How you think of your dog will make a big difference in your ability to teach him. Right here is where you stop thinking of your pet as an animal. You are going to start thinking of your new "kid" as a member of your family.
Your puppy isn't much different than any new baby. Teaching them words and behaviors isn't much different from working with the average baby or child. They will, of course, not learn all of the same things that the average child will, but they will learn a few things that humans can't, so you are on even ground. They will never be able to train their vocal cords to say words that you teach them, but they will be fully able to understand words and even phrases that they are taught and will learn to respond to you in an understandable manor. They can also learn your social expectations just as a young child will.
If you are adopting an older dog, you may feel it is too old to adjust and learn from you. Too long we have been led to believe "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". There is no truth to this statement. An old dog may be more set in its ways than a younger pup, and it may take them just a bit longer to learn if their education wasn't continual because their brains will atrophy just as a human's will, but they can learn. If you put them in the right environment, they will want to learn, too.
Always remember, your new puppy is a BABY. The older dog is equivalent to a foreign child. Both are being brought into a strange environment and into contact with creatures with languages and social habits that they don't understand. An older dog with some previous training will at least understand a few things you say to him and a few things that are expected of him, but they are still in a world that is strange to them and patience is necessary.
Both the puppy and the older dog will need reassurance that what they are going to experience is going to be good. They need to know they are safe and can trust you. They must feel you care about them.
Despite what some unperceptive people may have led you to believe, dogs have very sensitive emotions and to learn well, they must be comfortable with you and trust you. If the dog is nervous that he is not doing the right thing or is not pleasing you, it will effect its level of achievement just as it will a child's. This nervousness can cause some major behavioral problems.
When you bring your pet home, don't rush right into training. Give him a few days to learn where he is and who you are. You can use that time to find out what your pet's natural dispositions and personality traits are, too. Once they are a bit oriented to you and their surroundings you can begin teaching them. You can begin subtly and gradually build up the lesson sessions to full training.
There is one exception to the previous statement, and that is housebreaking. If done right, that can be done in one day. It is such an easy training to master and is so often badly botched. This training will be covered in the specific training steps section later on. The happiness of both you and your pet really depend on you doing a good job teaching this one.
OBJECT PERMANENCE
Object permanence is the knowledge that something exists even though you can't see it. Animals are not born understanding this concept. Human babies also are not born understanding this concept and must learn it. At first the small child or animal does not realize that something exists when it is not right in front of them. To them things just materialize and de-materialize. Small babies and pets can become quite disturbed if their "mommy" leaves the room before they develop this concept.
Not having the concept of object permanence is why when you first bring your puppy home, it may cry every time you leave its sight. By leaving it for a few minutes at a time and returning, it will at least build trust that you will return until he is able to build the concept that you are around even when he can't see you. This trust is what will allow him to see you leave without panicking.
This concept will develop naturally as your puppy ages. It may take a few months, so be patient. You will not be able to teach the young puppy to go get something he can't see until this concept develops.
If you are trying to teach him to fetch an object that is in another room and he doesn't seem to "get it" it might just be he is still too young for this command. Remember - a puppy is a baby. Its brain will develop it will learn as it matures, just as a human baby will.
Your puppy isn't much different than any new baby. Teaching them words and behaviors isn't much different from working with the average baby or child. They will, of course, not learn all of the same things that the average child will, but they will learn a few things that humans can't, so you are on even ground. They will never be able to train their vocal cords to say words that you teach them, but they will be fully able to understand words and even phrases that they are taught and will learn to respond to you in an understandable manor. They can also learn your social expectations just as a young child will.
If you are adopting an older dog, you may feel it is too old to adjust and learn from you. Too long we have been led to believe "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". There is no truth to this statement. An old dog may be more set in its ways than a younger pup, and it may take them just a bit longer to learn if their education wasn't continual because their brains will atrophy just as a human's will, but they can learn. If you put them in the right environment, they will want to learn, too.
Always remember, your new puppy is a BABY. The older dog is equivalent to a foreign child. Both are being brought into a strange environment and into contact with creatures with languages and social habits that they don't understand. An older dog with some previous training will at least understand a few things you say to him and a few things that are expected of him, but they are still in a world that is strange to them and patience is necessary.
Both the puppy and the older dog will need reassurance that what they are going to experience is going to be good. They need to know they are safe and can trust you. They must feel you care about them.
Despite what some unperceptive people may have led you to believe, dogs have very sensitive emotions and to learn well, they must be comfortable with you and trust you. If the dog is nervous that he is not doing the right thing or is not pleasing you, it will effect its level of achievement just as it will a child's. This nervousness can cause some major behavioral problems.
When you bring your pet home, don't rush right into training. Give him a few days to learn where he is and who you are. You can use that time to find out what your pet's natural dispositions and personality traits are, too. Once they are a bit oriented to you and their surroundings you can begin teaching them. You can begin subtly and gradually build up the lesson sessions to full training.
There is one exception to the previous statement, and that is housebreaking. If done right, that can be done in one day. It is such an easy training to master and is so often badly botched. This training will be covered in the specific training steps section later on. The happiness of both you and your pet really depend on you doing a good job teaching this one.
OBJECT PERMANENCE
Object permanence is the knowledge that something exists even though you can't see it. Animals are not born understanding this concept. Human babies also are not born understanding this concept and must learn it. At first the small child or animal does not realize that something exists when it is not right in front of them. To them things just materialize and de-materialize. Small babies and pets can become quite disturbed if their "mommy" leaves the room before they develop this concept.
Not having the concept of object permanence is why when you first bring your puppy home, it may cry every time you leave its sight. By leaving it for a few minutes at a time and returning, it will at least build trust that you will return until he is able to build the concept that you are around even when he can't see you. This trust is what will allow him to see you leave without panicking.
This concept will develop naturally as your puppy ages. It may take a few months, so be patient. You will not be able to teach the young puppy to go get something he can't see until this concept develops.
If you are trying to teach him to fetch an object that is in another room and he doesn't seem to "get it" it might just be he is still too young for this command. Remember - a puppy is a baby. Its brain will develop it will learn as it matures, just as a human baby will.
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