3 Secrets To Educate A Puppy
Educating a puppy is the only way you can guarantee a healthy coexistence with him. It is much more than teaching him to sit or give you the paw (in this case we are talking about training techniques). The secret to a good education lies in the fact that it fits in with the rules of your home. It takes into account aspects such as space and how it is shared with others (people, pets and otherwise), what can be done at home and where it is allowed to do so and understanding one’s position in the family hierarchy.
Basically, most of the behavioral problems that a dog can develop, such as aggression, anxiety, stress, can be avoided by incorporating three key elements into his education process.
Recognition of the hierarchy
This is an idea that many dog lovers struggle to accept, especially those who tend to humanize them. However, it is absolutely necessary for dogs to play a submissive role within the family hierarchy for a good coexistence at home . The motivation is simple: this way you will avoid triggering a power struggle between you and the dog.
Belonging to the pack is one of those feelings that the dog never loses; within the litter, the mother is the leader, so from birth until home, the puppy learns about the concept of hierarchy. Entering your family the dog must understand that, in the new situation, the leader of the pack or alpha individual is you.
Conversely, what happens when a dog thinks he is the pack leader? Dogs who think they are pack leaders (pack that includes you, your family members and other pets) take responsibility for the whole group. They feel an obligation not only to defend the members of the pack and the territory (your home) by keeping intruders away, but also to assume the role of householder who holds the reins of command.
Dogs, especially large dogs, are powerful animals. It may seem strange to some that their upbringing involves accepting a submissive role. However, in order for their behavior to match what is allowed in the pack hierarchy, it is essential that they recognize humans as higher-ranking members.
A dog confused about this concept is a time bomb.
If you notice your dog growling at you, attacking you, urinating or defecating in inappropriate spaces, or is overly nervous around strangers in your home, you may be facing a case of hierarchical role confusion.
A space for everything
A place for everything and everything in its time: puppies must learn which parts of the house they have access to, what they can bite (toys, food or other), what objects they can use (beds, sofas, dishes), where they can make needs or if they have to wait for them to be taken out. All of these are achievements that require patience and training, but they will make your life easier, as well as protect them from accidents.
For example, if your dog does not learn to wait for food to be given and, on the contrary, eats everything he encounters on the street, it is easier for him to poison himself, or end up biting dangerous objects, such as electric cables. . This is related to the previous speech, because if your dog respects you as a leader, he will also respect the objects you have marked as yours.
Help him even a little, do not leave objects within his reach that you do not want to see in pieces, at least until he has learned that he must not do it (my dog marked the end of a certain number of shoes until I left them lying around the house ).
Socialization
A dog that knows how to socialize with other animals and with people is more balanced. Once the vaccination cycle is complete, get him used to being in company, let him see other animals, invite your friends to your home with their dog, so that he gets used to the idea that these can enter his territory. You will prevent him from becoming an aggressive or nervous dog.
Keep in mind, however, that getting your dog used to being alone is also part of the socialization process. This must be achieved gradually, at first for short periods and then by lengthening the times a little, to prevent the dog from feeling abandoned.
