Puppy Training
Crate Training
We begin crate conditioning when your pup is just a few weeks old. No doors are closed they come and go freely. Around six to seven weeks pups will begin eating individually in their crates. We start closing them in for meal then they will learn to “ask” out by manding.
Follow through should start immediately when puppy comes home, no matter how much they complain early on. The crate is their safe place when you can’t watch them. I mean actually watch them or actively play with or train them. Some like the crate covered, put toys and real bones in. This will become their safe place. Children and other pets are NOT allowed to bother them when they are inside. NEVER use the crate for punishing or “time out”. Crate training is critical for house breaking. Be sure crate is not so large they can potty in one end. Dogs will not mess where they rest unless they have been left well beyond their age to hold it or they are sick. (Purchase a crate that will be large enough for full grown dog, most come with a divider for the “puppy” size. We use the 36”)
House breaking:
As soon as you take puppy out of the crate put leash on and go to the door to outside. When you open the door say outside ( happily) carry puppy to potty place. Put down puppy when you are in the area. Give potty command. Wait… let puppy sniff walk whatever still wait. No playing now!! Give potty command again wait, if puppy does not go in about 5 minutes pick up puppy and back to crate. No playing yet. Wait about 10 minutes. Do it again. When puppy finally goes, praise, treat, play!!!! Take puppy right after play time, eating, drinking, in the beginning they may need to go out every 2o to 30 minutes. Keep puppy confined to an area you can see or better yet tether to you. Watch for clues as to when puppy they may need to go. If you see puppy starting LEAVE them to go(Ill explain), NEVER scold, yell or discipline after they have had an accident. It is the humans fault for not being diligent and attentive. (Explanation to leave puppy once they start going… If you scare, scold pick up puppy at that moment they think they did something wrong, next time they may hide to avoid the confrontation and could become habitual!)
Nipping:
All pups nip and explore with their mouth. If Puppy is biting a human the best thing to do is re-direct or turn the “biting end” around. Avoid wrestling games at this stage. They can be taught to have a “soft” mouth while playing. When they mouth to hard use a sharp “ouch” then say easy or no bite, and stop play, walk away and attention stops. But not too long don’t want to break their spirit only the habit. If they mouth easy tell them good easy.
IGNORE THE BAD:
Reward good behavior. They will want to please you, it is important to them. If they pick up something they are not supposed to take tell them NO and replace with something appropriate when they take it praise them.
SOCIALIZATION:
When your pup comes home, try to introduce them to 100 new people their first 10 days. Have guests over to meet them. Take to dog friendly places but not a dog park yet! You want pup touched, held and fussed over by any stranger you can round up, even to see other unique people is critical at this stage!! HOWEVER, do not force an interaction! Also critical is dog socialization, remembering you can’t have them around unvaccinated dogs(cats) until fully vaccinated at 18 weeks. If sure the other dogs you know are vaccinated then if that animal is safe temperamentally definitely! Each new experience whether human or animal up to 14 weeks of age makes a life long impact on socializing your new family member!
EXERCISE:
A tired dog is a good dog. If they are properly stimulated and fed and watered, they will be happy to chill and be wherever you are. You may also consider mental challenges like hide and seek, scent training or teaching a new trick- these require their brains to do the work yet tires them out physically!
“Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.”—Corey Ford