The title of this book refers to "dogs" but a lot of the content relates to puppy training. I have loaned this book out to so many friends and family members that my copy is beginning to look pretty shabby. In fact, I just got it back from my sister. She recently adopted a yorkie-poo named Nicki and needed to brush up on a few things. Hey sis--are ya reading my blog?
Anyway, similar to the spirit of this blog, Andrea's book is filled with fun and easy ways to train your puppy. I like the fact that she uses "brains" instead of "brawn". She says, "Almost everybody, including children, can train with their brain, but few people can master the rigors of physical training methods."Amen to that!
This book is very easy to read and does not contain too much technical information. While your puppy is napping you can read a few tidbits here and there. A whole chapter is devoted to housetraining. Puppy owners can never get enough information about that! She also talks about the four building blocks of basic manners--sit, down, stand, and the desire to be close. (I like how she uses that last description as opposed to the more traditional "come".)
There is also a chapter devoted to socializing your puppy that I wish every puppy owner had the chance to read. Your puppy grows up quickly. Did you know that by twelve weeks of age your pup needs to meet at least 50 different people? Yep. Not an easy task but Andrea explains how to do it.
Even if your puppy is older than twelve weeks I would still recommend reading this book. Your puppy will thank you for it!
Have you read this book? Please share your review with others using the comment link below.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
The Puppy Training Experts I Trust
I've spent a lot of time reading (and applying) information about puppy training. Some good and some not so good. It's hard to know who to trust when there is so much information out there about how to train your puppy. That's part of the reason why I decided to start this blog. I felt the need to spread the word about the RIGHT way to train your puppy.
Here is a short list of some people I have come to trust over the years. I hope you will learn as much as you can about these people and listen to what they have to say about puppy training. Their advice is invaluable.
Here is a short list of some people I have come to trust over the years. I hope you will learn as much as you can about these people and listen to what they have to say about puppy training. Their advice is invaluable.
- Ian Dunbar, PhD--to me and many others, Dr. Dunbar is the REAL dog whisperer.
- Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, MRCVS--Program Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University. (I once interviewed Dr. Dodman for an article I wrote on submissive urination. He is a super-smart and super-nice guy!)
- Andrew Luescher, DVM, PhD, DACVB--Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Purdue University
- Jean Donaldson--Director of the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers
Puppy Training Tip--Say Please
One of the best tips you can apply during puppy training is teaching him how to say, "please." You taught your kids how to do it (at least I hope you did). You need to teach it to your puppy too.
Many trainers refer to this as, "Nothing in life is free." Basically, you ask your puppy to sit in exchange for something rewarding. To eat dinner, to go outside, to jump up on the couch, or anything else your puppy relates to in a positive way.
If you do this consistently you will be amazed at the results. Your puppy will learn quickly that sitting results in "good things happening" and will do it all the time--even when you don't ask him to.
Whenever my dog Maggie wants something, the first thing she does is sit. It's her way of saying, "Maybe this will work--it's worked before!" She's given me a good chuckle on more than one occasion.
Many trainers refer to this as, "Nothing in life is free." Basically, you ask your puppy to sit in exchange for something rewarding. To eat dinner, to go outside, to jump up on the couch, or anything else your puppy relates to in a positive way.
If you do this consistently you will be amazed at the results. Your puppy will learn quickly that sitting results in "good things happening" and will do it all the time--even when you don't ask him to.
Whenever my dog Maggie wants something, the first thing she does is sit. It's her way of saying, "Maybe this will work--it's worked before!" She's given me a good chuckle on more than one occasion.
Puppy Training Newsflash--They Don't Speak English!
Don't forget during your puppy training that your puppy does not come equipped with an English dictionary. It amazes me how many puppy parents yell at their puppies, "Sit! Sit! Sit!" over and over again when the puppy is clueless as to what the word means.
Imagine going to a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Someone walks up to you and starts saying, "Veep! Veep! Veep!" What would you do? Would you know how to respond? Of course not. Because you have no idea what this words means.
The person then starts to push you around in different positions, trying to make you do something. But what? You'd probably think to yourself, "Man this guy is whacked out!" Well if you do this to your puppy he'll be thinking the same thing about you!
You first need to teach your puppy a behavior--sit, come, stay, speak and so forth. Once your puppy learns the behavior THEN you can attach a name to it. Your puppy will learn much faster that way. There are many ways to do this. (stay tuned for more information!)
If your puppy has not yet made the connection between a verbal signal such as "sit" and the behavior associated with it, you are working backwards in your puppy training. Your puppy basically learns that your words have no meaning. He'll probably try hard to figure out what you want--but you'll have nothing but a confused puppy on your hands.
How many different words does your puppy know? Post them in the comments below.
Imagine going to a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Someone walks up to you and starts saying, "Veep! Veep! Veep!" What would you do? Would you know how to respond? Of course not. Because you have no idea what this words means.
The person then starts to push you around in different positions, trying to make you do something. But what? You'd probably think to yourself, "Man this guy is whacked out!" Well if you do this to your puppy he'll be thinking the same thing about you!
You first need to teach your puppy a behavior--sit, come, stay, speak and so forth. Once your puppy learns the behavior THEN you can attach a name to it. Your puppy will learn much faster that way. There are many ways to do this. (stay tuned for more information!)
If your puppy has not yet made the connection between a verbal signal such as "sit" and the behavior associated with it, you are working backwards in your puppy training. Your puppy basically learns that your words have no meaning. He'll probably try hard to figure out what you want--but you'll have nothing but a confused puppy on your hands.
How many different words does your puppy know? Post them in the comments below.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Puppy Training Toys Should Be Rotated
Does your puppy have LOTS of toys? More toys than he knows what to do with?
Chances are you love your puppy and you've bought him oodles of toys. That's great! Toys help keep your puppy occupied and provide him with objects it's OK to chew on. However, like babies and kids--puppies can get tired of new toys fast.
Don't offer your puppy all his toys at once. Many puppy parents keep a large basket filled with toys. This is fine, but I would recommend rotating the toys every 4-5 days. For a few days offer the puppy only two or three toys to play with. Keep the other toys hidden in a closet.
After the 4 or 5 days are over, put those toys away and bring out a new batch. The puppy will be so excited to see a whole new batch of toys come out! He'll think you just came back from the pet store! This way he will always have a new set of toys to keep him busy (and you'll save some money!)
I still have a box in my laundry room filled with toys my dog Maggie played with when she was a puppy. She still gets excited everytime I bring one out. Perhaps it reminds her of her puppy days!
Chances are you love your puppy and you've bought him oodles of toys. That's great! Toys help keep your puppy occupied and provide him with objects it's OK to chew on. However, like babies and kids--puppies can get tired of new toys fast.
Don't offer your puppy all his toys at once. Many puppy parents keep a large basket filled with toys. This is fine, but I would recommend rotating the toys every 4-5 days. For a few days offer the puppy only two or three toys to play with. Keep the other toys hidden in a closet.
After the 4 or 5 days are over, put those toys away and bring out a new batch. The puppy will be so excited to see a whole new batch of toys come out! He'll think you just came back from the pet store! This way he will always have a new set of toys to keep him busy (and you'll save some money!)
I still have a box in my laundry room filled with toys my dog Maggie played with when she was a puppy. She still gets excited everytime I bring one out. Perhaps it reminds her of her puppy days!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Puppy Health--Heartworm Medication
Does your puppy need to be on heartworm medication? YES-YES-YES! Heartworm is one of the most deadliest diseases in dogs (can we say HEART-WORM? Yes that's WORMS living in your dogs's HEART). It is very expensive to treat. And at the same time--it is also one of the easiest diseases to prevent.
Heartworm is a disease that is transmitted via mosquitoes. And it only takes ONE bite from an infected mosquito to infest your puppy. All dogs including puppies should be on a heartworm preventative monthly. Depending on where you live your veterinarian may recommend using heartworm preventative only during certain months of the year.
However, many veterinarians recommend using heartworm preventative all year because many products (like Heartgard Plus and Interceptor) worm against many intestinal parasites as well as heartworm. This is a bonus because some of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to humans. If you have small children keeping your puppy and/or dog on heartworm preventative year-round is a wise choice! You will not believe some of the awful stories I've heard. Let's just say that veterinarians know a lot more about intestinal parasites than human doctors do!
Depending on when your puppy was born she may need to be tested before starting heartworm medication. Please consult with your veterinarian.
Heartworm can sometimes be a confusing topic for many pet owners--especially puppy owners who have never had to give heartworm medication before. Please post any questions you might have about heartworm medication here.
Puppy Food--How Much to Feed?
I get asked a lot "How much puppy food should I feed?"
Well--it all depends on your puppy and what kind of food you are feeding. If you have a toy breed puppy, like a toy poodle, chihuahua, or shih tzu--and he is new to your household--you should really be feeding him as much he'll eat. These little guys can be prone to hypogycemia (low blood sugar). This condition can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. So it's important to keep these little ones eating. Especially during their first few days home which can be stressful. Please contact your veterinarian if you are concerned about your little one's appetite.
For older and larger puppies it's a good idea to follow the guidelines listed on the bag. Each food is a little different. If they give a range based on your puppy's weight it's usually best to feed at the low end of the range. Make sure you are measuring the food accurately. Don't just "scoop" it out. This will become especially important as your puppy gets older as you will want to keep track of how much food he eats daily. Usually the first question your veterinarian will ask you if your pet becomes ill is, "Is he eating? How much?" If you are just constantly keeping his bowl full of food it will be harder to monitor his eating habits.
For young puppies it's a good idea to offer small meals throughout the day. You can divide the food into three meals daily. As your puppy reaches adulthood--usually after he is neutered (or she is spayed) you can go to twice daily feedings. It is also a good idea to transition your puppy to an adult dog food after the spay or neuter surgery. This is done to avoid excessive weight gain. Having your pet spayed or neutered does not cause weight gain. Neutered and spayed pets simply require less calories. Usually this surgery is done when your puppy is between four and six months old.
Do you have any more questions about feeding your puppy? Please post using the comment link below.
Puppy Kong Recipe--Banana Rama
Here's a great Kong recipe from the folks at the Kong Company:
1 fresh banana
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 Kong Toy that best fits your puppy's chewing temperament
In a bowl, mash up banana. Then add wheat germ and yogurt. Mash all ingredients together and use a spoon to add to Kong. Freeze for 4 hours. Makes1 serving for a Medium Kong. Double for every Kong size that's bigger.
What's your favorite Kong recipe? Post it here!
1 fresh banana
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 Kong Toy that best fits your puppy's chewing temperament
In a bowl, mash up banana. Then add wheat germ and yogurt. Mash all ingredients together and use a spoon to add to Kong. Freeze for 4 hours. Makes1 serving for a Medium Kong. Double for every Kong size that's bigger.
What's your favorite Kong recipe? Post it here!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Puppy Behavior--Submissive Urination
Some puppies will urinate on the floor when approached or petted. This is called submissive urination. The puppy is actually doing this out of respect--so PLEASE DO NOT YELL OR PUNISH HER. If you make a big deal out of it you will only make the situation worse. Most puppies grow out of it. The best thing to do is pretend it never happened while you quietly clean up the mess.
If you are just getting home from work and you know that your puppy is going to pee when you touch her--DON'T. You'll have plenty of time for hugs and kisses after you have taken her outside to go potty. If puppy urinates everytime you put on her leash you may need to get creative. I know of one fellow who figured out a way to clip on his puppy's leash by crouching down on his knees and reaching backward to attach the leash. The puppy probably thought he looked pretty silly--which is why it worked!
Some puppies also display excitement urination which is similar to submissive urination. They simply cannot control how happy they are to see you and pee all over the floor. The same rules apply here. Do not give your puppy any attention until she's gone outside to go potty.
If your puppy urinates when you let him out of the kennel you may need to place a towel near the front of it until he is old enough to control his bladder better. Be sure to tell your guests the house rules. Or better yet--have puppy greet your guests outside.
What creative solutions for submissive or excitement urination did you come up with? I'd love to hear about it! Please use the comment link below.
If you are just getting home from work and you know that your puppy is going to pee when you touch her--DON'T. You'll have plenty of time for hugs and kisses after you have taken her outside to go potty. If puppy urinates everytime you put on her leash you may need to get creative. I know of one fellow who figured out a way to clip on his puppy's leash by crouching down on his knees and reaching backward to attach the leash. The puppy probably thought he looked pretty silly--which is why it worked!
Some puppies also display excitement urination which is similar to submissive urination. They simply cannot control how happy they are to see you and pee all over the floor. The same rules apply here. Do not give your puppy any attention until she's gone outside to go potty.
If your puppy urinates when you let him out of the kennel you may need to place a towel near the front of it until he is old enough to control his bladder better. Be sure to tell your guests the house rules. Or better yet--have puppy greet your guests outside.
What creative solutions for submissive or excitement urination did you come up with? I'd love to hear about it! Please use the comment link below.
Puppy Training Tip--Hide and Seek
A lot of people think that the only way to train a puppy is with formal training sessions. This method may work fine but it's just as easy and more fun(and sometimes more effective) to train your puppy while you both go about your day-to-day activities.
A great puppy game is Hide and Seek. You should know it well. This is also a game that the whole family can play together. PLEASE TRY THIS AT HOME. Everyone has a great time and puppy learns how to respond to her name.
While puppy is occupied doing something go and hide somewhere in your house. Hide behind a door, or in a closet. Don't make it too hard at first. When you are first starting out playing the game you may have to hide somewhere in the same room as your puppy. Call your puppy's name.
When puppy finds you act like you have never been so excited in your life. "Yeah Puppy you found me! Yipee!" You can also offer a highly prized food item the moment puppy finds you, but for this game puppy's biggest reward is YOU.
This game can also be played outside in your yard as long as puppy is being supervised. If you do not have a fenced-in yard, one person can go hide while the other holds puppy's leash.
My dog Maggie is seven years old and this is still her favorite game. :-)
A great puppy game is Hide and Seek. You should know it well. This is also a game that the whole family can play together. PLEASE TRY THIS AT HOME. Everyone has a great time and puppy learns how to respond to her name.
While puppy is occupied doing something go and hide somewhere in your house. Hide behind a door, or in a closet. Don't make it too hard at first. When you are first starting out playing the game you may have to hide somewhere in the same room as your puppy. Call your puppy's name.
When puppy finds you act like you have never been so excited in your life. "Yeah Puppy you found me! Yipee!" You can also offer a highly prized food item the moment puppy finds you, but for this game puppy's biggest reward is YOU.
This game can also be played outside in your yard as long as puppy is being supervised. If you do not have a fenced-in yard, one person can go hide while the other holds puppy's leash.
My dog Maggie is seven years old and this is still her favorite game. :-)
My First Puppy--Maggie Mae
Maggie was my first puppy. We adopted her from a local rescue agency when she was 12 weeks old. My husband and I knew that we wanted a puppy, but we really didn't know what kind. We went from one shelter to another but never felt a connection with any of the pups there. Then we stumbled upon Maggie, sleeping quietly in her kennel while the rest of the dogs barked to get our attention.
We scooped Maggie up and adopted her before anyone else had the chance. She was definitely part cocker spaniel and part something else. Maybe a Golden retriever? Looking back, my husband and I probably didn't do as much research as we should have in preparation for a puppy. But I read every book about puppies that I could get my hands on. It was then that I discovered the wit and wisdom of Ian Dunbar and fell in love with animal behavior.
During our first trip to the local vet hospital for puppy shots I was asked by the receptionist if I knew of anyone interested in working part-time at the clinic. Lucky me! I started working there the next day and my career in veterinary medicine began. If it wasn't for Maggie I have no idea where I'd be today. Certainly not sitting here writing a blog about puppy training!
Maggie is now seven years old and she is one of the best dogs I know. I still can't believe how lucky we were to have found here that day. Maybe it's partly genetic--but I can only hope that my husband and I played a large part in training her to be the good dog that she is today. I also think that Maggie was lucky enough to have foster parents that understood the importance of puppy socialization.
My hope is that all puppies can be as lucky as Maggie. Too many end up being shuffled around just because their owners are not informed about how to train them properly. That's just not fair.
Puppy Vaccines and Socialization
You may read that puppies should not be socialized with other dogs and puppies until they have finished their complete set of vaccinations. The problem with this is that in most areas, puppies do not finish their vaccines until the age of 12-16 weeks. By this time they have passed the critical stage for socialization!
While it is important to protect your puppy from acquiring nasty diseases, it is also vitally important that she is socialized properly. It usually is best to make compromises and use your best judgement.
When socializing your puppy with other puppies and dogs make sure that they are up to date on their vaccinations. Most puppy classes require all puppies to be current on vaccines. It's probably best not to take your puppy to the doggie park until she gets a little older--around 16 or 18 weeks.
You also can do a lot of puppy socialization without leaving the safety of your house. Invite over every friend and family member including their dogs (as long as they are friendly) to meet your puppy. If you have any questions or concerns about exposing your puppy to potential diseases, please contact your veterinarian.
Do you have any questions about this post? Please leave a comment below!
While it is important to protect your puppy from acquiring nasty diseases, it is also vitally important that she is socialized properly. It usually is best to make compromises and use your best judgement.
When socializing your puppy with other puppies and dogs make sure that they are up to date on their vaccinations. Most puppy classes require all puppies to be current on vaccines. It's probably best not to take your puppy to the doggie park until she gets a little older--around 16 or 18 weeks.
You also can do a lot of puppy socialization without leaving the safety of your house. Invite over every friend and family member including their dogs (as long as they are friendly) to meet your puppy. If you have any questions or concerns about exposing your puppy to potential diseases, please contact your veterinarian.
Do you have any questions about this post? Please leave a comment below!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Puppy Training Tip--Treats
A lot of puppy parents ask what puppy training treats work best. It all depends on your puppy. Like people they have preferences for certain types of food.
If your puppy has a full belly he probably will not be very motivated to work for food. Usually the best time to work on training is right before mealtime. The best foods to use for training sessions are small and smelly. The treats should be no larger than 1/4 inch in size--smaller than the tip of your pinky finger. If you give larger treats the puppy spends so much time chewing it up that he forgets why he got rewarded in the first place.
Treats that seem to work well are cooked chicken, hot dogs, cheese, and dried liver. Once again, make sure these treats are SMALL. You will be going through a lot of them during a training session and you don't want to overfeed him. You can even use pieces of his kibble as training treats but he may not be very motivated by that. It is usually best to use treats that he wouldn't get any other time.
Over time you may find that puppy loses interest in the treats he used to get. You may want to change the treats up a bit every once a while to keep his attention.
What does your puppy like to work for? Let us know using the comment link below.
If your puppy has a full belly he probably will not be very motivated to work for food. Usually the best time to work on training is right before mealtime. The best foods to use for training sessions are small and smelly. The treats should be no larger than 1/4 inch in size--smaller than the tip of your pinky finger. If you give larger treats the puppy spends so much time chewing it up that he forgets why he got rewarded in the first place.
Treats that seem to work well are cooked chicken, hot dogs, cheese, and dried liver. Once again, make sure these treats are SMALL. You will be going through a lot of them during a training session and you don't want to overfeed him. You can even use pieces of his kibble as training treats but he may not be very motivated by that. It is usually best to use treats that he wouldn't get any other time.
Over time you may find that puppy loses interest in the treats he used to get. You may want to change the treats up a bit every once a while to keep his attention.
What does your puppy like to work for? Let us know using the comment link below.
Puppy Training Tip--Trading Up
OK--picture this. You're folding the laundry and you drop a sock on the floor. Your puppy sees the sock and says, "Wow that looks like a fun toy!" Grabs the sock and runs off with it. You obviously want the sock back right? So what do you do? Chase the puppy and get the sock back, right? WRONG.
Puppies love to play. And there's nothing they like better than a good game of chase. Well, playing tug o' war is pretty fun too. When all is said you might not have much of a sock left . . . And this just doesn't happen with socks. Puppies always get a hold of things that they're not supposed to have. And you want to have a reliable method of getting these things back. And quickly!
Few puppy parents know the value of trading up. This is when you offer something of high value to your puppy in exchange for something he already has. So let's say puppy steals your sock. Instead of running after him, go and get his favorite toy, or a treat. Chances are he'll drop your sock (or whatever else he took) without a second thought so he can get his mouth around whatever it is that you have.
Chasing him around will only reinforce his naughty behavior and he will quickly learn that stealing objects is a good way to get attention. Trading up works everytime, and provides the perfect opportunity to teach the "leave-it" command.
What kind of stuff does your puppy try to steal? Did trading up work for you? I'd love to hear your comments!
Puppies love to play. And there's nothing they like better than a good game of chase. Well, playing tug o' war is pretty fun too. When all is said you might not have much of a sock left . . . And this just doesn't happen with socks. Puppies always get a hold of things that they're not supposed to have. And you want to have a reliable method of getting these things back. And quickly!
Few puppy parents know the value of trading up. This is when you offer something of high value to your puppy in exchange for something he already has. So let's say puppy steals your sock. Instead of running after him, go and get his favorite toy, or a treat. Chances are he'll drop your sock (or whatever else he took) without a second thought so he can get his mouth around whatever it is that you have.
Chasing him around will only reinforce his naughty behavior and he will quickly learn that stealing objects is a good way to get attention. Trading up works everytime, and provides the perfect opportunity to teach the "leave-it" command.
What kind of stuff does your puppy try to steal? Did trading up work for you? I'd love to hear your comments!
The One Puppy Toy You Can't Live Without
If you're like most puppy parents, your living room resembles a puppy toy store. Squeeky toys, fuzzy toys, bouncy toys--they're everywhere! However, there is one puppy toy that both you and your puppy can't live without. You may have even bought one already--but if you're like most puppy parents you're not using it to its full potential.
The puppy toy I'm going to talk about it here is the Kong. I love this thing! And you will to. As is, it's a pretty fun puppy toy. It bounces in weird directions and is pretty darn indestructible. The Kong is shaped a lot like the Michelin Man. The inner part is hollow--and this is where the fun begins.
Because the inside of the Kong is hollow it can be stuffed with highly prized food items. Things like peanut butter, canned dog food, dried-liver treats, and the like. There are even Kong recipes that have been created by dog trainers and behavorists. Some recipes call for the Kong to be frozen. Perfect for teething puppies!!
If you want to keep your puppy occupied for a while (and who doesn't!), stuff a Kong with his favorite recipe. You don't have to stuff the entire Kong either. With peanut butter for example, you can simply spread a thin layer along the inside cavity. Your puppy will work diligently at getting the food out of the bottom opening. It is important to make the food somewhat easy to get out, otherwise he will get frustrated and give up on it. As your puppy gets better at it, you can pack the food in more tightly.
Also make sure that if you use a Kong on a daily basis (many puppy parents do) you will need to adjust his food intake. You do not want your puppy to pack on too many excess pounds.
When picking out your Kong, make sure you get a size larger than what you think your puppy needs. I once saw a German Shepherd swallow a Kong that was too small for him. Luckily he was being supervised by his parents and they were able to get him help quickly. Kongs are a great puppy toy, just make sure you purchase one that your puppy will not be able to swallow! You many need to buy larger sizes as your puppy grows. Do not keep Kongs that are too small in your house. Donate them or give them to other growing puppies.
Do you have a great Kong recipe? Be sure to share it with other puppy parents by using the comment link listed below.
The puppy toy I'm going to talk about it here is the Kong. I love this thing! And you will to. As is, it's a pretty fun puppy toy. It bounces in weird directions and is pretty darn indestructible. The Kong is shaped a lot like the Michelin Man. The inner part is hollow--and this is where the fun begins.
Because the inside of the Kong is hollow it can be stuffed with highly prized food items. Things like peanut butter, canned dog food, dried-liver treats, and the like. There are even Kong recipes that have been created by dog trainers and behavorists. Some recipes call for the Kong to be frozen. Perfect for teething puppies!!
If you want to keep your puppy occupied for a while (and who doesn't!), stuff a Kong with his favorite recipe. You don't have to stuff the entire Kong either. With peanut butter for example, you can simply spread a thin layer along the inside cavity. Your puppy will work diligently at getting the food out of the bottom opening. It is important to make the food somewhat easy to get out, otherwise he will get frustrated and give up on it. As your puppy gets better at it, you can pack the food in more tightly.
Also make sure that if you use a Kong on a daily basis (many puppy parents do) you will need to adjust his food intake. You do not want your puppy to pack on too many excess pounds.
When picking out your Kong, make sure you get a size larger than what you think your puppy needs. I once saw a German Shepherd swallow a Kong that was too small for him. Luckily he was being supervised by his parents and they were able to get him help quickly. Kongs are a great puppy toy, just make sure you purchase one that your puppy will not be able to swallow! You many need to buy larger sizes as your puppy grows. Do not keep Kongs that are too small in your house. Donate them or give them to other growing puppies.
Do you have a great Kong recipe? Be sure to share it with other puppy parents by using the comment link listed below.
Crate Training Puppy--Tips for Success
Crates are a popular item used during puppy potty training. When used correctly, they can make housetraining a breeze. However, if used incorrectly, your puppy may soon become confused about the rules and you'll be left cleaning up the mess!
Here's some tips to make sure your puppy crate training is a success:
1. A lot of puppy owners make the mistake of purchasing a crate that is too large. A puppy will not want to soil the same area he sleeps in. If the crate is too large he will be able to soil one area and sleep in another. Many crates on the market today can be divided into sections so as your puppy grows you can offer him more room. This is a great solution.
2. A crate should be used for short-term confinement only. As a rule of thumb, your puppy is able to "hold it" the same amount of hours as his age in months. So, if your puppy is 3 months old, you should leave him in his crate for no more than 3 hours. If you have to leave your puppy for an extended amount of time, either hire a pet sitter or create an area suitable for long-term confinement.
3. Place your puppy's crate in an area of the house where there is a lot of activity, like the kitchen. Your puppy wants to be where his family is, not alone in the basement or in the laundry room. The kitchen most likely is also close to the door where your puppy will be taken outside to go potty, so it also makes sense to have the two close together.
Have you had any problems crate training your puppy? Please post your questions here using the comment link below.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Welcome to Fun Puppy Training!
Hello! Please stay tuned for some great information on how to make puppy training fun and easy for both you and your puppy. A puppy's brain is like a great big sponge--ready to absorb everything and anything. It's up to you to make your puppy's learning experiences the best that they can be! Now is the time to train your puppy the right way. Believe me--you'll thank yourself later!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
