8 to 12 Weeks Training Goals

The Infant

Your puppy is capable of learning at this time, however, do not expect a lot and avoid harsh corrective discipline, it will only frighten the puppy.  Consider the following tips for training the infant:

• Hang out with your puppy, he or she will learn best when training is incorporated into playtime
• Use puppy's name a lot while you hang out together
• Introduce puppy to a leash and collar
• Begin housebreaking, but do not expect a totally housebroken puppy

At this time of your puppy's life, he or she is most concered about their four basic needs of:

• sleeping
• eating
• eliminating
• playing

Your job is:

• feeding 3 to 4 times a day depending upon the breed and what puppy was receiving before coming to you
• I recommend staying with the same food puppy came to you on and gradually changing puppy over to a high quality all natural diet.  For more information on all natural dog foods follow this link:  http://www.healthylife27.com
• Take your puppy to the bathroom spot several times a day, as often as your schedule allows, the more the better, even if puppy never does what it is suppose to do, keep taking them to the spot, using the same chosen potty command
• Allow puppy to sleep as it wants to

Teaching Puppy Its Name

• Pick a short name
• Use the name each time you offer something positive like food or praise
• Say the name in a warm, happy tone of voice

Leash Training

• Put a collar on puppy immediately
• Attach a leash and let puppy drag the leash around
• Follow the puppy
• As puppy gets use to dragging leash around, then pick up the leash and follow her around
• As puppy gets use to you with the leash, begin encourage puppy to follow you
• When puppy starts following you, praise he or she and give them a treat, then begin to say "Let's Go!"
• Kneel down often to hug your puppy (if puppy is responding appropriately by following you)
• If puppy resists strongly, tug the leash gently and lower yourself to the floor or ground while praising puppy if it starts to come toward you

The Sit Command

• Use this command frequently throughout time you spend with puppy
• When you see your puppy acting calm, command "Sit" and position he or she in a sitting position
• Now offer a toy, treat or pat on the head and command "Sit" and position her in the sitting position
• Do not say sit, sit, sit, come now, sit for me, sit, sit, sit.  Just say it one time in a stern voice, "Sit," and position puppy in the sitting position

Using the Command Okay

• This is a release word
• This command gives permission to go forward
• It is a happy command and should be said in a happy tone of voice
• Follow each "Okay" with a praise and say "Good Girl" or "Good Boy"
• Use it when putting food down or offering a treat
• Use it when leading puppy out the door
• Use it when your puppy gets out of the car
• Use it when releasing he or she frm a Sit command