Puppy Training Related Articles

Puppy Playtime: How to Keep Your Pet Active and Engaged

Dog Activities Articles - Page 2

The First 48 Hours

Welcoming a new puppy can be both exhilarating and chaotic. In the first 48 hours, you can expect to clean up many accidents, but there will also be plenty of opportunities for napping and snuggling with your new furry friend. You will want to contact your veterinarian to schedule a first check-up, where you can discuss your puppy’s nutrition, grooming, parasite prevention, and vaccination requirements. It’s crucial to choose activities that are best suited to your puppy’s needs. Training, exercise, and social stimulation are essential for your puppy’s development, especially since puppies are most receptive to new experiences such as sounds, smells, and other animals, and learning good behaviors before they reach three months old.

Unique Considerations for Puppy Training & Exercise

When creating a training and exercise plan for puppies, consider their unique needs and circumstances such as body condition, health status, breed, environment, and schedule. It’s not surprising that smaller dog breeds generally require less physical activity than larger ones. Indoor exercise can be enough for smaller breeds like poodles, pugs, and Maltese puppies. Still, owners should be careful not to neglect their exercise needs. Overweight issues are common in smaller breeds, so keeping them active is essential. On the other hand, larger dogs and working breeds like Australian Shepherds need more vigorous exercise to stimulate their bodies and brains. When puppies are bored or have excess energy, they may resort to destructive behavior, such as digging or barking incessantly for attention. Providing chew toys like a Nylabone or Kong stuffed with kibble can be a helpful outlet for teething puppies in addition to regular playtime and walks.

Keeping Puppies Engaged and Mentally Stimulated

Because puppies have shorter attention spans than their older counterparts, breaking up their playtime and training sessions into shorter blocks is essential. You can consider 10-15 minute sessions or stop when your puppy becomes distracted. Add variety to your activities to keep your puppy engaged and mentally stimulated. Rotating through their toys and finding new places to play is a good idea. For example, a wooded trail offers new smells and exploration. Likewise, beach play can expose your pup to the texture of sand, some seagulls to chase, and water for splashing.

Indoor Puppy Playtime

If the temperature outside is too hot or cold, consider indoor dog parks and daycares specifically for puppies. Before joining a group, ensure your puppy has a clean bill of health from a veterinarian since puppies are more likely to get transmissible intestinal parasites due to their immature immune systems. Vaccines are essential; dogs are typically fully vaccinated by 4-5 months. While some retail stores are pet-friendly, call ahead before taking your puppy with you. If you have a neighbor with a well-behaved and healthy pet, you can plan fun games like tug-of-war or zoomies with them in your living room.

Protecting Your Puppy’s Growing Bones

As young puppies, especially those of larger breeds, have bones like the femur and radius in a state of rapid growth and development, high-impact exercises performed over a long period can cause orthopedic issues. It would help if you conditioned your puppy to longer hikes and light jogging gradually. While playing ball or running after a friend is acceptable, it is important to let your puppy decide when to rest and respect that. While you may look forward to going for a run with your dog, saving endurance sports for when your pup has completed most of its growth is best. Puppies and young dogs who limp may have overexerted themselves at the dog park or have developmental issues such as hypertrophic osteodystrophy or cartilage defects. If this lasts more than a day after exercise and despite rest, it is time to contact your veterinarian.

Starting Off Right: Puppy Obedience Training

Starting obedience training as soon as you bring your puppy home is crucial. Use training treats sparingly and maintain consistency with commands and cues. Consistent practice is the key. A well-trained pet is safer and more enjoyable. The importance of early training cannot be overstated, as it will help build your puppy’s confidence and strengthen your bond. It also forms the foundation for future training. Once your puppy is old enough for obedience classes, word of mouth, breed clubs, and your veterinarian’s office are great resources for finding a trainer or a class. Group training classes offer an excellent opportunity for your puppy to socialize and learn crucial non-verbal communication skills, such as bite inhibition, in a safe, supervised environment. With these efforts, your furry friend will soon be delightful.

At Pet Butler, we want you and your pet to live your best and healthiest lives, which is why we offer pet waste removal and other services year-round. We offer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and one-time clean-up services to work with your schedule and needs.

4 Dog Behavioral Issues and How to Correct Them

Dog Behavior Articles

We are so attached to our beloved canine companions, sharing everything from ice cream cones to our pillows it can be hard to remember that they aren’t just tiny humans. However, watch them welcome each other nose to rear at the dog park or keep busy digging a 4-foot hole in your flower bed. You’ll soon be reminded that some behaviors are specific to the canine species.

Many actions, such as greeting owners at the door carrying a soft toy, are endearing. Others, like digging, barking, counter-surfing or destructive chewing can be a nuisance. We need to understand the origin of these behaviors and how to channel all that furry cuteness into good!

Barking

Understanding Why Your Dog Barks

Dogs vocalize in many ways, from incessant barking to a soft whine. How they “speak” communicate everything from “I’m hurt and scared” to “don’t come in my house.” Hounds are particularly vocal; they were bred to hunt, chase, and keep prey in one place or “at bay” until the hunter arrived. When normal vocalizing behavior becomes an incessant habit, it can wake a sleeping baby, trigger a migraine, or even evict apartment dwellers. It’s important to unearth the cause and motivation for continued barking.

Remedies for Nuisance Barking

• Boredom can trigger nuisance barking; exercise and enrichment are critical to keeping dogs from developing this unwanted behavior.
• Don’t unintentionally reward barking by drawing attention to the undesirable vocalization. Even negative attention (yelling by you) is SOME attention, and dogs seeking human interaction hit the jackpot!
• Dogs triggered by the Amazon delivery person may also have their loud yapping reinforced. As the driver approaches the home, the dog barks, telling the human to “back off my property.” Guess what? The driver gets back in their truck and drives away! The barking worked! A better option is to close the blinds or crate your dog, so barking is never provoked.

Chewing

Understanding Normal vs. Destructive Chewing

Remember the pup who greeted us at the door with a squeaky plush toy? Cute, right? Some breeds, such as the Flat-Coated Retriever, were bred to carry downed game in their mouths. It also makes them desirable service dogs since they can carry a bag of groceries or retrieve a set of fallen keys.

Dogs have a normal and healthy desire to chew and explore things with their mouths, especially during teething. Crossing into the destructive chewing zone is a definite no-no.

Remedies for Destructive Chewing

• The line between encouraged behavior and undesirable behavior is pretty blurry for your pet! As in other unwanted behaviors, don’t set your dog up to fail by leaving precious items within reach.
• Offer many safe chew toys like Nylabones or Kongs stuffed with treats.
• Durable puzzle-type toys can be mentally stimulating if dogs can uncover hidden snacks or other plush toys inside; your dog must use all his senses to extract the treats or concealed squeakers.

Digging

Understanding Why Your Dog Digs

Some dog behaviors, such as digging, may have been bred into a species. For example, Rat Terriers have been genetically selected over the years to eradicate vermin with tenacity. Left to their own devices, they dig holes under fences, deep into fresh, perennial plantings, and just about anywhere else they can put their paws.

Remedies for Digging

• If your dog has a propensity for digging, provide opportunities to dig in appropriate zones and offer positive reinforcement when your pet complies.
• Some owners have plastic sandboxes full of dirt or sand with hidden bones, treats, or soft toy treasures that can be “found” when their pets dig in the right spot.
• Make sure they have plenty of mental and physical stimulation through hide and seek games, walks, and “sniffaris,” and digging options that won’t ruin your yard.

Counter Surfing

Understanding Why Your Dog Counter Surfs

Counter-surfing is one troublesome and unsafe behavior that can be difficult to reverse. Dogs of a certain height, or those with a high vertical jump, learn that yummy things live on kitchen counters and dining tables. How many of us have come home to a torn-up pizza box or cupcake wrappers strewn about the house? A dog’s keen sense of smell can lead them to trouble. In some cases, an upset stomach or even toxic ingestion of items not meant for canine consumption can result.

Remedies for Counter Surfing

• Keep all unattended food off the counter or inaccessible to your pet, and always feed them from their bowl.
• Train your dog to go to their place (a bed or crate) during mealtimes. This alternate behavior is incompatible with counter-surfing.
• Given enough positive reinforcement and eliminating temptation, your dog will eventually stop scouring the kitchen for food.

To remedy unwanted behavior, supervise your pet, offer training on alternate, acceptable behaviors, and reward them for doing the right thing. If the behaviors persist, ask your veterinarian for advice and consider the help of a professional trainer.

Training Options for Your Dog

Dog Behavior Articles

Dogs are intelligent, social creatures and training provides them the tools to lead safe, happy, and enriched lives and deepen bonds with their humans and other animals. No two dogs are identical, so their training instruction should be tailored based on health, age, personality, breed, lifestyle, and specific tasks.

Training Methods

We are constantly learning more about how dogs perceive rewards and punishment, their psychology, and their relationship with their owner and other animals. Consequently, through the years training methods and tools have evolved. Here are some of the most common training methods:

Positive Reinforcement:

This type of training relies on positive reinforcement to increase the probability the desired behavior will occur. Did your dog sit on command? Give a tasty treat! Come when called? Load on the praise!

Some trainers will use a clicker in addition to a reward when a dog performs the behavior. The dog will learn to associate the “click” with the behavior and reward with consistency and practice. Over time, they get the same dopamine release from the click as a food reward, conveniently shaping behaviors for zero calories.

Operant Conditioning:

Operant conditioning utilizes the principles of differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors, negative reinforcement, negative punishment, and positive punishment.

· An example of reinforcing an alternate behavior may be rewarding your dog who stays put on its bed when the doorbell rings. By encouraging that behavior with a treat, you are making the alternate, less desirable behavior of rushing the door less likely to occur.

· A counter-surfing dog who steals food from the table could be negatively reinforced by removing all food, so there is no more motivation to surf.

· One common form of positive punishment is the electronic collar. For example, the dog receives a shock or stimulation when barking. With the hands of a professional trainer and the right dog, e-collars can eliminate unwanted behaviors and train desired ones. They also can tremendously cause psychological and physical harm to a pet if misused and should only be considered if guided by a professional.

Dominance Training:

Dominance-based training has declined in popularity in recent years. This method is based on studies of captive wolf packs, which may not resemble the social structures of domesticated dogs at home. Owners must be the “alpha” of the household – going first through doorways, denying pets access to furniture, and never meeting them at eye level. The philosophy behind this method works to curb bad behavior in some dogs but does little to identify the root cause of the behavior, which can lead to stress and fear in the pet.

The Most Popular Training Method:

The most popular and effective training method combines positive reinforcement with operant conditioning. The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers relies predominantly on this training method. The council determined that dogs respond best to the “most positive, least intrusive” strategy to achieve training goals or alter behaviors. Professional trainers often start with the question, “What do you want the dog to do?” and employ humane tactics in a hierarchy to achieve that goal.

Keys to Successful Training

Age-Appropriate Activities

Puppies have shorter attention spans than older dogs, so the key to their training is to keep it fun and engaging. They typically stay engaged for up to 5-minute periods, interspersed with naps and physical exercise.

Tips for training puppies:

· Use kibble or tiny treats to reward actions.

· Work with your pet 3-4 times daily.

· Use walks to practice skills and commands.

Older pets are just as teachable as young puppies. However, motivation, agility, and endurance may differ due to joint, vision, and hearing changes. Also, remember that an older pet who is new to your home may have had past experiences that impact their behavior and openness to some training methods. For example, a dog that a previous owner loudly scolded might be frightened of loud noises, even if in the form of praise. When working to change the behaviors of an older pet, such as destructive chewing, biting, resource guarding, or jumping, it may be best to work with a professional one-on-one.

Choose the Right Environment

The environment for training should be conducive to successfully teaching a skill by adding or eliminating distractions or cues. In some cases, this may mean bringing your pet to a group class if the skill you’d like to teach is recalled in the presence of other pets.

In other cases, it may mean individualized training to teach tracking and beginning training with a high-value, pungently scented object. Are you trying to stop your dog from barking at the mailman? By closing the blinds, you’ve altered the setting, eliminated the stimulus, and changed behavior in a minimally intrusive way!

Be Consistent

Whether you hire a certified dog trainer, do it yourself, or attend a group class, consistency and follow-through are essential. Have every member of your family involved in training, so your pet receives reliable cues, responses, and outcomes each time they perform a behavior.

Dog Training Advice from Dr. Lisa

At Pet Butler, we want you and your pet to live your best and healthiest lives, which is why we offer pet waste removal and other services year-round. With 1 gram of dog poop containing 23 million fecal bacteria, scooping your pet’s poop regularly is crucial to your family’s health. We offer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and one-time clean-up services to work with your schedule and needs.

How to Housetrain/Potty Train Your Puppy

Dog Behavior Articles

One of the biggest challenges new dog owners face is overcoming a puppy’s most natural instinct: elimination, AKA peeing and pooping. As it turns out, dogs are not born with the understanding of where to relieve themselves all the time – that knowledge needs to be taught. Housetraining, also known as potty training, is a long but achievable undertaking that should be your number one priority after adopting a pup. It’s easier to teach a dog when it’s younger, and it helps your house stay that much cleaner.

Starting Early

Housetraining should be started once a puppy is around 10 weeks old – after it learns how to control its bladder and really start a schedule. The process can take anywhere from 4-6 months, although in special cases it can last up to a year or more. The more adamant you are about creating a schedule and sticking to the guidelines, the faster your dog will understand his/her expectations. Timeliness is also dependent on the size of your dog (smaller dogs need more trips outside and therefore adapt more quickly) as well as how receptive your dog is to training. Some puppies just take longer to learn where the toilet is, so stay positive and remind yourself that accidents happen all the time. You got this!

Control the Puppy’s Potty Space

The first general rule of potty training is to limit a puppy’s space. Control the environment as much as possible and always be attentive to your dog’s needs. Most of the time, your pup will show you when it needs to go. This is often indicated by behaviors like sniffing, circling, barking, and whining. If you can’t be around to supervise, make sure that you have a someone else around or put your dog in a crate. Crates discourage puppies from eliminating inside the house, and they’re helpful for extended periods away from home. That said, a puppy should never be left alone for more than 3-4 hours, especially within the first few months. If a dog is eliminating inside their crate, change some of the crating factors or stop using this method entirely. Tolerating bad habits will be very counterproductive.

Set a Potty Schedule

Another housetraining rule is to set a schedule. The more consistent the schedule, the more consistent the training. Puppies need to be taken outside hourly and always after eating or drinking. While most pups can hold their waste for a couple hours, it’s best not to test their limits. Repetition is the key to obedience, after all. For nighttime, try to be as quiet as possible if your dog needs to go; the less commotion caused, the less they’ll want to play around afterwards. Minimize these nightly trips as much as possible and take away their water bowl 2 hours before bedtime.

Reaffirming the Positive Potty Experience

When taking your dog outside, it’s important to keep a close watch. Putting them on a leash, even in a backyard, is good for positive association, familiarity, and, once again, control. Use a verbal cue like “potty” before they go and reward them afterwards with either treats or playtime. Make sure that you reward them outside, as soon as possible, but only after they have completely finished their business. This is important for avoiding accidents and speeding up their bathroom breaks later on.

As far as location goes, at first, bring them to the same spot every time. Their previous scent will prompt elimination again and reinforce the training. Once a puppy is more experienced with this idea, try and take them around to different outdoor spaces. They need to be comfortable with more than just one area.

Other points to remember include…

Minimizing or Removing Potty Pads – Dogs associate these pads with carpeting, which can confuse puppies and prolong their training.
Using Enzymatic Cleaners – They clear odors more effectively, so dogs won’t think about repeating their surprise in the same place.
Consulting a Veterinarian – If your dog has repeated training issues, vets can offer extra advice and ensure that medical problems aren’t causing any complications.

Potty Training with Adult Dogs

All these ideas also apply for older dogs who either need to learn or relearn these habits. While training an adult dog might take longer and be more difficult, it’s fundamentally the same process. Be rigid with your limitations and scheduling, and they’ll come along just fine.

Lastly, there will be setbacks. Potty training is not easy. No matter how frustrating it can be, remember to never punish your dog in difficult moments. Discipline is important, but it’s wrong to make your dog afraid of you. If you happen to catch your dog in the act, clap loudly to signal a bad behavior and try to interrupt what’s happening. As per usual, if you can bring your puppy outside and finishes there, still give them a treat. Best of luck!

Tips for Socializing My Dog

Dog Behavior Articles

Why Socialization is Critical for Pets

Canines need to be good citizens of the world in which we live.

Dogs that aren’t socialized are often relinquished to shelters for preventable behavior problems such as resource guarding and territorial or fear-based aggression. Pet “problems” account for approximately 47% of surrendered dogs; many are re-homed multiple times, and some are euthanized. (1)

New owners must realize that once released from the confines of home, our pets need to function confidently and thrive in an environment populated with small children, other animals, cars and bicyclists, and all varieties of noises and distractions.

What a Socialized Dog Looks Like

Socialized pets can happily accompany their owners on vacation, exercise amongst other animals at dog parks and daycares, experience the physical contact of other people, and mental stimulation of group agility classes or pet assisted therapy work. They experience less anxiety, stress, and loneliness. And they are more physically fit.

What Exactly is Pet Socialization?

How can we accomplish the integration and socialization of our furry friends when hampered by current conditions? According to the AVMA:

“Socialization is the process of preparing a dog or cat to enjoy interactions and be comfortable with other animals, people, places and activities. Ideally, socialization should begin during the sensitive period between 3 and 14 weeks of age for puppies, and 3 and 9 weeks of age for kittens”. (2)

While this window of time is optimal, progress can be made acclimating a previously unsocialized pet if the process is adjusted at a pace suitable to the pet’s temperament.

When Should I Start Socializing My Dog?

Younger pups are typically more inquisitive and relaxed than an adolescent or adult dog who already associates certain experiences with negative outcomes such as a nail trim that resulted in cutting the quick.

Ideally, your new puppy has spent the first 8 weeks of life surrounded by littermates and has already been practicing play and learning bite inhibition. The breeder, foster family, or shelter worker has been extensively handling the animal since birth. Touching ears, toes, and exploring the mouth and muzzle in a gentle way is important to learn that contact is safe and enjoyable. If not, these tasks fall to the new owner.

Develop a Plan for Socializing My Dog

To prepare to socialize a pet, it’s best to develop a plan. Ask yourself…

How Old is Your Dog?

3-14 weeks old – the malleable window
4-12 months old – may more cautiously test the waters
1 year old and over – inherently confident, assertive, or shy.

The speed with which you can introduce new experiences may be slower with an older, more behaviorally mature or timid pet.

What Environment Do I Want My Dog In?

Decide what items or scenarios you’d like to introduce, depending on your living environment and what future experiences in which your pet may engage.

Are There Other Pets in The House or Will a Pet Sitter Be Needed at Some Point?

Engage them with a FaceTime introduction and regular virtual visits with your pet.

What Will Be a Part of Your Dog’s Daily Life?

Treats and positive reinforcement
A crate or safe space for your pet to retreat to when they need alone time and minimize separation anxiety
Nail trimmers or clippers you’ll want to desensitize your pet to
Noises like chirping birds, fireworks, fast-moving children, babies crying, or other pets in the house

How to Socialize My Dog

Walks – Frequent walks outside in a variety of environments and on a multitude of surfaces such as the sidewalk, wooded path, grassy park, near water, or on a deck ensure your pet is comfortable in different settings.

Meeting Nearby Pets/People – Encourage your neighbors and their dogs to greet and engage your pet from a safe distance while you ply your pooch with delectable treats.

Play Dress Up – Animals should be exposed to humans in hoods, hats, wearing sunglasses, carrying umbrellas or pushing a vacuum cleaner or stroller.

Leash – Have your puppy on a leash, happily distracted by kibble when you ride your bicycle or skateboard nearby.

Car Rides – They introduce new experiences. Drive by a noisy airport or construction site.

Noise Familiarity – YouTube videos or phone apps, mechanical noisemakers, and remote-controlled, interactive toys featuring daily noises such as baby cries, birds chirping, and fireworks can be used to introduce the idea of other animals and sounds to your dog.

Doorbells – Ringing the doorbell while your dog practices being calm in their crate.

Eating – Handling your pet while they’re eating to discourage food guarding.

Therapy Work – If you want to do therapy work with your pet, borrow a walker, wheelchair, and a beeping timer, and practice walking through a gate or down a stairwell.

If you have healthy adults and children in the house, allow them all to engage in socialization activities with the new pet.

Plan for 1-5 new experiences a day for varying periods of time, but no longer than the period in which your pet is relaxed and happy. Realize your pet may have some limitations and adjust your socialization periods and expectations accordingly.

Never punish a pet who is fearful, but gently remove them from the situation and expose them again to the stimulus when they are calm; do so for a decreased duration and intensity or from an increased distance. If your pet remains happy and content during socialization exercises, continue positively reinforcing them with food, praise, or petting as you extend the duration of training sessions.

Dog Biting 101

Dog Behavior Articles

One of the most unwelcome surprises of puppy ownership is the pain those tiny little chompers, all 28 of them, can inflict on a hand or foot.

Puppy Teething

Mouthing/teething is an integral part of growing up for pups; they investigate their world with their mouths and use those teeth for playing and chewing.
Teething occurs around 4-6 months of age, and it’s normal to see mouthing behavior increase.

Training Puppies to Stop Nipping

Socialization – Most puppies learn the difference between a playful nip and a painful bite when they are exposed to littermates or other dogs. Puppy playdates and contact with healthy, vaccinated dogs are socialization musts and teach bite inhibition organically.

Yipping Back – A bite that’s too hard will elicit a high-pitched “yelp” from the other dog which usually stops biting behavior. Likewise, you can train your puppy to stop playful mouthing or nipping by letting out a “yip” and letting your hand go limp to stop the biting.

Toys – Redirect their attention to a more appropriate toy such as a nylabone or kong teether. Tug rope toys are another great object for dogs to mouth and tug of war that doesn’t involve direct contact with your hand.

Time Outs – Most puppies are looking for your attention, above all else. Removing yourself from the situation when your pup is nipping is punishment enough for our faithful companions! Give them a “time out” by tethering them with their leash to a piece of furniture for a minute or two and walking away. Always supervise your dog from a distance. You can also confine them to a puppy safe space. Return and interact quietly and lovingly after several minutes of calm and reward them for not biting with treats or a more appropriate play toy.

Deterrents – In some cases, a bitter spray deterrent or white stick deodorant can be applied to objects you want to be spared from mouthing.

If your dog is an “ankle-biter”, stop moving when your dog nips at your legs. Redirect them to a toy or let out a “yip”. Teach fast-moving children not to run or wave their fingers and toes in front of dogs. Dogs get the message that it’s time to play “chase” when kids run away or nibble on small moving digits if given the opportunity. Many times, we must train the humans as much as we must train our dogs!

Determining Why Your Puppy or Dog is Biting

Some puppies and dogs bite out of…

Frustration
Fear
Territorialism
Excitement
Aggression
When being startled.

It’s important to differentiate this conduct from normal play, as the actions taken to correct your dog will depend greatly on why they are biting. A dog that begins to bite that has not done so before may be…

Overly stimulated
Stressed
Scared
In pain

Analyze Their Behavior

A visit to a vet, along with a video and diary of when the behavior occurs, whether skin is broken, and whether any changes to the pet’s environment have occurred, are critical to obtaining a resolution.

Your veterinarian may refer you to an animal behaviorist, a vet who has received additional training and board certification in treating a multitude of disorders (ACVB), or a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT) once physical disease is ruled out.

The Difference Between Play & Aggressive Biting

It can be difficult to differentiate normal, though overly enthusiastic, play biting from inappropriate behavior. Clues as to the reason the dog is biting include considering the context in which the dog is biting as well as the body language of the dog who initiates the bite.

Body Language Clues

Most dogs that are playing will have a relaxed body and face, sometimes a wagging tail, and may exhibit other playful behaviors such as bowing. A fearful dog may have a tucked tail, furrowed brow, ears pinned back, and avoid direct eye contact. An aggressive dog may curl its lip, engage with a direct stare, and have a stiff, raised tail, rigid body posture, and growl.

My Dog is Biting Hands, What Should I Do?

In some cases, teaching dogs to avoid biting human hands may be as simple as avoiding waving them in their faces, using hands only for affectionate petting. Teach a pet to receive treats out of one hand while gently handling feet, ears, and stroking their back with the other. In no case should your hands be used for punishment or excessive physical restraint. If needed, use a training tool such as a collar, harness, and leash to gain physical control of your pet.

Handling a Dog Bite Injury

Should you or another pet sustain a dog bite that breaks the skin, it’s important to receive immediate medical care after washing the wound with mild soap and water. Dogs’ mouths are NOT cleaner that human mouths; bites often create a pocket under the skin where bacteria can grow, causing an abscess or deep infection. Any bite to a human should be reported to the local animal control and ensure the pet is current on its rabies vaccine.

What to Know When Getting a New Puppy

Pet Adoption Articles

Whether this is your first dog or one of many, it’s a thrilling time. As you know, or soon will, dogs and puppies are a lot like human children – the amount of time, expense, and emotion you will invest during the first year of ownership is astounding. They come in all shapes, sizes, temperaments, and breeds, but the same tenant holds true for all – what you put in is what you will get out of your relationship with your new companion. Remember this the next time your pup chews a favorite pair of shoes because they’re bored, or you forgot to secure the crate and come home to a disaster created by your Tasmanian devil.

Help to ease them into their new setting by providing consistency in routine and among family members with regards to house rules, discipline, and expectations. Gradually allow them to investigate each area of their new home while supervised and when the setting is quiet and controlled. Here are some other tips to get pet ownership off on the right foot:

Nutrition

How Often – Feeding times of a high-quality diet made with real protein and AAFCO tested should be scheduled every 3-8 hours, depending on your dog’s age, and ultimately transitioned to twice daily feeding.

How To – Leave the food in an accessible stainless steel or ceramic bowl for 10-15 minutes; after that time, pick up the bowl until the next scheduled feeding. This can help regulate bowel movements and aid in house training. Feedings can be conducted in the crate to encourage crate acceptance. It’s best to start your new addition on the food to which they are accustomed, gradually transitioning to a new diet over a week’s time to prevent gastrointestinal upset.

A few good resources that will help guide your diet selections include: www.wsava.org for a nutrition toolkit and body condition scoring chart, and www.avma.org for food recall information.

Grooming

Pet grooming encompasses maintenance of hair and skin, ears, nails, and dental health. For most dogs, a mild, preferably soap-free formula works well since accident-prone pups often require frequent bathing. Healthy dogs require no more than monthly baths. It’s best to offer a hungry puppy food and treats during the first few grooming sessions; the goal is to get your dog accustomed to the idea of handling feet, nails, exposure to water and the tools you may use during his life. Make grooming fun, short, and end on a positive note. We don’t want perfection, just progress!

Ears – Ears should be cleaned with a mild drying solution and cotton balls after the bath; moisture accumulated in the ear canals can make a perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to overgrow.

Nails – Consider trimming nails one at a time when your pet is sleepy or hungry and can be bribed with a high value treat (shredded cheese, peanut butter, small bites of chicken breast). It’s best to set the clippers out for a few days near the food bowl and to give your pet time to adjust to the tool.

Teeth – Dental care ideally involves daily tooth and gum brushing with a finger brush or child-sized toothbrush. Choose dog-specific products that have flavors such as chicken or malt. Again, start slowly with a quick, but gentle gum massage and reward with a treat to keep all 42 adult teeth healthy, you need to brush at least twice a week to have any benefit.

Ideally, by the time your pet has his first professional grooming session, he is acclimated and even excited about a massage and spa day.

Socialization & Training

Positive reinforcement of dog-appropriate behavior and redirection are the cornerstones of most successful training programs. Most trainers and veterinarians abide by the principle that “nothing in life is free”, meaning if your dog wants something (a treat, a walk, petting), they need to ask nicely (in a sit-stay position) and without whining.

When to Start & How – Puppies are like sponges; there is a critical window of development that closes around 13 weeks of age. During this window of 2 weeks to 3 months, expose your puppy to multiple surfaces, people, other pets, travel, grooming aids, and sounds while reinforcing interactions with treats and praise. Go slowly and don’t overwhelm your puppy with too many “new” things at once. Introducing a leash and collar (Martingale or gentle leader collars are especially nice) early and taking short, frequent walks, offering scheduled play times, and playing mental games such as hiding kibble for hide and go seek or working on obedience commands are invaluable.

Crate Training

Most vets advocate crate training your pup to stay in the crate calmly when he can’t be supervised. By providing valuable resources (food, a Kong toy stuffed with frozen peanut butter and kibble) and allowing the puppy easy access to the crate for indeterminate, variable blocks of time, including nap and nighttime, we can establish the crate as a safe place where only good things happen. Once they have accepted the crate as a safe place, you can start leaving the puppy alone for longer stretches of time. The crate is also useful to help potty train your pet. Crating the dog in a cozy den with just enough room to turn around and allowing immediate access to the outside “toilet” will aid in housebreaking.

Potty Training

Choose the same location to take your dog to go potty each time, reward immediately (not once inside the house), and choose a phrase to associate with elimination such as “potty-time” to achieve the best results. Pups should be able to “hold it” for their age in months +1 hour. i.e. a 2-month-old puppy can remain in the crate up to 3 hours safely.

Formal socialization and obedience classes are readily available and an important part of a puppy’s first few months.

Preventative Health Care

Vaccines – Most puppies receive an initial vaccine series every 3-4 weeks at their veterinary visit beginning at 6-8 weeks of age until 4-6 months. Thereafter, annual to triannual booster vaccines may be administered at the time of the exam.

Spay/Neuter – An individual vaccine and titer schedule as well as age to spay or neuter is determined based on the pet’s lifestyle, risk of exposure, breed, and health status. When to spay or neuter your pet is a decision that may have already been made for you if you adopted your pet through a rescue group or shelter; understandably, these groups are primarily concerned with pet overpopulation and want to eliminate the possibility of future litters.

Regular Exams – Regular examinations of your dog and possibly their blood and stool allow for evaluation of eyes, ears, nose, throat, body condition and weight, heart, lungs, abdomen, limbs, behavior, parasite status and internal organ function. To get the most out of a veterinary visit, please share any details regarding your pet’s medical history including current diet and bring a fresh stool sample. Since our pets can’t speak for themselves, be aware of any changes in appetite, urination, defecation, energy, appetite, and behavior.

Expense, time commitment, and those sharp puppy teeth can be unexpected surprises to owning a puppy. It’s best to be prepared with a crate, leash and collar, bowls, grooming tools, treats, a resource list including a vet, realistic expectations, and some good chew toys!

Congratulations on the adoption of your new best friend!