Puppy

A puppy for Christmas! It’s essential to get your puppy off on
the right paw right from the start. From the minute he (or she) arrives, you’re
training your puppy. Preparation and consistency are important – so here’s what
you’ll need to have the perfect pup.

 

1.      
Stick to A Schedule

Creating a schedule for your puppy is as much for you as it is
for the puppy. You’ll
want to schedule virtually everything in your pup’s life: feeding time,
bathroom breaks, playtime, and nap time. The earlier you get your puppy on a
schedule, the better!

Feeding time should occur two or three times per day. Put your pup’s food down for
20 minutes, then take it back up until the next scheduled feeding time. Don’t
allow your pup to “free feed” – to eat whenever he wants. This will wreak havoc
with housetraining!

Bathroom breaks should be scheduled every hour. Also, your pup should be
taken outside fifteen minutes after each feeding, after vigorous play, and
immediately upon waking. The more opportunities your pup has to eliminate in
the proper spot (outdoors!), the more often he’ll get it right. Stay outside
with your puppy to (1) cheer him on when he’s gone and (2) to ensure that he
has indeed gone to the bathroom.

Playtime should be scheduled as well. You’ll recognize early that your pup has
periods of energy and periods of rest. Encourage your pup to play during those
energetic times (remembering to take him outside immediately after play!).

Nap time is sacred. Make sure your pup has a safe and quiet place to sleep
undisturbed. Puppies need a lot of uninterrupted rest. Make sure their crate is
away from prying eyes (and hands) who “just want to hold the puppy” while he
sleeps. The crate should be a safe haven where the pup can sleep (and eat)
undisturbed.

 

2.      
The Crate Is Great!

Teaching your pup that the crate is a good place to be is
super-easy, provided you follow a few easy steps. First, all the pup’s meals
are inside the crate. Leave the door open so the pup is free to come and go as
he eats (remember, only 20 minutes to eat, then the food goes away until the
next feeding time).

 

Second, all the pup’s treats
and toys start out in the crate. Toss a dog treat inside the crate and let pup
in the crate to get the goodie. Or toss a squeaky toy inside the crate so the
pup has to enter to get the goodie. Once the pup is getting the idea that all
good things come from the crate, you can begin to close the door (but not latch
it) when the pup is eating his meal. He can push the door open if he wants out,
he’s not trapped in there. Finally, after he’s comfortable with the door being
closed, you can latch the door and leave him with a peanut butter stuffed Kong
or Busy Buddy toy that will keep him occupied.

 

Every time I leave the
house, I always drop a dog toy stuffed with tasty goodies into the dogs’ crates
– they can’t wait for me to leave! They run to their crates the minute they see
me grab my car keys.

 

3.      
Boundaries – For People and
Puppies

It’s essential that an adult watches the puppy whenever he’s
awake and outside his crate. A puppy should not have free reign of the house. Puppy-proofing the house is imperative if
you want to keep the puppy and your belongings safe. If your pup can reach
it, it’s fair game! Crawl around the house on your hands and knees to see
what’s at puppy-level. If you can’t put the item away, buy a baby gate to keep
the pup out of that room.

 

It’s also important to teach kids how to interact with the pup.
Teach them
how to gently play with the puppy, how to gently pet the pup, and how to leave
a sleepy (or sleeping!) puppy alone. Teach them how to walk, not run, around
the pup to prevent the pup from chasing and nipping at their heels. Children
should be kept away from and out of the pup’s crate, particularly when the pup
is sleeping, eating, and looking for a place to “get away from it all.” The
crate is the pup’s safe haven and he should not be disturbed while in the
crate.

 

With a little planning, your Christmas puppy will transition
smoothly to his new home, his new routine, and his new family. Look for a
positive-reinforcement trainer and get your pup into training classes before
he’s 12 weeks old – socialization is very important!

I got a phone call yesterday that made my day. Someone was interested in getting a puppy and called to talk about the differences in breeds. Before she ever got the puppy! This rarely happens, unfortunately. Most people get the pup, wait until there’s trouble, then tries to learn all about the breed they’ve got.

I’m so happy when someone does their homework before bringing that puppy home. I spent as much time with her on the phone as she needed – a reward for doing it right!

We discussed the pros and cons of the breeds she was looking at, the training that would be involved, as well as other issues like family dynamics, schedules, and the needs of the puppy.

It was such a joy to talk to someone who was interested in getting as much knowledge as possible before the puppy arrives. They hadn’t even decided upon a breeder yet — they wanted to gather all that information before even choosing the breed! I love it!

For anyone out there who’s thinking about getting a puppy, please do your homework first.
Find out as much as you can about the breed:

• What is is bred for?
• How big will it get?
• What are the exercise requirements (note: you will be involved in the exercise — dogs don’t exercise themselves no matter how big your yard is!)
• How much grooming is involved?
• How much shedding?
• Does the breed have known health issues?

Here’s a great resource for anyone with (or interested in getting) a puppy: it’s called Before You Get Your Puppy and you can get a free download of it here. The very same author has another book called After You Get Your Puppy — both books are excellent and the price is terrific. You can get both books together from Amazon.com for only $13.57.

Puppies are flat out adorable. Doesn’t matter what breed, they’re just so danged cute! That cute face is what makes most people lose their mind and impulsively pick up that pup. And once you’ve held an eight-week old grunting and wiggling puppy, I dare you to put him back down and say “No, thanks.”

So, before you even think about getting a puppy, take a moment to read this short (I promise) entry. Don’t make the mistake too many of my clients make – impulse buy. You’ll pay for it later, and perhaps, even the pup, too, will pay later.

Don’t buy a puppy from a store, online, or from an ad in the paper. Where, you ask, am I supposed to get a puppy, then, if not from those sources.

If you’ve got your heart set on a purebred puppy go to the AKC website and find the parent club of the breed you’re interested. (Sorry, puggles, labradoodles, and goldendoodles aren’t purebred, no
matter what the “breeder” tells you — they’re good ol’ American Mutts.) Contact the parent club to find a few reputable breeders in your area. Interview those breeders and make an educated decision on which one is right for you. 

If you’re looking for a designer dog (those puggles, labradoodles and goldendoodles) look no further than your local shelter or rescue. They are chock full of mixed breed dogs – good, healthy dogs (and pups!) you can get for a fraction of the cost the “breeders” charge. And you’re saving a life!

If you’re not particular about what breed or mix of breeds your dog is, the shelter or rescue groups are a good place for you to look as well.

Don’t forget Petfinder.com – this is a great resource that makes it easier for you to check multiple shelters and rescues — even those that aren’t in your state! They have both purebred and mixed breed dogs listed on their site.

I’ve purposely excluded newspaper listings, internet listings, and pet stores. And there’s a good reason for that. Too many people and companies only want to move merchandise. And puppies are merchandise. They aren’t interested in finding the best home, they’re interested in moving inventory. The dogs are mere commodities. The people and their companies are getting rich at the expense of the life of the dog.

Puppy mills exist. And if you buy your pup from a store (either online or in person), you are most likely supporting that puppy mill. And as long as people buy the pups, the horrendous treatment will continue. You can stop it – don’t buy from a pet store or from an internet store!

An easy way to tell if you’ve found a good source for your dog is to ask this question – are they interviewing you as hard as you’re interviewing them? Or do they simply care if you have the right amount of money? If they’re interviewing you, they’re worth spending some time with. Ethical breeders care about their pups and aren’t shy about finding out what kind of home you’ll provide for their pup.

I got a great question from a client yesterday: "When can I start teaching my puppy?" Puppies have permanent learning starting at about six weeks, so you can start working with your puppy as soon as you bring him home! In fact, even veterinarians recommend an early start for your puppy.

The earlier you start teaching your puppy, the better off you’ll be (and the better off your pup will be). Pups can easily learn to sit before you put their food down, put their leash on, open the door, pet them, etc.

A well-informed and smart breeder will start this training for you, since you can’t have the pup until he’s eight weeks old. Some breeders start very young – they click the clicker at feeding time every time the mom comes into the whelping box. Those pups learn very early that click = really good things, which of course, only makes teaching your dog with the clicker that much easier.

So if you have a pup, don’t wait – start teaching him now! Clicker training is fun and easy for both you and your pup. Get a head-start on having the smartest pup on the block!