Puppy Training from the Puppy's viewpoint

The trick to speedy puppy training is to have your Puppy want the same as you want. Why fight with your little scrap of fluff? You've planned and waited so long for him. You don't want to spoil your new relationship with a harsh method of puppy training. Most likely your first reason in getting a dog is for companionship, so a companion is what he's meant to be – not a source of annoyance. And believe me, just as with a small child, you'll get nowhere unless you can bring him with you!

So you bring your puppy home, settle him in and make him feel at home - and there's no better way to make him feel secure and safeguard your home than Crate Training - the easy way to Housetraining - and next morning Puppy Training! I find that 6 weeks is the ideal time to start with puppy training. Your pup is programmed to please, to fit in, to trade good humour for food and attention – don't waste this! In two minutes "playtime" you can achieve enormous results.

And playtime is the key to my method of puppy training. Did you learn more at school when you were forced to study, or when the project was so interesting that you felt compelled to do the work?

Absolutely! And your little puppy is the same. If you can't inspire him to pay attention to you in puppy training, he will simply switch off, and then no amount of shouting, calling or cajoling will get him back for you again.

Your puppy has to think that the sun shines out of your eyes! He pricks up his ears and listens attentively when you say his name because he knows that good things now happen. This is the lynchpin of this type of puppy training, and so you may use any reasonable means to make sure that your puppy knows his name, and that when he hears it he stops what he's doing and comes to see what's on offer.

So how about a bit of old-fashioned bribery? Any parent (including your own, most probably!) will tell you the value of bribery for eliciting desired behaviour. So for this most vital of puppy training tips, use treats, titbits, dinner, toys, games – whatever excites your particular puppy.