Puppy Training 101

The Christmas puppies are here!
So now what do you do?

It's always exciting to see the look on a child's face when they get that special gift, a puppy!
Here are a few tips on what should be done to make sure you get off on the right paw with your new pup.
A puppy needs about three days to adjust to it's new home. Give it down time to be left alone. Set a rule with your family, if the puppy is in the crate sleeping, leave it alone.
While out of the crate, everyone should not be calling and handling the puppy all at once and in a highly excited manner. Calm is the order of the day. Too much excitement may create a very excitable dog.
There is a two week honeymoon period. During this time the pup is learning and assessing what are the guidelines and who the important people are they must to listen to. After this "Honeymoon" period, you will begin to see what is the natural dog and what truly must be done as far as a training program.
Start to teach the puppy now what you want and expect of it as an adult.
Don't let it jump up, get on furniture, sleep in beds or carry it around all the time.
Certainly start to teach it a name, to sit, follow, and to wear a collar.

Get the pup on a housebreaking schedule and stick to it, adjusting as needed for age development.
Housebreaking is our rule not theirs, so be patient. You are trying to not only teach the dog where to go but also build physical control to hold it for longer periods of time. The rule of thumb is hour to month. So if your puppy is two months, then it should be able to hold for two hours. This varies depending on feeding schedule and play times.
What goes in has to come out and play stimulates the system, so the more active, the more likely to have to go.
A good book is Carol Lee Benjamin "Dog Problems" She outlines a section on housebreaking.

No puppy is too young to start training. At 8 weeks, you can begin to teach many simple commands that will have benefit for you and them as they grow into the teenage years, which begin, at 16 weeks of age.

Get your pup into a training program that also offers socialization. Socialization is more than playing well with others, it also includes helping your puppy develop the necessary skills for becoming a well rounded, and confident adult.

Ultimatedogtraining.com offers an excellent and varied puppy training program.