Puppy Training: Putting the Best Paw Forward

Bringing home a new puppy can be a very exciting (and overwhelming) time. Your new family member is getting used to his or her surroundings, and you are getting used to caring for a puppy.

While it is fun to sit back and enjoy your new dog, getting started early with training is very important. Behavioral issues are the leading cause of pet surrenders to shelters, and with 85% of puppies not receiving proper training, the issue is huge. Make sure that you are providing your new puppy with a solid training foundation so that you are able to raise a well-behaved, loving dog that you can enjoy for many years to come.

Starting off your new puppy with training classes can have numerous benefits, including the following…

Puppy Training and Socialization

Your new puppy is part of your family, and it is important that he or she learn how to behave within your “pack”. This means that your puppy must get used to the sounds, smells, and faces in his or her environment. Puppies are most accepting of new experiences between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks.

It is important to provide your new puppy with socialization opportunities during this critical time period. Training classes are the perfect opportunity to get your new puppy acclimated to new people, other pets, and new situations in a safe, controlled environment.

Basic Puppy Manners

Learning basic manners is an important part of your puppy’s life. Being familiar with some foundation commands such as sit, stay, and come can have many benefits including:

• The development of a deeper relationship with your pet through quality training time and better understanding of their behavior
• A better ability to navigate difficult situations with your dog (after all, a well-behaved dog is a safe dog)
• A broader range of possibilities – well-trained dogs are better equipped to enjoy places like the beach, farmers markets, and camping trips with their owners.

Troubleshooting Puppy Behavior Problems

Puppy training classes can help new owners navigate lots of common puppy behavior problems. Your puppy’s trainer can help you to deal with issues including:

• Chewing
• Nipping
• Housetraining difficulties
• Jumping

At Springbrook Animal Care Center, we are just as excited to see your new puppy as you are. We love to see owners establishing good habits early on in their pet’s life. Not only do we offer comprehensive preventative care plans for puppies, but we also do our part to get our patients started off right in the behavior department. Our puppy training classes can help puppies to learn confidence and gain the life skills they need to be great dogs.

If you would like more information about puppy training at Springbrook Animal Care Center, or if you would like to get your dog involved in a training class, please feel free to call us at (630) 428-0500. We love to meet our new puppy clients!