After a puppy adoption in San Diego, the first thing you need to do is start training him right away. Even so, you should not expect too much too soon else you will be disappointed. How fast your puppy learns will also depend on the dog breed. Some breeds are more intelligent than others. The life the dog had before you took him in will also matter. Abused dogs will take longer to warm up to you and to learn new things. All in all, nothing is impossible. Here are a few tactics you can use when house training your new dog.
Setup for success
The first thing you need to do is to learn as much as you can about dog behaviors. Understanding the temperament of a dog breed will help you anticipate him and also take the best approach in training. If your choice is a puppy rescue, then you need to learn more about the behavior of puppies. When are they most likely to pee? Puppies will mostly pee after a nap, a few minutes after eating and when they have not urinated in the last half hour. You need to take the puppy to the toilet spots during these times.
Offer more and more praise
Dogs learn best with praises. When your dog does something right, you need to praise him. Praise must come immediately after he gets something right. Don’t forget to offer treats. When your dog learns that he will get a reward for doing something, he will be more inclined to do it over and over. For example, if your dog realizes he gets a reward for peeing at the right place, he will save up his pee in order to spend it for a treat.
Spend time with him
Dogs are easily distracted. If you are training him to pee in the garden, you have to make sure that you stay with him until he is done. The last thing you want is for him to play with the leaves rather than concentrate on the job. Don’t let him play until he is done. This is something you need to do even after an adult dog adoption in San Diego.
Never punish a puppy
Every once in a while your puppy will have an accident. The worst things you can do after an accident is to smack or rub his face in it. Punishing a dog will only make toilet training harder. Punishing him will only send the message that you have an irrational dislike for his bodily function.
Clean accidents effectively
Last but not least, you need to clean the accidents effectively. Use deodorizing cleaner to get rid of the scent markers. Scent markers will only cause your dog to pee in the same place the next time.
These simple tactics will help you to properly train your puppy after a dog rescue. If you feel overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to contact a professional dog trainer for help.