Even some of the most dedicated dog owners might not realize January is National Train Your Dog Month.
The event was launched back in 2010 by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT).
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The month serves as a campaign to promote the importance of dog training and how it benefits pets and their owners everywhere.
The APDT has stated that the month of January makes sense for this campaign because it is historically among the most popular times for people to adopt a new puppy or dog.
Mike Palmer, the owner of Premier Pet Supply, warns that amid all the excitement that comes with adopting a new pet, dog training sometimes sits on the back burner.
But for the most effective results, you’ll want to get started right away.
During his recent visit to Local 4 News This Morning, we asked him if you could still train your family dog, if you miss that early window.
Palmer said, “Training should start the day the dog steps into the house. The earlier the better. The old adage that you can’t teach an old dog news trick is untrue. Persistence and consistency are key when training a dog at any age.”
Ideally, when you bring that puppy home you can start with what Palmer calls the “7 crucial canine commands”.
You can probably guess what most of them might be.
Puppies may have short attention spans, but they’re also known for being able to grasp a variety of trained skills during the first months of their lives.
Those commands are: sit, down, stay, wait, leave it, drop it, and come.
You can see most of those commands are related to safety for you and your pet.
It’s important to have the basics covered.
Once your pooch masters these objectives, they’ll have a solid foundation for learning more complex actions.
Of course, there are more tricks of the training trade to consider.
Take a look at these four steps that can help train your best friend:
Practice patience and positive reinforcement
Just as when you learn a new skill or activity, training your dog will take time and steady repetition.
That’s why it’s important to stay positive and calm even during the more frustrating moments.
Praise your dog whenever they do get things right, and be sure to have plenty of healthy treats on hand to help them associate following your commands with rewards.
And instead of overindulging your pup on treats alone, head scratches and loving pats can also work as positive reinforcement.
It’s also important to avoid using overly aversive dog training techniques, which use abrupt force and dominance over positive reinforcement techniques.
While these methods can work to an extent, they can result in a dog whose habits are suppressed rather than a dog who wants to behave for positive reasons.
Socialize your new puppy
Dogs that are comfortable around other dogs and people are better able to stay calm in stressful situations and stay on their best behavior when out in public.
Many new puppy owners coincide training with dog socialization, which is great for making sure Fido will be able to play nicely with others long into the future.
Enrolling your puppy in group dog training classes is a good way to introduce them to other dogs in a controlled, disciplined environment.
If you have any friends who’ve recently adopted puppies, you can also schedule puppy play dates and practice training together.
Before you start any socialization with your puppy though, make sure they are all up-to-date on their canine vaccines.
Be consistent with your dog’s training schedule
Many pet owners make the mistake of letting training start to slip and fall to the wayside once they get used to life with their new dog.
And just like dogs with short attention spans, some humans simply start to lose interest in keeping up with a training schedule.
This can especially happen once the pup starts to respond more readily to commands and appears to be catching on.
In reality, this is a vital time where consistency (or lack thereof) can make or break everything you’ve built with your pet.
Make dog commands a regular part of your pet’s life
Think about a skill you learned as a child that you haven’t done in years. If you were to attempt it now, there’s a good chance you’d be a little rusty.
Dog training is similar in that it needs to be practiced regularly in order for your pet to stay ready and responsive.
Try making commands a regular part of your dog’s everyday routine (for example, saying “sit” and “stay” at meal times) to keep them sharp.
Mike Palmer is a frequent guest on Local 4 News, sharing his expertise to help pet families make the most of their wonderful pet relationships.
His Premier Pet Supply is a family-owned-and-operated business founded in 1992 in Beverly Hills, Michigan.
These days, you may have seen his locations in Beverly Hills, Brighton, Canton, Detroit, Livonia, Milford, Northville, Novi, Riverview, Rochester Hills, Shelby Township, Troy, Westland and West Bloomfield.