Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: The Basic Training Tips

Training a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is something that must be done at the earliest possible time. Socialization should begin at around three weeks old and ends at around 12 weeks old.

Below are some training tips you might find useful in training your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:

1. Be prepared. When your puppy comes home for the first time, it is very important that you are prepared in order to make his first few days at home comfortable. Set up a small room to be his very own sanctuary. Provide warm and comfortable dog bed and warm water bottle. Puppy-proofing the house is highly recommended. This aims to keep these curious little creatures safe from poisons and other possible dangers at home.

2. Be positive. It is very important to use positive reinforcement when training your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Positive reinforcement includes giving of special food treats,  the chance to play with his favorite toys, social interaction with other dogs and the owner's time, attention and praise. The use of positive reinforcement aims to increase the chance of the behavior being exhibited again.

3. Avoid physical punishment. Physical punishments are risky and almost never necessary. Rubbing your dog's nose in his dirt, yelling at a barking dog or jerking the leash when the dog pulls are not the best ways to correct a dog's behavior. In fact, it may do more harm than good because excessive or inappropriate punishment can traumatize your dog.

4. Keep training sessions short. Remember that dogs, especially puppies have short attention span. They get bored easily that is why training sessions must be kept short, say fifteen minutes or so on a single command. Always end the session in a positive note and remember to lavish him with praise if he has successfully mastered the command.

5. Keep a routine. You need to be consistent in your puppy's daily routine in order to make him a fine-mannered that is pleasant to be around. Daily feeding, grooming, potty and playing activities must be on regular basis. If possible, delegate responsibilities to your family members to prevent the possibility of your dog unable to potty or being left unfed.