You’ve just got your puppy! It’s a hugely exciting time and you’re probably keen to give him the best start in life you can.
Getting off to the right start is really important. What your puppy learns when young is what he will know later on. Even if you are not deeply into training, it is worth taking the time now to teach your pup the things that will avoid problems and make your life easier later on. It may take time, but the investment is worth it.
One thing to remember is that your puppy will be learning all the time. Everything you do with him will teach him something. Your job is to make sure he learns what you want and what you intend, and not what you don’t whether you intend it or not!
It’s worth having a look at our information sheet on ‘how training works’, it’ll help you get into how your pup will understand what’s going on.
- Consistency
From the word go, decide as a family what your puppy will be allowed to do and what he won’t. If you don’t want him to do something as an adult dog, discourage it in your puppy. ‘Sometimes’ is a very human concept, dogs don’t understand that it’s ok to jump up when you’ve got your muddy jeans on but not when you’re dressed for a wedding. ‘A little bit’ is another one they don’t understand. It’s either ok to chew your shoe or it’s not, he can’t understand that chewing it a bit is ok but damaging it isn't.
It’s also hard for them to understand that they can jump up at Dad but not Grandma. Yes, they do learn that they can push boundaries with some people more easily than others, but they are more likely to learn that it’s worth pushing boundaries anywhere if one person allows it. Be consistent amongst you all.
It may sound overly strict but it is much, much easier for your puppy to learn that he should never do something. To teach that, you need to be aware of when he tries something, and each and every time you need to react appropriately, even if that means switching off the TV of putting down your phone.
- House training
The first training hurdle for nearly all puppy owners is house training. This guide give you information on how to go about it:
House training your pup
- Socialisation
This can’t be over-stressed for staffie pups. Staffies are generally very friendly dogs but can easily start to worry about other dogs if they have not been well socialised, and that worry can be expressed in ways that appear to be aggression to others. By taking time to socialise your puppy, you will be setting him up to be dog friendly later on. Here are some ideas on what you can do.
- If you know easy going, vaccinated dogs, you can meet before your puppy is fully vaccinated as long as it’s somewhere safe like in a garden.
- As soon as you can, take every opportunity for your puppy to interact with other dogs. Vets sometimes hold puppy parties where they can play with others, and you may be able to find puppy training classes that incorporate some training into socialisation sessions.
- Go to places where you will meet other dogs. Allow your puppy to meet other friendly dogs off lead, but also work on going past other dogs on lead. Discourage your pup from running up to unknown dogs, especially if on lead, who might not like it.
- If another dog grumbles at your pup (or even worse), avoid going into worry/protective mode. Instead, make sure he meets other dogs again as soon as possible in a normal way. They bounce back quickly if we let them.
- When and how to start 'proper' training
Although you may not be able to start with puppy training classes until your pup is fully vaccinated, or you may not even have classes near you to attend, you can start to do some very basic training with your puppy soon after he arrives. For example, you can teach him his name, to come when you call him and to sit.
These videos show how you can start working with your puppy in a fun way that will make sense to him.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0C724F6F6A597540
Notice how the fun and positive way of working allow the puppy to get things right and learn what to do to get praise and reward – like this there is no need for punishment, shouting ‘no’ or even getting stressed. Happy training for all!
- First walks
One of the great pleasures in life is taking your dog for a walk. Teaching your puppy how to walk when out can enhance that pleasure later on.
It is a common belief that, if you let a puppy off the lead, it will run away. Most puppies on their very first trips outside do not have the confidence to stray. It’s a big, big world out there and they are often initially a little intimidated by it. As a result, they stay close. By letting your puppy off the first times you go out (provided it is in a safe environment, e.g. not close to roads, etc.), your pup will in all probability stick with you when you walk. Because you will have done your initial recall training at home while waiting for second jabs (won’t you?), if your puppy does stray a little, wait till he looks at you then call him – reward, praise and set off again. By working this way, you should set the tone for walking with you and for recall for the future.
Do take a light training line with you so that you can pop him on as and when you need to.
And remember the golden rule - if something's not going according to plan, it's up to you to make a change to alter his behaviour as, left to himself, you pup will continue doing the same thing. Ask us what you can do, many of us have been through it ourselves.
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A Staffy-bull-terrier Frequently Asked Questions |
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