When Can I Start Training My Puppy

When purchasing your puppy, it should have had at least its first vaccination. It may have had both vaccinations. You will have to wait at least a week after its second vaccination before you can go out for walks and start puppy training classes. I would recommend giving time to bond with your puppy with play time before you start training classes, even if it is old enough. However, you can start training at home and in your garden at any age.

Your puppy may have never been on a lead or even collar before, so practice in your garden. Collars can sometimes be strange, itchy things for a puppy so make sure your choice of collar is soft and the correct size. Too tight and you will strangle the pup, too loose and it may get its legs or jaw caught up in the collar, or damage itself and/or slip out of it. If the collar is too heavy it wont be able to lift its head up. Buy a puppy adjustable collar, as it will soon grow out of it. Buying an adult collar and saying 'they'll grow into it' is not a good idea.

Sit & Down

A simple sit and down is easily achievable at an early age. You can use their normal dinner as treats. To achieve a 'Sit', put the treat to their nose and lift your hand up slowly. To achieve a down, put your treat to the floor. 'Down' may take longer to achieve as 'Sit' is a more natural position for a dog.

This gives you valuable bonding time with your puppy. Play time is great and also helps with bonding, but this small bit of training helps your puppy to start to listen to you. If you do this every day for a few minutes, your puppy will be top of its class when you start puppy classes.

Walking on a Lead

Being away from its litter brothers and sisters, your puppy may follow you around the house to start with. However, when you put the lead on for the first time, your puppy will try and do anything but follow you. A little encouragement with food should do the trick.

Try and keep the lead loose so there is no pressure on the collar. Start by walking backwards with a treat in your hand, close to the puppy's nose. Your puppy should follow you. This is called 'luring'. Once they are use to following you with a lead on, try luring the puppy to walk by your left hand side, in the 'heel' position. With lots of encouraging noises the puppy will soon walk by your side without the need to lure. Say 'Heel' or 'Close' on your first step, when you want them to walk by your side. You may still give them a treat after a few steps to reward the good behaviour. Throw in a sit (by your side) every now and then and your half way there.

First Time Out

When taking your puppy out in the big wide world, don't expect perfect behaviour to start with. No matter how perfect they are in your garden, there will be lots of new smells and noises for them to experience outside. Take treats with you let them sniff around. Don't expect too much from them on their first few times out. If you go to a park, you may need to just follow them around, while they take in the new environment. Do a few 'Sits' and some heel work (walking by your side) every time you go out. Call them to you, rather than pulling them on the lead. Try and keep the lead loose at all times. You may need to go back to basics until they have got use to the new environment.

Only let your dog off the lead if it is safe to do so. As a responsible dog owner you should put your dog back on the lead, if you see another dog. Although your dog may be friendly, the other dog may not be. The law states "Your dog should be under control at all times".

Heel work is important. Although in a park, you may want your dog to sniff and walk where it likes. However, if you are walking on a pavement next to a busy road, or through town with lots of people, you need your dog to walk by your side for safety reasons. If your dog is by your side, then they are not pulling on the lead. Practice 'Heel' in the park, where it is safe, so when you go onto a pavement and you say 'Heel' you puppy knows what is expected. Pulling on the lead is one of the main problems we hear about. If you start training 'Heel' from a young age then there shouldn't be a problem when they are fully grown.

Try and make everything fun.

13 Week Old Mini Schnauzers on Their First Walk Out

Maisy, Mini Schnauzer, 13 Weeks Old. First Time 'Out'

This video shows Maisy on her first time 'Out'. Both Emma and Kay have treats and are calling her between them. Kay does a little bit of 'heel work' with Maisy and she walks lovely by Kay's side. She looses concentration but Kay calls her back and Maisy gets a treat. There are noises in the background and cars going past. Nothing is expected of Maisy and she is just enjoying herself. Lots of encouragement, interaction and treats.

Bonnie, Mini Schnauzer, 13 Weeks Old. First Time 'Out'

This video is of Bonnie's first time 'Out'. She is quite happy sniffing the grass and following Emma around. Emma is trying to make her go 'wees'. When Emma wants Bonnie to come, she calls her and offers her a treat. The lead NEVER goes tight. Cars are going past and people are moving about, but she is quite happy knowing Emma is there with her. Nothing is expected of Bonnie, she is just getting use to this different environment. Lots of encouragement, interaction and treats.

*Both of these puppies had their vaccinations at 8 and 12 weeks (as advised by the vet) and so were allowed outside at 13 weeks old.