Posts Tagged ‘puppy’
New Puppy: Chewing everything in sight!
January 3rd, 2009
New puppies have one problem, teething 
It makes them uncomfortable. When babies teeth, they cry, when puppies teeth, they chew. Its part of mother nature, the more they chew, the more comfort they feel. So when you notice your new puppy chewing on your favorite shoes, remember,he is trying to help his pain.
Does that mean you should let him chew your $50 shoes? No! But be mindful of what he is chewing on. If he is going for soft things, find some soft toys for him. Dogs are just like kids and they too get bored with their toys. Try rotating them out or offering one or two at a time rather than having 50 on the floor at all times.
When he chews on something try not to say no and take it away, instead encourage him to bring it to you, and trade it for something better. This will encourage retrieving as well as your puppy will be less likely to run and hide when he gets something. Just today my lab got a hold of my shoe. He looked everywhere for me and eagerly ran to me knowing I would praise him. He probably doesn’t realize he could lay down and chew on it without me noticing.
Enjoy your new puppy training!
Stumble Upon
Del.icio.us
Buzz
Benefits of tethering
January 1st, 2009
I have written in the past about the benefits of watching your puppy with a close eye, and also how important it is to have your puppy follow you rather than the other way around. There are several other benefits to tethering, especially with a young new puppy.
When house training, its impossible to learn your dogs potty cues without watching them. If you have a smaller dog, its even more difficult. When you tether the lead to yourself (such as your buckle) you can constantly see if your dog starts sniffing the ground to look for a potty space. When they do, scoop them up and take them out.
The second benefit is training your dog to watch you and follow you. Most dogs learn to pull on leash because they are never used to walking. By having your dog tethered to you, you can effectively teach your dog to pay attention to you and where you are going.
Thirdly, when you are ready to wean your dog from the tether but not necessarily from watching them all the time (say around 5 months of age) if the dog is used to following you, you don’t need to worry because he is used to going with you.
Many times I hear from owners that they don’t like this idea, its too hard, they will step on the dog, etc. Its a lot like riding a bike, wobbly at first but once you learn it you can act as an effective team. Remember tethering is only for the first few weeks, and to be used as needed. If you need to gain more attention, or if you need to housetrain, tethering your dog is a great idea.
Traning your new puppy!
December 30th, 2008
Step 1- be in charge.
Step 2- stay consistent.
Step 3- meet their physical and emotional needs.
Sounds easy right? It is actually. I spoke with a nice guy yesterday who had done his research and his reading. He read books by Ian Dunbar, Patricia McConnell – great authors which you can purchase at www.DogWise.com. What did he learn? Force isn’t required with puppies.
To meet goal #1, be in charge, start by having your pup follow you around (not the other way) with a lead or some cheerio rewards. Ask for sits before petting, playing, going outside, coming out of hte crate, eating dinner – its the easy way to teach “please”.
Goal #2, consistency. Make up rules, whatever they are, and follow them 100% of the time. If you give in 1 out of 10 times then the dog learns that there is a chance to get away with whatever it is. Lets say its jumping. The dog jumps, you ignore the pup for 30 seconds. Every time! that means if you are sitting on the floor, standing, outside, 100% consistency.
Goal #3,meeting their needs. Often times people think this means exercise, exercise. It doesn’t! Puppies do not need to run that much, or walk that much. 10 minutes two times a day is typically adequate for a young puppy (under 14 weeks). Meeting their needs means exposing them to new things daily, challenging their every sense and giving them mental stimulation. Make them use their brains – try buster cubes, kongs, hide and seek, find it, or learn a new trick. My favorite game is called 101 things to do with a box. More about that one later!
Good luck and happy dog training.
Posted in Main Category, New Puppy | 
Tags: obedience, positive reinformcent, potty training, puppy, school, socialization | 
No Comments »