Why Training Your Puppy Matters: The Importance of Early Intervention

8th November 2022

There are a lot of misconceptions about puppy training. Some people believe that it is not necessary to train a puppy and that they will eventually learn how to behave on their own. This could not be further from the truth! Training your puppy is one of the most important things you can do for them, as it will help them develop good habits that will serve them well throughout their life. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of puppy training, and why it is critical to start early.

For Vislor Dog Training, one of the main reasons puppy training is so important is because it can help prevent bad habits from forming. If you do not train your puppy, they may develop undesirable behaviours that will be much more difficult to change later. By starting early and teaching your puppy the right way to behave, you can avoid these problems completely.

The Following State of Mind

The most important foundation when training a puppy is to build the right relationship between you and your new companion. Making the right connection at an early stage means that all other aspects of training will be much easier later down the line. At Vislor, we have pioneered The Following State of Mind, which creates a solid foundation to build on for other commands, such as the obvious – sit, stay, down – the list goes on!

Establishing this mindset will ensure that all the commands that you need to give your dog will be achieved much more easily.

Obedience

Obedience training is also important for puppies, as it helps them understand their place in the family. Dogs are pack animals, and they naturally follow the lead of the alpha dog. If you do not establish yourself as the leader early on, your puppy may try to take charge, which can lead to a lot of behavioural problems. By training your puppy to obey your commands, you will be setting them up for success in the future.

Overall, puppy training is essential for ensuring that your puppy grows into a well-behaved adult dog. It is never too early to start, and by investing the time and effort now, you can avoid many potential problems down the road.

There are several different obedience commands that your puppy should learn, such as sit, stay, come, down, and heel. Start with just one or two commands and work on those until your puppy has mastered them before moving on to others. Training sessions should be kept short, around 15 minutes at most, and should be done several times a day for best results.

Investing time and effort now will save you many potential problems in the future.

Socialisation

Another reason puppy training is essential is that it helps your puppy to socialise and learn how to interact with other dogs and people. This is extremely important, as it will help them to avoid potential aggression issues later in life. Without proper socialisation, puppies can become fearful or aggressive around other animals and humans, which can make them difficult to deal with.

At Vislor, we view socialisation differently to how other trainers perceive it. We want the puppy and later in life the dog to be indifferent to other animals and people.

We don’t want to teach them as a puppy that it is OK to run up to every dog or person that they see and start to jump up at them. It’s important to correct this behaviour, as by not correcting it, you are essentially reinforcing it.

This is where we see the most issues with our clients – not going through the correct process in the early stages of your dog’s life can lead to reactivity and possibly issues with aggression down the line.

We want your dog to be happy and calm when out walking with you. If you stop to talk to somebody on your walk, then your puppy needs to be calm, and sit nicely by your side until you are ready to continue. If correct socialisation is not taught at an early stage, this can also lead to problems with the Following State of Mind, or leader follower and recall.

Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety is one of the main reasons puppies are abandoned or re-homed. It is important to puppy-proof your home and create a safe space for them to stay while you are away. Training your puppy from an early age to be comfortable with being left alone is key to avoiding separation anxiety. Below are some tips on how to puppy-proof your home and create a positive association with being left alone.

Create a safe space

Help your puppy feel comfortable when you are not around by creating a safe space for them. This should be a crate, for several reasons. Firstly, it is an enclosed space, which offers your dog a sense of security and ownership, where they can relax and feel comfortable. This is especially important if your dog wants to avoid situations, or even people.

Crate training can make travelling easier, and importantly, safer, for you and your dog. It also means that when you leave the house, you can be sure that your dog will not be wreaking havoc!

Finally, it also means that if your dog is ever injured, and needs to spend time at the vet, they are used to the environment of being kept in the crate whilst receiving treatment.

Start with short separations

Start with short separations so that your puppy can get used to being away from you. Leave for a few minutes at first, and gradually increase the time you are gone. This will help them get used to being alone and help prevent separation anxiety.

Puppy-Proof your home

Puppy proofing your home is important for both your puppy’s safety and to help prevent separation anxiety. Remove anything that could be chewed or swallowed, including cords and small objects. Create a safe space for them to stay in while you are away, with their bed, toys, and water. This is where crate training comes in – if you can’t watch your puppy for whatever reason, then it should be in the safety of its crate to avoid any accidents.

Make sure they have an enjoyable time

Make sure your puppy has an enjoyable time when you are gone by providing them with toys, chews, and bones. This will help create a positive association with being left alone and help prevent separation anxiety.

Be consistent

Be consistent with your comings and goings to help your puppy get used to being left alone. Set regular times for leaving the house and returning and stick to them as closely as possible. If you need to leave at odd hours sometimes, try to make up for it by spending extra time with your puppy when you are home.

It is however, important to keep in mind that your puppy must fit in with your life, and not the other way around. We have dealt with clients in the past who have not done this, which has caused issues for them and their dog later in life.

Be patient

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a puppy’s independence. It takes time for puppies to learn that they can be alone without their humans. Be patient and don’t expect your puppy to be an expert at being left alone from the get-go.

As you can see, puppy training is vital for your puppy’s development and future well-being. If you are thinking about getting a puppy, make sure you are prepared to commit to the training process. It will be well worth it in the end!

If you have any questions about puppy training or would like more information on our Puppy Residential Courses, or our One-to-One Puppy Training Packages, please contact Vislor Dog Training today via the Contact Form, or by calling Lorraine on +447973 320 413. We would be happy to help you get started on the path to success!

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends!