Cuddly and adorable though he undoubtedly is, your new puppy doesn’t come with good behaviour included. Granted, his breeder may have introduced him to some initial toilet training, but the way he behaves as your pet is entirely up to you. The good news is puppies are quick to learn, so the sooner you start training him, the better. And if you follow some basic rules, you’re in for a rewarding relationship with your pet for years to come.

Always reward good behaviour
Whenever your puppy does something good naturally, make sure you reward him. Although dogs of any age react positively to rewards of praise or food or both, when a puppy is rewarded, it will ensure that in the future, he’ll be “good” again. But timing is of the essence; that reward must be given within a few seconds of the good behaviour, or your puppy might link it to another type of behaviour rather than the one you intended.

Bad behaviour: do you prevent it or ignore it?
Actually, the answer is both.

Take chewing, for example. It’s something you should expect your puppy to indulge in, as part of the exploration of his surroundings and the discovery of new things. The reasons for chewing may vary, but they range from boredom and teething, to attention seeking and the stress felt at being left alone.

Favourite chew objects include pillows, shoes and various items of furniture such as chair legs, so it’s important that you teach your puppy what he can and cannot chew. After all, he wasn’t born with a “musn’t chew the kids’ slippers” gene.

As well as denying him access to areas where he might do damage in the early weeks, you should also give him his own chew toys. When he chews one of these, lavish praise on him and let him get on with his chewing.

And when he chews the wrong things? Ignore it. That’s right, ignore the ‘bad’ . behaviour; no shouting, no smacking, no angry face. Just pretend your puppy isn’t there and he’ll soon get the message.

Sometimes you have to ignore the “ignore” rule
There may be occasions when ignoring your puppy’s bad behaviour can be downright dangerous. For example, you might catch him trying to chew through a live electric cable. He doesn’t know it’s wrong or dangerous, but you must step in and say “No”. You don’t have to shout or have a prolonged go at him; a short, sharp “no” should be enough to get his attention. When he stops and you’ve got his attention, praise him and reward him with a treat.

Don’t let barking drive you mad
Did you know that, as puppies reach maturity at around 6 or 7 months, they begin to guard naturally? Well, they do, and owners who don’t know this and encourage their pets to bark end up with a dog that’ll bark at every opportunity, and you won’t be able to control it later.

So if you want a quiet contented life with your dog later, don’t encourage your puppy to bark. That’s not to say he’ll ignore any serious threats; he’ll react naturally, without being taught.

And please, don’t encourage or reward excitable barking. He may bark with excitement when he’s about to go out for a walk, so stand still and ignore him. When he’s quiet, continue with your walk preparation.

It’s okay for you to dig the garden, not your puppy
There’s no single reason why your puppy could grow into a dog that loves digging the garden. It could be a trait of that particular breed, for example, or a symptom of anxiety caused by separation. A more avoidable reason, though, is boredom, pure and simple. So during your puppy’s formative months, keep him busy.

The most common form of exercise is, of course, “walkies”. It’s well known that dogs often dig in order to work off energy, so frequent walks are a much more pleasant way to expend energy and keep fit for all concerned. Training will also tire your puppy, even just a few minutes a day.

Give your puppy his own bit of garden
In hot weather, dogs often dig to find a cool place to lie down. This can be avoided by giving him his own shaded sleeping area, and maybe even a wading pool to help him to cool off. Or you could confine him to his own “dog run” with shade, toys and water. Another year-round solution would be to give your puppy his own digging area. And a sand pit or dirt area with concealed treats will encourage him to dig in one place

If you’d like any further information or advice about behaviour training for your puppy, your vet will be happy to help and recommend further reading, and inform you about training courses and classes in your area.