The Healthy Pets » House Training and Puppy Training

What You Need To Know About Puppy Preschool

The Healthy Pets — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:49:13 +0000

It was once believed that no serious training should be undertaken until dogs were at least eight months old. Some trainers wouldn’t consider working with a dog that was less than 12 or 14 months of age. However, the tide began to turn nearly 30 years ago through the research of noted canine behaviorist John Paul Scott. It was found that puppies can learn and can learn well far before the previously recommended ages. In fact, it was discovered that a puppy’s most critical period of imprinting is between 3 and 14 weeks of age. Behaviorists began to realize that this time frame was also the most ideal time to mold a puppy’s personality.

Today, classes for puppies as young as eight and nine weeks of age are appearing around the country and the results have nothing but positive. It is now believed that, in general, a dog will be more adaptable and receptive to advanced schooling when training takes place very early in life. Pups that have had the advantage of “preschool” training are continually proving to be more self-assured and able to meet a dog’s increased social demands without being traumatized. Furthermore, the strange sights, sounds, and the distractions of these early classes are soon taken in stride by the youngsters, and he is able to concentrate on the lessons at hand much more easily.

Preschool lessons are not complicated or intense, but many of them will be important throughout the dog’s entire life. There is no reason why a puppy cannot learn how to walk along nicely on leash when necessary or understand the meaning of the word “no. It doesn’t take a canine wonder to learn simple things like this, and these lessons could easily save your dog’s life.

A thorough understanding of how dogs learn and how they communicate can help you and your pet develop a relationship that far exceeds any that you may have had with dogs in the past. As we have stressed over and over again, no dog, even the most highly trained, will automatically know all the things you. All dogs are born with a clean slate, the writing is put on that slate by experiences and their owners. It is very important that you write exactly what it is you want on that slate.

Importance Of Your Watchful Eye On Your Dog Housetraining

The Healthy Pets — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:34:59 +0000

It is important you do not let puppies loose after eating. Young puppies will eliminate almost immediately after eating or drinking. They will also be ready to relieve themselves when they first wake up and after playing. If you keep a watchful on your pup, you will quickly learn when this is about to take place. He usually circles and sniffs the floor just before he relieves himself. Do not give your puppy an opportunity to learn that he can eliminate in the house. Your house training chores will be reduced considerably if you avoid bad habits in the first place. If you seen him exhibiting signs that he needs to go out, pick him up immediately ad take him outside where you want him to go. Praise him when he goes in the correct area so that he knows this is what you want him to do. Also, while on the subject of avoidance – never underestimate its importance on regard to bad habits.

Do not dawdle when you wake up in the morning. Your first priority will be to get your dog outdoors. Just how early this ritual will take place will depend much more on your puppy than on you. If your dog is like the most others, there will be no doubt in your mind when he needs to be let out. You will also very quickly learn to tell the difference between the “this is an emergency” complaint and “I just want out” grumbling. Do not test any dog’s ability to contain himself. His early morning vocal demand to be let our is confirmation that the house training lesson is learned.

Dr. Ian Dunbar, a highly respected canine behaviorist, strongly cautions against allowing puppies to do anything they choose, even in the first few days they spend in their new homes. He believes this permissiveness sets up a pattern for misbehavior. Once a puppy, or dog realizes that he can do something, even if you do not approve of what he has done, you have two jobs to do instead of one: You have to teach the dog that the behavior is unacceptable, and then proceed to teach him the proper way to behave.

Most puppies need to eliminate immediately after eating or drinking.

Understand that a pup of 8 to 12 weeks of age will not be able to contain himself for long periods of time. Puppies of that age must relieve themselves every few hours, except at night. Your schedule must be adjusted accordingly. Also, make sure that both puppies and adults have relieved themselves, both bowel and bladder, the last thing at night before going to bed.

Dog Runs

The Healthy Pets — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:15:14 +0000

Dog runs allow your dog to exercise while keeping him contained. Depending on the size and age of your dog, his amount of coat, and the availability of an outdoor area, you may be able to leave him in a secure run while you are away from home. I would not leave a puppy outdoors alone for long periods, nor would I consider this an option for small or smooth-coated dogs in extreme temperatures. Otherwise, an outdoor run is a good option for the dog that has to stay home alone regularly for more than a few hours at a time. This method not only ensures you that there will be no mistakes made indoors, but also avoid confusing your dogmas to where he should and should not relieve himself.

Don’t misunderstand – this is not to infer that any dog is to be abandoned to the outdoors until he is house trained. First, the dog will never learn to be clean in the home if he spends little or no time there. Second, denying a dog regular human contact can result in his becoming neurotic and uncontrollable.

Crate Training Your Dog

The Healthy Pets — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:22:00 +0000

There is another relatively easy method to house train most dogs that works well with both puppies and adults – with little, hot-wired dogs, big subdued dogs, and every kind in between. It’s called the cage or crate method, which is based very simply on the fact that the average dog does not like to mess near where he eats or sleeps. it’s known that some first-time dog owners who thought this method of house training was cruel initially would actually later thank those who suggested it in the first place. Interestingly in many cases, dogs will come to think of their crates as their den. All dogs need a place of their own to retreat and you will probably find that your dog will consider his cage or crate that place. Wire cages and fiberglass shipping kennels come in varied sizes and can be purchased at your favorite pet emporium. Nylabone makes a Fold-Away Pet Carrier that can be stored and carried around easily. The cage or crate used for house training should be large enough for the dog to stand up, lie down, and stretch out in comfortably, but only that big.

Remember: Naturally, the length of time the young puppy will be able to contain himself must be taken into consideration. Two or three hours in the crate is the maximum in the beginning, except at night when the entire household is quiet and dark. The length of time can be increased as the puppy grows older. If you ignore the dog when he cries to come out and only let him out when he is being quiet, it will usually get a dog to understand that theatrics will not result in liberation.

Begin by feeding your dog in the crate. Keep the door closed and latched while he is eating. When the meal is finished, open the crate and, if possible, carry the dog outdoors to the spot where you want him to eliminate. It is important to go back to the same spot each and every time. First, because the dog will get the message that this is the place for doing his “business” more quickly. Second, it will save you hours of clean-up time when droppings need only be collected for one location rather than from all over the yard.

If you are not able to watch your dog every minute, he should be in his cage or crate with the door securely latched. Each time you put your dog inside the crate, give him a small treat. Throw the treat to the back of the crate, and encourage the dog to walk in on his own. When he does, give him lots of praise and perhaps another piece of treat through the wires of the cage. Do not succumb to your dog’s initial complaints about being in the crate. The puppy must learn to stay in his cage and to do so without complaining. If you respond to the puppy’s vocal demands to be let out, you are sure to reinforce-you guessed it-barking. Your puppy will very quickly learn to “voice” every single complaint he may have. This is not only annoying, but you will never be able to determine if there is really a need to go outside.

Paper Training Your Dog

The Healthy Pets — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:03:55 +0000

If you find it necessary to be away from home all day, it does not mean that you cannot successfully house train your dog. You will not be able to take care of your puppy outside for regular walks or leave him in a crate; however, do not make the mistake of allowing him to roam the house or even a large room at will. Begin house training your dog by confining him to some out-of-the-way corner that is easily accessible to him.You can choose a small room or an area of the house partitioned with baby gates, and cover the floor with newspaper or puppy pads.

Make your dog’s special area large enough so that he will not relieve himself next to his food, bed, or water. You will soon find that your pup will be inclined to use one particular spot to perform his bowel and bladder functions. When you are at home, you must take the dog to this exact spot to eliminate at the appropriate time. If you consistently take your dog to the same spot, you will reinforce the habit of going there for that purpose.

Bonding With Humans

The Healthy Pets — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:12:29 +0000

Some professionals who train dogs specifically advise obtaining a puppy at about seven weeks of age. Their research indicates that it is at this precise point in time that a puppy is most ready to bond to a human and subsequently depends upon that person for approval. They believe that prior to that time, the puppy needs to be with his siblings and mother. After that time, the puppy passes through varying stages that lessen the puppy’s need for bond with humans and make him more independent in nature. Though not all animal behaviorists would attempt to be this precise; however, there does seem to be general agreement that the optimum time to bring a puppy into his new home is at about seven to eight weeks of age, depending upon the breed. Even so, literally hundreds of thousands of other dogs can be successfully adopted, and you may have already decided that an adult dog is more to your liking.

Choosing an adult dog has both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, the adult dog’s temperament is pretty well set and more easily determined, so you will have some clues as to how your personalities might mesh. a less positive aspect is the fact that the dog may be set in his ways and you will have to work a bit harder to undo habits that do not work for your household.

Don’t adopt any dog, puppy or adult, based simply on the way he looks. Spend as much time as you can with the dog before piling him into your car and rushing him home. Pick an adult dog whose personality matches yours. If you are a laid-back individual who has a low-key approach to life, an excitable, off-the-wall kind of a dog may be more than you can cope with. On the other hand, an extroverted tri-athlete may not find the ideal companion in a pokey, mellow, short-legged dog.

Keeping all of this in mind will give you a more definite and suitable approach to training, rather than having expectations of your dog that he will find extremely difficult, if not impossible, to live up to. Observe the dog you have selected and act accordingly. Do not rush to judgement and mistake your dog’s unwillingness to respond for a lack of intelligence. This is probably not the case at all. A better way of viewing your dog’s mental capacity may be that he is thinking a lot, thus prolonging his training, which the owner may not always appreciate. On the other hand, while the less “intelligent” breeds may be easier to train, there’s many an owner would not trade the excitement of seeing what his dog will come up with next for all the perfect behavior in the manuals. Life is a tradeoff. Whatever the case, every breed of dog is trainable when you use the best approach for his individual personality.

House Training And Puppy Training

The Healthy Pets — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:01:34 +0000

Although a dog’s temperament and personality can be determined by testing him before bringing him home, it certainly isn’t necessary for every new dog owner to resort to extensive, professional testing.

A good part of temperament is observable. However, it is seriously advised to consider the input of a professional if someone is adopting a mature dog of a larger size, particularly if there are children in the home and nothing is known of the dog’s history.

It is important to understand that bit all dogs have the same personality. Even puppies from the same litter and same breed can have vastly different approaches to life.

Although there are other factors involved, ease of training depends in great part upon just how much a dog needs his master’s approval. The entirely dependent dog lives to please his master and will do everything in his power to evoke the approval response from the person to whom he is devoted. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there is the totally independent dog that is not remotely concerned with what his master thinks. Dependency varies from one dog to the next-even within specific breeds. In the end, successfully training your dog depends upon fully understanding the dog’s character and dealing with it accordingly.