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Puppy training is very important, whether you are training your first boxer dog or your 10th. Properly training and socializing a boxer dog puppy is vital to making it a valued member of your family and your community.
In some ways training a boxer dog puppy is easier than training an adult or adolescent dog. One reason is that a pup is essentially a “blank slate”, untroubled by past training techniques and other issues. In some other ways however, the boxer dog puppy can be more difficult to train than an older dog.
One challenge to training a new boxer dog puppy is that puppies are more easily distracted than adolescent and adult dogs. Everything is new to a puppy, and every new experience provides a new chance for distraction. For this reason, it is best to keep training sessions short ,and to end each training session on a positive note.
It is also important to allow the boxer dog puppy plenty of time to play, and to interact with other puppies and dogs. Socialization training is vital to making your new puppy a good canine citizen, as dog aggression is a growing problem in many areas.
A well socialized dog learns how to play properly with other dogs which is important, as overly aggressive play can be punished by the other dogs in groups.
This type of play learning is something that happens among siblings in litters of puppies. As the puppies play with each other, they learn what is appropriate and what is not. Inappropriate behavior, such as hard biting or scratching, is punished by the other puppies, the mother dog, or both.
Unfortunately, many puppies are removed from their mothers and sold or adopted before this socialization has fully occurred. Therefore, boxer dog puppy play sessions are a very important part of any training session. Most good boxer dog puppy pre school training programs provide time in each session for this type of dog interaction.
Introducing your puppy to new experiences and new locations is also an important part of boxer training. Teaching your dog to be obedient and responsive, even in the face of many distractions, is very important when training both dogs and puppies.
One great way to socialize your boxer dog puppy to new people and new dogs is to take it on a trip to your local pet store. Many major pet store chains, and some independent ones as well, allow pet parents to bring their furry children, and these stores can be great places for puppies to get used to new sights, sounds and smells. Of course you will want to make sure the store allows pets before heading over.
It is important for boxer dog puppy owners to structure their pet’s environment so that the dog is rewarded for good behavior and not rewarded for others. One good example of this is jumping on people. Many people inadvertently reward this behavior because it can be cute. While it is true that jumping can be cute for a tiny boxer dog puppy, it will not be so cute when that dog is fully grown.
Instead of rewarding the boxer dog puppy for jumping, try rewarding it for sitting instead. This type of positive reinforcement will result in a well behaved adult dog that is a valued member of both the family and the community at large.
This type of reinforcement can also be used in potty training the new boxer dog puppy. For instance, teaching a boxer dog puppy to use a unique surface such as gravel or asphalt is a good technique. The theory is that the boxer puppy will associate this surface with going to the toilet, and therefore be reluctant to use other surfaces (like your kitchen carpet for instance!) as a potty.
One problem you definitely want to nip in the bud is pulling, charging and tugging on the lead. It is important that the puppy learn to respect the collar and leash now, when he is still small and light enough to handle.
Using a good strong body harness or head collar can be a big help when training the dog not to pull, or to retrain a dog that has already learned to pull on the leash. When first fitting a harness, it is important to allow the boxer dog puppy to walk around wearing it, so that he can get used to wearing it.
One of the first things your boxer dog puppy must learn, and the basis of all subsequent training, is the art of walking at heel. Teaching your dog to walk quietly at your side on a loose lead is the basis of all dog training, and until your boxer dog puppy has mastered this vital skill he will be unable to move onto more advanced training.
When walking with your pup on a leash, it is important to always keep some slack in the leash. If the boxer dog puppy begins to pull on the leash, the handler should quickly change direction. The dog will then find itself lagging behind instead of forging ahead. The leash should be loose except for the split second it takes to change directions. It is important for the handler to use a quick tug of the leash, followed by an immediate loosening, when teaching this lesson.
When teaching the boxer dog puppy to walk properly, it is important to never allow the puppy to pull you around, or to forge ahead on the leash. Allowing this practise will teach him exactly the wrong lesson. Be firm but kind, and you are sure to achieve rewarding results.
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Antony Wilton is Author of the popular "Dog Blog" Check it out at http://www.dogpuppytraining.com
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