So you have a new puppy and you want to stop your puppy chewing everything? So one of the
first things you have to understand about your puppy is he's a baby and as such will chew anything. The reason for this is he maybe stressed or from boredom, teething and exploring his surroundings and to do this he puts things in his mouth. So we as good dog owners need to teach our puppy what he can or can't chew on so that this behavior does not become destructive.
So now we need to puppy proof an area in our home that will be our puppies space. Pick up or remove anything that you don't want your puppy to get. Any rooms you don't want your puppy in, you need to keep these doors closed. You need to keep in mind this is not forever it's just in the growing exploring stage. They do grow out of it.
We also want to start taking our puppy for a walk, only start doing this once your puppy has had his needle because you don't want him mixing with other dogs until you have. Walking your puppy and playing with him in the back yard or park is good exercise for him and it will tire him out. Also mixing with the other dogs in the park will help socialize him and this makes for a better dog.
Something else you can start to do is training your puppy to sit and stay, giving him treats and praise all the time. You want to keep these sessions short as puppies have short attention spans. You may want to look in your local area to see if they have puppy training lessons, this will also help with his socializing.
Lastly you want to look at suitable chew toys for your puppy. Don't give him anything with a squeaker in it, if it breaks and the puppy swallows it you may be off to the vets. You want something tough, maybe a Kong. Also try and not to get angry as this only re-enforces the bad behavior. If you find your puppy chewing something he's not meant too, try and swap it with one of his chew toys. If you find your about to loose your patience with him take him out for a walk, get out in the fresh air and enjoy.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Toilet Training The New Puppy
So you have a new member of the family and all the challengers that come with having a puppy. It may take up to 6 months before your puppy is completely toilet trained, they are constantly eating, drinking and running around and of course going to the toilet. Just like any child it takes time for them to learn bladder control.
When you are not home it is best to confine your puppy to a small room, some where that you can lay down newspaper. This room is going to be his home away from home, at least while you are not there. When you make up this room lay down the paper, food and water bowls, toys and a bed. At first your puppy is going to chew everything, including the paper and he will also toilet everywhere. This is why you want the convenience of a small room with the paper as it's easy for you to then clean later. Don't get angry with your puppy over this, this is all part of raising a puppy and we are laying down the paper to make your job a bit easier and less messy for you.
Now while your puppy is toileting on the paper he is developing a habit and he will soon find a favorite spot. Once he does slowly and I DO mean slowly start taking the paper away. Start from the furtherest end and take one sheet away at a time. If he misses you need to start again and then maybe take half a sheet away. This is a slow process and you need to take your time. Be prepared for accidents, we All have our bad days. When he gets it right praise him.
When you are home and can participate in active toilet training it will move a lot quicker. Choose a toilet area for your puppy and say every 30/40 minutes after eating, drinking or playing encourage him to his toilet area. When this is successful again praise him, don't punish him as he doesn't understand and it may actually do more harm than good. Keep taking your puppy to his toilet area and over time he will develop bladder and bowel control.
If you reward and encourage your new puppy every time he/she goes in the right place they will quickly learn. The more you can be with your puppy and give him access to his toilet area and with lots of praise, the quicker he is going to learn.
When you are not home it is best to confine your puppy to a small room, some where that you can lay down newspaper. This room is going to be his home away from home, at least while you are not there. When you make up this room lay down the paper, food and water bowls, toys and a bed. At first your puppy is going to chew everything, including the paper and he will also toilet everywhere. This is why you want the convenience of a small room with the paper as it's easy for you to then clean later. Don't get angry with your puppy over this, this is all part of raising a puppy and we are laying down the paper to make your job a bit easier and less messy for you.
Now while your puppy is toileting on the paper he is developing a habit and he will soon find a favorite spot. Once he does slowly and I DO mean slowly start taking the paper away. Start from the furtherest end and take one sheet away at a time. If he misses you need to start again and then maybe take half a sheet away. This is a slow process and you need to take your time. Be prepared for accidents, we All have our bad days. When he gets it right praise him.
When you are home and can participate in active toilet training it will move a lot quicker. Choose a toilet area for your puppy and say every 30/40 minutes after eating, drinking or playing encourage him to his toilet area. When this is successful again praise him, don't punish him as he doesn't understand and it may actually do more harm than good. Keep taking your puppy to his toilet area and over time he will develop bladder and bowel control.
If you reward and encourage your new puppy every time he/she goes in the right place they will quickly learn. The more you can be with your puppy and give him access to his toilet area and with lots of praise, the quicker he is going to learn.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)