Dog trainer 遠藤エマ Ema Endō, who runs the "Happy Dog Life - Ema" dog training class, posts videos on dog training on her YouTube channel, 『犬のしつけ 新!遠藤エマ チャンネル』 (inu no shitsuke shin! endō ema channeru | literally, "Dog Training: New! Ema Endō Channel").

On her channel, instead of focusing on obedience, Endō seeks to answer the question "Why is your dog behaving that way?" She teaches you how to develop a healthy and happy relationship with your dog through praise in an easy-to-understand style.

Taking your puppy out for walks

Endō recommends taking your puppy for a walk outside while holding it in your arms while it's still a puppy, even before it has received its first vaccination.

If your puppy doesn't show any signs of fear when it sees the outside world from a door or window, it will become accustomed to human society and learn social skills simply by being held in your arms as you take it for a walk.

It's good to do this while your puppy has yet to develop a strong sense of caution, Endō says.

Safety when holding puppies and small dogs

However, before you take your puppy or small dog for a walk, she insists on the importance of following certain rules when picking up, holding and releasing it. In fact, these rules are important whether you're walking or simply holding your dog to cuddle.

To begin with, for a small dog or puppy, the height at which an adult human holds them when standing upright is quite a scary distance. For a human, it would be equivalent of suddenly being lifted up to the second floor of a building. Therefore, if they are not held correctly, they can easily panic, suddenly moving their legs and then they can escape from your grasp and fall.

At such a height, it's possible for a small dog to suffer various injuries such as broken bones. Moreover, if you pick up your dog too forcefully and in the wrong way, you could dislocate its joints.

In the video, Endō demonstrates the safe and secure way of picking up and holding your puppy or small dog, how to train them to enjoy the experience and how to safely release them to the ground when you're done.

Whether you're going to welcome a puppy into your family or already have a dog and are having trouble training it, Ema Endō's channel will surely have some useful tips for you.