2. Contents
10 Tips To Train An Unruly Puppy! ............................................................................................................... 3
Crate Training............................................................................................................................................ 4
No Punishment ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Stop Biting ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Aggression ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Why Proper Leash Training Is Important ................................................................................................ 11
Clicker Training........................................................................................................................................ 13
Keeping a Schedule ................................................................................................................................. 14
Setting the Right Precedent .................................................................................................................... 16
Wear Him Out ......................................................................................................................................... 17
Stop Digging ............................................................................................................................................ 18
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 21
3. 10 Tips To Train An Unruly Puppy!
Whether you’ve just brought a puppy into your home for the first time or you’re a seasoned
dog owner, it’s entirely possible that you could wind up with a dog that’s just a bit out of
control. Dogs, like people, have distinct personalities, and often the smarter your dog is, the
harder he can be to train.
If you’re struggling to reign in an unruly puppy, you’re certainly not alone. It can be very
frustrating, particularly if you’ve never had a dog before. But don’t give up hope just yet. Just
about any dog can be made into a model citizen if you know how to go about it the right way.
One great option to consider when you find yourself in this situation is taking your puppy to an
obedience class or even private lessons with a professional trainer. This won’t solve all of your
problems, but it can give you a structured time to work with your dog and help him to
understand what you expect of him.
However, these types of classes are far from the only thing you can do to help get your puppy
under control. Even if you’ve never owned a dog before, you can learn how to train your puppy
right by making use of some of the tried and true tips and tricks that generations of dog owners
have come up with.
These tips and others have helped millions of people form strong and lasting bonds with their
puppies, and you can do it too. Just be patient and stick to your routine and you’ll find that
you’re making great progress before you know it.
4. Crate Training
One of the best things you can do for your puppy, particularly if you’re having a hard time with
him, is crate train him. While this is often done as early as possible, crate training can really be
done at any time, and it is quite effective at addressing a whole host of behavioral problems. In
some ways, crate training is the best foundation on which to build a healthy relationship
between you and your puppy. If you’re dealing with any type of puppy behavioral problems,
this is a great place to start.
The Right Size
One of the most important things to remember when you decide to crate train your puppy is
that you need to get a crate that’s the right size. If you have a very young puppy who is going to
grow into a large dog, this will probably meant that you’ll need to purchase at least a couple of
crates as your puppy ages.
While this may be slightly inconvenient, you should never go out and get a large crate for a
puppy just because you think he’ll grow into it eventually. The size of the crate is extremely
important to the success of the crate training process and you have to make sure that the one
you get is neither too big nor too small for your puppy at the moment.
A Safe Zone
The reason that the size of the crate is so important is that your puppy, like all other dogs, has
the instinct to sleep in a den or other safe and cozy space. They also have a very strong innate
aversion to going to the bathroom in their den. This is obviously extremely useful when you’re
trying to housebreak your puppy and eliminate accidents.
However, if the crate you select is too large, your puppy will simply begin to use one area as a
toilet and sleep in another area. Not only does that impede your progress towards
housebreaking, but it can actually make it harder.
Realistic Expectations
5. However, it’s also good to remember that even though the last thing your puppy wants to do is
make a mess in his kennel, he can’t wait as long as an adult dog can. Being in a crate will slowly
help your puppy to realize that he can hold it, but if you leave him in there for too long, he will
eventually have an accident.
As frustrating as this is for you, it will also be traumatic for your puppy and can make potty
training and crate training harder in the long run. So if you’re going to be gone for more than a
couple of hours at a time, it’s a good idea to leave your puppy confined in a larger area rather
than locked in their crate, possibly with some newspaper or potty pads on the ground in one
part of the enclosure.
The best time to lose a crate is when you can’t watch your puppy every second but can still
come around and take him outside to go potty every couple of hours or so. As your puppy ages,
you can gradually extend the amount of time you leave him in the crate between potty breaks
so that he learns that he can wait to go outside, but be careful not to extend his crate sessions
too much at once.
No Punishment
It’s also very important that you never use confinement in the crate as a way to punish your
puppy. The crate is supposed to be a safe place that your puppy will like to be and if it becomes
a punishment, it will no longer be an effective training tool. This is especially significant because
crate training isn’t only useful for housebreaking your puppy.
If your puppy is happy to go into his crate and feels safe when he’s there, it will help to keep
things like separation anxiety from developing. Dogs are social animals and it’s natural for them
to not want to be separated from you. Of course, there will be plenty of times when you have
to leave the house and leave your dog there along.
If you can give your dog a safe place to be when you’re not home, they’ll be much better
equipped to deal with your absence. Separation anxiety in dogs can be very severe and many
dogs can do a lot of damage to property or hurt themselves if they become frantic when their
6. owners leave them. Proper crate training, however, is an excellent way to keep this type of
situation from developing or to curb it if it is becoming a problem for you and your puppy.
7. Stop Biting
Dogs use their mouths for a lot of things, so it’s only natural that your puppy will try to nip,
mouth or bite your hands and feet when you’re playing. While this is cute when your puppy is
small, it can quickly turn into a problem as your puppy begins to grow into an adult dog. When
puppies bite, it’s usually because they’re playing. They can’t do any real damage because their
jaws aren’t strong enough and their teeth aren’t big enough.
Take Advantage of Nature
Biting is actually a natural part of puppy play specifically because it enables puppies to learn not
to bite and more generally how it’s appropriate to interact with each other. When puppies play,
they immediately let out a yelp or yip when something another puppy does hurts them. In that
way, the offender is able to learn that what he did was not acceptable.
You can imitate this behavior when you’re playing with your puppy to help him learn that it’s
not okay to bite you or other people either. The best way to do this is to make a yelp similar to
one another puppy would make when your puppy bites and immediately stop playing until your
puppy calms down. You don’t need to punish the puppy for this because your puppy doesn’t
want to upset you and wants to keep playing. He’ll quickly figure out what it is that stops play
time and avoid that behavior.
Dogs and People
While teaching your puppy not to bit people is important, it’s also a good idea to make sure
your puppy knows how to behave around other dogs. Keeping up a regular schedule of social
interaction with other puppies is a great way to help your puppy learn how to behave around
other dogs. If your puppy is properly socialized from the beginning, it will make many things
much easier for you later on. This might sound like tough love, but it really is the best way for
your puppy to learn not to bite.
8. Aggression
An aggressive dog can be a ticking time bomb and will certainly cause you plenty of anxiety over
the years. Plus, your puppy’s aggression can put a great strain on your relationship and make it
much less fulfilling than it would otherwise be. But if you’re starting to notice signs of
aggressive behavior in your puppy, don’t despair. You can still put an end to that and help your
dog learn how to be a well-socialized member of your household.
Be in Charge
The most important thing you can do to help keep your puppy from acting aggressively is to
firmly establish yourself as the alpha in the house. Like all dogs, your puppy is a pack animal and
has the instincts that go along with that breeding. He wants to understand how he fits in the
social structure of your household and that means he needs to know that he’s a member of the
pack and not its leader.
Also, if your puppy doesn’t recognize your authority as the alpha in the household, then there’s
really no reason for him to listen to you. He’ll feel that he can constantly challenge your
authority because in his mind you’re equals. This can certainly lead to aggression as your puppy
competes with you for the alpha role, and it can also create a host of other behavioral
problems.
Consistent Authority
So how do you establish your authority? They key really lies in establishing rules and then
consistently enforcing them. This sounds simple enough, and it can be, but you still really have
to do it. You can’t only enforce the rules when you have time for it or when you feel like it. You
need to keep an eye on your puppy and gently but firmly correct him when he steps out of line.
The more bad behaviors your puppy has developed already, the harder this will be so the
sooner you start, the better. But it’s never too late to start down this road. Just remember that
getting upset and frustrated yourself will only confuse your puppy more. He really does want to
9. do the right thing and what will please you, but it’s up to you to effectively communicate what
that is.
Food Issues
One of the most common forms of aggression for dogs to develop is food aggression, directed
both towards other animals and towards people. After all, access to food is vital for the survival
of animals in the wild and your dog naturally wants to do things that promote his own
wellbeing. Also, in the wild it’s typical for the alpha of the pack to eat first and then give the rest
of the pack permission to eat.
In this way, the alpha is seen as the giver of the food, and this is the role that you want for
yourself. Two equals in a pack may fight over food, but a pack member will never fight the
alpha in the same way. Because of this dynamic, establishing a proper routine surrounding food
and meal times is a great way to both eliminate food aggression and secure the alpha role for
yourself.
The key to eliminating food aggression in this way is to make sure that your puppy knows that
he is eating because you allow it. Don’t let him jump up to take food out of your hand or push
you out of the way to get to his bowl the second you put it down. Make him sit and wait
patiently and only give him permission to eat once he’s calmed down. This will quickly
communicate that you’re the one giving him food – he’s not taking it.
Aggression Because of Fear or Pain
If your puppy is suddenly showing signs of aggression that weren’t there before, you may want
to examine the possibility that he is frightened or in pain. Dogs that are in pain will naturally try
to frighten off others as a way of protecting themselves in their weakened state. Similarly, your
puppy may try to frighten you or others away if he is hurting. He may also be afraid that if you
touch him you will hurt him more.
10. When aggressive behavior develops suddenly, there’s a good chance that illness or injury is
responsible. It’s important then to get your puppy to a vet quickly so that their injury can be
taken care of and their aggressive behavior doesn’t escalate into other types of situations.
Also, be sure no one is picking on or tormenting your puppy. Small children or others who don’t
know any better can wind up hurting or confusing your puppy by mistreating it and this can also
quickly cause your puppy to act aggressively towards people because it’s afraid of what they’ll
do.
The Importance of Socialization
Making sure your puppy sees you as the alpha is certainly vital to establishing a healthy
relationship between the two of you, but it’s not the only thing you can do to prevent
aggression. Letting your puppy interact with as many different dogs and people as possible will
help him learn that there’s nothing to fear from encounters with strange people and animals. It
will also be an opportunity for him to learn what appropriate behaviors in these situations are
and can be a huge tool when you’re trying to curb or prevent aggressive behavior.
11. Why Proper Leash Training Is Important
As you’re probably beginning to realize, the position you establish for yourself in your dog’s
eyes will have a lot to do with how well your relationship develops. And it will also greatly
impact your dog’s behavior. You need to be the one in charge and your dog needs to recognize
your authority.
Training your dog to walk properly on a leash goes hand in hand with a lot of the other things
we’ve already discussed. When you and your dog go outside together, it’s important for him to
remember that you’re still in charge. The environment may be different, but he still needs to
recognize your authority and behave accordingly.
No Pulling
Going outside for a walk is exciting for your puppy and his natural inclination will be to pull on
the leash and try to walk faster than you. He’ll find all types of things he wants to sniff, explore
and chase, but allowing him to do this will only make the walk an unpleasant experience for you
and make your dog think he’s in charge when you’re walking.
If your puppy starts to think he’s in charge when you’re outside, he’s also more likely to act
aggressively towards people and other dogs you meet along the way. However, when you train
your puppy to walk properly on a leash, you’re really training him to pay attention as he walks
rather than to all of the other interesting things he might see. And that’s the best way to make
your walks enjoyable and safe for both of you.
Leashes for Safety
Even when your puppy is very well trained, it’s still important for you to keep him on a leash
when you’re walking around the neighborhood or taking him into certain types of situations.
When your puppy is attached to you by a leash, you’re able to see and control what he’s doing
all of the time. This means you can stop him from eating or getting into something he shouldn’t
or from approaching and jumping up on people who might not welcome the intrusion.
12. Remember, no matter how friendly your dog is there will still be people who are afraid of him
or feel threatened by him. That’s not so much a problem when your dog is a puppy, but if he’s
allowed to roam freely and approach anyone he wants, he’ll be learning that it’s okay to behave
that way and will continue to do so as an adult.
13. Clicker Training
Clicker training is a particularly effective method for teaching your dog a whole variety of
commands. It’s certainly useful for any puppy, but it can be particularly effective for an unruly
or challenging one. Many times, your puppy is acting out because he simply doesn’t understand
what you expect of him and clicker training is a great way to communicate specifically which
behaviors are desired.
How Clicker Training Works
All you’ll need to complete some basic clicker training with your puppy are some small treats
and a clicker. A clicker is just a small device that you can press on to make a particular clicking
sound and you can buy one at just about any pet store.
To start clicker dog training your puppy, you’ll first want to teach him to associate the click with
a reward. So make a click and then immediately give your puppy a small treat. Repeating this
for a couple of days will quickly teach your puppy that the click is good.
Next, start marking a good behavior that your puppy performs with a click. Every time your
puppy does something like sit, lie down or walk with you on a leash, make a click and give him a
treat. By making the click exactly when your puppy carries out a behavior that you want to
reinforce, you associate that behavior with a positive experience. That makes your puppy want
to sit because he thinks that he gets something good when he does.
Once you’ve marked the behavior, it’s time to attach a command to it as well. Start getting your
puppy used to some basic commands for the behaviors you’ve marked. Since he already knows
that sitting is a good thing, he’ll be happy to do it when you tell him to.
Spending this time with your puppy is not only beneficial because he learns to obey you. You’ll
also be forming a strong bond between the two of you as you work together. Your puppy values
your attention above all else, and he’ll be much more content when he knows he’s doing what
you want him to do.
14. Keeping a Schedule
Clicker training is certainly a very effective way of going about training your puppy. But no
matter what training method you use, you’ll get much better results if you also keep to a
regular schedule for your training sessions and other activities. Your puppy will feel more
secure when he thinks he knows when things should happen and what to expect and will be
better behaved because of it.
Causing Anxiety
If you’re always rearranging your puppy’s schedule, he’ll constantly be on edge because he
doesn’t know when he should be attentive and when he should relax. This will certainly cause
him to act out and can even make it more likely that he’ll develop some anxiety problems. On
the other hand, developing and maintaining a predictable routine is a great way to keep your
puppy relaxed and well behaved.
Focused Attention
Schedules are also a great way to get in some one on one time with your puppy on your terms.
Puppies will always naturally clamor for your attention but with all of the other things going on
in your life, you simply can’t always give them that attention they’re after. If you never do,
though, you’ll just wind up with a puppy who acts out all the time to attract any type of
attention – good or bad.
To reduce the stress on both you and your puppy, it’s best to set aside specific time each day
for your interactions. Your puppy will quickly learn that he will get plenty of attention during
your training or play sessions but that he needs to leave you alone at other times. Of course,
this won’t happen instantly, but with regular reinforcement, the schedule will become part of
your puppy’s natural routine as well.
Being in Charge
15. Setting up a schedule and directing your puppy’s activity also reinforces your position as the
leader in the household. That makes your puppy less likely to challenge your authority and
more willing to follow your commands.
16. Setting the Right Precedent
One of the hardest things about training a new puppy is not letting them get away with
anything that can become a problem later. Just about everything a new puppy does is cute at
first. However, there are plenty of things that won’t bother you too much when a puppy does
them that can cause problems once they’re a bit bigger.
Biting and jumping up are the two main things that fall into this category, but allowing your
puppy to get away with these and other unwanted behaviors also reinforces the impression
that you’re not the one in charge. As hard as it can be to lay down the law with the adorable fur
ball you just brought into the house, you’ll be much better off later on if you start early.
Never too Late
However, even if you didn’t start establishing your authority and a consistent routine when you
first brought your puppy home, it’s not too late to start. It certainly won’t be as easy to break
your dog of bad habits once he’s already developed them, but you can do it with some patience
and consistent work.
Realistic Expectations
Any time you’re working with your puppy, you’ll need to remember that, while he does want to
do what pleases you, he does also have limitations. That applies to all kinds of things. For
instance, your puppy may understand that he shouldn’t go to the bathroom in the house, but
he still can’t physically wait too long to go. So if you don’t let him out in time, there will be
accidents.
Similarly, your puppy’s attention span just isn’t that long at first. It will gradually lengthen over
time, but when you start with training sessions be sure to keep them short and fun. Trying to
push your puppy to pay attention to you and practice commands beyond his limit for that type
of activity will just make it a frustrating and negative experience for you both.
By making sure that your expectations for your puppy are realistic based on his age and
development will help to keep training fun and your relationship positive.
17. Wear Him Out
Often an unruly puppy simply has too much energy and doesn’t know what to do with it.
Different breeds certainly have very different energy levels, but all puppies will be little bundles
of energy. If your puppy is constantly bouncing all over the house, tearing up things or getting
into trouble, he may well just be trying to work off that excess energy.
It may take some time, but you’ll have to try and figure out how much activity is enough for
your puppy and then make sure he gets it every day. You’ll likely be surprised at how much
better behaved your puppy will be when he’s not bursting with excess energy all of the time.
Better Training
Helping your puppy work off excess energy is also a good way to make training sessions more
productive. An overly energetic puppy will have an even harder time than normal paying
attention and following commands. However, if you take him for a long walk before training or
play with a Frisbee for a little while, your puppy will be much better able to focus on you and
learn what you’re trying to teach him.
Better Health
And don’t forget that an active dog is a healthy dog. Just like humans, dogs are prone to
developing weight problems and many related health conditions if they don’t get enough
exercise. If you want to help your dog stay healthy and avoid some hefty vet bills later on, get
into a routine of regular exercise. Plus, taking your dog out to exercise regularly can be good for
you as well.
18. Stop Digging
Particularly if you have a yard, you may have found that your puppy likes to dig. And dig and dig
and dig. Of course, that doesn’t make for a very attractive landscape and can begin to cause
real problem in your relationship with your puppy, particularly as he gets older. In some ways,
digging can be a difficult behavior to stop.
After all, digging is a pretty ingrained instinct for your puppy. Dogs in the wild often dig dens to
sleep in and dig holes to bury valued items in so that others don’t find them. However, you
can’t have your puppy tearing up your entire yard on a regular basis. So what do you do?
Causes of Digging
When you’re trying to cure your puppy of the digging bug, the most important thing to do is
figure out why he’s digging to begin with. This will give you a great deal of information on how
to go about correcting his behavior. For instance, if your puppy is constantly digging to bury
treats that you give him, you may be able to correct the situation by simply not letting him out
into the yard with his treat.
Of course, most digging situations are more complicated than that, but the same principle still
applies. Many puppies left out in the yard by themselves for long periods of time dig because
they’re bored or because they have too much energy and don’t know what to do with it. The
best way to stop digging that’s a result of one of these situations is to engage your puppy in
productive activities. By taking him for long walks or actively playing with him, you’ll remove
the impetus to dig and can often eliminate the behavior completely.
However, there are also puppies that just dig because it’s fun for them. In this case, you may
want to consider setting aside a part of your yard especially for your dog to dig in. Churn up the
earth to make it soft and easy to dig in and bury some of your dog’s favorite treats or toys
shallowly to help him get the idea. If you make it a more attractive place to dig, you should
quickly be able to confine your dog’s digging activities to that area and keep the rest of your
yard for yourself.
19. Barking Issues
Another common puppy behavior problem that can get out of hand if not addressed quickly is
barking. This is another bad behavior that can seem cute at first but will become a real problem
later on in your dog’s life. Just like many other bad behaviors we’ve discussed, barking can have
many causes, and it’s important to know why your puppy’s barking if you want to stop it.
Why Dogs Bark
Dogs bark for many reasons. It’s a natural behavior and can have some very positive
applications. However, barking at inappropriate times is a problem for a lot of dog owners. Your
puppy may be barking because he’s bored, wants your attention, is excited or upset, or just
because it’s fun to bark. Also, keep in mind that certain breeds of dogs are meant to bark a lot,
particularly herding dogs. So if your puppy is one of these, it’s perfectly natural for him to bark.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that it’s okay for your puppy to bark whenever he wants to and
he’ll have to learn that. And it’s true that some puppies will bark to try and exert their
dominance over you. Since there are so many reasons that your puppy may be barking, it’s easy
to see that you need to understand where this barking behavior is coming from before you’ll be
able to correct it.
In the case of the puppy barking to try and demonstrate dominance, it’s obviously important
that you reassess your position in the household and your relationship with your puppy. It’s
likely you haven’t managed to assert your authority completely and if you’re able to
demonstrate to your puppy that you’re the one in charge, the barking is likely to stop.
On the other hand, if your puppy barks because of fear or anxiety, particularly when left alone,
you’ll have to work on correcting the underlying problem and the barking should stop as well.
And puppies who bark for attention or out of boredom probably just need some more
structured attention and exercise.
The “Speak” Command
20. However, if your puppy is well socialized and exercised and still continues to bark, you may
want to try teaching him the command to “speak”. Of course, it may seem a bit counterintuitive
to teach a dog to perform exactly the behavior that you’re trying to eliminate. But the truth is
that if you make barking a behavior that your puppy executes on command, he will be much
less likely to bark without receiving the command first.
21. Conclusion
Puppies require a lot of attention and care, particularly when they’re very young. In fact, many
people don’t realize just how much work it can be to bring a new puppy into the household and
train him to be a productive member of the family.
However, it can be a very rewarding experience as well if you’re willing to put in the time and
effort. Just remember that your puppy does want to please you. A lot of what causes puppy
training to go wrong are inconsistent or unrealistic expectations. You need to understand what
your puppy is capable of understanding and how to communicate your desires to him. Once
you have this down, the rest of the training process is a breeze.
Understanding Causes
Probably the most important thing you can do when you’re dealing with a puppy that has
already begun to develop behavioral problems is to take the time to step back and identify the
root causes of those behaviors. Once that’s done, you’ll be much better able to figure out how
to eliminate them from your puppy’s routine.
