Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy Training – How To Stop Your Puppy Chewing

Puppy chewing can be a problem, but it is only a problem if you do not give your dog an alternative. There are many ways to prevent your staffy puppy from chewing up the things that matter to you. This article gives you a whole lot of ways to make your dog well-trained and happy, and get rid of its chewing tendencies once and for all.

  1. Make sure to keep your staffordshire bull terrier puppy training sessions brief. Animals become bored quickly and are less likely to respond if they are not engaged in what you are doing. Aim for working with your pet three times a day for approximately five minutes at a time. This will leave them wanting more and will make your overall program more successful.
  2. Make sure to only say the command word one time while training your dog. It is important not to repeat yourself, because your pet will begin to expect you to say the instructions multiple times. You want your dog to respond to your commands as soon as you say them.
  3. To make your staffy understand what you are expecting from it, you should reward it when it behaves well. Pet it when it obeys you, and use a soothing voice. You can even feed your dog a treat if it did something remarkably well. Make sure your dog understands why you are pleased.
  4. While your staffy pup should obey all humans, it is very important that they have only one master. This does not mean that he won’t listen to the commands of others, but that there is one individual who is clearly the highest in command. Otherwise, the dog may feel confused and insecure.
  5. Keep your dog up-to-date on his check-ups. If you are finding your dog is having difficulty with some aspects of staffy puppy training, or has regressed in his training, make sure he is in good health. Dogs are very adept at hiding pain and discomfort. So many times behavioral changes are the only clue that there is a health issue. For example, aggression can be a sign of pain, and sudden regression in-house training can signal a urinary tract infection.
  6. Praise your dog lavishly every time he or she comes closer to following commands. For instance, when first teaching the dog to come, praise for turning in the right direction. Then praise for a few steps toward you. Eventually, praise the dog enthusiastically for running straight to you at the first call. The dog associates obedience with the joy of pleasing you and shares in your excitement.
  7. Dogs are happiest by your side, so remember that staffordshire bull terrier puppy training requires a commitment from you as a pet owner. Your dog is a commitment for the rest of his natural life, so your training sessions should be a time to bond. Make them fun and rewarding for you both, and training will never be a chore. Training should be a joyful time!
  8. One tip to keep in mind when training your dog, is to be sure to never discipline your dog for bad behavior when he is ill. This will only confuse your dog and might cause him to not respond to discipline in the future. Examples of this would be, if your dog vomits or defecates in a manner that is not typical to his normal behavior.
  9. When training your dog to fetch a ball, show him you are the leader by making him bring the ball to you at all times. If your dog drops the ball nearby and you walk to pick the ball up, your dog assumes he is the leader. Teaching the dog that he must bring the ball to you each time helps your dog to understand what is wanted of him at all times with the ball.
  10. A great way for your dog to learn new skills (or brush up on some old ones) is to attend classes at your local dog training center. If you are not sure of where to take him, your friends or veterinarian may be able to help you find a place that best suits your needs.
  11. When you are training your new dog or puppy that will be living indoors a good thing to do is the crate training. The dog’s first impressions of the crate are the most important. Try putting some dog treats around the crate and leading into it so that they can walk around and inside the crate. Make sure that you are positive and upbeat so that they know it’s a good thing.
  12. Staffordshire bull terrier puppy training may sometimes be frustrating. If you have found yourself to be upset because you are not making progress, go ahead and take a break before trying it again. The dog is always watching you and learning, so if it can see you are upset it will react in a similar manner.
  13. Your anxious dog should have something to do when you’re not home. Many people have success with food-based distractions. By appealing to a dog’s natural love of food and chewing, food shoved in a rubber toy can make a world of difference for anxious dogs that are home alone. Make sure this food cannot be choked on – there are many dog-safe recipes to be found online for various types of chewing toys.
  14. A staffy with hobbies is a happy dog. Make your dog work on walks. Many large breed dogs enjoy carrying items during walks such as tennis balls, sticks, or even dog-sized backpacks. This gives a dog a sense of purpose and gives him something to concentrate on. This way his attention span will be less likely to stray from your walk.

As was discussed in the beginning of this article, puppy chewing is a problem only if you do not give him something else to focus on. Apply the advice from this article on the proper way to train your puppy not to chew up your home, and soon you will see your dog finding non-destructive ways to occupy their time.