They say that dogs are man’s best friend, and if you’ve ever been lucky enough to own a dog yourself, you’ll know exactly why that is. But once you make the decision to raise a puppy, you need to resign yourself to the fact that doing so if not going to be a simple process. As fantastically cute and cuddly as puppies are, they are a real handful to raise and in order to bring them up properly you will need to begin training them virtually right away.
 
When training a puppy, there is a heck of a lot to consider that goes above and beyond telling them to “sit” and “stay” and encouraging them to use a puppy training mat to do their business.
 
Here’s a look at 4 proven puppy training tips to make your life a little easier:
 
Choose a suitable name
 
Just like for us, a name for a dog is an identity and when it comes to puppy training tips, it pays to choose a suitable name as that is where training starts and ends. Your dog’s name is their identity and what they will respond to for the rest of their life. You can of course, name them whatever you like, but dog trainers recommend short names which end with a strong consonant as that way you can pronounce the name clearly and your dog will hear it clearly and respond accordingly.
 
Word association and reward
 
This is perhaps one of the most common puppy training tips you’ll learn about today, but it is common for a reason and that reason is that it works. To help train your four-legged friend, use word association with rewards for positive actions. If you want to train your doggo to sit on command for example, once they master the art of sitting down when you tell them to “sit”, make sure you reward them with plenty of fuss and tasty doggy treats. Dogs are fast learners and soon they’ll associate the “sit” command with getting a treat and some attention, and they will of course be more than happy to oblige.
 
Set up their private space
 
Just like you have your own bedroom and getaway space, so too should your puppy. Once you have your puppy, you’ll need to set up a private area for them to sleep and relax. The last thing you want is to leave them to sleep anywhere in the house, as this means they’ll have no real routine. Either choose a spare bedroom or a section of the house and place your dog’s bed in there, making sure that their water is also close by. Remember, dogs are not cats. They love routines so when they know it’s time for bed they’ll know to retreat to their private space for sleepy times.
 
Be patient
 
Finally, the last puppy training tip we’re looking at today is to simply be patient with your pup. Remember, puppies are still infants and as they’re full of energy they’ll want to play and explore. Therefore, you need to ensure that you don’t grow exasperated if your puppy struggles to pay attention to you when you’re trying to teach them to sit and stay.
 
They’ll get there, you just need to take your time and be patient.

​As cute, cuddly, friendly and affectionate as they are, some dogs can be dangerous if not trained properly. Generally, a dog should be relaxed, good natured, inquisitive, and affectionate. Occasionally, however, a dog may show aggressive behaviour, either towards other dogs, creatures, people, or even their owners. This is not ok, and will need rectifying as soon as possible.
 
Dogs, even smaller dogs, can be quite dangerous when they bite and become aggressive, and in extreme cases, the results could be catastrophic. Like most things in life, the solution lies in identifying the warning signs early, and acting accordingly.
 
Here’s a look at a few possibly reasons why your dog may be showing aggressive behavior, and what you can do to make things right.
 
Injury or illness
 
Nobody knows your dog better than you, and if your dog is suddenly showing signs of aggressive behavior such as growling, showing their teeth, and even biting or snapping, it could be caused by illness or injury. In dogs, pain is a very common cause of aggression, so if your dog is being aggressive, especially when they’re trying to move and be physically active, it could be that he or she is suffering from an injury. Illness could be another culprit which is why you should take your four-legged friend to the vets if they’re behaving out of character.
 
Fear
 
Dogs, and indeed any other animal for that matter, will become aggressive if they are in fear, especially if trapped for example. If your dog is behaving aggressively towards you, other people, or other creatures, it could be that he or she is afraid. Dogs can become scared of all kinds of different things, but if he or she is being aggressive, try to identify what it is that is causing it.
 
If you notice that loud noises are causing the aggression, it could be that they’re afraid of loud noises, in which case you can look into additional training to help them to better cope with their fears.
 
Possessiveness
 
Possessiveness is another common cause of aggression in dogs, and this is something that really needs rectifying as quickly as possible. Some dogs will become possessive of their owners, their food, or other items. When this occurs, dogs may become aggressive towards other people or creatures that come close to the items or people causing the dog to become possessive, and the dog may even attack. A very common example of possessiveness in dogs is for them to become aggressive towards strangers coming into your home, as this is also the dog’s home and therefore his or her territory.
 
To display dominance
 
Finally, dominance is another common cause of aggression in dogs. Sometimes dogs will become aggressive in a bid to appear dominant, usually towards other dogs but sometimes towards other people too. Dominance is a behavior, rather than a personality trait which indicates that dogs that try to appear aggressive are doing so to prove a point and to prove that they run the show.
 
The good news is that if your dog is showing aggressive behavior, our team at Wonder Dogs OC is here to help!  Just give us a call and we will set you up with an initial consultation with one of our experienced trainers. We will diagnose the cause of the aggression and formulate a training to rectify it in no time.