PUPPY TIPS
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- Handle your puppy at lease once a day. Massage their feet, this gets them used to nail clipping, and on their back to teach them to trust people. Use a soft brush to brush their hair. Bush your puppy daily so it will get used to it so when its hair grows out and needs to be brushed daily, the puppy will be used to it. Let this be your bonding time with your puppy.
- TRAINING: The key to effective training is CONSISTENCY. Everyone in the family must use the same words for commands that you give your puppy. The first 10 words your puppy should learn are:
- 1. Your puppy's name
- 2. Good
- 3. Bad
- 4. NO
- 5. Stay
- 6. Go
- 7. Sit
- 8. Come
- 9. Down
- 10. Go Outside (Go Potty)
- REWARD AND PUNISHMENT:
- Praise rather than punish. The praise or correction must be done immediately. If you don't see your puppy do it, then you cannot praise or correct. It must be done at he time of the behavior to be effective. Exercise Patience. I found a god method for correcting a bad behavior is with a squirt gun or spray bottle. Make a quick correction and leave things on a positive note. For Example, if the puppy is chewing on the furniture or a shoe, squirt the puppy, say No No, remove him/her from the furniture, (or take the shoe away) and substitute with a puppy toy. There are also sour sprays you can buy to spray on things that will deter your puppy from chewing must they must be sprayed everyday until the puppy no longer interested in the area.
- HOUSEBREAKING: Puppies need to relieve themselves after eating, drinking, or sleeping. Grown dogs need a chance to relieve themselves at least 3 x a day. Puppy's are not able to have control so they must relieve themselves more often. When you are out side with your puppy, give it enough time to do everything it needs to do. Go out with you puppy so when he/she does her duty, you are there to reward your puppy. This positive reinforcement will speed up your training. YOUR patience and consistency will be the key to housebreaking your puppy.
- Some people choose to crate train there puppy. Do not pick a crate that is too large for your puppy. If the crate is too large the puppy will go to the back of the crate and relieve itself. When you first get the crate, leave the door open, feed the puppy in the crate, let the puppy sleep in the crate. Toss a treat or toy into the crate let the puppy run in and get it and come back out. Once the puppy is used to the crate, give them a special treat or toy and put them in the crate and shut the door. Leave them in the crate for 1 minute, then 2, the 5 etc. Do not put your puppy in the crate and leave the house until the puppy is used to it and regards the crate as its den, or safe place. For safety reasons, remove the puppy's collar while in the crate.
- THE PUPPY CRATE TRAINING SCHEDULE: Wake up, put on clothes, take your puppy outside. Shower dress, have breakfast, feed your puppy, and then take the puppy out. Play with or train your puppy. Crate the puppy when your done. Meals (food and water) are always given prior to the walk. Puppy stays in the crate for 3 to 4 hours at the most. Take puppy out and go for a walk, play with your puppy. Food and water take outside and then crate puppy. Repeat this steps all day long. Crate for the night. Puppy's can not hold it all night long so you will have to get up in the middle of the night and take the puppy out. (Do not give food or water during this time).
- If you don't want to crate train or you are not home to do the Puppy Crate Training Schedule, pick a room like a bathroom or kitchen. Buy a gate so you can block off the room and yet leave the door open. Put newspapers on the floor on the opposite side of the room from the puppy's food, water and bed. There are puppy pads you can buy at the pet store that are scented to attract the puppy to relieve itself on the puppy pad. Replace papers or pad daily as the puppy will not want to go back to a soiled paper.
- Remember, the 3 main factors in training your puppy are Consistency, Patience, and Immediate Reward for the behavior your trying to create. Housebreaking and training your dog are your responsibility. The better you are at it, the better your dog will be. The more time you spend correctly training your puppy, will be rewarded with a well behaved adult dog, that will be an asset to your family.
- Most of all, enjoy your puppy. Make training fun for the both of you. There are many books out there with different theories and techniques. I suggest you go to a used or discounted book store and pick up a few books. The books at the pet store can be very expensive. Find the one that works best for you.