The myth that there is one "Right Way" to train puppies

When my friends were pressing me to start this blog, I researched the information already available on the subject. One of the first thing that stood out to me was that most of these resources espoused 'The Right Way' to train puppies. When I first saw that phrase it made me wince. If there is anything I learn with each new puppy in each new litter, there is no single right way to train any puppy. Each puppy is unique and like humans react differently based on his/her genetics, physical environment and learning to date. In a single litter, one pup may be totally food motivated so that training without treats is close to impossible. Others may be responsive to visual commands, verbal commands alone are less effective. Some can't stand being wet or soiled. Others relish rolling in their own poop.

What I feel very strongly about is the right way to train your individual puppy is to spend quality time observing your puppy. If you can't remember what you see, write it down. And when you start trying to train your puppy, treat every instance as a 'test and learn' opportunity. In college and graduate school, I studied learning theory and behavior modification. That's why many of my techniques and the process I go throug with each individual is based on a systematic series of observation, test and modification, repeated in a manner that moves us closer to the desired behavior. Even if something works, I suggest you also try something else. For instance, if you try motivating behavior with a affection and praise and that works, try it sometimes without the verbal reward. Then sometimes with only verbal praise. Try it back and forth and see what works better, or if one type of reward works better.

I prefer to train puppies using affection and praise as much as possible, using treats only when asking the puppy to go into its crate. I will be the first to admit this doesn't always work. You simply can't get some puppies' attention unless you give them a treat. However, I have found that with many, many young puppies, attention and praise, cuddling and rubbing whatever their favorite spot is (ear, chin, tummy) works best. And in my foster-mom role, I prefer to try to train the puppies so they will respond to their new parents without increasing their caloric intake, and so they equate their puppy parents as someone to obey even if they can't smell the presence of treats.

Even extremely young pups can learn basic behaviors such as being happy to be in a crate, being led on a leash, and believe-it-or-not, to be house-broken before they are 12 weeks old.

The important thing is like everything else, each individual has their own abilities and own time-table.