One of the very first things you can do in puppy training is to start teaching your puppy the come command. This should start as early as 8 weeks of age (the ideal time for you to bring a pup home from the breeder).
First, never call your puppy to you unless you know he or she is going to come. That sounds odd doesn’t it? In reality it makes perfect sense. We want her to be inclined to come when she is called.
When you are sitting on the floor playing with your puppy, call her name. Make eye contact. Talk in a pleasing, happy voice. Do not call her to you until she starts running to you. Once you know she is coming to you, start giving her the command. When she gets to you, praise her, give her a treat if you like and make her think this was the best thing in the word.
Continue to find opportunities to do this. Out in the yard. In the house. Everywhere. Do it 30 to 50 to 100 hundred times. You are building a good foundation for obedience puppy training later.
There is one thing you should never do. Do not call her to you and punish, discipline or scold her. If you need to discipline her go to her. You do not want her to distrust you.
Of course as your puppy gets older, you can start real obedience training and the command becomes more formal. However, all of the early kindergarten puppy training will have paid dividends.
Training a puppy doesn’t have to be difficult. It should be fun for everyone involved. Praise, motivation, consistency and timing will build proper puppy training fundamentals that should last for life.
