A well-behaved dog is every new puppy owner’s dream. Puppy antics are cute for a while, but if left without the proper puppy training and leadership, can transform into difficult to manage adult dog behaviors.
@barbie_spitz20
Social media is full of funny puppy and dog videos showing them getting into all sorts of mayhem! And while they are fun to stop and look at while you’re scrolling your newsfeed, the same can’t be said when it’s your puppy causing chaos at home! The reality is, those antics you think are silly and cute right now because your puppy is tiny, will continue, and become problematic as your puppy grows.
Puppy training helps you to establish a line of communication between you and your puppy because it gives you the tools to ask your puppy to perform the correct behavior and teach your puppy how to correctly respond. It also helps place you in the role of leader as your puppy will begin to look at you for guidance.
But puppy training goes beyond the basic obedience commands. It molds overall good behaviors, a sense of confidence and security in your puppy, and much-needed routines that puppies need to thrive. One of the greatest ways to accelerate your pup’s good behaviors and obedience is by setting boundaries for them. By implementing boundaries, you are providing the structure your pup needs to learn what is expected of them in the home and in the outside world. Even if your puppy has already started puppy obedience training, is on the way to being completely housebroken, their chewing is under control, and so on, they’re just a puppy, so keeping up with boundaries is essential!
Why Set Boundaries for Your Puppy?
Think of boundaries like the rules of conduct for your home and in public. For example, ask yourself: is your puppy allowed in every room or are there some you don’t want them in? Do you want your pup on the furniture with you or prefer them to relax in a spot of their own? And how about when you take them outdoors or in social settings. Do you want them to walk beside you and follow your lead? Do you wish them to remain calm while greeting new people and in new environments? Only you can define what it is that you really expect from your puppy and only then, start to implement boundaries in order to achieve those goals and stick to them!
Setting boundaries for your puppy might sound like you’re blocking them off from certain things, however, what it really means is teaching your puppy what they can do and where. And once your puppy learns their boundaries, you’ve instilled in them life-long good manners, plus given them the advantage of living a life with far more freedom!
Behaving at Home
@bertieandrorythepups
Part of setting boundaries for your puppy at home involves teaching your puppy where they can and can’t go using a playpen, baby gates, or your puppy’s crate. Crates can be used throughout your pup’s entire life as a safe spot for them to retreat when they need space and to rest. But another huge advantage is how much a crate can help speed up the potty training process!
While you’re potty training your puppy, creating these no-puppy zones with crates, playpens or baby gates to limit access to rooms can help you mitigate the chance of your puppy having accidents all throughout the house without your knowledge. Having a secure area for your puppy to play, rest, and eat in when you can’t fully supervise them will help keep them safe and from getting into trouble by exploring areas they shouldn’t be in!
Of course, living with baby gates and playpens forever isn’t ideal. But having these essential tools consistently set up while your puppy is growing up will help them learn what is their space and what is expected of them. When the time comes and your puppy is mature enough that you need to leave them at home alone, you will have far more confidence that your pup won’t get into something that they shouldn’t while you are away!
Attending Social Events
@cafearthurlaval
If you always envisioned your puppy accompanying you out, setting boundaries extends into situations like going out to restaurants that allow dogs, dog-friendly stores, or family and friends’ homes!
With puppy obedience training, you will learn to use commands such as Sit, Stay, Down, Leave-it, and Heel throughout your puppy’s life and practice them in different settings so your puppy learns to listen to them outside of just at home. The goal of getting your puppy to listen to their commands in those situations is to provide them with impulse control to avoid them excitingly jumping up on people, rushing in or out of doors, barking at other dogs, roaming around freely, and other troublesome behaviors. A puppy that learns good manners, is far more welcome and pleasant to be around in any situation, plus lets you feel more relaxed and confident that your puppy will listen to you!
Our favorite command here at The Puppy Academy to use in social settings is Place command! “Place” essentially teaches your pup to relax in a spot until you release them. “Place” is used for an object that has a natural boundary like a pet cot or dog bed at home, but it can also be used when you’re outdoors or at a social gathering with a blanket or towel, or even a picnic table bench! This can be super helpful for getting your puppy to settle and be calm on command within their boundary, even with lots of people and distractions around them.
Exploring the Outdoors
@adventureswithsummit
Similar to attending different social situations, you might want to give your puppy the freedom to explore nature during walks or even on long hikes. The off-leash world definitely lets your puppy run, roam, and explore to their heart's content but poses its own set of risks. Think of going off-leash as there being no boundary! And pups without a strong Recall can get lost if they chase after something, run into a road, or spark an altercation with another dog, regardless of how friendly your pup may be.
For your pup’s utmost safety, a leash and strong Recall are two of the best tools you can have that will help reinforce outdoor boundaries! In instances when you are hiking or in more rural areas, using a long-lead in place of their shorter walking leash can give your pup more room to explore safely, and teach them the distance boundary they have between you and the end of the long-line before you Recall them back to you.
Meeting New People & Dogs
Reactions toward new people coming over the house such as running and jumping all over them, and non-stop barking before they can get a foot in the house is not a pleasant experience for anyone! Earlier we touched on impulse control for their energy by performing a task such as Sit and Stay or example, to mitigate their excited outbursts! In this section, proper socialization is the other piece to set up a boundary for your pup’s behaviors. Giving your puppy exposure to new experiences can help your puppy positively associate with them for the rest of their life.
Introductions to new people and dogs after your puppy has received the necessary round of vaccinations will help teach them A. that meeting new people and dogs can be fun, and B. that there’s a correct way to do it, without getting overly excited! Get into the habit of having your puppy be calm in a Sit or Down command before allowing others to say hi or pet your pup. Remember, you get what you pet! If your pup is being greeted and pet by someone while in a super-excited state, they’re essentially being rewarded for their excitement and will be encouraged to act that way again the next time. By routinely practicing the calm Sit or Down boundary before interactions, you are creating a habitual good behavior whenever your puppy encounters new things in the future!
How Can You Set Boundaries for Your Puppy Now?
Start with spending some time deciding what boundaries are important to you and for the life you want with your pup, and get the whole family on the same page! Finding a reputable puppy trainer and puppy training classes either in your area or an online puppy class can help you with establishing and enforcing these boundaries. A good puppy trainer will instruct you on how to teach and use the basic commands, impulse control techniques, teach you how to socialize your puppy, and so on! Next, invest in the right tools to help you with your puppy’s training. A crate, playpen, harness, and leash are all necessary to help you create boundaries and lead your puppy at home and in public. Finally, remain consistent with your puppy’s training! Setting up boundaries is only effective if they become a routine in your puppy’s life. Not letting them on the couch one day, then letting them up the next will only serve to confuse them and let them think it’s okay not to listen to you every now and again. Doing these simple but effective things now will help you not only set up boundaries for your puppy but set up a foundation for your puppy to grow into a well-behaved dog!
Check out these blogs related to puppy training and more!
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