Mistakes to Avoid When Training Your Puppy

When a puppy arrives in our home, it matters to treat them well and help them feel part of the family, their new pack. Those of us who've had a dog before have a bit of an advantage from experience.

Even so, we still need to avoid making these mistakes when training our puppy, since without realising it we can encourage bad behaviour. That's why it matters to always start on the right foot and try not to make the most common mistakes.

Here at SoyUnPerro we want to help you with this task, so we've grouped together a series of mistakes people often make. Simply learn from these mistakes and don't make them.

Shouting, Scolding or Punishing Our Puppy

One of the most common mistakes when training a puppy is thinking they can learn or reason like an adult dog. Puppies are the equivalent of babies, compared with humans, so they don't yet have the capacity to learn.

To train our puppy, we need to arm ourselves with patience and understand they simply want to discover new things, go for walks, play, eat and sleep. Training isn't something that interests them.

It is our responsibility to train them properly, yes, but from six months old onward, and gradually, not before. To do so, never shout at, scold or punish your dog, because that's not the right way.

When your dog does something wrong, simply give them a correction; this way they'll learn quickly: How to correct our dog properly.

Overprotecting and Not Socialising

You've surely seen someone pick their dog up in their arms when they see a worrying situation, such as crossing paths with an unfamiliar dog, for example. This is a big mistake plenty of people make: overprotecting their dog.

We should never pick up our puppy just because another dog is approaching — we should let them sniff each other and interact. Dogs sniff each other's rear ends and genitals to get to know each other and even to greet each other; let your dog do it.

Ideally, we should socialise our puppy daily with new and familiar dogs, as well as with people and other animals. There's nothing better for this than going to a dog park and letting them make friends.

If you overprotect your dog and don't socialise them properly, as an adult they'll be fearful, snappy, antisocial and probably somewhat aggressive.

Treating Our Puppy Like a Human

Another of the big mistakes when training a puppy is treating them as if they were our child… they can be our "dog-child", but not our child. We should never treat them like a human, because we'll create bad habits and cause behavioural problems.

It's not advisable to let the dog get on the bed, or the sofa. Nor should they eat from our food (feeding them while we eat). It's not advisable to pick them up in your arms like a baby.

And of course, it's not advisable to hug them as if they were a cuddly toy either. We should simply treat them as what they are, a puppy. Give them affection, look after them, but not humanise them.

You can find more detailed information on this piece of advice here: Should I hug my dog?

Not Respecting Our Puppy

Even people experienced in training and living with dogs make the mistake of not respecting their puppy when, for example, they're eating, sleeping or playing.

We should leave our puppy in peace when they're doing any of these things, since it matters to let them know they have their own time and space. Never bother your puppy when they're:

• Sleeping peacefully, or even having nightmares.
• Eating or drinking
• Playing with their toys
• Urinating or defecating

Not Setting Up a Routine of Outings

Setting up a routine for daily walks is essential so the dog understands what time they go out for a walk, and starts learning to control their basic needs, such as urinating and pooing.

We should set up and stick to a schedule for daily walks, with a morning walk right after waking up, a midday walk, an afternoon walk, and a final pee at night before bed being essential.

If you can't keep to these schedules so your dog can enjoy the street, the park, other dogs, and relieve themselves and burn off their energy… don't get a dog. Because they need our attention.