It is a must with any dog breed. The earlier the better, so please don't set your dog up for failure. Some people get that new puppy at about thirteen weeks of age. I strongly advice that all puppies stay with the Mother and littermates until twelve weeks old. During this time it is a Critical Socialization time in the puppies lives. They are learning from the Mother, they should be getting touches on the body and getting use to human touch. They play with their littermates and sometimes a puppy will bite too hard and the other puppy will yelp really loud. This is a very good learning stage for any puppy. Learning about chew toys and all those great things that will help them.
I cannot express enough how good positive training is for dogs. I love dogs and they are wonderful to have in our families.
Now I bring up Pit Bull-type dogs and I do see them out and about with their owners. I sometimes observe how the dog is walking with the owner. My observations sometimes tells me the dog would be better with a harness. So if your dog is pulling, please try a harness. A walk is a great way to get better bonded with your dog.
Find out what motivates your dog? Is it a treat or a toy?
Because I no longer use the word Command because we are not in the Army. Cue is now used. So now we Cue our dog or dogs.
Basic Cues:
Sit
Stay
Come
Lay Down
Heel
Some dogs will catch on faster than others so please be patient. Remember your dog is an individual so reward them and I repeat reward them for achievement . Keep practicing and rewarding.
Having a new puppy is like a new slate. Now is your chance to get on the correct path to helping your dog be at its best. Take interest in the new life you have and keep making it better.
We love our dogs and we love having in them in this family. They are part of the family even if they are rescued dogs. It takes effort to keeping a positive best foot forward.
Have a wonderful day!
Mecca Curtice, President
Mecca's Pit Bull Rescue
CDT in Progress