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This series of articles is written by Connie Cleveland of founder of Dog Trainers Workshop located in South Carolina.  Connie is a frequent contributor to Front and Finish and Golden Retriever News.   Connie has generously given PSLRA permission to use her articles on our website. 

Thank you Connie!

 Early Training

This series of articles has been divided into three important stages/ages of puppy development. It is my hope that these articles will be helpful for breeders. They may copy and give them to their puppy buyers. Please feel free to copy and distribute this information, wherever it might be helpful. Simply remember that when you do that the title and author must be clearly stated.

There is probably no more exciting time in a dog owner's life than preparing for the arrival of your new puppy. After the careful consideration of what breed, what sex, which breeder, the decisions seem endless…which veterinarian, which food, a crate or not, you finally come to one of the most important of all: How are you going to train him?

Perhaps a bit of common sense will help you with some of these decisions. Begin by imagining how you want your adult dog to behave. The most enjoyable dog to own:

• Comes when he is called.
• Stays where he is put.
• Walks well on a leash.
• Only jumps up on people or furniture when invited.
• Plays with his toys, and leaves your stuff alone.
• Can be confined away from the family when necessary.

Think about it. If all the above statements described your dog, would you be happy?

If you answered yes to all or most of those statements, then get started, with those goals in mind as soon as you bring your puppy home.

Crate Training

Correctly used, your dog will regard the crate as a 'room of his own.' It is a clean, comfortable, safe place to leave your dog when he cannot be supervised.

House-Breaking

Housebreaking a dog can be quite simple, if you understand some basic principles and follow some simple rules.

Age 7-Weeks to 9-Weeks

It is common to bring a puppy home between seven and nine weeks of age. This age is irresistible, and you need to remember what an infant that little puppy is. The first few decisions are discussed: feeding, housebreaking, crate training, chewing, introducing your puppy to other dogs, and vaccinations and vet visits.

Age 9-Weeks to 12-Weeks

As your puppy approaches nine weeks, you will find that he is awake more, physically more coordinated, and can see more clearly, so he is becoming more inquisitive, bold and courageous. Topics discussed are: walking on a leash and other obedience commands, educational games to play, picking up unwanted objects, introducing your puppy to older dogs, and grooming your puppy.

Age 3-Months to 5-Months

This is the age when you must learn to balance the behaviors you can train with those that you should manage. Topics discussed are: learning good behavior on a leash, learning to come, learning to stay, teaching place", and hints for sanity during a difficult period.

Connie Cleveland
Dog Trainers Workshop