The arrival of a new puppy at home is a moment of joy for the whole family. Just like a child, he must be cared for and educated. The training of the puppy in the first months of life, in fact, is essential for the formation of its character. This is how Beatrice deals with the growth of Frida, her Vizsla puppy.
The puppies are put up for adoption around their sixtieth day. From this moment on, they are under the full responsibility of the family that has chosen to take them in and become part of it. Dogs, therefore, also have to respect certain rules in order to live with us, therefore it’s important to get them used from an early age.
The puppy’s training
Once a puppy has become part of the family, we must create an appropriate environment for his well-being. The necessary accessories for the puppy’s growth include a kennel, food bowls and toys, as well as the essentials for hygiene and cleanliness. In addition to making your home comfortable and puppy-proof, however, it’s necessary to train your puppy to behave properly both inside and outside the home.
Training the puppy inside the house
Puppies need a lot of attention and must be taught to respect the environment. This is why it’s important to create a space of his own where he can relax. Beatrice has chosen the Dog Crate Superior, the solid and sturdy habitat by Ferplast with multiple purposes. It can be used to train your puppy at home, as a den or as a car carrier. Thanks to the large grilles, it also guarantees excellent ventilation and visibility for your dog.
The Dog Crate exploits the dog’s natural instinct to seek for a safe place to rest and be quiet. It’s an effective tool to help your dog get used to being indoors and in confined spaces. It can be useful when your puppy is left alone for short periods of time. In the absence of the owner, having his own shelter helps him to feel at ease. At least at the beginning, to encourage the dog to enter the box, we can promise him tasty snacks in exchange, we leave the door open, so that he learns to enter and exit independently, and we close it only when the puppy has become familiar with it.
In addition, as dogs instinctively tend to keep their den clean, the playpen is an incentive for them to learn to do their business outdoors. It is important never to use the Dog Crate as a punishment, otherwise it loses its training function. The dog will see it as a threat and no longer as a refuge.
To make the dog crate more comfortable, we can add the Tender or Jolly ecological fur mattress, made of technical, water-repellent fabric.
Training your puppy outside the house
During the first few months, it is important that the puppy gets used also to the outside environment. By going out for daily walks, the puppy receives environmental and social stimuli, which are essential to grow up and don’t be fearful or aggressive. This is the period in which the puppy experiences the world, gets to know and learns. It is important to set rules here, too, so that the dog’s curiosity does not turn into over-eagerness.
The choice of leash when raising your puppy
For your puppy’s safety and the one of the people and animals around him, it is necessary to use a lead. Beatrice, for Frida’s education, has chosen Flippy One Small, Ferplast’s retractable lead, which is safe, easy to handle and intuitive. In fact, a single button regulates three different controls: free running, which allows your puppy freedom of movement; momentary blocking, for emergency situations; blocking at a specific length, to teach the dog to respect our gait. The lead is reliable and durable and has passed rigorous quality tests. The best way to train your dog to use the lead is not to force him and to let him get used to it gradually, without pulling and by indulging him, while encouraging him to follow us with toys or food treats.
Collar or harness for your puppy?
Frida wears the Daytona collar. Beatrice chose it because of the comfort provided by the soft padding. Made of robust nylon, it is stress-resistant and safe thanks to its chrome-plated metal buckle. In the same collection there’s the Daytona harness.
The most suitable harness for puppy training is the “H” harness, where the webbing creates two loops connected by a strip of fabric. The hook is placed in the middle of the dog’s back, so that, in case of pulling, the weight is distributed over the whole body. It leaves the dog’s neck free and provides a firm grip. The Champion harness by Ferplast fits in this category: made of durable nylon, with a snap-clip fastening system and adjustable length.
Another important part of raising your puppy outside the home is socialization. Dog parks are a training ground for puppies, where they can be left off the lead to get to know other dogs, under our watchful supervision.
Training your puppy, both inside and outside the house, requires patience, but it is essential for the growth of a happy dog and the establishment of a good relationship with him.