I can almost see the pain on your face. That's understandable. I know that many puppy owners hate the thought of having to train their puppies. They think of it as chores, or as cumbersome tasks that they must perform.
But I'm here to tell you, training your puppy doesn't have to be a living hell. You can train your puppy, and at the same time, have the time of your life.
Think of its this way - your puppy is like a newborn baby to you.
The problem is, not everyone understands this. Some even get angry with their puppies when they do something wrong. The thing is, the puppies don't know what they did wrong. They are just babies. They don't know why you are angry. They just know that for some reason, you are upset with them. And if you follow up with punishment, they will soon learn to resent you or be afraid of you.
The relationship is certainly heading southwards quickly. After some time, you won't enjoy being with your puppy, and your puppy certainly won't enjoy being with you. So how to carry out proper training in an environment like this?
For puppy training to be effective, you must approach the training with an open heart. In other words, accept whatever the puppy is going to do, or has done. There is no point getting upset over something that happens naturally (for the dog that is). If the puppy pees, just take a wet cloth and clean up the mess. Don't overreact. It's a sign that the puppy needs more house training. That's all.
Here is when a strange thing starts to happen. When you keep an open heart, you will actually start to feel joyful. There is no room for any negative emotion. You are giving both you, and the puppy, a chance to build a meaningful relationship.
And you don't have to wait for ages for a meaningful relationship to blossom. You can have that, right now, just by keeping an open heart.
Enjoy every moment with your puppy as you train your puppy. A dog's life is short you know. Don't focus on all the "bad" things that your puppy has done. Think of all that as humorous or funny situations. Laugh at yourself, and laugh at your puppy. It's just a young pup, being mischievous, and doing something that it's not supposed to be doing. Drop it, and enjoy the company of your pup.
Turn the puppy training into a fun and enjoyable experience. Make it into "play time". Of course, when you have to be firm, be firm. You know what is best for your puppy. The key is in knowing how to make the best out of a challenging situation.
When you learn that the pup has done something wrong, don't react immediately. Stop for a moment and breath. Notice how all that anger starts to go away? Don't let the anger build up.
Your puppy is a living creature. It knows how to respond to love and anger. If you shower it with anger, you build resentment. If you shower it with love, you breed cooperation, and you foster the relationship.
So train your puppy - yes, that you must do. It's your responsibility as a dog owner. But be present every moment, and enjoy the company of your puppy. Have the time of your life, training your puppy.
