Petting Skills

We all want puppies to love to cuddle and being pet by us, but puppies love to explore the world with their mouths and that’s not always conducive to calm petting when they’re young.

Begin to teach your puppy that human hands reaching toward them should signal them to be quiet and calm, and how to confidently receive petting and attention.

Step 1: Start your puppy in a down position and touch and feed at the same time. Let your puppy eat the treat as they receive petting on their back or shoulder area. Have toys ready in case your puppy bites, so you can redirect them to a toy. Don’t pet on top of your puppy’s head for this- it can be rude or scary. Choose their back or shoulder area for them to receive petting. If your puppy gets up, wait and see if they’re willing to come back. There should be consent involved to make this a positive experience.

Step 2: Pet, AND THEN feed the puppy their treat.