Puppy training and play
Training and play are key to your puppy’s healthy development. A well-trained and obedient puppy is more likely to become a well-balanced and happy adult dog.
The many reasons to train your puppy
A well-mannered dog is ideal, but it doesn't happen by accident. Teaching your dog to navigate the world around them takes consistency and creativity. Young puppies' brains are prime for learning—manners, house training and safety skills. Play and repetition work much better than fear-based training methods.
Training is beneficial because it provides puppies with exercise, cognitive growth, and increased safety. Physical activity helps them get rid of excess energy. Your puppy's cognitive skills are still developing, so play that requires reasoning teaches problem-solving and memory skills. And it's fun to watch a puppy figure out a problem! It all counts as mental stimulation, and can be just as tiring for them as physical exercise.
As you play with your puppy, you're also teaching them how to play. Biting, nipping, herding and jumping can be dangerous if fragile adults or young children are present. Puppies learn this through socializing and playtime. Play sessions and training help your puppy learn your expectations. Commands such as sit, lie down, and wait make for a peaceful co-existence. And a reliable recall skill may save your puppy's life in the future.
Puppy training tips
Start early. When a puppy is three to 14 weeks old, they are in their 'socialization window'––most receptive to learning new skills. Teaching the sit command or to come when you call their name are vital skills for your puppy to learn early on.
Frequency and repetition
Puppies learn through repetition. Your puppy will not know how to walk on a leash, sit or lie down the first time you ask. It takes patience and repetition to imprint those skills in their brain. Short and frequent training/play sessions benefit young puppies the most.
The keys to a good training session
- Reward good behavior—with praise, affection and treats
- Keep training sessions short and frequent. Puppies have short attention spans
- Start early and be consistent. Repetition works
Puppy training classes allow your puppy to learn to socialize and gain new skills under the supervision of a professional. Never hesitate to ask for help if you have questions or need expert advice.
Your puppy will not immediately remember everything they've learned; it takes patience. Be sure to use positive reinforcement by rewarding their good behavior—it works best.
Training treats can be low-calorie tasty meat treats, given one at a time—remember to adjust their meal portion to avoid excess calories—praise and affection, or a couple minutes of play with their favorite toy.
Find the right food for your new companion
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Teaching your puppy the basics
Training a puppy means progress, not perfection, in daily training sessions. Puppy training games teach puppies the basics in a fun, exciting way. Obedience training teaches sitting, lying down, staying, heel, and coming when called, including crate training and house training. How you present the training sets the tone for the session. A friendly tone of voice encourages them to pay attention.
You can start right away with this skill and practice it daily.
- Sit facing your puppy with a treat in hand
- Hold the treat in front of their nose, giving the puppy a good whiff
- Raise the treat up over the puppy's head. Your puppy will naturally sit down as it looks up at the treat
- When your puppy sits, give them praise and a reward
- Repeat several times a day. Take advantage of opportunities to train
- When the puppy consistently sits, gradually replace the treat with verbal praise
- Sit directly facing your puppy, holding a treat in front of their nose
- With the puppy sitting, lower the treat between your pup's front paws and drag the treat back towards you. Your puppy should stretch forward until they are lying down
- When your puppy reaches the down position, praise and reward
- Repeat several times throughout the day
- When the skill is consistent, replace the treat with verbal praise
- Use an enclosed area, garden, or room in the house
- Let the puppy wander around for a few seconds
- Crouch down and call their name with an excited tone of voice
- Make sure your puppy comes all the way to you
- Give lots of praise and a few treats
- Start with a short distance, gradually increasing it as your puppy responds correctly
- Walk away from your puppy and repeat the process
- With your puppy sitting facing you, hold up your hand, palm forward, in front of their face, and say the command ‘stay’
- Wait a couple of seconds. Reward and release your puppy when they remain in place
- Place your puppy back in the sitting position
- Take a step back and repeat the stay command and hand signal. Wait another couple of seconds, then reward and release your puppy
- Repeat the process, increasing the distance and time your puppy stays in place
- Replace treats with verbal praise and affection once the skill is performed consistently
Best practices when it comes to treats
Treats are a great way to incentivize your puppy when training. They should always be taken out of your dog’s daily food ration—if you take a small handful of treats on a walk, weigh them and subtract that from your puppy’s next meal. Always use healthy treats, and slowly replace them with rewards (cuddles, etc) and verbal praise which will be even more satisfying in the long run.
Nutritional recommendations from our Puppy Growth Program
Our products are designed to support your puppy’s growth, providing them with significant benefits thanks to specifically chosen nutrients for each stage of life.
Tips when playing with your puppy
Playtime is an opportunity for your puppy to learn new skills and commands. Puppies need regular daily play sessions. Combining them with your puppy’s training sessions maximizes their learning.
Toys encourage curiosity, movement, new textures and perhaps tastes. Good toys for puppy play sessions are:
Rubber toys or chews
Interactive treat dispensing toys
Puzzle feeders
Ropes and stuffed animals
Toys should be the right size and safe for your puppy. A Golden Retriever puppy may accidentally swallow a toy made for a tiny Yorkie, and the Yorkie may not pick up or carry a toy meant for a large puppy.
A puppy that bites, jumps and nips needs to be discouraged. When this happens, stop playing for a few minutes and resume once they have calmed down.
How much exercise and play your puppy needs depends on their age and breed. A Bichon Frisé or Basset Hound doesn't need as much exercise as a Border Collie or Retriever. Watch your puppy for signs of fatigue and adjust playtime accordingly.
Games to play with your puppy that also teach skills
Remember that mental exercise is as exhausting as physical exercise. Puppies need a good amount of both to be balanced and socialized dogs. Bored puppies might pick up unwanted behaviors or develop anxiety or phobias.
Play Hide and Seek
- Put your puppy into the sit/wait position
- Let your puppy watch you hide the treats or toys
- Return to your puppy and release them with the 'find it’ command
- Reward and praise them when the treats have been found
- As your puppy gets better, make the hiding places harder with more items to find
- For variety, have your puppy find you by hiding and calling their name until they find you
The cup game
- Put a treat under a cup on a flat surface
- Let your pup sniff it out
- Praise them when they succeed
- Change the game by moving more than one cup around, so the puppy must use their nose to sniff out the treat
- Praise them when they succeed
Tug of war
Many believe this game teaches aggressive behavior or dominance. That is not the case. It teaches your puppy self-control, the ‘leave it’ or ‘drop it’ command and emotional control.
- Use a tug rope or item your dog likes to pull
- Hold one end and let your dog pull the other end
- The rule is no teeth can touch your skin. If it happens, stop the game until the dog calms down
- Repeat. Praise them when they succeed
Pass the puppy
This game teaches your puppy social skills, retrieving and to come when you call their name.
Play Pass the Puppy with two or more people. Have everyone sit on the ground with enough space in between you for the dog to travel a short distance.
- One person calls the dog by name using the come command. Reward them when they come. Cuddles work too!
- The second person calls the puppy the same way, rewarding and praising them when they come
- The game continues with everyone calling the puppy and rewarding them when they come
Games that encourage independent play
Not all training games need to involve you, though it’s important to maintain pet owner-puppy interaction as well. Puppies should be able to entertain themselves when alone.
Interactive toys
Interactive toys encourage independent play and include snuffle mats, treat dispenser toys, and puzzle toys. All toys should be dog-safe, and appropriate for your puppy’s age and size.
Favorite toys
Toys with smaller toys inside them keep puppies busy. Rolling toys that drop treats do too. Match the toys to your dog's personality, size and preferences to keep them safe.
Training and play are vital to socializing and raising a well-rounded, happy adult dog. Combining training and play teaches your puppy valuable skills while having fun.
