How to Train your Dog

Basic Commands

Until the puppy is nine to ten months old he may have .teething troubles, and he will almost certainly lack power of concentration, without which lessons are useless.

Ten to eighteen months is the best age at which to start serious training, up to five years old is quite satisfactory although because of bad habits formed training will take longer, and after that, despite the adage about old dogs, if he is in good health your pet will certainly benefit to some extent from reasonable training.

Ideally in the ten to eighteen month old age group the puppy may have learned quite a bit if brought up with attention in a good home atmosphere. You must accept the fact that your dog, particularly before he reaches advanced training, is going to disobey you on occasion. Sometimes this will be purposely, but more often because he does not understand what you want of him. Try to avoid a head on clash over this by never - well, as infrequently as possible - putting yourself in the position where the dog is not likely to obey you.