Started working with a little Malinois puppy yesterday.
A very high energy, high drive little girl.
We talked about all the important steps they need to follow to raise her into being a good dog.
The normal stuff like socialization, leadership, exercise, training, management, nutrition and one topic that is often overlooked or never discussed with puppy owners.
It is extremely important and can remove a lot of stress from the owner’s life if followed and practiced.
What is it that I speaketh of, you ask?
I can say it in two words. I am talking about……
…..impulse control.
This is often overlooked and never worked on until the pup is older. You see, when a little malinois puppy sees a toy she immediately targets and latches on. She then holds on with everything she has.
If you wrestle the toy away from her, she does everything she can to latch back on and continue the tug game.
Many puppies are like this when they see a toy, ball or food. They immediately dive in head first. If this is allowed to continue, the pup thinks it is okay to act like a maniac when they see anything they want.
Putting a food bowl on the ground for a dog that has no impulse control is next to impossible without spilling it all over the place.
Teaching impulse control is easy. When your pup (or dog) wants a toy or something you’re holding, start having them do a simple command before you release the toy or ball.
During tug games (tug is good to play) have your dog do commands while playing. By injecting simple commands into play your dog will learn simple impulse control and become much more manageable when the urge to grab and jump strikes because a toy or ball has made an appearance.
At first it may take a little for your dog to overcome his urge to jump and grab the toy from you. Hang in there and be patient and start teaching your dog impulse control today.
And if you need help training your puppy or dog, The Dog Training Inner Circle has everything you need to know to do it right. It’s easy to get started.
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Best,
Eric