13 Common Mistakes When Training a Puppy

This coming National Puppy Day, let's celebrate every little floof out there by helping them grow into the best version they can be! Let us remember that training them correctly will help grow healthy and happy as they can be! However, training your puppy can be easier said than done. There are many mistakes people make when they first start out in their quest to train their new puppy. This article will cover some common mistakes made by most pet owners and how you can avoid them so you too can help your puppy grow much happier!

Check out our list of 13 common mistakes pet owners make when training their puppy:

Once you adopt your puppy, one of the things you need to plan is how to train them! This is one common mistake people make which is waiting too long to start training their puppy. This can be a big problem because the pup will likely develop bad habits that are difficult to break. To avoid this, start training your puppy as soon as possible. This will help them learn the basic commands which will help them know how to behave properly.

Never ever allow your puppy to get away with any bad behavior they do. This can be a major problem because it will only encourage the bad behavior to continue. To avoid this, you must be consistent with your punishments and rewards. Make sure you are always rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior. But of course, make sure that your punishments are legal or the bad behavior may continue or get worse!

One of the most common mistakes made when training a puppy is not establishing yourself as the pack leader. This means that your pup will often be in charge and will not listen to you. To become the pack leader, you must show your dog who is boss through assertive body language and commands. Some tips for doing this include making sure you eat before your dog, walking ahead of them on walks, and not letting them jump up on you. Having a leader is good for your pup and pups actually love to have a leader they can follow especially if that's their beloved human!
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Another mistake people often make is being inconsistent with their commands and not following through on punishments. This can be very confusing for the pup and will likely lead to them disregarding your commands altogether. Always make sure that you are clear about what you expect from your pup and always enforce your rules. Remember to be very mindful with everything that you are doing in front of your pup and help them understand every command so they won't be led astray.

It certainly is hard to resist those cute little puppy eyes when training but giving in too easily can not only be bad for your pet but for you as well. This can send the message that they don’t need to listen or obey because they will eventually get what they want anyway. And as it is said earlier that you need to be pack leader, be firm with your commands and make sure you always follow through on punishments no matter how hard it can be to see your pups sitting in the corner whining or sad. Just make sure that you do understand your pup first to understand what you think will be bad for them and what needs to be cut from them.

Unlike us humans, using physical punishment to discipline our puppies is a big no no! Physical punishment such as hitting or jerking on a leash will not solve your puppy's bad behavior, but it can make it worse! While this may get the pup’s attention in the short-term, it is not an effective way to train them in the long-term. In fact, it can often lead to aggression, trauma, and other behavioral problems. Puppies do not understand that you are punishing them and may cause them to misunderstood that you are trying to hurt them and you are an enemy they must keep away from or defend themselves from.

Socialization is very important especially for puppies as they are still young and still exploring everything! Your pup not knowing what's out there, what's good or bad, or who's good or bad will limit their ability to be much happier and can even result to them either to explore and run away outside of the house because of their curious minds or become aggressive and fear things that they do not know of. So make sure your pup gets plenty of socialization with other dogs and people. Take them to new places and expose them to new experiences. Just make sure to keep a close eye on them to guide and protect them from any danger. 

Pet owners often make the mistake of ignoring warning signs of potential aggression from their pup. As soon as you notice even a slight aggression your puppy makes, make sure to observe them and find a solution right away! This can be a dangerous mistake as it can lead to someone getting hurt. If you see any signs of aggression, such as growling or snapping, take action immediately. Do not wait for the behavior to escalate. Your puppy might look harmless at the moment but when they grow up and this habit stays with them, the worst case scenario is they can someday hurt someone.

This may look like something you can ignore at first, but even small good behaviors that you miss giving a chance to reward has a chance of fading away! You shouldn't only train your puppy for obedience but you should also reward every desired behaviors your pup does. This is crucial so your pup knows what behavior they are supposed to keep doing in order to get rewarded. Keep a close eye on your pup and always make sure you are rewarding your dog for good behaviors. This will help them understand what you expect from them and encourage them to behave in the desired manner.

This is important for every pet owner household because it will keep you and your pup safe from any harm! NOt puppy-proofing your house can be a big problem because puppies are curious and will often put things in their mouths, which can lead to them swallowing something they shouldn’t. To avoid this, make sure you puppy-proof your house before bringing them home. This means removing anything that could be harmful to them, such as toxic plants or chemicals.

Contrary to popular belief, it is okay and a must for your puppy or any other pets to learn crate training! Putting your precious puppies on crate is actually not a bad thing even though it may look like it sometimes. It can even help them avoid getting hurt or it will help you bring to one place or another when needed like the vet. One example how you can use crate training for puppies is when potty-training your puppy to avoid your pup having accidents in the house. Puppies are still young you can't still take them out with a leash and walk them outside for potty so you can do this first then eventually transition them to go outside to potty as they grow up.

Letting your puppy roam free in the house can sound like you're letting them have fun and giving them the freedom they should have but like human babies, we should first guide puppies before letting them do some things on their own or they may end up getting hurt with something unknown to them! Puppies likely get into things they shouldn’t, such as chewing on furniture or wires. Put your puppy in a designated space when you’re not able to watch them carefully. This can be a crate, kennel, or room where they are not allowed to roam freely.

Routine is everything for a growing puppy!  Every pup needs to know what to expect of them or they may become confused. So be sure to create a healthy routine for your puppy and stick to it as closely as possible. Getting them used to a certain meal schedule, potty schedule, playing, and training time will help them live a happy life! This will help them grow up to the best version that they can be!

Now that you know these common mistakes, you can be sure that you can train your puppy effectively and avoid any potential behavioral problems down the road. Remember to be consistent with your commands, use positive reinforcement, and socialize your pup early and often. These tips will help you raise a happy, healthy, and well-behaved pup!

Share this with your fellow pet owners and you can also leave a comment down below about some of your puppy training experiences, we would also love to read them!

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