In this installment of Pitbull puppy training tips, we’re going to discuss how to get your puppy to listen to you.
It’s important for any dog to learn to listen and follow direction from its master.
Its doubly important for the Pitbull, as its erroneous reputation as a killer can make anything it does look vicious to the uninitiated.
3 Pitbull Puppy Training Tips on Listening
Teaching your Pitbull puppy to listen is a three pronged process. You have to get its attention, hold its attention, and reward that behavior. Just like training any other dog, Pitbull puppy training requires repetition, patience, and big rewards.
Get Its Attention
The first thing you want to teach your puppy is that it pays to listen to you. For a session like this, you want your initial puppy training to take place in a room free of distractions. Ideally, it should be you, your Pitbull puppy, and the treats you’ll use for reward. There should be no other distractions.
Begin by calling your puppy’s name. As soon as it looks at you, give it a treat. Repeat this process until your Pitbull puppy acknowledges you every single time you call its name.
Related: Pitbull Puppy Training Tips – Quick and Easy Potty Training
Hold Its Attention
The second thing you’ll want to do is hold your puppy’s attention. Remember this key philosophy in my Pitbull puppy training tips series: treats, treats, treats. It definitely holds true when training your pitbull puppy to listen. Once you have your pup’s attention, keep it on you by using treats.
Keep a treat in your hand, and keep your Pitbull puppy’s eyes on you at all times by dispensing a little bit of treat to keep you the center of its attention. It won’t take long for your puppy to learn that looking and listening to you results in awesome nom noms.
Related: Pitbull Puppy Training Tips – Teaching Sit
Reward Its Attention
I know we’ve already talked about rewarding your Pitbull puppy when it gives you its attention, but you’ll want reinforce that further. Always be a human treat dispenser when training your Pitbull puppy. That’s a given. However, you also want to be extremely excited when the training session is over, as well. Remember, you want training to be the most absolutely spectacular part of your Pitbull puppy’s day.
Your Pitbull Puppy Must Listen
It’s so important that you train your Pitbull puppy to listen, and if you follow these three Pitbull puppy training tips on listening, and exercise some patience you will. Pitbulls are cursed with a horrible reputation, so they must listen to you. I’ve seen the looks on people’s faces when a Lab rushes to greet them, and I’ve seen the looks on their faces when a Pit rushes to say hello. They are two VERY different expressions.
Did you already train your pitbull puppy to listen? What tips can you offer?
