What is the first thing you should train your puppy?

[DogLover12345__]

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Hello, we just got a new puppy and it is a cockapoo. He is very sweet and loving and doesn't shed any hair, for my wife's sake! I just wanted to ask dog owners with more experience about the first thing we should train him. He is 4 months old. We tried looking for some online training guides online and the best one we could find was the one here

I look forward to your replies.

Hugs and kisses.

 

[JudyN]

I'm afraid the ebook is rubbish. It's by someone whose credentials are suspect and whose advice is outdated (alpha dominance). She spams forums with accounts under different names promoting her advice which is clickbait for an e-book she is peddling.

As such, I've deleted the link as we don't want to be part of her peddling.

As for what to train first - think about what you want your pup to do that you don't want him to do, or what you don't want him to do and he does do, and start there!

 

[lurcherman]

I didn’t over train recall but I’d say recall for the normal down the park dog, my dogs for 9 years was 95 % field hunting so recall on the chase wouldn’t work in most cases.

 

[Biker John]

I would say for the average normal pet dog, if it walks on a lead without pulling and it has a decent recall then that would be all it needs. Obviously after house training of course.

 

[JoanneF]

If the link to the e-book is the same as the ones I cleanup on another forum, I wouldn't worry about what to train first, it's likely the OP doesn't have a dog - just a bank account for their ”cash for clicks” revenue to be paid into.

OP, by all means prove me wrong by posting a photo of your dog with a shoe, a newspaper and a milk carton (to prove it isn't just a stock photo from the internet) and I will happily and sincerely apologise.

 

[Tinytom]

My friend's cockapoo started shedding his coat at 9 mths so beware they arent all non moulters

 

[Finsky]

Hello, we just got a new puppy and it is a cockapoo. He is very sweet and loving and doesn't shed any hair, for my wife's sake! I just wanted to ask dog owners with more experience about the first thing we should train him. He is 4 months old. We tried looking for some online training guides online and the best one we could find was the one here

I look forward to your replies.

Hugs and kisses.

As Judy already adviced..but also I have found just generally trying to get your dog to take notice of you...as that is what all dog training is based on. Lots and lots of interaction with your pup and as time goes by, it will respond to you more and more and they will pick upon what you like them to do and what not....though there is always some things that you will have to make bit more effort with.
Sit was one of the first things that my dogs picked upon...and it helps with so many situations to get the dog's attention when they are otherwise ready to burst into action..when dog puts it's bum down might give you that vital short moment to do something important or prevent something happening.
By playing they will learn so many commands without even realizing that they are being trained and that is always the easiest way to go about it. Fetch can be tricky with just one ball...they won't let go and bring it to you, but play it with 2 or 3 balls and it might be so much fun that they will drop the ball to get the another one and then repeat and repeat and the dog 'gets it' You can then start add to that 'sit'...'wait'...'find'...

 

[poptart]

Start with short five minute training sessions, with lots of treats and make it fun. He'll think it's a game and it helps build the relationship from day one. I trained mine to recall to the whistle, and that's been very useful on walks. There's the usual sit and stay, down is a good one to stop them jumping up. But it takes time and patience, youngsters get excited and forget their training very easily so you have to allow for that early on.

 

[Hemlock]

After house training, which is definitely'first' in my opinion, I just let pups learn that I am their 'safe place' and they can rely on me to protect them if they are scared or uncertain. I get them used to being handled all over, being brushed, having their nails trimmed (one at a session of necessary) swapping something they have in their mouth for something better, lots of rewards, lots of safe things to chew.

Recall is the most important lesson, but that comes indirectly while they learn how safe they are when they are with me. I don't do the 'sit' 'stay' stuff until later, don't do retrieve until later than that (but I've always had lurchers and it's far too easy to sour them of retrieving) and walking nicely on the lead is very important.

They need plenty of time just being pups, though, and IMO teach us far more than we teach them - if we only listen.

 

[merlina]

I agree with Hemlock- just not to be scared of you. Almost all dogs' unwanted behaviour is fear based. Oh and enjoy!

 

[lurcherman]

A lot of sensible replies for once , do it right and it’s fun for both and mainly easy in most cases .

 

[David Merkerchar]

You teach "Go potty!" right away.

 

[JacksDad]

After house training, which is definitely'first' in my opinion, I just let pups learn that I am their 'safe place' and they can rely on me to protect them if they are scared or uncertain. I get them used to being handled all over, being brushed, having their nails trimmed (one at a session of necessary) swapping something they have in their mouth for something better, lots of rewards, lots of safe things to chew.

exactly.

In addition I would personally put getting used to the world in safe, not scary ways as much more important than sit, down and such. which isn't to say you shouldn't train your puppy. it is just things like sit, down, stay, aren't the most important initially.