Congratulations on adopting a new puppy! You’ve made a wonderful decision to introduce a new family member into your loving home. The future ahead will hold plenty of challenges—but with the right attitude and resources, each one will fun and rewarding. One of these is training your puppy, which should begin as soon as they come home from The Pet Hale.

Someday, you may want to train your dog to do fancy tricks or complicated tasks, but there are some critical things your puppy should know from the very beginning to grow into a well-mannered and trustworthy dog. Your local Mililani, HI, pet shop recommends the following advice for ensuring a smooth transitory period for your puppy.

3 Critical Beginning Puppy Training Tips

1. Reward Good Behavior Immediately

The best way to start training a new puppy is to immediately reward good behavior. They’ll be starting out with a clean slate, so they’ll have no idea what you consider acceptable or otherwise. What your puppy will know is how much he loves affection and treats. So if you notice him being quiet, recognizing his name, or exhibiting other good behavior, let him know you appreciate it. Never take good behavior for granted at this stage: Even the smallest things are important to acknowledge.

2. Ignore Bad Behavior

On the other side of the coin, your puppy will do plenty of things that aren’t considered good behavior, including jumping up and pawing at people or barking excitedly. If you’ve never had a dog before, your first instinct might be to shout, “No!” when they do this, but shouting may actually get them more riled up. Instead, a more effective response at this stage in your puppy’s training is to ignore them. As soon as they act acceptably, don’t forget to reward them. Never shout your dog’s name as a punishment, as they should only associate their name with positivity.

3. Don’t Change the Rules

It’s tempting to let puppies get away with things, since the experience is so novel. But never forget that before long, your puppy will grow up—and things you thought were so cute before will be cute no longer. If you’ve spent your dog’s “puppyhood” letting them do whatever they like, don’t expect them to understand they can’t act the same way as an adult. To prevent confusion, train your puppy to behave the way you’d want an adult dog to act.

All puppies for sale at The Pet Hale come from local families and no-kill shelters and are examined by a licensed veterinarian. Call (808) 696-1083 or visit their website to learn more about this pet shop.