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Training your puppy will go quicker and be more pleasurable for both of you when you understand your puppy’s mood. If he or she is feeling lazy, tired, or just needs a nap as puppies often do, it is not a good time to train. Being able to pick up on these signals will help you gauge your puppy’s mood so you know when the best time to do a bit of training is. Let’s look at how we can know this so training time is not wasted.
Knowing your puppy’s mood is not difficult when you observe the signals he is giving you. Naturally we know barks and a wagging tail are indications of his mood but did you know the way the ears are held, paw position, and his mouth, as well as several other signs are all things to pay attention to when figuring out if he is in the best mood for training.
The playful mood is easy to pick up on. The pup will be wagging his tail while the body is rear high with the head and front paws down low. He is a position for fast movement to fetch a ball or make a run at you.
If he is feeling in a very friendly mood his mouth will be relaxed, the tail as well as his entire hind quarters will be moving side to side, with ears in a upright perky position and his eyes fully open and alert. He may also give a bark or whine as well.
The stressed out puppy will exhibit rapid breathing though a wide open mouth, his body might be trembling, the tail is tucked between the hind legs, and his ears will be down. These signals are common to a puppy that is fearful. They can include the hair on his back standing up, barking, and his eyes showing the whites as the head moves from side to side.
Aggression is easy to read because the pup will have his teeth bared, his tail will be pointed straight out from the body, he will be growling, and his ears will be laid back.
The moods you want your pup in before training are the friendly and playful moods. The aggressive mood is also okay, but you will need to establish you are in charge and not the pup. You may want to wait until the puppy is in a better mood — it will be less frustrating for both you and your furball.
If you can read your puppy’s mood correctly, then training the pup can be done at the optimum time.
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