Adding a puppy to your life is an exciting proposition, but if you decide to embark on this quest you should be willing to devote the next 10-20 years caring for your new friend. Dogs are a commitment and in some ways they limit a person’s or a family’s independence and ability to just get up and make last minute plans. You should also understand that if you want a well behaved life long member of your family you are committing to a lot of puppy training.
But, in my humble opinion the joys of dog ownership far surpasses the inconveniences! Eating a little dog fur, I am just sure, extends a person’s life and livelihood! And, a dirty dog paw to the face never really hurt anyone, did it?
Despite my quite prejudiced pro dog views, I understand that each person and family must research and recognize the changes they must accept to take a puppy into their lives. There are far too many dogs and puppies euthanized each year at shelters to make this decision lightly!
If you decide to travel down the new puppy trail, we will help you find the right puppy and get started on the right “paw” with puppy training and we will be here if you have behavior problems that arise.
Even professional dog trainers get puppies that have temperament problems and behavioral issues
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Choosing a puppy may seem like an overwhelming task, there are hundreds of breeds and mixed breed puppies to choose from! If you choose a puppy based simply on looks or “cuteness” you may be in for trouble as you puppy grows too big, needs constant grooming, is too active or just doesn’t fit your needs and what you were looking for in a dog.
The #1 Mistake People Make When Getting a Puppy is choosing a Pup Based Simply on Looks!
The most important aspect of choosing a puppy is how well he will fit into your life and how well he will acclimate to you and your family.
If you are active and enjoy hiking and running, you will want an active dog that can keep up with you. If you are a couch potato, you will probably want a dog that will sit with you while you watch TV or hang out around the house. If you have children you will need a dog that has a high likelihood of being good with them.
If you have cats you won’t want a breed that has a tendency to chase cats or other small animals. Grooming is also a consideration, do you want to take your dog in for a hair cut every 3 weeks and are you willing to brush a dog daily. Some dog breeds are known for drooling excessively (constantly flinging it on walls and the ceiling) and some snore.
Even how you live should be taken into account; if you live in an apartment you will probably want a dog that is extra mellow and definitely one that is likely to be quiet. Some dogs are known “people pleasers” and some are more independent, so even train-ability is a factor when looking for the right pup!
Whatever your circumstances there is a pure breed or a mixed breed dog out there that will fit your needs.
Do your research!
You wouldn’t buy the first car you ran across, don’t buy the first pup.
Find the puppy that will fit into each aspect of your lifestyle and you will have many happy years to share together!
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After choosing your pup, the next step is to set your puppy up for a long and successful life with you and your family.
You wouldn’t bring a baby or a toddler into your environment without baby proofing your house and ensuring the child’s safety, however most dog owners assume or expect their dogs to automatically listen and stay away from the dangers their homes present.
First go through your home with an eye out for safety.
Take up all dangerous chemicals; things like drain cleaners, anything containing bleach, etc.
Also put up human medications, spices, and sugar free gum.
For detailed information go to ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/ You can also use baby locks to keep your pup out of your cupboards, drawers and pantry.
Next go through your house looking from your new pup’s perspective; what items are laying around that might make fun toys for him? Put up your shoes, and any glass or picture frames that might be knocked over by an exuberant pup or a happy tail. Put away anything expensive and always keep it out of your pups reach. So many people get frustrated when their dog chews hundreds or thousands of dollars of precious items, but refuse to keep these items out of their dog’s reach. Often this frustration leads to relinquishment of ownership and a trip to the local shelter.
Puppies with simple chewing problems are euthanized every day! Help your puppy be successful by putting away your laptop, your designer sunglasses, and your Gucci purse! Because each time one of these costly items is destroyed it breaks down the relationship between you and your new best friend!
Do not worry, as your dog ages you will begin to teach him appropriate behavior and what “to” and “not to” chew.
In time, you will most likely be able to leave your shoes and your purse out within reach; but I caution you to always get into the habit of keeping your most precious object out of reach, it simply ensures their constant safety.
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Clicker training is fun and will help your puppy acclimate quicker to training and his new life!
But clickers aren’t meaningful to your pup until you MAKE them meaningful!
In order to use a clicker you must teach your puppy what the click means.
Why Should I Use a Clicker?
Some people resist the idea of using a clicker because they feel it is just one more thing they have to add to their pockets or puppy training regiment while working with their dogs. So some people opt to only use their voice.
However, there are numerous reasons to use a clicker instead of or WITH your voice for training.
The sound of the clicker is novel; it is unlike anything else and cannot be mistaken for other sounds.
The sound of the clicker does not change like the inflection of your voice can, it always sounds the same.
The clicker, unlike YOUR voice, can be used by anyone in your family, your friends, or your trainer.
It is actually quicker for your brain to get your hand to click than it is for your brain to get a word out of your mouth.
You can clicker train and have a conversation with someone.
Clicker training is simply more conducive to quicker learning for your dog.
That is not to say that your new puppy won’t learn without the clicker, or if you just use your voice to mark the things he does correctly; he just won’t learn as quickly.
This is true for several reasons:
We talk to our dogs all of the time and so they tend to tune us out to some degree.
As hard as we try we simply can’t use the same exact inflection each time we work with our dogs.
Each person that works with your dog has to also learn the same exact way you are training your puppy, and your dog must learn their voice and inflection.
And, our voices just aren’t as quick.
To meet my clients in the middle, and for later training so that I don’t always need a clicker; I do BOTH! I use the clicker at first and then I pair it WITH a word that has the same meaning. At my house I click and eventually after a few training sessions I say YES!
But first you must introduce or LOAD the clicker. Teach your dog that the clicker=treat! The clicker alone has no meaning, and may even be slightly intimidating.
So click and treat; click and treat and so on until your puppy knows as soon as he hears the click it means he is getting a treat!
Never click without treating! Don’t let kids or other people play with the clicker it is a tool not a toy! Now you will click every time your puppy does something right to let him know that THAT behavior that you are marking is exactly what you wanted him to do.
For example of you are teaching your puppy to sit, the instant your pup’s hind end hits the ground click and treat. Your pup will catch on quickly that whatever he was doing when you clicked is what you want him to continue to do for you!
Now you can begin to have some serious fun together and set him up for a lifetime of training success!
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People get a puppy or a new dog and after they name him, they promptly assume he knows his new name.
Even when I got a new puppy it was as if automatically everyone assumed he should know his name!
It’s like people think there should be some kind of miracle that happens when you name a new pup, but no one has really taken the steps necessary to TEACH him his name, what it means, and that it is a great thing!
When I get a new pup, I wait a few days before doing a lot of training. I want my pup to be able to acclimate to his new environment and his new siblings before adding much more to his plate. But, with that said I do work on teaching him his name at any natural moment throughout the day. And I praise and begin rewarding any good behavior that he is already showing!
I believe to build a firm foundation in the beginning you must pair his new name with his food and his treats!
How many of you have dogs that come running, from anywhere in the house or yard when you say “cookie, treat, or biscuit”, how about if you open the food container or shake the treat jars? I use to work for a couple that would call their cat by screaming “mouse in a can” and running the automatic can opener. Their cat would come running like his tail was on fire from anywhere in the neighborhood when he heard “mouse in a can”…you’d think that was his name ;) ha ha!
When was the last time you said the treat word and then yelled at or beat your dog when he came?
Do you say “cookie” and trim your dog’s nails or do other things he doesn’t like?
When he gets in trouble do you say “COOOOOKIE” with anger?
NO!! “cookie” always means something good!!
HOW Do You Teach Your Puppy His Name?
You use these same principals!! They are quite simple, really!
When you say his name pair it with a treat! Vary the degree of greatness of the treat, once it might be a biscuit and sometimes it might be chicken breast or liver!!! Not knowing how fantastic the treat may be helps give your dog the motivation to pay attention or com running!
ALWAYS make it a big deal and a wonderful affair when your dog comes to you or to his name! This is a time for celebration and fun! His name and coming when called can save his life someday so you want him as reliable as possible!!
NEVER (can I say that again?), NEVER, EVER, NEVER use your dog’s name as some kind of verbal correction!!! I know it’s tempting…”BUUUSTER get over here NOW!” is not something that makes your dog want to come to you. This negativity teaches your dog that his name is actually a bad thing!!! You NEVER want your dog to associate his name with bad or negative things; this will teach him to avoid you when you say his name, which is the opposite of what you want!
NEVER, EVER, NEVER do horrible things or things your dog may deem horrible to your dog when you call him; if he hates his crate don’t crate him, don’t trim his nails, don’t give him a bath, don’t reprimand him! Bad things make your dog want to avoid you. If you have to do these things go to your dog or teach him that doing them means the rewards will be phenomenal but don’t use his name, you don’t need it!
In the beginning use his name and pair it with a treat, Buster=treat, Buster=treat. You get the idea right? If you adhere to this plan or put it into action starting today you will see a HUGE improvement in your dog’s responsiveness! It’s simple and it is common sense.
After your puppy has learned his name you can begin to fade this training but you have built the foundation that his name equals something wonderful. Not everyone wants their dog to drop everything when they hear their name; they prefer the name as an attention getting mechanism so that more information can be imparted. If this is the path you choose you can fade his running to you and just reward him looking at you and waiting for more information. Or you can continue this training and your dog will likely run to you whenever you use his name!
You will later use the same ideals to teach your dog to COME when called.
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Crate training is one of THE first things I recommend for anyone and everyone that gets a puppy!
Crates are crucial, they give your pup a safe place to sleep and they keep him from harming himself when you are gone!
I can’t imagine having a dog that is not crate trained.
Crates give me peace of mind!
In order to make puppy crate training safe and effective I use crate games! Actually most of my dog training revolves around games, because games are fun for dogs AND people! If you are having fun, chances are your dog will be having fun. Likewise, if you are frustrated and angry chances are your dog will be frustrated and confused.
So make crate training and everything crate learning revolve around a fun game that you and your dog can play! Soon you will see that your dog is hesitant to even come out of his crate because he enjoys the games so much!
What You Will Need
- Clicker
- Great succulent treats
- Toys
- Your Dog’s Crate
Things to Keep In Mind When Crate Training Your Puppy
You want to reward your dog for going into his crate.
You want to reward your dog for staying in his crate, even if for short periods of time
You will want to teach your dog from the beginning not to rush out of the crate door and fly out when you open it!
First you must make being in the crate fun for your dog! If your dog is intimidated by his crate, take the top off of it or the door off. If you have a wire crate you can tie the door open so it doesn’t slam shut and scare your puppy and you can also put a bed into the crate to reduce noise and shaking.
Feed your puppy in his crate! You must add value and excitement to your puppy’s crate as often as possible. You don’t need to shut him into the crate at first and you may sit outside the crate with him in the beginning. Throwing him into his crate with a bowl of food and locking the door might not be conducive to fun for him!
Now we are going to play the “Kennel Up” or “Get in Your Crate” game. Toss a treat into the crate and click as soon as your puppy steps into the crate. When all four feet are inside, click and jackpot! If you can, quickly drop a treat into the crate while the pup is still in there; if he comes out too quickly just continue clicking and treating as you toss treats in toward the back of the crate.
You can also utilize toys while teaching your pup how fun his crate can be; toss toys into the back of the crate praise him as soon as he is inside. Reach into the crate and engage in a little game of tug only while he is in the crate; this encourages him to stay in his crate and play with you. As soon as your pup comes out of his crate stop playing tug or toss the toy back inside.
Once your dog is comfortable in his crate and enjoys being inside without anxiety, you can move to the next level. Now we are going to teach your dog to race into his crate with excitement and joy. Put him on a leash, only to increase the anticipation, run to the crate and toss in a fantastic treat then run backward with him for a few feet. As you give him his crate command, release the leash and let him dash inside.
Quickly follow behind him and get another treat ready, DO NOT let him fly out of his crate! Give him another or a better treat for staying in the crate for a moment or two. You don’t want to teach your dog to RACE out of his crate, only reward him for racing INTO his crated!
If you can get him to sit, praise and reward or play a short game of tug with him while he is inside. The next step is to teach him to sit near the back of the crate once he is inside!
Now you should begin to be able to shut the door of the crate for a second or two. When you open the door reward your dog profusely for staying seated near the back of the crate. Do not reward him for running out. He should only be rewarded for going into his crate, not coming out of it.
As you progress, you should be able to leave the crate door shut longer and longer before opening it. Remember to praise and reward him for staying inside the crate when you open the door. Reward him only in the back of the crate to ensure he stays inside. No one wants to get thumped by a crate door!
If you continue playing this game, as your pup grows you will begin to see him choose to spend time in his crate and often he will go there to take a break or a nap from the excitement of the day. I often find my dogs sleeping upside down in their crates with the door open!
Crates are an essential tool!
They can be utilized when you go on vacation or if you have to leave your pup at the vet or groomer as a safe haven for your dog to feel more comfortable.
They also keep your dog and your possessions safe from chewing and other hazards!
So go ahead get a crate and play some fun games with your dog, you will be glad you did!
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After acclimating your puppy to his new home and crate, I believe leash training and at least the acceptance of the leash is the next most important step in your pup’s new life with you and your family.
Leash training your necessary to the safety of your puppy and walking your puppy or dog and taking him places is are some of the joys of dog ownership!
However pups aren’t born with collars and leashes and if the breeder didn’t get your puppy use to a collar and leash your puppy may be frightened when you place them on his body. It is crucial to acclimate your puppy slowly and in a fun manner to ensure early success with a leash and collar.
Things You Will Need
- Collar
- Treats
- Clicker
- Leash
First, get a loose fitting collar. While training at home it is important that the collar is a littler looser than you would normally have it when going outside, but not so loose that his back foot could get stuck in the collar. Tight collars are a bit more restrictive and frightening for your pup at first. The collar can and should be tightened as he gets use to it and you take your puppy outside.
When you put the collar on your dog make sure to do something fun; feed him, throw a ball, or play with him. The idea is to distract him from throwing a fit, scratching incessantly, or becoming scared! Do not attach anything that hangs on the collar at least until he is use to wearing it. Tags that jingle can be overwhelming for a pup that is trying to get use to a new collar! You may take the collar off after feeding and play if it is still bothering him. Slowly increase the time that you have him wear it until he gets use to it.
Once your pup is happily wearing his collar with no notice and no problem you may begin attaching a leash to it. The important thing to remember is; first your pup has to acclimate to having a leash on before you begin to touch it or restrict his movement. Pulling or yanking on your dog’s leash can be daunting and make him want to run away or freeze without moving at all. Just let him wander around dragging his leash at first.
When your pup is happily dragging his new leash around it is time to begin picking up the handle, but refrain from yanking or pulling. Just pick it up and follow your pup around the house for a bit. When he is comfortable with this, put light pressure on the leash so he begins to feel what it is like being slightly restricted.
Slowly work your way up to holding the leash normally. With time, your pup will begin pulling on the leash like a normal dog! Never continue walking when your pup pulls on the leash, this only reinforces a problem behavior. As soon as the leash goes tight stop moving forward and wait until he stops. Don’t jerk or yank him back, wait till he turns around and wanders back to you then praise him for good behavior.
It is important to teach your pup about his leash, but it is equally important not to encourage bad behavior!
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Puppies are like babies experiencing the world with each step and sniff, except they are on an extremely accelerated learning program!
It takes our kids 18 years to be ready to experience the world on their own and be considered adults, but puppies are usually considered full grown anywhere from 6 months to 4 years.
That means as the owners and breeders of puppies we have a very short period of time to make sure our little angels are well trained and socialized before it is too late and they make up their own minds about their world! Not all puppies are born social wonders, some of them are nervous about people and things they don’t know and they must be carefully taught how to appropriately conquer and care for things in their environment without causing trauma or distress.
Puppies have a short period of time during brain development when they are most impressionable usually up to about 15 weeks of age. They learn more during this time frame than they will in their whole lifetime. They learn how to experience their world, what things are happy, sad, exciting, or terrifying. The quality and quantity of these events has a huge impact on the development of their personalities and can determine the tendency toward good and bad behavior.
The first 7-8 weeks the pup is developing rapidly and learning about his environment through his mother and siblings. This is why I am adamant that I don’t take a puppy prior to 8 weeks old, there are just some things he can only learn from his mother and brothers and sisters; like appropriate bite inhibition.
The second stage is between 8-14 weeks and this is the optimal time for pups to acclimate to their new homes. This is the time to teach your new pup how to be well socialized and start training. Both socialization and training are key during this period of time!
Between 8-11 weeks some puppies go through their first fear-impact period, where traumatic or scary events are likely to scar your puppy for life and negative and shy behaviors can last a lifetime! It is essential during this period to control the quality of the socialization that occurs and if your pup becomes scared or nervous back up and get him out of the situation, even if the situation seems normal or is not scary for you. Always try to end any situation on a good note. Even if your pup gets scared and you need to leave, back up and give your pup a command or a situation where he can be successful.
It is important to control the environment that you take your pup into to the best of your ability during this stage. For example, I wouldn’t take your pup to an environment like Chucky Cheese where you might not be in control of everyone around; instead I would opt to take him to places that you know with calm quiet people that you know that will respect your wishes. Take him to your friend’s house and invite friends over to visit.
From 4 months to 8 months most dogs go through what is called the Flight Instinct period which is where most dogs will challenge your leadership to some degree and it may seem as if all that you have taught him has been lost. Be patient, your dog is also probably teething and may be uncomfortable. This is common, just understand his predicament, and be patient while still concentrating on obedience.
From 6 to 14 months marks another possible fear period in your pups life and socialization is equally important at this stage. This is also the time people usually see territorial and protective behaviors start. This is usually also when your pup becomes sexually mature (even if spayed or neutered). Smaller dogs mature earlier and larger dogs may mature later.
Encourage confidence through regular dog training and interaction. Avoid potentially overwhelming experiences by limiting exposure to things that might traumatize your dog. If your dog is scared of noise, don’t take him to a gun range or expose him to fireworks during this stage.
Maturity usually occurs between one and 4 years depending on the size of your dog, the bigger the dog typically the longer it takes for the dog to mature.
However, even once your dog reaches maturity it is not time to let your socialization routine lax.
You are never truly done socializing!
If you want your dog to be social you must take him places and let him experience your world.
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Some puppies are nearly born shy, or it might be a lack of socialization from an extremely early age, or perhaps it is just that the pup is entering its first fear stage.
Either way fearful pups need even more careful socialization that the average puppy does!
It is very important not to enhance your puppy’s fears by forcing too much socialization on him at one time in an uncontrolled environment.
You must learn to read his reactions and his behaviors prior to him becoming socially overwhelmed. And you must learn to control the people and things that come into his environment to the best of your ability.
Some trainers advise flooding; where the dog is flooded with the stimulation to the point he realizes it is not scary or stressful and therefore in theory overcomes his fears. However, flooding can back fire and make the process worse.
Imagine your worst fear; spiders, heights, being confined or buried. Now imagine that your therapy required you to be covered in spiders, be pushed out of an airplane, or be shut in a box until you overcame your fear! I am a little spider phobic, and I simply can’t imagine being covered in spiders, I think it would make my fears much worse!
From your pup’s perspective being flooded by people (even if they are well meaning people) can be frightening. So it is important to get to know your pup and learn to read his body language and signals and take him places where you can control the people.
Signs of Stress
- Shaking
- Stiffening of the body
- Dilated pupils
- Averting any eye contact with the object the dog is frightened of
- Being able to see the whites of the eyes
- Tail tucking
- Showing teeth
- Avoidance or walking/running away
- Backing up
- Choosing to lay as far away as possible
- Rolling over with the belly exposed
- Barking, Growling or crying
If you see a multitude or mixture of these behaviors get your pup out of the situation, but don’t coddle, hold, or fawn over your pup when he is scared. Simply back up to a more comfortable area so that you can offer calming signs and the ability to reward your pup, never leave on a bad note while petting and cooing to your puppy, this will be misconstrued as praising your pup for his fears. The last thing you want your pup to think is that you LIKE the scared behavior he is showing.
How to Control People
Don’t go places that you know will be packed if your pup is likely to be nervous. Find places that are not busy. For example I wouldn’t take my pup to Starbucks on a Saturday morning at 8, it is going to be too busy to get good work done and have control over people, and your pup will just be overwhelmed. But, Starbucks at 3 p.m. during the weekday is not as busy.
Utilize people you know. Take your pup to friend’s homes. Take your pup to the vet’s office just for socialization and treats and carry your pup in pet stores to socialize with people. Because puppies are not fully vaccinated and safe, it is unsafe to let them walk on the floors in pet stores until they are fully vaccinated, so I recommend carrying them if you decide to pop in for socialization!
Invite friends over to meet your new pup! Make dinner dates and let your puppy see nice people coming and going from his own environment from an early age.
Run your pup by a church outing to visit with people you know who will respect your wishes, for moving slowly and giving treats.
Always have people give your new pup a treat, this will help to break the ice and the pup will learn that people are good and associate them with treats. To encourage my pup to approach people I use a treat down next to his nose to lure him to the person then give them the treat to dispense. As he is eating I take a step or two back so that he is learning to be social and outgoing on his own. If he comes running back to me, I give the person another treat and encourage him to make the steps forward to take it. If he won’t make the steps on his own, I will step forward with him.
Another tactic I often employ is stuffing a great treat into his mouth and holding it and letting him nibble as people pet him. Often your pup is so interested in nibbling on the treat he hardly notices he is being petted by someone. It also gives him a great reward each time someone pets him. The requirement for this type of training scenario is that he be calm, not overly fearful and show no signs of aggression. If he is running around, trying to run away, or growling this type of training will back fire and reward the negative behavior.
Do not pick him up, if at all possible! He should learn to be independently social and some dogs will either only be social if picked up, or they become more protective in the arms of their owners. He needs to learn to stand on his own and deal with people in his own four feet!
Work on your own dog’s schedule; don’t push if your pup is not ready! If he is becoming more and more social you can begin teaching him to sit and wait patiently for petting and YOU can now be the one to give treats for appropriate social behavior!
Work slowly, and your pup may regress from time to time.
Socialization is imperative for the lifetime of your dog!
Be diligent and you should end up with a dog that enjoys a busy life and human interaction and companionship.
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Puppies are born into this world exploring it with their mouths.
Puppies are born deaf and blind and remain that way for the first 2 weeks of their lives; during this time they only experience their world through touch and by using their mouth to discover their surroundings.
So it is perfectly natural for puppies to nip and bite their humans when they enter their new life with you.
The most important piece of information I can impart is to make sure you don’t get your new pup before the age of 8 weeks. This time spent with mom and littermates helps to teach your pup bite inhibition which is indispensable later in life. Mom won’t let her pups bite her too hard; she is swift to deliver a well placed bite and stop the action in its tracks. Likewise littermates squeal and cry and help to teach each other bite inhibition. Without this interaction from your pup’s family, it is much more difficult to teach your pup appropriate bite inhibition.
Although it is normal for puppies to explore their environment using their teeth and mouths, it is inappropriate for them to put their teeth on humans. They must be taught never to put their teeth on people!
Extreme puppy biting, breaking the skin and making you bleed or lashing out in anger is not normal, refer to out article on puppy aggression for help with biting that is particularly aggressive.
Biting is not cute at any age! Adopt a policy of no tolerance for puppy teeth on skin or clothing!
What to Do:
The first step to try is to redirect your puppy to an appropriate object to chew. When he begins to play with you with his teeth simply distract him by a loud “Ahhh!” or “No Bite” when he releases his grip (most likely because he is startled) praise him and give him an appropriate toy to mouth on and play with. Sometimes puppies mouth because they are bored and under stimulated. Mouthing is normal; give him something to chew on and something to do to pass the time!
Step two would be to remove yourself from the situation at hand. Puppy teeth coming out = you going away. Most likely your pup wants to play with you, and he instigates play like he would with his litter mates; with his teeth. You must let him know that his teeth coming out equal you leaving the environment all together, which is not rewarding for your puppy and chances are it is not what he wants.
Some people recommend yelping, screaming like another puppy, or shouting “OUCH” and startling him to help your puppy understand the behavior he is displaying is inappropriate. For some dogs that are sensitive this is an effective way to teach them that what they are doing is wrong. For some pups that are not so sensitive this will excite them and make the biting worse, so be careful.
It can be very helpful to spray yourself and or your clothes with a bitter spray when your pup is mouthy. This distastefulness will teach your pup that you taste horrible and he will learn to keep his mouth off of you! Just remember to wash your hands before you eat!
Add obedience and training to your daily routine! Boredom is often to blame for puppy nipping and biting; they are exploring their environment and trying to get you to interact with them. Teach them appropriate behavior, train them and give them the skills they are going to need to be a successful family pet! Puppies are never too young or too old to learn! Teach him a multitude of tasks and you will see his naughty behaviors subside!
Exercise is crucial! Exercise is good for his mind and his body and it will make him too tired to mouth and nip you. Puppies need mental stimulation and good exercise to help their brains grow, make sure you are providing your pup with adequate stimulation! Imagine having a 2 year old child and never allowing him to exercise, play or learn. Now imagine giving him everything he wants when he wants it with no rules. We would never raise a child this way; people think this is an acceptable way to raise a puppy! Puppies need just as many rules and stimulation as children require!
DO NOT:
Play tug with your puppy! This encourages the rough use of his mouth and aggressiveness like growling!
Spoil or cater to your canine companion (no matter how cute that puppy face is) rules and regulations give a puppy structure and make you the parent in the relationship (not the servant). Giving your puppy structure and rules will help him become more respectful!
Play rough games with your puppy. Pushing, pulling, and tugging are all behaviors that encourage him to bite and use his mouth. Encouraging him to bite one moment and then correcting him the next is confusing. Encourage good behavior by playing control games.
Expect your puppy to lay around with no stimulation at all and act like he is 11 years old! Puppies need stimulation, appropriate play, appropriate things to chew on, puppy training, and exercise be ready and willing to give him the things he requires!
By understanding your puppy’s needs you can control even the most rotten behaviors!
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Like puppy mouthing, nipping and biting puppy chewing is a normal behavior!
Remember puppies don’t have opposable thumbs, they can’t sit down and read a book, enjoy a summer blockbuster, or perfect their reflexes by playing video games.
The way that dogs interact with their environment is extremely limited by what we consider appropriate behavior.
Dogs enjoy shredding toys, sofas, carpets and even drywall; they are stimulated by digging holes, chasing people and small animals and barking incessantly. If left to their own devices dogs would destroy thousands of dollars worth of their owner’s possessions and demonstrate horrible manners!
Puppies must be taught appropriate alternative behaviors and must be provided with suitable things to chew!
Most puppies enjoy chewing on a variety of objects. Dog toy manufacturers make millions of dollars each year banking on this fact! Having recently acquired a puppy of my very own, I can admit to spending a couple hundred dollars preparing for his arrival.
Some of you probably stopped breathing for a minute after I admitted to that, but yes, I will say it again I spent a couple hundred dollars in dog toys getting ready to bring my new canine friend home. It seems extensive, but $200 worth of puppy toys is certainly cheaper than; new carpeting, new floor molding or drywall, or a new computer. Some people’s shoes cost more than that! Actually it is a small investment toward insuring the livelihood of my extravagant items.
Pups need to chew especially when they are around 4 months old. At about 4 months of age your puppy begins to lose his baby teeth and get his adult teeth. Teething can be painful and just plain uncomfortable! Chewing on objects often alleviates some of the pain associated with teething. It is crucial to provide toys that your pup can chew on during this time.
To help with teething I recommend soaking toys in water or low salt broth and freezing your pups favorite toys; this frozen treat helps lessen the pain and can be a fun way to entertain them while they are outside. You can even freeze bones and Kong toys (and the like), stuff them with peanut butter and it becomes an even more delectable frozen treat!
Provide your pup with a variety of toys; hard toys, soft toys, sterile bones, rubber toys the options are almost limitless.
Things to Keep in Mind When Buying Toys
If you have kids that enjoy stuffed animals, I don’t recommend fuzzy or stuffed dog toys or the line between puppy’s toys and kid’s toys can be easily blurred. In this case, you can get canvas toys for your dog!
Only get toys and treats that are big enough and cannot be choked on. I usually recommend even bigger toys for small dogs. The big toys are often the most fun!
Extremely hard toys or chews like sterile bones, real bones can break teeth if your dog is an adamant or vivacious chewer. Most dogs will not suffer from breaking their teeth, but there is the occasional “crazy” chewer that might break a tooth. If your dog is resolute and you can hear the bone or his teeth cracking take the hard toys away.
Never leave anything but “indestructible” toys in your pup’s crate or with him while he is unattended. Plush toys, rope toys, rawhides and the like can be dangerous!
The main reason that most dogs and puppies chew is boredom. When there is nothing else to do, your pup will resort to destroying objects in an attempt to entertain his brain.
What to Do:
Exercise! I can’t say it enough exercise is critical for solving most behavior problems! A tired puppy is a good puppy; and a sleeping puppy cannot be chewing on or annihilating your precious stuff.
Provide a variety of toys and a toy box so that your dog knows where to go to get his toys when he wants to play!
Add toys and take favorite toys away. Does your dog stare at his toy box as if to say “I have nothing to play with”; dogs are a lot like us and it reminds me of women looking in the closet and saying they have “nothing to wear”. The nice thing is that dogs can be manipulated with a small amount of work and money. You don’t always have to spend hundreds of dollars adding new toys.
If you go on a shopping spree, add one toy at a time over a long time. You can also take your dog’s favorite toy away for a week or two and then reintroduce it; it’ll be like you added a whole new toy to his toy box!
Puppy training stimulates your puppy’s mind and makes him tired. Again, a tired puppy is a good puppy! Work with your puppy and teach him obedience and a variety of tricks. Interaction provides mental stimulation which breaks down the boredom your dog is feeling!
Utilize your puppy’s crate when you cannot keep an eye on him or when you are away!
It’s simple, really, if you look at it from a different perspective. Provide your dog with safe things to chew and regular exercise, put up your treasures so they don’t fall into the wrong jaws and paws, and then don’t allow him to roam freely until he has proven himself worthy.
If your pup is chewing ask yourself what you can do to help entertain your pup and point him in the right direction!
Remember to set him up for success and don’t give him access to your stuff until he earns that privilege!
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There is nothing cuter than kids and puppies and when you put the two together you can blow the roof off of adorable; or you can create disaster.
Most of us expect that kids and puppies will simply get along, but this is not always the case. Kids need to be taught to love and respect puppies, and likewise puppies need to be taught to love and respect children.
For Children:
Kids can sometimes be resentful of a new pet; the puppy is now getting all the attention they once enjoyed. So understand that some resentment may occur and try to be cognizant of both parties while doling out affection.
Kids must be taught how to handle puppies. My mother always made us kids sit on the floor (so that we couldn’t drop an unsuspecting wiggly animal) before holding a pet. When we were very small, we were not allowed to pick animals up off of the floor. A lot of animals don’t like the action of being picked up and may become especially fearful if they feel they are in unstable hands.
Initially kids need to be taught to move slowly. Fast moving objects are often either scary or prey objects; to be chased and bitten!
Let kids know puppies are just like little babies and can be easily intimidated and scared. Most kids understand being scared because they, too have had fears of things!
Puppies like to be petted on their chest, not over the top of their head. Fast moving hands reaching over the tops of puppy’s heads can be overwhelming and intimidating.
Puppies do not like to be hugged and they don’t like it when kids get in their face. Hugging restricts movement and is a very dominant action as is getting up and into the eyes and face of a pup or dog.
Teach your children to come to you if the puppy steals a favorite toy or object and not to chase the puppy. Puppies may lash out at a child that is chasing them; it can kick their fight or flight instinct into gear. If your pup is trying to get away but is being chased he may feel as if the only thing that is left to do to stop the assault is to inflict a bite. And, dogs often bite other dogs, and children in the face.
I recommend having older children feed the puppy in the home, so that their meal revolves around the child. This brings feelings of acceptance and well being associated with the children in the home and it elevates their status to the puppy. You must be kind to those that pay/feed you!
I also recommend that kids get involved in the training of the pup and the teaching of tricks! Dog obedience can be boring for children, but teaching the new puppy to roll over, shake hands, or perform other tricks can be delightfully fun for kids! This also teaches your pup to respect and enjoy your kids!
You can even get small children involved in obedience by having them give the commands while, you, the parent makes the pup listen and obey. This helps the puppy to listen to everyone in the family and is called double handling. I love double handling with children; it ensures respect for both dog and child when they are together!
For Puppies:
Puppies must also be taught to move slowly and consciously around young children so that they don’t jump on or injure them. Puppies go through what I call a “rocket dog” stage each day where they sprint around and burn off pent up energy, it is essential that they are cognizant of where they are running and jumping. Controlled exercise can help manage this expenditure of energy.
Puppies, often, must be taught what children are; puppies don’t necessarily understand that children are small humans. Kids run fast, stomp, scream, fidget and in general do not act like adults. Puppies are therefore sometimes fearful of these inconsistencies and must be taught what children are and to respect and love them.
Often the closest thing that children resemble to puppies is…other puppies or their former litter mates. This means that puppies are more likely to put their mouths on and play too hard with children like they would with other dogs or their former siblings. Both kids and dogs need to be taught how to play successfully together!
I keep my puppies on a leash until they earn the privilege of being off leash; this allows me to control how they treat my children. I can enforce good behavior and keep my pup from jumping, scratching or nipping at the kids.
Children are loud, they move fast, they make strange noises and sometimes they engage in behavior that dogs classify as rude and obnoxious. Unfortunately, that is how most children behave and it is difficult to control all the children that your dog will meet so although I do recommend educating and arming children with good doggy social skills, it is also imperative that dogs are subjected to the world of children in a fun and positive way. Start small! I don’t want to hurt or scare my dogs that would defeat the purpose! I want to start by being slightly irritating and reward my dog for a correct response.
- Gently I touch their ears, feet, snout etc. and click. Touch should equal something good.
- As long as I see no signs of aversion I move to the next step of adding more pressure or irritants.
- This time I hold the ears and paws just a little too long. I poke a little harder but I click and jack pot a good response.
- Use lots of praise and rewards, this should actually be a game and should be fun for you and your dog.
- Don’t do this for long periods of time; this type of training should be done in short positive bouts.
When something slightly uncomfortable or painful happens I want my dog to almost enjoy it and look to me for a treat. It should be as if it is a normal part of his lifestyle. If you as an adult never hug, poke, pull or irritate your dog he will have difficulty accepting it from a child.
I do not recommend using your children for this training. Your children should be taught good behavior and shouldn’t be allowed to get in your dog’s face, pull fur, take food or treats away etc. Your children should be associated with only good things. Adults see the warning signs for aggression before children do and can act appropriately if they see a problem. Desensitizing your pup to roughness is critical for success when interacting with children of all ages.
I also do not recommend leaving kids and dogs alone; all the training in the world cannot save a child that really hurts a dog by falling on top of him or hurting a painful geriatric dog. A dog in sincere pain that cannot get away will often bite because there is nothing else to do. That is why I keep my pups and dogs in the room with me; it allows me to keep an eye on them and everyone else in their environment. If I cannot watch them or have to leave, I utilize my dog’s crate!
In a perfect world all puppies and dogs would love all children and all children would love and respect all dogs.
We don’t live in a perfect world and so we must teach both our dogs and our children to love and respect one another.
With diligent work this is usually quite successful; it just requires a conscientious adult that is willing to put forth the effort early in the life of the puppy and throughout the lifetime of the dog!
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Most people don’t bring their new puppy home and immediately want to allow it access to the whole house. I agree! Puppies should learn to stay with their owners and conquer the house one room at a time. The process of reducing your puppy’s environment also helps monumentally with the success of potty training.
The smaller the environment the less likely your puppy is to have an accident in that space. This reduction of space is the basic principle of crate training and why it is so effective. You can utilize the same philosophy to make potty training in your house more successful.
It is not likely for a Great Dane to have an accident in a small one or two bedroom apartment, once he makes a mess it is difficult if not impossible for him to get far enough away from the accident to be comfortable. But, a Great Dane in a castle or a small dog or puppy in a small house has many places to go to get away from the distastefulness of the accident they just created.
This is why puppies sneak off for a minute or two and go into another room. Most often they will not blatantly have an accident right in front of you, it is when the opportunity arises to sneak away into a different space.
I make sure my pups stay with me and that I can see them so I can recognize the signs before the accident happens.
Baby gates can be utilized to reduce your puppy’s space, a leash or inside tie down can also help to reduce space, and simply shutting doors can significantly limit space. At first I recommend a combination of these confines.
But what about when your pup is a little bit older and you want to teach him to stay out of a particular room? I work with a lot of clients that don’t ever want their dog to come into the kitchen or go into the upstairs/downstairs. Perhaps a frequent guest suffers slightly from allergies and so they don’t want their new puppy to ever venture into the guest room.
There are very simple ways to use positive reinforcement to keep your pup out of rooms that he will never be allowed access to or even is not allowed access right now!
Things You Will Need:
- A white or light colored rope long enough to cross the threshold of the room
- Black or dark colored tape
- Your puppy
- A leash
- Your clicker
- Wonderful treats and/or toys
Getting Started:
First you need to get your boundary rope ready! Make sure the rope is long enough to fit across the threshold of the room you will be using.
Next wrap the rope with black tape. Dogs aren’t as visually acute as we humans are and making a two tone rope helps your dog to see the rope without any problem!
Go get your pup and put him on his leash.
Since your pup is liable to make a few mistakes while he is learning, you may decide to take the rope into another room for training. That will ensure your pup is not successfully gaining access to the room that you want to stay out of bounds.
The first step with you is to show him the rope to ensure that he is paying attention and seeing it. By no means is this training supposed to be negative! All puppy training should be fun! Let him look at the rope, sniff, and investigate it all he wants at first. Do not make it a toy, but do allow him to get use to the sight of it.
Once you are sure that he is noticing the rope it is time to begin giving it a meaning. Your puppy needs to be use to the clicker and what it means for this to work! Get your treats and your clicker ready; first you are going to click and treat as your dog stays on the correct side of the rope. At first your dog will not know why he is getting clicked, but in a few seconds he will figure it out!
In order for him to learn what you truly want, he has to begin to make the mistake of crossing the rope. As his nose or paws or any body part crosses the rope say “Ahh” or “Nope (anything that will get his attention and stop his forward progression)…then point at the rope and say “Boundary”. As soon as he crosses back onto the correct side click and treat.
Continue playing this game, and clicking and treating for staying in the proper area. Once your dog is stable and not crossing the rope; put one foot over the rope. Your puppy is likely to follow your foot, a quick “Ahh…Boundary” should be said to stop his continued movement. Click the moment he backs up and into the designated area.
Make this a fun game! It should be like playing hot potato, cold potato! Rush back with your dog to get him excited, but slowly cross the boundary again. Soon he will realize that staying and not crossing the boundary brings jackpots, games and fun.
Now the idea will be to extend how much of your body can cross the boundary while he stays, and the duration that you are able to stay in the locale without him joining you.
Eventually you should be able to cook dinner, partake of dinner or just leave your dog in one area while you go into the space he is not allowed. He doesn’t have to STAY at the rope he can move around or go lay down in another accessible room and encourage him to do so.
Intermittently reinforce him for good behavior to extend the time that he is not crossing the bounds. Remember you MUST continue to reinforce this behavior occasionally in order for your dog to continue to stay out! So, be willing to toss him or bring him treats for a job well done!
As always, make this training fun and you will reap the rewards of a task well learned and executed!
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Some puppies learn early in their development to guard the resources they receive. They guard food, toys, treats, chewies and even affection. This guarding is sometimes directed toward the pup’s litter mates and extends into their new homes. Often, this bullying works within the litter to keep other pups from taking their stuff.
The problem begins when these bullies enter a home with humans and especially children. They must be taught impulse control and not to guard whatever they value. It is imperative to start this training while the puppy is young, if this behavior continues it can be become dangerous.
I remember hearing a story about resource guarding that terrified me and made me realize how important it is to curb this behavior early. On thanksgiving the grandmother took the turkey out of the oven and put it on the counter to cool. The family dog immediately came into the kitchen and began sniffing around and investigating the turkey. At some point he decided the turkey belonged to him, and therefore when the grandmother returned to retrieve the turkey for dinner she was attack and sent to the hospital. The dog had always been a resource guarder, but no one had ever tried to correct or deal with the problem.
It is vital to start this training with young puppies. Waiting until your puppy is older can be dangerous and might take a different training style and method. Puppies are slightly safer and a little less likely to bite and do damage.
That being said, I like feeding my resource guarding puppies from my hands so that they associate food and all the good things in life coming directly from me. I will also hold their rawhides or chewies as they are chewing on them so I am close to them as they are chewing. This helps them to realize that I am not a threat and get use to my presence while they chew. I will not allow them to take a toy, chewie, or treat and run into another room it eat it!
If they handle that well, I put my fist into their bowl and they have to eat around it. If the puppy is serious about resource guarding I do not recommend this there is no need to get bitten and there are easier ways of getting them to accept your presence in and around their food…even if it is a longer process.
If your puppy is not a resource guarder, I still recommend putting your fist in his bowl. Get use to handling him while he is eating, playing with a toy or chewing on something. This is not for children. But I recommend that adults touch their puppies while they are doing all of these things. Get them use to hands in their faces and pushing them out of the way of their toys and treats. Touch their tails, near their eyes and their paws. DO NOT do this if your puppy growls, snarls or stiffens.
If you have a puppy that growls, snarls, stiffens or gives you the evil eye as you approach when he has something he needs to be taught that releasing his valued object is in his best interest.
I once heard a friend say taking something from your puppy all of the time makes him feel like YOU are the bully. He seemingly never gets anything good out of it.
If a bully on the playground ran up and hit another large child in the face and stole his cookie every day the second child may eventually get defensive and fight back. You would be able to see his body language change as the bully approached while he was eating. But, if that same bully ran up and instead offered the child I brownie or a sundae chances are an exchange would happily take place.
We need to teach our puppies that a better exchange is about to take place, so that they will happily drop any item they might grab. To do this, at first I don’t recommend that they be eating or chewing on anything. They simply need to associate the command with good things and treats being tossed on the floor.
I walk up to a puppy that is just sitting there laying down or chewing on nothing and as I say “Drop It” I toss a handful of treats down on the floor just to the right or to the left of him. The toss should be just enough to get the puppy up off of his spot and make him move.
He will soon begin to associate the command “Drop It” with wonderful treats being tossed to the floor, instead of tensing up or stiffening because he is thinking about you stealing his toy or his treat or whatever he stole.
When you can see that he now enjoys the command and is eagerly looking for tossed treats it is time to move to step 2.
Step 2 is to wait until he is chewing on or playing with something he finds only slightly entertaining, walk up to him and say “Drop It” as you toss the treats to the left or right of him making him get up and walk over to them. It is crucial at this point not to touch the toy or treat. Let him return to the item and continue.
Step 3 is to do the same as in step 2 but this time walk over and touch his toy or treat. If he has good behavior and does not growl or act aggressive give him a jackpot. Do not pick up the item. But reward him for good behavior.
Step 4 is to do the same as step 3 but pick up the item, jackpot then immediately give it back to him.
Step 5 repeat step 4 but hold the item longer before its return. Jackpot for a happy response!
Now you can move on to higher value items, but work your way back up the list. Taking a toy away is not like asking for your dog to drop a pig’s ear! Ensure your dog’s success and your safety by making sure he is enjoying the training and you are using great rewards.
The final step if everything is going well, is to teach your dog to accept you taking something out of his mouth. Only move on to this step if you are seeing no aggression!
Go to your dog while he is not eating or chewing on anything, open his mouth and drop in some delectable treats as you say “Drop It”, now toss some treats to the ground and jackpot a good response.
Next step toward him and open his mouth (like you would imagine doing if he took something) and begin to desensitize him to you opening his mouth and darting toward him. Drop treats into his mouth after you open it and praise him. Teach him that this behavior brings treats and rewards not fear and him losing his prize!
Soon if you work through the steps slowly, you will be able to take anything from him and he will enjoy it!
Once he has learned to respond correctly, make sure you continue to intermediately reward him for good behavior and you should be able to take anything from him for the rest of his life!
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I have spent a lot of time volunteering and working in animal shelters. I have even been on the board of directors. I have seen a lot of animals come and go. I have unfortunately seen a few very aggressive puppies; a few of them were 5 to 6 weeks old!
Just because a person gets a young puppy does not guarantee that they will have a nonaggressive puppy or dog. I hate the myth that a dog’s behavior is all about “How they were raised”. “If he was “raised right” he never would have bitten that person…”
Much of a puppy’s temperament is genetic. You can watch puppies as they develop and their eyes open, their personalities also become quite apparent. Environment certainly plays a role later in development, but I have a lot of videos of young puppies trying to inflict fairly serious and angry bites for their age.
Although I cannot find the direct quote right now; I remember reading an article of Patricia McConnell’s where she is explaining how one of her puppies (a single born puppy) was lashing out and biting in anger at 5 or 6 weeks old. She related that type of aggression to a small child stabbing his mother out of anger. It is just not normal, and needs to be taken seriously!
All puppies mouth, nip and bite to some degree but an extreme lack of impulse control and a puppy lashing out in anger is not normal. But, often people are ashamed and don’t know what to do with such a puppy when they get one, because most aggression is blamed on the owner.
Instead of admitting some dogs are born with personality or temperament disorders it is easier for most people to simply blame the owners of such dogs.
So what if you get one of these puppies?
You must begin teaching your puppy boundaries and impulse control! Puppies who are quick to bite, lack impulse control and have a high rate or incidence of arousal or excitement. They are overwhelmed by their environment and don’t know how to deal with life when they do not get what they want.
They must be taught how to lower their arousal/excitement level and how to calm themselves by controlling their impulses.
For example: these puppies do not like to wait for things, they want what they want when they want it and if they don’t get it they start to become excited and sometimes aggressive. They also don’t like being manipulated or having things taken from them.
These puppies need to be taught that the only way they succeed in life is to wait for the things that they want or to obey puppy obedience commands. This teaches them to control their impulses.
Waiting at the door before they are allowed outside, laying down prior to being fed or waiting until they are told they can eat can be essential in teaching these puppies impulse control. In order to succeed and get what they want in life, these dogs need to learn to be calm and obey a task.
Do not allow these puppies to bark, growl, or demand anything from you! If your puppy barks in your face each night demanding to be fed and you get up and feed him you are teaching him to use is excitement and assertiveness to demand whatever he wants or needs from you. You are essentially saying “Yes! Please bark in my face when you want something”.
Instead, dominant or assertive behavior should be ignored and calm behavior like lying down, or sitting should be encouraged. You do not have to use physical force or control; you simply have to use your mind and only reward your dog for good behavior! Actual physical control, manipulation and aggression on your part will probably make these puppies worse and more dangerous.
Obedience is imperative for aggressive puppies! If obedience is not instilled and taught at a young age, aggression and the lack of impulse control can get much worse and out of control. It is easier to teach a young puppy obedience than it is to teach a full grown adult dog that has begun developing dominant or aggressive behaviors! Aggressive dogs can be dangerous.
These puppies may need several obedience classes to help control their impulses and teach them control in group environments with other people and dogs! Desensitization and socialization can be critical for these puppies throughout their lifetime.
If in doubt seek the advice of a professional veterinary behaviorist in your area.
Get started early teaching your puppy obedience and you will both be happy!
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You already have a schedule. When you impose a schedule on your dog it will help them know what to expect.
