Many new owners of Poms ask themselves this question: Do I really have to train a toy dog? The advantages of obedience training know no size boundaries. Large dogs and small dogs benefit from a proper canine education. Owners who live with trained dogs are far happier than owners who cope with the daily struggle of living with untrained dogs.
Untrained Poms can be little tyrants! Who wants a whirling ball of fur bossing you around the house, peeing on carpets and running amok day after day? Not you! Training the Pomeranian presents certain challenges, but the breed fares better in obedience than most of his pint-sized competition in the Toy Group. Poms live to please, and that's a decided advantage when training a dog.
Training a puppy of any breed can be challenging. Some take to it like a duck to water, but others present more of a challenge for their owners. Puppy training takes both time and dedication. Consistency is a must.
Always keep in mind that your new Pom puppy is in a completely different environment now. Nothing is familiar to him, so even if training had begun with the breeder, he will realistically have to relearn everything. Sounds and smells are unfamiliar, your daily routine is perhaps not quite what he was used to and, very importantly, the door is in a different place!
Next Step: Socialization and Early Lessons
Reprinted from Breeder's Best: Pomeranian © 2005 Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.