Size is probably the best criteria to start with when choosing a new puppy. Although this sounds obvious, you need to know before choosing a cute little pup how big it will be as an adult dog. Then you need to factor in how big your space is; having a large dog in a small flat won’t be much fun for either of you. Another thing to remember is that the cost of dog food can vary considerably depending on how big your dog is, so if money is a consideration you need to budget for this.

A puppy should be lively and alert, with bright eyes and a wet nose. If you see it with its siblings, it should be interacting with them. Often, a pup that is by itself instead of in the group has health problems. While it’s tempting to feel sorry or the outsider, you need to think about whether you can deal with any problems at home.

Consider the breed. Dogs have, over the centuries, been bred for many different purposes. This means that each breed has a slightly different temperament. Some are best as working dogs; some as companions. Some are good with children; others prefer quieter adults. Some are nervous; some have placid dispositions. And so on.

Different breeds need different types of care, for example long-haired dogs will need regular grooming. Certain breeds have well-known health issues so consider the long term implications of owning that type of dog.

You’ll find that certain dog breeds are easier to train as puppies than others. So before choosing your new puppy be sure to do your research thoroughly first.

As with the other training tips we’ve looked at, positive reinforcement is the key here. We don’t want to rebuke our pups if they don’t do exactly as we want. We want only to reward their good behaviour.

One easy way to do this is with treats. Get some small, tasty dog snacks that are quick for them to chew each time you give them out, so that you can continue the training momentum. Don’t worry about them getting dependent on the treats as we’ll come to that in a bit.

To begin training: hold the treat in front of the puppy’s nose and then move it up and backwards so that your pup’s hind legs will naturally bend into a sitting position. If your dog simply walks backwards then move closer to a wall. Don’t push him into position.

As he moves into the sitting position you should always say “sit”. Always be consistent with dog commands and don’t overcomplicate them by adding anything extra like names.

As soon as his bottom reaches the floor and he succeeds in sitting, give him the treat along with lots of praise. This positive reinforcement will help him make the association between your “sit” command and the behaviour you expect.

Continue this routine several more times. After a time, start to reduce the treats, perhaps once every other command. Eventually you can phase them out completely. Your dog will still want to sit because you will be carrying on the habit of giving him lots of praise when he achieves the task. Your puppy will love that more than snacks!

Do your research carefully, and choose a dog breed known for being child-friendly. Highly-strung and hard to train dog breeds aren’t what you want around kids. Size is another consideration; how big will the adult dog be, and will it suit small kids?

If possible, discover before you bring the puppy home if it has had exposure to children, and if so how it reacts to them. One thing to take note of is how the puppy is while eating – if it guards the food then you should think twice as this could cause a big problem at home.

It’s not just a case of, once you have your new puppy, to train it to interact with children safely – the children have to be taught as well. Small children won’t necessarily understand the difference between a puppy and a toy, and may be too boisterous. They will want to pick the puppy up, but puppies can very easily squirm out of a child’s grasp and fall to the ground. Show your children that the puppy needs to be petted gently and not picked up. Give lots of praise when they are gentle with the pup. Don’t leave a child and puppy alone together.

Puppies too can be boisterous and nippy, so train them not to bite or nip at the children. Also, teach them that if they are going to chew something it has to be their own toys, not the ones belonging to the kids. Food is another area requiring training – don’t allow the puppy to snatch food from a child.

There are ways, aside from gentle petting, that a child can get involved with a puppy. If they’re in a pushchair then you can give them a ball to throw down to the puppy. Older children can help you hold the puppy’s leash when you go for a walk. They can also help feed and groom the puppy. Children will also enjoy helping to train the puppy to sit, stay or come. Before long, the child and puppy will have an unbreakable bond.

Do the puppy training yourself:
It will take time and effort to train your puppy yourself; however, it’s a great way to bond with him, and it can be a very rewarding experience. Give yourself the best chance of success by learning before you start. There are plenty of tutorials around, like training dvds, guidebooks and ebooks. Always bear in mind that you need patience and consistency; if you don’t think you have these qualities, then go for a different puppy training option.

Puppy training classes
If you want some support when training your puppy then this is a good choice. You get the class teacher’s expertise plus a chance to interact with other dog owners. It also helps your puppy get used to being around other dogs, although at times other pups may be a distraction. Look for classes in the local press or community centres, or ask the vet if they know of any classes being held locally. You may also see notices at the vet or in pet shop windows. If you can, ask around for recommendations as to how good the people running the training classes are. You want to be in an environment that both you and your puppy feel comfortable in.

Professional puppy trainer
If you can afford it, then one-on-one professional puppy training is the third option. Before you meet a potential trainer, draw up a detailed list of things to ask them before you commit to their service. These questions might include what methods they use, how long the course is, whether it’s something that can be reinforced easily at home, and so on. Don’t forget to get references, and testimonials if possible, before hiring the trainer.

As with other aspects of puppy training, the first thing to remember is to go through the process with patience, persistence and affection, but also with a fixed and consistent training programme. The length of time it will take will depend on your pup’s age and sometimes his breed as well as how you go about the process.

It needs to be said at the outset that you should never tell the puppy off or punish him for accidents during housetraining. This will have a counter-productive effect and may leave the poor puppy in fear of you. And accidents will happen; it’s inevitable. If it does, then tell the puppy “outside” or a similar word, but in a kind manner to help him understand the difference.

It’s important when you’re housebreaking a puppy to keep mealtimes consistent. Set a feeding time twice a day and stick to that. Don’t give your puppy food just any time. This helps maintain a regular digestive system in your puppy, which in turn helps with the timing of toileting. And as a plus, your puppy will respond well to a structured day that has boundaries in place.

You can help your puppy’s digestion by taking him for a long walk after mealtimes. As in humans, exercising has positive effects on all the body systems of your pup, including digestion, and walking will help him keep regular. This in turn will make timing easier.

Always use play and treats as rewards when your puppy has done well. Playing, perhaps by throwing a ball, will make the puppy eager to please you again. Also, since playing outside makes him happy, then he will associate other outdoor activities as fun, including relieving himself.

Try not to become too regimented with your puppy house training methods. It won’t happen straight away, it can take some time, and there will be accidents. Just allow for that and remain patient, understanding and kind. In time, your puppy will be fully housetrained.

In order to get your puppy used to being groomed, you should start with a good knowledge of the most basic of dog grooming techniques, and that’s brushing.

Brushing has been universally acknowledged by expert dog groomers as the single most important step in grooming.

The benefits of brushing are many. These include:

• Better blood circulation
• Shinier and healthier coat
• Better bonding between puppy and owner

Copyright (c) 2009 TrainPetDog.com

The key to successfully training puppy not to bite is for everyone in the household to know how to deal with it, starting with the kids. Puppies bite while playing with their siblings, and they will do the same with children. It’s important that all the family members react the same way to a bite.

If you watch a litter of puppies playing, you’ll notice that when one of them gets over-excited and nips another, the bit puppy reacts by letting out a yelp. This is exactly what you and the family need to do too. As well as yelping or giving an “ouch”, withdraw a little and stop playing with the puppy. He or she will soon learn the reason why you pull back. If your puppy looks about to nip you then doesn’t, give lots of praise.

It helps to give your puppy something to bite on during the training. Use toys designed for puppies rather than household objects like shoes, otherwise you run the risk of getting more than one pair chewed up! Have a variety of toys in different materials and textures to satisfy the puppy’s desire to bite and chew. You may find he or she has a favourite toy, and this will be the one to use when training.

Like the other tips, again you need a bit of patience and understanding of a puppy’s natural behaviour when it comes to training to stop puppy biting. It’s worth it to have a dog who won’t bite in the future.

The best place to start training your puppy to come when called is inside a confined area. A garden is good, but you can do it in a room as well. If you can’t use a confined area then keep the puppy on a long leash. If you don’t then you are likely to end up chasing the puppy as it runs off to explore and doesn’t respond to your calls. It may take a little longer to train the puppy in an open space as there will be more distractions there such as other dogs.

The trick is to get the puppy’s attention away from the interesting things around it. Call the puppy’s name and say “come”. When your puppy does come to you (and it may take a little while) give him or her lots of praise and a treat. Over time you can phase out the treats as the puppy will come to you just for the praise.

Keep the lessons short; a puppy has a small attention span and prolonging a session won’t do the puppy or yourself any good. In fact, you may find yourself becoming impatient. Use a light tone, not a stern one, as this is likely to confuse the puppy or make him think you’re angry. At the end of the lesson give more praise and lots of hugs.

A puppy instinctively wants to please. If you carry on teaching your puppy to come when called in a steady and consistent way, it won’t be too long before the puppy has more freedom and you have the peace of mind knowing that he or she will obey your command to come when called.

When it comes to training a puppy, there are several basic guidelines you need to follow. This will ensure that you and your puppy enjoy the process, it’s easier to do and the outcome is a happy and well-behaved dog.

1. A puppy is sensitive and if your training is too rough or stressful, it will have a detrimental effect. So be gentle. The last thing you want is for your puppy to become fearful. This will inhibit its ability to learn properly and cause it unnecessary stress. You can still be firm, but careful.

2. Puppies, like small children, have a very short attention span, and get easily tired out, so training sessions need to be brief. Your puppy will learn better in short bursts and when he or she isn’t tired.

3. Be patient. If you think your puppy will be trained in no time at all, then you are being unrealistic. It does take time, especially since puppies are prone to forgetting things sometimes. There will be times when you need to repeat the same piece of training over and over, so if you allow for this when you embark upon training you will not become frustrated.

4. There is no point in attempting complex training procedures with a puppy. It needs to be kept simple and step-by-step. That way, your puppy will learn more quickly and the training process will be more enjoyable.

5. Like in humans, a puppy needs to learn confidence, and it’s up to you to help instill it within the pup. Reinforce the training with lots of praise. Be affectionate and take a break sometimes from training to simply play with the puppy and be its friend. It will soon learn the self-confidence it needs to grow into a well-adjusted dog.