How do you teach a teddy bear?

Bringing home a fluffy little teddy bear dog, its round eyes and the constantly wagging little tail can instantly melt your heart. With their lively, cute, and intelligent appearance, teddy bear dogs have become beloved members in countless families. However, to help this little darling grow into a well-behaved and obedient companion, training is an essential part. Training a teddy bear dog is not only a process of shaping its behavior but also an emotional journey full of love and patience.

From the moment the teddy bear dog steps into your home, you start the first step of training — establishing a relationship of trust. Although teddy bear dogs are small in size, they are rich and sensitive in emotions. During the initial period of getting along, interact with it in a gentle tone and with soft movements. Every time you feed it, softly call its name, allowing it to gradually associate its name with something wonderful — food. When it responds, even if it just tilts its head slightly to look at you, give praise and rewards in a timely manner, such as gently stroking it or giving a small piece of delicious treat. This positive feedback can make the teddy bear dog feel your kindness, thus developing trust and dependence on you.

As the trust deepens, you can start training it on basic commands. "Sit" is a simple yet practical command. When training, hold a treat in your hand and slowly lift it up in front of the teddy bear dog while giving the clear command of "sit". The dog's gaze will follow the treat upwards, and to maintain its body balance, it will usually sit down naturally. Once it sits down, immediately give it the treat and offer enthusiastic praise, like "Baby, you're so great!" Repeat this process several times a day, and each training session should not be too long, about 5 to 10 minutes, to prevent the dog from feeling tired and bored. After a period of training, when you give the "sit" command, even if there is no treat in your hand, the teddy bear dog will sit down reflexively.

Training the command of "come" is crucial for the dog's safety. Find a relatively quiet and enclosed space, such as your own yard. First, let the teddy bear dog move freely not too far away, and then take out its favorite toy or treat. While waving it, shout its name loudly and give the command of "come". When it runs towards you, give it a warm welcome, hug it, praise it, and give a reward. If it doesn't respond immediately, don't be in a hurry. Slowly approach it, give the command again, and guide it to come closer to you. This training requires perseverance and patience because the teddy bear dog may be distracted by things around it. But as long as you keep reinforcing the training, it will eventually run towards you without hesitation when it hears the command.

Teddy bear dogs are a relatively active breed and may sometimes be overly excited and exhibit the behavior of jumping on people. This may not only startle others but also lead to accidental injuries. To correct this behavior, you need to take the right approach when it jumps on people. When it jumps towards you, immediately stop interacting with it, turn your back to it, stay silent, and don't give it eye contact or a stroke. The teddy bear dog will quickly realize that the behavior of jumping on people will make it unable to get attention and affection, thus reducing this behavior. When it stands quietly by your side, then give it attention and a reward, so that it understands that only quiet behavior can earn your approval.

The process of training a teddy bear dog is not always smooth, and you will inevitably encounter setbacks and difficulties. For example, it may defecate or urinate anywhere in the house. At this time, never beat or scold it, because dogs can't understand the connection between your punishment and their wrong behavior. Beating and scolding will only make it feel scared and confused. When you find that it has the urge to relieve itself, such as when it starts sniffing around on the ground and circling, quickly carry it to the designated defecation place, like a corner covered with newspapers or a special pee pad. If it defecates at the designated place, give a reward in a timely manner. If it accidentally defecates somewhere else in the house, use a special cleaner to clean it thoroughly to eliminate the smell, and avoid it defecating at the same place again next time due to the smell's guidance.

During the training process, it's very important to understand the teddy bear dog's personality traits and behavioral habits. Each teddy bear dog has its own unique personality. Some are lively and active, while others are relatively quiet and timid. For lively and active dogs, you can add more fun elements during the training, such as using a frisbee and other toys for interactive training. For timid dogs, you need to be more patient and gentle, avoid training in noisy or unfamiliar environments, and give it enough time to adapt to and accept new commands.

Training a teddy bear dog is not just about making it learn a few commands. More importantly, it's about establishing a harmonious way of communication through training, enabling you and the dog to understand and respect each other. In this process, you will see it gradually grow from an ignorant little furball into a sensible and obedient companion. Every time it executes a command accurately and every bit of progress is the return for the love and patience you've put in. When you go out with a well-trained teddy bear dog and it follows you obediently by your side, that sense of pride and satisfaction is beyond words.