want, the only thing he isn’t learning is obedience!
So the answer is really to start with age appropriate things like potty training, crate training, leash walking, shaping behaviors with food, and learning how to play with toys. Let’s take puppy play biting or pulling on the leash for example. If you don’t start it now, what will it look like whey you add 50-80 pounds? Even simply passing maturity and cementing into your dogs mind that this anything I want is my focus creates something far less desirable. Starting at 8-10 weeks, even using food in motivational ways can help shape into the dogs mind what walking is, what you should do for petting, how you get things you want.
Just remember, not training, IS training!
It is not too late to start. Call or text our office today for a free consultation with any dog of any age, any problem. 303-503-2559.
I will meet with you and answer far more questions and show you how to implement the secrets of a professional dog trainer.