Gilbert was a very loveable big black Lab, an affectionate dog who liked to show he cared by licking your face as you came into the house (as a friend of his owner found out one evening when invited to Gilbert’s house for dinner). Gilbert’s owner recognised his dog’s behaviour wasn’t ideal and poor old Gilbert was consigned to the utility room for his trouble – a pity for the dinner guest (a black Lab fan) and Gilbert. Make sure your guests don’t end up dancing round the hall with a five-stone, four-legged, kissing machine by following this advice on basic puppy training.

Puppies just love to learn

Puppies are like hungry sponges around the eight-week mark – they’ll happily absorb every new experience they can lay their paws on. Their brains are developing fast and they’re ready to learn at a rapid pace, which means that the effort you make now introducing them to people, animals and basic puppy training will result in a more socially-adept dog later.

Meet people, one new face at a time

Most of us want nothing more than to show off our new housemate to the world and his wife, but those of us at Eukanuba who’ve raised puppies find that the best way to prepare puppy for his life to come is to introduce him to the world one new face at a time.

Get a dog-friendly friend to come round first for petting and cooing. Their second visit could involve children – but be warned, excitable stroking can be pretty intimidating if you’re only a foot tall. Remind them (the children) that gently does it.

Set up some play dates

The principles you employ with people work pretty well when socialising your puppy with other dogs and pets. Flip through your mental Rollerdex and find someone with an easy going, pleased-to-meet-you sort of four-legged friend, then invite them round on a play date. Do check that the dog has all his vaccinations in place first.

Command performance: how to make your puppy sit, lie and stay

Over the years the Eukanuba team has spent many happy hours (and a few frustrating ones) training our own puppies in basic obedience, using the advice we’ve learned from professional dog trainers. Here are the techniques experts recommend to make sure your puppy behaves well from the start:

Start with a few basic commands and practise, a lot, over several months. Little and often is the way, remembering that puppies don’t have limitless reserves of energy or concentration. Watch for signs of tiredness and stop when you spot them. Limit your expectations about what can be achieved to begin with. You and puppy may end up winning agility shows at the local dog show, but it won’t happen just yet.

• ‘Sit’: Holding a small food treat in front of puppy’s nose, slowly raise your hand up over his head. Puppy’s eyes will follow the food, the nose will rise and, hey presto, his rear will be on the floor in the sitting position. (To begin with you may have to offer some encouragement by gently pushing his hindquarters down). As he sits, let him take the treat while you say the word “sit” and offer some praise. Over time you can phase out the treats and rely on praise alone to achieve the desired effect.

• ‘Lie down’: Once we’ve started using a particular treat we tend to stick to it, as it helps puppy understand that something good is only moments away, if he’s paying attention. So, using the same treat that worked in the “Sit” exercise, move your hand down from just in front of puppy’s nose to the ground, in between his front paws. He’ll keep his eyes very firmly on the prize and end up lying on the floor. (Once again, a gentle push down will help to begin with). Heaps of praise coupled with a treat and the words “Lie down” will remind him to do the same next time. Phase out the treat as he gets the hang of it.

• ‘Stay’: Ask your puppy to sit down. Back away a few steps while saying ‘Stay!’ and ‘Good boy’ so that he associates praise with the act of staying.

• ‘No jumping!’: Consistency is the key here. If you’d rather your dog didn’t playfully jump up at the postman he mustn’t playfully jump up at you, either. As you see puppy coming, back off and say ‘No jumping!’. ‘Off’ works pretty well too, we find – use a stern tone of voice, either way. Reward him when his feet are planted back on the floor.

For more on how to train a puppy, watch our Basic Commands video

The vet, vaccinations, and you

A crucial step in puppy’s meet-and-greet learning journey is his vaccination against the range of infectious diseases that he might pick up from other dogs. Vaccinations can be administered by a vet from as early as six weeks, with regular boosters up to the age of 16 weeks, so you’ll need to find the right vet for you in good time. (See 'Vet’s Corner’ for more information on vaccinations).

The benefits of spaying and neutering

While at the vets we recommend that you talk through the pros and cons of spaying or neutering. Unless you consciously want to breed from a dog it’s probably best to opt for the dog to have the operation as there’ll be less aggression, roaming and marking of territory. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about half a dozen surprise additions to the family.

Just one note of caution, however. Sterilization can cause a dog to gain weight, so take care to stick to the recommended daily guidelines on feeding and make sure your dog gets enough exercise, both physically and mentally.

Read more on puppy health tips

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