By Steve Dale
When you first get a new dog, training may not be the first thing on your mind, but let’s face it, sometimes training a new puppy can be hard. Many factors should be considered when looking into puppy training, including your time to spend on training, ability to socialize your pet, budget restrictions and your new pup’s behavior.
Is there enough time in your day?
Often times, at-home training can take several hours a week. If you don’t have time to consistently work with your dog, consider hiring a trainer. Scheduled training sessions will give your dog a few hours of dedicated practice a week. Outside of the trainer, you will only have to spend a few minutes a day practicing what your pup has learned. Attending a training class is a time commitment, but typically only an hour a week for about eight weeks. Yes, there is homework, but usually a 10 minute or session a day is all you need. The time investment is worth a lifetime spent with your now well socialized and trained best buddy.
Has your dog been socialized?
Socialization is an extremely important part of the puppy training process. Dogs need to be exposed to a number of people, pets and scenarios early on so they can learn to handle new experiences. If you don’t have a lot of time or don’t know of ways to expose your pet to new experiences, consider a group training class. This gives your dog time around other people and pets, helping to socialize them early on.
Can you afford a trainer?
The cost of dog training can vary based on a number of factors, including location, group sessions versus one-on-one and how long the course is. Puppy training courses are usually offered for puppies under a certain number of months and can cost less than adult dog courses. Classes may be offered for lower costs at pet superstores or some animal shelters. If you don’t have the time to spend training your puppy alone, it could be worth the investment to pay for a course.
For more information and advice from Steve Dale visit https://www.stevedalepetworld.com/.
