Puppy Training in Fairfax, VA: Ollie is a cute Labrador / Pitbull puppy. Her parents are first-time dog owners and Ollie is overwhelming them with typical puppy behaviors – jumping, nipping, pulling on the leash, and refusing to come when called.
Her family was frustrated. They love her but they were unable to stop her from doing what she wanted while still ignoring what they wanted. I always begin lessons by talking about how dogs think and experience the world. In nature, there are no treats, no prong, or shock collars.
Puppy training can be difficult because a puppy does not have the focus and attention span of most older dogs. In this stage of their lives, puppies are pushing boundaries, nipping, and jumping on other dogs. Unfortunately, we take the place of their littermates when we take them into our homes.
I first show clients, especially those with puppies, how to claim objects without using their hands. Teaching your dog to respect your space is crucial. We don’t let humans get in our face and jump all over us, but we often give dogs a pass to do that. It’s fine until we have something in our hands or grandma or a little kid comes over. Then it becomes a serious problem.
Next, Ollie’s owners learned how to get her to come when called, without treats, and more importantly, the reasons WHY she wouldn’t come to them when called. Interestingly, she came every time I called her to me. This is about the relationship she has with them and how she feels about me. Usually, at the end of a lesson, we go over walking and Ollie caught on quickly.
Puppy training is about teaching your puppy to grow up and be a CALM dog that listens. It’s also about avoiding the common mistake that most owners make. We are designed to take care of babies and humans. Dogs are very similar but there are a lot of key differences in the way humans interact and raise dogs.
If you need puppy training in Fairfax, VA, or have any questions, please contact me!
Very sweet girl!
