Puppy
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6 min
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A new puppy brings lots of cuteness and cuddles into your life - but also, there’s hard work ahead! Your pup is basically a toddler, and just like a parent, it’s your job to teach them right from wrong and discipline them when they’re behaving unacceptably. Read on for some guidelines on how to discipline a puppy in a way that benefits both you and your pooch, so that they grow up to be a perceptive and well-behaved dog without any lingering bad habits.
The first thing to understand is that discipline is different to punishing your dog. The idea isn’t to frighten or harm them so that they’re too scared to do something again, but to teach them what is an appropriate thing to do and what isn’t. This is most effectively done with a clever use of distraction, redirection, or withdrawing of attention when they’re misbehaving, and positive reinforcement when they learn to do something right.
Your puppy might do things that are so frustrating - like pooping inside no matter how many times you’ve tried to teach them otherwise, tearing up your favourite shirt, biting your ankles repeatedly - but you shouldn’t ever intend to violently punish them. Hitting them, for example, doesn’t work in the long run, as it damages the bond between you and makes training them more difficult. As they get older, being punished in this way might increase their aggression towards you and others.
Training with positive reinforcement is always the best way to teach a puppy how to behave. This means when they’ve done something right, you can reward them with loving praise, lots of petting and cuddling, or by giving them a healthy puppy treat or two. This way, they start to associate good behaviour with positive reward.
Puppies start to gain a sense of self and independence from around 8 weeks old; this is when training should begin. As they get older, each puppy stage will present new challenges. At first, you’ll be teaching them to listen to your commands; how to pee and poop outside, walk alongside you on a lead, and get into a sleep and feeding routine. This is also a very important time for bonding.
As they approach six months to a year old, they essentially enter puppy puberty, so might start to ‘act up’, be more destructive, energetic and potentially aggressive. At these times, persisting with discipline and training is especially important.
These are the most common types of ‘naughty’ puppy behaviour that will require puppy discipline techniques…
So how can you effectively teach your puppy that they’ve done something wrong, with lasting results? Make no mistake, training a baby pooch is a big job - but the more you see your pup learning how to behave, the more proud you’ll feel that what you’re doing is working! Keep the following puppy training and discipline tips in mind…
Distract and redirect. Try distracting your pup with a toy, your attention, or a dog chew. If you’re out on a walk, try pulling the lead and walking in another direction.
Cease interaction. If your pooch is being naughty (perhaps biting or jumping at you), firmly say ‘no’ or ‘ouch’ and then withdraw attention from them. This way, they’ll learn that behaving in this way won’t get them what they want. Remember, withdrawing attention means you do not say anything to them, or even look at them. Puppies hate being ignored.
Firm but gentle guidance. Talk to your puppy firmly and redirect them. Don’t shout at them, use an overly high-pitched tone or give long-winded or garbled instructions, or the message won’t get through. Short, low-pitched and clear commands are best.
Give time outs. If your pooch won’t stop biting, nipping, jumping up or barking, you can try putting them in a calm (safe) space with a dog gate or closed door as a form of isolation, just for a few minutes. This isn’t to punish them, but to allow them the space to calm down.
Housebreaking, or toilet training, is one of the most important early lessons for a puppy, as it involves teaching them when (and where) it's appropriate to relieve themselves. You can reduce accidents by using crate training, scheduled feeding times and regular outings to pee or poop - especially after meals, naps, or playtime.
There will still be accidents, but try not to speak sternly to your dog at these times. Instead, use positive reinforcement whenever they go in the correct place, or last all through the night. This will speed up the learning process and help your puppy develop good toilet habits, without shaming them.
Proper socialisation with other people and animals helps your puppy grow into a well-adjusted adult dog without behavioural issues. As they grow, gradually expose your puppy to a variety of people, environments, animals and sounds; the more positive experiences your puppy has, the more confident and comfortable they’ll be in different situations.
If your pooch growls or shows aggression to other animals or dogs, use the redirect method. Having already trained them to ‘come’, ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, call these commands to bring your puppy away from the source of stress. When they look at you or come to you, use a toy or treat to direct them towards a positive distraction. Otherwise, you can try pulling on the lead and walking in another direction.
If your puppy bites or nips while playing with you, or other people, say "ouch" or "no" in a firm but calm voice, and immediately stop play. This teaches them that biting results in playtime ending. Encourage them to play gently with others, reinforce soft play, and redirect them to toys if they become too mouthy. Put them into a time out if they still don’t stop biting.
The results of disciplining your dog might be hit and miss - but don’t give up! Establishing a consistent training routine is the golden rule for puppies. Puppies like knowing what to expect, and with clear boundaries and expectations, they’ll begin to understand what’s acceptable and what isn’t.
Daily, short training sessions using lots of puppy treats and praise will help reinforce good behaviour while discouraging naughty actions. It will also build a bond between you and establish you as the boss of the house.
One way to help combat troublesome behaviour in puppies is taking time to focus on obedience training.
Obedience training is a type of puppy training that focuses on certain commands. This can involve sit, stay, wait, leave, paw and so on. Teaching your puppy these commands are not only a milestone in their development, but they also help gain your puppy’s focus and attention. This will come in very handy when they choose to show their more mischievous side.
You might feel you have a particularly unruly puppy, where it seems like no matter what you’ve tried, your pup simply won’t listen to you or respect your rules. As said above, do not use harsh punishment on your puppy - don’t excessively shout or show aggression, and definitely don’t act violently towards them. Over time, these harsh methods don’t have positive outcomes in behaviour, and will only cause your pup to become anxious and fearful.
The biggest tip to create change in your pup’s behaviour is consistency and clarity in your commands. If you’re still struggling, don’t be afraid to use the help of a puppy trainer or canine behavioural specialist. Your vet can also put you in touch with some helpful resources.
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