Do I really need to train my puppy?

Playful, curious and at times cheeky - that's how we know and love our puppies. But do we need to show them boundaries and teach them rules? And if so, at what age do we start and what are the key factors to look out for?

Breaking flowerpots, tearing up furniture, biting in play, doing their business in the house, and the list goes on - puppies do things they are not supposed to or things we don't want them to do. The question is whether this will resolve itself, meaning our beloved pets learn not to do these things, or whether we need to teach them these rules.

Unfortunately, the answer is that yes, we do need to train them.  There are, of course, elements they pick up on as they grow older. Scientists have found out, for instance, that most dogs come to understand that we don't want our furniture and other things broken. They learn this by watching our reaction as we get upset, even if it is not directed at them. In general, however, they need to be taught most of the rules.

Now first, we must understand how a puppy mind works. Try to put yourself in its position: you are a domesticated animal, dependent on your owner, but you understand hardly anything of the very chaotic and complex world you live in.

Take cars for example: We know getting hit by a car causes serious injuries or worse. Your puppy does not know that. These types of information are not inherient to the puppy's mind and not knowing them puts them in severe danger. Thus, we need to teach our pet not run in front of a car. For the sake of its own safety and the safety of yourself and other people and animals, our puppy needs to learn a few basic rules.