When to start training puppy commands?

When a young puppy enters our lives, it's like bringing in a warm and lively beam of light. Their innocent and ignorant appearance can instantly melt our hearts. But soon, we will face an important question: When is the most appropriate time to start training a young puppy to obey commands? The answer to this question lies in the wonderful journey of a puppy's growth.

From a scientific and professional perspective, the 8 to 12 weeks after a puppy is born can be regarded as the golden window period for training. During this time, a puppy's brain is undergoing rapid development, just like a city being built at a fast pace, with various areas actively establishing communication bridges. Their perception abilities gradually become keen, and they are full of freshness and a desire to explore everything around them. At this time, every new external stimulus is likely to leave a deep impression in their minds.

Our little Corgi, "Buddy," is a great example. When Buddy was 8 weeks old and first arrived at our new home, he was unfamiliar with and curious about everything. I decided to seize this opportunity and teach him his first command - "sit". Every time I was about to feed him, I would hold the food and gently wave it in front of his eyes while clearly giving the command "sit". At first, Buddy just circled around me excitedly and didn't understand what I meant at all. But I wasn't in a hurry and continued to patiently repeat the action and the command. Gradually, Buddy seemed to understand my intention. When I gave the command again, he tried to sit down with his bottom. Although the movement was still a bit clumsy, it was his first step to success. At that moment, my heart was filled with joy and emotion. After about a week of training, Buddy was already able to skillfully and quickly make the correct movement upon hearing the "sit" command. This not only made feeding more orderly but also made our interaction more interesting and intimate.

During the 8 to 12 weeks of a puppy's life, they are also in a crucial period of socialization. Positive contact with humans and other animals plays a vital role in shaping their personalities. Through training commands, puppies can better understand human behavior patterns and intentions, and thus integrate into the family and social environment more smoothly. Imagine a well-trained puppy that can obey the owner's command "come here" in the park, happily run to the owner's side, and get along friendly with other people and pets. What a warm and beautiful scene that would be.

However, training a puppy to follow commands is by no means simply about giving orders and having the puppy obey. It is a journey of companionship full of love and patience. During the training process, our tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language are all important tools for communicating with the puppy. We should give commands in a gentle but firm tone so that the puppy can feel our care and trust. Just like the owner of the little Poodle, "Coco". At first, when training Coco, due to high work pressure, the owner's tone became impatient, causing Coco to be timid during training and the effect was very poor. Later, the owner adjusted his state and used a gentle voice and a reward mechanism, such as a small snack or a gentle stroke, to encourage Coco. Gradually, Coco regained its confidence and the training progressed very smoothly.

After a puppy passes the 12-week mark, we can, on the basis of the previous training, gradually increase the difficulty and complexity of the training. Teach them commands such as "lie down" and "wait", but still follow the principle of progressing step by step. Each training session should not be too long, so as not to make the puppy feel bored and tired. Since their attention span is limited, short and efficient training often yields better results.

Training a puppy to follow commands is like cultivating a seed. Plant it at the appropriate time between 8 and 12 weeks, and water it with love, patience, and the right methods. It will bloom into a beautiful flower in the future, making the relationship between us and the puppy closer, and allowing us to spend countless wonderful moments together. Let's cherish this golden period and embark on a happy training journey with our young puppies.