Many people want to train their Japanese Spitz dogs, but to do that well you first need to understand the breed. Training without understanding often wastes effort. Once you know the dog better, training becomes much more effective.
1. Elimination training, best done after meals
Place some newspaper with the dogs urine scent in a fixed corner outside the bed area or in the bathroom. In the early stage, the paper should cover a large area, and then you gradually teach the dog to use only that spot. Remember to praise the dog immediately when it does the right thing, and correct it briefly and firmly when it does wrong. Once the toilet location is chosen, it should not be moved casually. That helps the dog develop more freedom in the home. With puppies, teach one behavior at a time and be patient. Do not rush.
2. The commands no and good
When the Japanese Spitz behaves badly, stop the behavior immediately and say no so the dog understands that it is not allowed and will be corrected. On the other hand, when the dog behaves well, immediately praise it with a good command and pet its head or neck so it learns that the owner likes that behavior.
3. The wait and come commands
The wait command means the dog should temporarily stop moving. When feeding, place the food in front of the Japanese Spitz and say wait repeatedly until it understands. To train come, practice while walking. Call the dog and praise it immediately if it comes to you. If it does not come or runs away, do not chase or beat it. Wait and try again later. In daily life, keep the dog within about ten meters when off leash. It is important to teach leash use early, especially when crossing roads, to avoid accidents. In open areas, if the dog wanders too far, call it back and train it to stay close.
4. Sit training, best done before meals
When first giving the sit command, the Japanese Spitz will not understand it. You need to gently press the back half of its body downward while giving the command until it learns to sit quietly.
5. Shake hands training, best done before meals
Only after the dog fully understands the sit command should you start this exercise. Once it sits quietly, lift its left or right paw gently while saying shake hands. Repeat until the dog understands and responds to the command. Practice every day and never rush into the next behavior before the current one is learned.
6. Lie down training, best done before meals
To train the Japanese Spitz to lie down, choose a quiet place. When it is sitting calmly, gently pull its front legs forward into a lying position. If the dog trusts the owner, this becomes easier. Pat it and praise it afterward.
7. Barking training
In fact, a Japanese Spitz does not naturally want to bark on command, so training is easier before meals when the dog is excited. If it does not bark, repeated commands may not work, and you may need to change the situation to create motivation. When the dog does bark, praise it. Around four or five months old, do not let strangers approach it too casually so it develops a sense of caution toward outsiders. Another way is to let someone pretend to take its food, which may naturally make it bark. At that moment the owner should reward the dog and reinforce the command. This builds confidence and trust in the owner while making the dog more selective toward others.
8. No barking training
Some Japanese Spitz dogs bark too much, which can be frustrating. This training is the opposite of barking training, but the process is similar. The goal is to teach the dog when barking is acceptable and when it is not. If a visitor arrives and the dog barks continuously, telling it not to bark or correcting it firmly is better than picking it up, because picking it up may make the dog think it was doing the right thing. A puppy left alone in its kennel may bark out of boredom. If you appear immediately every time it barks, it may learn that barking gets attention. Instead, correct the behavior consistently. Praise even small improvements near the dogs mouth.
9. Enter training
The purpose of enter is to command the dog to go into its kennel. At first, use a leash or hand guidance while saying enter. This is especially useful before bedtime or after exercise. Repeat daily until the dog learns. The kennel should not be moved frequently, or the dog may become confused. Once the dog understands, try giving the command without physically pushing it. Later, point to the location and command it to go there. The first stage is guided behavior; the later stage is one command and one action with clear rewards and corrections. For a house pet, the same principle works if you want it to go into a specific area or sit in a designated place.
10. Mouth opening training
Mouth opening is not difficult, but the dog must first learn that opening its mouth is not dangerous and can even be beneficial. Start by calming the dog with gentle touch. Move your hand from the head and forehead to the muzzle, then use the thumb and forefinger to gently lift the upper muzzle. If the dog resists, stop immediately and praise it, then try again later. Do not force it.
Once the upper muzzle opens, the lower jaw should open too. At that moment place a small piece of food such as meat or biscuit into the mouth. Repeating this makes the dog realize that opening its mouth has a positive result. Later, giving medicine becomes much easier.
Training the Japanese Spitz requires repeated practice so that it forms a memory. Once the owner can lift the upper muzzle and the lower jaw opens at the same time, the behavior is learned. Even a forgetful dog can usually remember within a few days if the training is repeated regularly.