Raising a puppy, whether a Terrier or a Biewer Terrier, is not drilling and is not a list of commands. It is building a relationship. When a puppy feels calm and safe with us, it learns to trust, and from that trust everything else grows.
Over the years we have learned that patience, not strictness, brings the best results. A dog we show what we want and praise for it learns with joy. A dog we constantly correct and scold becomes insecure and confused.
Trust first, rules later
In the first weeks in a new home, let the puppy focus on learning that it is safe with you. Commands like sit or heel can wait. It is far more important that the puppy gets used to your voice, your touch and your rhythm. Once it trusts you, learning goes much more easily.
Reward what you want to see
The basic rule of kind upbringing is simple. Instead of punishing what we dislike, we praise what we want. When a puppy wees outside, praise it. When it lies calmly while you work, reward it with a calm word. So the puppy learns which behaviour pays off.
Short exercises, lots of repetition
A puppy has a short attention span, so short exercises are better than long ones. A few minutes several times a day achieves far more than one long, tiring session. Let the exercises be playful and cheerful. When a puppy enjoys itself, it learns without even noticing.
Consistency gives a sense of security
Predictability benefits a puppy most. When each day goes similarly, it knows what to expect and is therefore calmer. Consistency does not mean strictness. It means the same rules apply today and tomorrow, and that everyone in the family understands them the same way.
Rest is part of upbringing
A puppy needs a huge amount of sleep, even up to twenty hours a day. When overtired, it becomes irritable, bites and does not listen, much like a small child. So not every problem is a matter of upbringing; sometimes it is simply a sign that the puppy is tired.
Patience always pays off
Raising a puppy is a marathon, not a hundred-metre sprint. Sometimes it will go faster, sometimes it will look as if we have gone backwards. That is normal. If we stay calm, kind and consistent, it all pays off in a dog that trusts us and cooperates with joy.
Literature and sources
Ziv G (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs — a review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 19:50–60.
China L, Mills DS, Cooper JJ (2020). Efficacy of dog training with and without remote electronic collars. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7:508.
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (2007). Position Statement on the Use of Punishment for Behavior Modification in Animals.
