Training a dog can be a rewarding experience for both you and your dog. If you are using positive reinforcement-based methods, puppies can begin learning simple cues such as “Sit” and “Down” as soon as they can eat solid foods. However, basic obedience training is just the beginning. Dogs of all ages can learn new tricks and behaviors. That saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, couldn’t be more wrong. The bond between you and your dog will only grow stronger as you continue to train together over the course of your lives together.

It's happened to the best of us: you're minding your own business when you see your dog out of the corner of your eye, running away from you with something in their mouth that they definitely shouldn't have. Whether it's a pair of your favorite shoes or the remote control, it can be frustrating trying to get them to drop the item and come back to you. But why do they run away in the first place?

In today's world, we are used to instant gratification. We can have items shipped to us from across the world in mere days, we can download a new game in less than an hour, and we can have a fully cooked meal given to us through a drive-thru window within minutes.

However, there is nothing like living with an animal (especially a young animal) to teach you patience.

One of the most common questions I get as a professional dog trainer from students with puppies is about aggression and biting. We unfortunately have even had people email us inquiring about signing up for classes to have them reply back that they rehomed the puppy before class even started because the puppy was "aggressive".

True aggression in puppies is extremely rare. I have only seen one to two cases of true aggression in a puppy under four months of age in all my years of working with dogs.

So, what are puppy owners actually seeing then?

Loose leash walking can be a challenging skill for many owners and dogs. There is a lot going on when trying to train your dog to walk nicely next to you. First you have to learn to hold the leash and the treats, usually while your dog is pulling you everywhere. Not to mention, your dog’s focus is elsewhere as they sniff every blade of grass and pull towards every dog and stranger they see.

I very rarely think about getting my dogs away from treats or toys during training anymore. So, sometimes when clients ask me about this, I can have some difficulty understanding why they are concerned because I know that dogs work for many things beyond treats and I can harness those things to use to my advantage.

One of the most exciting parts of bringing home a new puppy is figuring out what your puppy likes and doesn't like. As their personalities blossom before us, we often start seeing naughty behaviors appear as well. A good setup for your puppy cannot only prevent some of these behaviors from ever beginning, but it can be a puppy's safe haven where they learn to relax and become independent.