Getting a puppy can change your life. The younger the puppy is, the more energetic and clueless it will be. This is why getting it to use a playpen can seem tough at first, but if you are smart about it, you can easily train your pet.
Here is how you should go about it.
Start from the Get-Go
Don’t beat around the bush. The moment your furry little friend steps into your house, you must mentally prepare yourself to train it. We understand that it is easy to get overwhelmed about all the things you have to teach your dog, but nothing is as important as obedience.
Establish yourself as the leader from day one. Set rules and be consistent in your training. Every time your puppy misbehaves or refuses to go into the playpen, take your pet to a quiet place. Soon, it will start to associate the place as a type of punishment.
Moreover, the sooner you start with the playpen, the easier it will be to potty train your dog. Why? Because dogs never go to the bathroom in their den.
Select the Playpen Carefully
Before you train your puppy to use the playpen, you must make sure that the playpen you select is perfect for your little pup. At the end of the day, the comfort of your pet should be your priority.
While your puppy should become accustomed to using the playpen and staying in it when you want it to, you also don’t want your doggo to think it is being punished when being put into the playpen. Hence, when it does anything wrong, don’t put it in the playpen. Assign a separate punishment location for this purpose.
Make sure you associate the playpen with positive reinforcement. Put your pup’s favorite toy and treat in there. Train it to use the playpen, but don’t force it.
Recommended reading: Best Dog Playpens
Be Patient
Training pets are hard. However, training infant pets is much harder. If you think that adult dogs are hard to train, you are in for a ride with a puppy. The thing with puppies is that they are a little too energetic and, much like a human baby, they lack the basic understanding of etiquette.
Therefore, it is important for you to remain patient with your pet. The training will take a lot of time, and there will be a lot of accidents and unpleasant incidents along the way. Don’t lose your motivation and give your little friend time.
Verdict
Once you have trained your dog to use a playpen, the job is not done. It has only begun. There are various other things you must train your dog about. Once your dog is properly trained, you will feel like a proud parent. This feeling itself makes all the hard work worth it.
Bring a little puppy into your home and watch as your life changes for the better.
