The Strong Willed Puppy Grrrr!

Well I must qualify that a bit, I’ve worked with so many breeds over the years, a “strong willed” Cavachon puppy is a far cry less difficult to deal with than say a strong willed Rottweiler puppy!  That being said, in every breed, even a breed as generally laid-back and sweet natured as the Cavachon, there are individual puppies in a litter who are just a bit more precocious, yes, a bit more strong willed, and you as puppy owner and trainer, need to know how to train your particular puppy. For those who would be students of the dog and learn how to live with them more effectively, you need to access where your puppy fits as far as his temperament goes?  If you watch carefully he’ll give you numerous clues to find the path to being the loving but firm owner this puppy needs.

If your corrections are often ignored, you might have a strong willed puppy. (OR you might not be giving proper corrections, given with the right timing, given with the right amount of energy, the right tone of voice etc we’ll discuss all of that in an upcoming article). An easy way to decide where your puppy falls on the line between compliant and strong willed is to look for how he carries his ears and tail, especially when you are disciplining him.

Are his ears held high on his head? Is his tail high in the air and waving? Probably a sign that your little munchin will need a bit more firmness and you’ll need to carefully watch that you are the pack leader, not the follower which he’ll happily prefer. Compare this adorable little Ruby Cavachon puppy with his more soft natured sibling,,, see the ear set?

The soft expression (rather a sweet forlorn I’m trying to be a good puppy” look), our red head above is equally adorable, but looks more ready to chase the cat if you’re not quick to teach him the boundaries he needs to be a truly good dog!  Not to worry, both puppies (especially in THIS breed), with care and wisdom will end up at the same place, but your journey will be a happier one for both of you if you acquire the skills to train your puppy effectively from the very beginning.