PUPPY PREPARATION
Our pups come with 30 days of complementary pet insurance with no waiting period provided by Trupanion. Some restrictions may apply to California residents. For more information please contact Trupanion's customer service department via email Info@Trupanion.com or by phone (855) 828-1419.
List of Supplies
1. Premium quality dog food to get your new puppy off to a good start.
Examples:
Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken & Rice Formula-
receives DogFoodAdvisor.com second highest rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Pro Plan Puppy is the puppy brand most often recommended by veterinarians and professional breeders.
Each recipe has been verified for nutrient balance by "live feeding trials" Learn More
Key Benefits-
For 20 lb. dogs (Halve for 10 lb. dog, double for 40 lb. dog):
Examples:
Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken & Rice Formula-
receives DogFoodAdvisor.com second highest rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Pro Plan Puppy is the puppy brand most often recommended by veterinarians and professional breeders.
Each recipe has been verified for nutrient balance by "live feeding trials" Learn More
Key Benefits-
- Specific formulas for small to large breeds.
- Controlled calcium, ideal for growing puppies.
- Includes omega-rich fish oil with DHA for brain and vision development.
- Features chicken as the first ingredient for high-quality and muscle-building protein.
- Live probiotics and antioxidants help support your pup’s digestive and immune systems.
- Fortified with calcium, phosphorous and other important minerals to help build healthy bones and teeth.
- No artificial colors or flavors.
For 20 lb. dogs (Halve for 10 lb. dog, double for 40 lb. dog):
- 1/4 pound of cooked, skinless chicken
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice
- 1 cup of cooked peas and carrots
- 1 tablespoon of olive or fish oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of potassium chloride (a salt substitute)
- Why We Don't Recommend "Grain Free" Dog Food; The FDA is investigating a potential link between grain free diets and heart disease in dogs; Learn More
- Feeding Schedule; Puppies up to 6 months of age should be fed 3-4 times per day. Teacup and Toy size puppies 4-5 times per day to prevent hypoglycemia. Puppies 6-12 months of age should be fed 3 times per day. Adult dogs over 12 months of age should be fed 1-2 times per day (we recommend 2 times per day).
- Daily Feeding Amount; Daily feeding amounts are based on the product's nutritional profile so follow the feeding directions written on the product's label because not all products are the same. Daily amounts will change as the puppy's age and weight changes.
2. Stainless steel, non-tip Food & Water Bowls. Stainless is more sanitary, won't break and won't absorb odors.
3. Pet ID Tag with your puppy's name, your name, phone number and your veterinarian's name and phone number. We recommend ID tags for small size puppies, because some puppies will be too small for a microchip until they get older.
4. Safety Break-Away Collar, plus an escape proof Harness & Leash. For a comfortable collar fit, allow for two-fingers of space between the collar and your dog's neck. Puppies will wear a collar the size for a cat, it will need to be an extra small collar or one used for Toy breeds, (x-small for the harness too). NEVER leave your dog unattended with a collar on, unless it's a break-away collar designed to separate when pressure is applied if the collar becomes caught or snagged; to prevent tragic collar accidents. When going out in public use the harness and leash. Do NOT use a retractable leash! The thin rope-like cord on a retractable leash can cause severe burns, deep cuts, entanglement or strangulations. It can even cause amputation to limbs and fingers of both humans and pets.
5. A home and travel crate. It must be airline approved if you plan to fly with your puppy. This crate will serve as your puppy's new "den" at home, and when traveling or riding to the veterinarian's office his scent inside the crate will provide comfort and sense of security during these stressful times. A Wire Crate with a removable divider isn't airline approved, but the divider is nice, the crate can be made into puppy size and later into adult size. If your vehicle can't accommodate a travel crate, then you will need to purchase a dog Dog Car Seat or Dog Seat Belt. Having your dog loose inside your vehicle, even if he's sitting in someone's lap is equally as dangerous as a passenger without a seat belt.
3. Pet ID Tag with your puppy's name, your name, phone number and your veterinarian's name and phone number. We recommend ID tags for small size puppies, because some puppies will be too small for a microchip until they get older.
4. Safety Break-Away Collar, plus an escape proof Harness & Leash. For a comfortable collar fit, allow for two-fingers of space between the collar and your dog's neck. Puppies will wear a collar the size for a cat, it will need to be an extra small collar or one used for Toy breeds, (x-small for the harness too). NEVER leave your dog unattended with a collar on, unless it's a break-away collar designed to separate when pressure is applied if the collar becomes caught or snagged; to prevent tragic collar accidents. When going out in public use the harness and leash. Do NOT use a retractable leash! The thin rope-like cord on a retractable leash can cause severe burns, deep cuts, entanglement or strangulations. It can even cause amputation to limbs and fingers of both humans and pets.
5. A home and travel crate. It must be airline approved if you plan to fly with your puppy. This crate will serve as your puppy's new "den" at home, and when traveling or riding to the veterinarian's office his scent inside the crate will provide comfort and sense of security during these stressful times. A Wire Crate with a removable divider isn't airline approved, but the divider is nice, the crate can be made into puppy size and later into adult size. If your vehicle can't accommodate a travel crate, then you will need to purchase a dog Dog Car Seat or Dog Seat Belt. Having your dog loose inside your vehicle, even if he's sitting in someone's lap is equally as dangerous as a passenger without a seat belt.
MidWest iCrate Starter Kit
sold on Amazon.com
|
Crate Sizes-
6. Stain remover for accidental soiling. We recommend Nature's Miracle.
7. Brushes & combs suited to your puppy's coat. We recommend using a bristle pin two sided Combo Brush.
8. Toothbrush & Paste made for puppies or small dogs to fit inside a small size mouth. We recommend using Disposable Finger Toothbrushes.
9. Tearless 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner for puppies.
10. High-quality, safe Chew Toys to ease teething. We recommend a puppy size Kong chew toy filled with Dawg Butter to keep your puppy busy for hours! We also recommend a Snuggle Puppy with heart beat as a behavioral aid and for comfort.
11. Heartworm, flea, tick, and parasite controls. We recommend Frontline Plus available over the counter at most pet stores. Do NOT use flea collars they're toxic!
12. Nail Clippers & Styptic Powder to prevent nails from bleeding if they're cut too short.
13. Pooper Scooper to pick up doggie poop and an empty paint can or small trash can to carry around the yard for the poop. Other options would be a Pet Genie, which is similar to a Diaper Genie or a Doggie Dooley, which works like a miniature septic tank and goes into a small hole in the grass or dirt.
- 21"x15"x15"H, Teacup to Toy
- 27"x20"x19"H Toy to Mini
- 32"x22"x23"H Mini to Medium
- 36"x24"x26"H Medium to Large
- 40"x27"x30"H Large
- 48"x32"x35"H X-Large
- 27"x20"x19"H is usually good for most puppies
- 32"x22"x23"H is usually good for most 10-25 pound dogs
- 36"x24"x26"H is usually a good for most 25-45 pound dogs
- 27"x20"x19"H airline approved nut and bolt fastened plastic crate for puppies shipping alone in cargo
- 17"x11.25"x10.5"H airline approved soft sided pet carrier for puppies traveling with a person inside the cabin
6. Stain remover for accidental soiling. We recommend Nature's Miracle.
7. Brushes & combs suited to your puppy's coat. We recommend using a bristle pin two sided Combo Brush.
8. Toothbrush & Paste made for puppies or small dogs to fit inside a small size mouth. We recommend using Disposable Finger Toothbrushes.
9. Tearless 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner for puppies.
10. High-quality, safe Chew Toys to ease teething. We recommend a puppy size Kong chew toy filled with Dawg Butter to keep your puppy busy for hours! We also recommend a Snuggle Puppy with heart beat as a behavioral aid and for comfort.
11. Heartworm, flea, tick, and parasite controls. We recommend Frontline Plus available over the counter at most pet stores. Do NOT use flea collars they're toxic!
12. Nail Clippers & Styptic Powder to prevent nails from bleeding if they're cut too short.
13. Pooper Scooper to pick up doggie poop and an empty paint can or small trash can to carry around the yard for the poop. Other options would be a Pet Genie, which is similar to a Diaper Genie or a Doggie Dooley, which works like a miniature septic tank and goes into a small hole in the grass or dirt.
puppy preparation-
Making A Home Safe-
To make your home safe for your new puppy, eliminate potential hazards around the house and pay attention to the following items: Keep breakable objects out of reach.
Deny access to electrical cords by hiding or covering them; make outlets safe with plastic outlet plugs.
Safely store household chemicals.
Keep the following house and garden plants out of reach: poinsettias, azaleas, rhododendrons, dumb cane, Japanese yew, oleander and English ivy among others.
In the garage, be sure engine lubricants and other poisonous chemicals (especially antifreeze) are safely stored.
If you own a pool or hot tub, check the cover or the surrounding fence to be sure they're in good condition.
If you provide your puppy with an outdoor kennel, place it in an area that provides sun and shelter in the pen; be sure the kennel is large enough to comfortably accommodate your puppy's adult size.
Fencing Options-
Keeping your puppy safe in your yard requires good fencing. There are several options to choose from, and the one you should pick will depend on your puppy's personality, your property and your budget. Here are some of the options you should consider:
The First Days at Home-
The ideal time to bring home a new puppy is when the house is quiet. Discourage friends from stopping by and don't allow overnight guests. First establish a daily routine and follow these steps:
Special Puppy Concerns-
Don't treat a puppy as young as 6 to 12-weeks old like an adult dog. Treat him the same way you would your own infant: with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch. The way you interact with your puppy at this age is critical to his socialization. Use these tips: Don't bring home a puppy while you're on vacation so you can spend a lot of time with him. Instead, acclimate him to your normal, daily routine.
Supervise your puppy at all times and interact with him regularly.
Be alert for signs (sniffing and circling) that he has to go to the bathroom, then take him outside immediately.
A young puppy has no bladder control and will need to urinate immediately after eating, drinking, sleeping or playing. At night, he will need to relieve himself at least every three hours.
Don't punish an accident. Never push his nose in the waste or scold him. He won't understand, and may learn to go to the bathroom when you're out of sight.
Praise your puppy every time he goes to the bathroom outside.
Feed your puppy a formula designed for puppies. Like a baby, he needs nutritious, highly digestible food.
Meeting Resident Pets-
Keep resident pets separated from your new puppy for a few days. After your new puppy is used to his new den area, put an expandable pet gate in the doorway or put your puppy in his crate. Give your resident pet access to the area. Let pets smell and touch each other through the crate or pet gate. Do this several times over the next few days. After that, give the resident pet access to the den area with your new puppy out of his crate. Supervise their meeting and go back to through-the-gate/crate meetings if trouble arises.
Children and Pets-
Ideally, your kids should help you choose your new puppy. When you bring him home, don't let them play with him constantly. Puppies in particular need a lot of rest just like a growing child. Limit puppy-children play sessions to 15-30 minute periods 2-3 times a day.
Young children may be tempted to shout at a puppy if they think he's doing something wrong. Be sure they understand that puppies and dogs can be easily upset and startled by loud noises.
No teasing. Keeping a toy just out of reach will reinforce bad habits such as jumping up and excessive barking.
Wagging tails and play biting can be too rough for some young children. Supervise interaction and separate them if the play is too rough.
Teach kids to care for a dog by showing them how to feed and groom him.
House Training Puppies-
As with most things in life, there are hard ways and there are easy ways to get things done. Rubbing a puppy's nose in a mess is an inappropriate way to house train. Using ample amounts of supervision and positive reinforcement is the easy way. The first course of action in house training is to promote the desired behavior. You need to:
By occasionally giving a food reward immediately after your dog finishes, you can encourage him to eliminate in the desired area. The odor left from previous visits to that area will quickly mark it as the place for the pup to do his business. A six- to eight-week old puppy should be taken outdoors every one to three hours. Older puppies can generally wait longer between outings. Most puppies should be taken out:
To avoid spending a lot of time waiting for your puppy to get the job done, you may want to teach him to eliminate on command. Each time he is in the act of eliminating, simply repeat a unique command, such as "hurry up" or "potty", in an upbeat tone of voice. After a few weeks of training, you will notice that when you say the command your puppy will begin pre-elimination sniffing, circling, and then eliminate shortly after you give the command. Be sure to praise him for his accomplishments.
Most puppies will eliminate within an hour after eating. Once you take control of your puppy's feeding schedule, you will have some control over when he needs to eliminate.
Schedule your puppy's dinner times so that you will be available to let him out after eating.
Avoid giving your puppy a large meal just prior to confining him or he may have to eliminate when you are not around to take him out. Schedule feeding two to three times daily on a consistent schedule.
Have food available for only 30 to 40 minutes at each meal, then remove it.
The last feeding of the day should be completed several hours before he is confined for the night. By controlling the feeding schedule, exercise sessions, confinement periods, and trips outdoors to the elimination area, your puppy will quickly develop a reliable schedule for eliminating.
Expect Some Mistakes-
Left on his own, the untrained puppy is very likely to make a mistake. Close supervision is a very important part of training. Do not consider your puppy house trained until he has gone at least four consecutive weeks without eliminating in the house. For older dogs, this period should be even longer. Until then:
Nervous Wetting-
If your puppy squats and urinates when he greets you, he may have a problem called submissive urination. Dogs and puppies that urinate during greetings are very sensitive and should never be scolded when they do this, since punishment inevitably makes the problem worse.
Most young puppies will grow out of this behavior if you are calm, quiet, and avoid reaching toward the head during greetings. Another helpful approach is to calmly ask your dog to sit for a very tasty treat each time someone greets him.
Direct Them Away from Problem Areas-
Urine and fecal odor should be thoroughly removed to keep your dog from returning to areas of the home where he made a mess.
Be sure to use a good commercial product manufactured specifically to clean up doggy odors. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for usage.
If a carpeted area has been soaked with urine, be sure to saturate it with the clean up product and not merely spray the surface.
Rooms in the home where your dog has had frequent mistakes should be closed off for several months. He should only be allowed to enter when accompanied by a family member.
Don't Make Things Worse-
It is a rare dog or puppy that can be housetrained without making an occasional mess, so you need to be ready to handle the inevitable problems.
Do not rely on harsh punishment to correct mistakes. This approach usually does not work, and may actually delay training.
An appropriate correction consists of simply providing a moderate, startling distraction. You should only do this when you see your dog in the act of eliminating in the wrong place.
A sharp noise, such as a loud "No" or a quick stomp on the floor, is all that is usually needed to stop the behavior. Just do not be too loud or your pet may learn to avoid eliminating in front of you, even outdoors.
Practice Patience-
Do not continue to scold or correct your dog after he has stopped soiling. When he stops, quickly take him outdoors so that he will finish in the appropriate area and be praised. Never rub your dog's nose in a mess. There is absolutely no way this will help training, and may actually make him afraid of you.
The basic principles of house training are pretty simple, but a fair amount of patience is required. The most challenging part is always keeping an eye on your active dog or puppy. If you maintain control, take your dog outdoors frequently, and consistently praise the desirable behavior, soon you should have a house trained canine companion.
Crate Training-
Training a puppy to be comfortable in a crate is a popular way to provide safe confinement during housetraining. The majority of puppies will rapidly accept crate confinement when you make the introduction fun. Since it is important to associate favorable things with the area where your puppy is confined, it is a good idea to play with him there, or simply spend some time reading or watching television nearby as he relaxes with a favorite chew toy. If he is only in the area when you leave, it becomes a social isolation area that he eventually may resist entering.
A good time to start crate training is at dinner time. Feed your puppy his dinner, one piece at a time, by tossing pieces of kibble into the crate for him to chase and eat. This way, you can make a game out of training.
When you pick up his toys, store them in the crate so he will enter on his own to play. You may even want to occasionally hide a biscuit in the crate as a nice surprise. You should not use the crate for periods that exceed the length of time the pet can actually control the urge to urinate or defecate. If you are gone for long periods each day, you will need to provide a larger confinement area. You may want to consider using an exercise pen or small room.
Provide an area large enough so that if your puppy has to eliminate when you are gone, he can do it in a space that is separate from his sleeping area. A 15 to 30 square foot area is adequate for most puppies. If he chooses a specific place to eliminate, put a Fresh Patch in that area.
Crate Duration Guidelines:
Puppy's Age - Provide A break For Your Puppy After-
More Training Information:
Podcasts you can listen to: Puppy biting is the #1 complaint puppy owners have, so here's a few websites to help stop the biting: This website has all kinds of different training info: Dr. P's Dog Training Library
To make your home safe for your new puppy, eliminate potential hazards around the house and pay attention to the following items: Keep breakable objects out of reach.
Deny access to electrical cords by hiding or covering them; make outlets safe with plastic outlet plugs.
Safely store household chemicals.
Keep the following house and garden plants out of reach: poinsettias, azaleas, rhododendrons, dumb cane, Japanese yew, oleander and English ivy among others.
In the garage, be sure engine lubricants and other poisonous chemicals (especially antifreeze) are safely stored.
If you own a pool or hot tub, check the cover or the surrounding fence to be sure they're in good condition.
If you provide your puppy with an outdoor kennel, place it in an area that provides sun and shelter in the pen; be sure the kennel is large enough to comfortably accommodate your puppy's adult size.
Fencing Options-
Keeping your puppy safe in your yard requires good fencing. There are several options to choose from, and the one you should pick will depend on your puppy's personality, your property and your budget. Here are some of the options you should consider:
- Privacy fencing: Privacy fences have no openings and provide excellent containment; six-foot-tall panels cost about $4 to $6 per foot.
- Chain link: Inexpensive chain link works well and is durable; 6-foot-tall, 50-foot rolls cost about $60 each.
- Underground fencing: These electronic systems cannot be seen, jumped over or dug under. Wire is buried, configured and connected to a transmitter. The cost runs anywhere from $99 to $1,500. The dog wears a special collar that emits warning tones and issues a mild shock as he nears the buried wire.
- Kennels: A covered kennel run, especially one with a concrete floor, will keep your puppy from digging, climbing or jumping out. Ask your veterinarian or breeder to recommend an appropriate size. Expect to spend more than $100 for a small, high-quality kennel.
The First Days at Home-
The ideal time to bring home a new puppy is when the house is quiet. Discourage friends from stopping by and don't allow overnight guests. First establish a daily routine and follow these steps:
- Step 1: Before bringing him in the house, take him to the area in your yard that will serve as his "bathroom" and spend a few minutes there. If he goes, praise him. If not, proceed into the house but be sure to take him to this spot each time he needs to use the bathroom.
- Step 2: Take him to the room that accommodates your crate this restricted area will serve as his new "den" for several days. Put bedding and chew toys in the crate, leave the door open and line the area outside of the crate with newspaper, in case of an accident. Let him investigate the crate and the room. If he chews or urinates on his bedding, permanently remove it from the crate.
- Step 3: Observe and interact with your puppy while he's acclimating to his new den. This will help forge a sense of pack and establish you as the pack leader.
Special Puppy Concerns-
Don't treat a puppy as young as 6 to 12-weeks old like an adult dog. Treat him the same way you would your own infant: with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch. The way you interact with your puppy at this age is critical to his socialization. Use these tips: Don't bring home a puppy while you're on vacation so you can spend a lot of time with him. Instead, acclimate him to your normal, daily routine.
Supervise your puppy at all times and interact with him regularly.
Be alert for signs (sniffing and circling) that he has to go to the bathroom, then take him outside immediately.
A young puppy has no bladder control and will need to urinate immediately after eating, drinking, sleeping or playing. At night, he will need to relieve himself at least every three hours.
Don't punish an accident. Never push his nose in the waste or scold him. He won't understand, and may learn to go to the bathroom when you're out of sight.
Praise your puppy every time he goes to the bathroom outside.
Feed your puppy a formula designed for puppies. Like a baby, he needs nutritious, highly digestible food.
Meeting Resident Pets-
Keep resident pets separated from your new puppy for a few days. After your new puppy is used to his new den area, put an expandable pet gate in the doorway or put your puppy in his crate. Give your resident pet access to the area. Let pets smell and touch each other through the crate or pet gate. Do this several times over the next few days. After that, give the resident pet access to the den area with your new puppy out of his crate. Supervise their meeting and go back to through-the-gate/crate meetings if trouble arises.
Children and Pets-
Ideally, your kids should help you choose your new puppy. When you bring him home, don't let them play with him constantly. Puppies in particular need a lot of rest just like a growing child. Limit puppy-children play sessions to 15-30 minute periods 2-3 times a day.
Young children may be tempted to shout at a puppy if they think he's doing something wrong. Be sure they understand that puppies and dogs can be easily upset and startled by loud noises.
No teasing. Keeping a toy just out of reach will reinforce bad habits such as jumping up and excessive barking.
Wagging tails and play biting can be too rough for some young children. Supervise interaction and separate them if the play is too rough.
Teach kids to care for a dog by showing them how to feed and groom him.
House Training Puppies-
As with most things in life, there are hard ways and there are easy ways to get things done. Rubbing a puppy's nose in a mess is an inappropriate way to house train. Using ample amounts of supervision and positive reinforcement is the easy way. The first course of action in house training is to promote the desired behavior. You need to:
- Designate an appropriate elimination area outdoors
- Frequently guide your dog there to do his business
- Heartily praise him when he goes
By occasionally giving a food reward immediately after your dog finishes, you can encourage him to eliminate in the desired area. The odor left from previous visits to that area will quickly mark it as the place for the pup to do his business. A six- to eight-week old puppy should be taken outdoors every one to three hours. Older puppies can generally wait longer between outings. Most puppies should be taken out:
- After waking in the morning
- After naps
- After meals
- After playing or training
- After being left alone
- Immediately before being put to bed
- Eliminating On Command
To avoid spending a lot of time waiting for your puppy to get the job done, you may want to teach him to eliminate on command. Each time he is in the act of eliminating, simply repeat a unique command, such as "hurry up" or "potty", in an upbeat tone of voice. After a few weeks of training, you will notice that when you say the command your puppy will begin pre-elimination sniffing, circling, and then eliminate shortly after you give the command. Be sure to praise him for his accomplishments.
Most puppies will eliminate within an hour after eating. Once you take control of your puppy's feeding schedule, you will have some control over when he needs to eliminate.
Schedule your puppy's dinner times so that you will be available to let him out after eating.
Avoid giving your puppy a large meal just prior to confining him or he may have to eliminate when you are not around to take him out. Schedule feeding two to three times daily on a consistent schedule.
Have food available for only 30 to 40 minutes at each meal, then remove it.
The last feeding of the day should be completed several hours before he is confined for the night. By controlling the feeding schedule, exercise sessions, confinement periods, and trips outdoors to the elimination area, your puppy will quickly develop a reliable schedule for eliminating.
Expect Some Mistakes-
Left on his own, the untrained puppy is very likely to make a mistake. Close supervision is a very important part of training. Do not consider your puppy house trained until he has gone at least four consecutive weeks without eliminating in the house. For older dogs, this period should be even longer. Until then:
- Your puppy should constantly be within eyesight.
- Baby gates can be helpful to control movement throughout the house and to aid supervision.
- Keep them in the crate when unsupervised.
- When you are away from home, sleeping, or if you are just too busy to closely monitor your pet's activities, confine him to a small, safe area in the home.
Nervous Wetting-
If your puppy squats and urinates when he greets you, he may have a problem called submissive urination. Dogs and puppies that urinate during greetings are very sensitive and should never be scolded when they do this, since punishment inevitably makes the problem worse.
Most young puppies will grow out of this behavior if you are calm, quiet, and avoid reaching toward the head during greetings. Another helpful approach is to calmly ask your dog to sit for a very tasty treat each time someone greets him.
Direct Them Away from Problem Areas-
Urine and fecal odor should be thoroughly removed to keep your dog from returning to areas of the home where he made a mess.
Be sure to use a good commercial product manufactured specifically to clean up doggy odors. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for usage.
If a carpeted area has been soaked with urine, be sure to saturate it with the clean up product and not merely spray the surface.
Rooms in the home where your dog has had frequent mistakes should be closed off for several months. He should only be allowed to enter when accompanied by a family member.
Don't Make Things Worse-
It is a rare dog or puppy that can be housetrained without making an occasional mess, so you need to be ready to handle the inevitable problems.
Do not rely on harsh punishment to correct mistakes. This approach usually does not work, and may actually delay training.
An appropriate correction consists of simply providing a moderate, startling distraction. You should only do this when you see your dog in the act of eliminating in the wrong place.
A sharp noise, such as a loud "No" or a quick stomp on the floor, is all that is usually needed to stop the behavior. Just do not be too loud or your pet may learn to avoid eliminating in front of you, even outdoors.
Practice Patience-
Do not continue to scold or correct your dog after he has stopped soiling. When he stops, quickly take him outdoors so that he will finish in the appropriate area and be praised. Never rub your dog's nose in a mess. There is absolutely no way this will help training, and may actually make him afraid of you.
The basic principles of house training are pretty simple, but a fair amount of patience is required. The most challenging part is always keeping an eye on your active dog or puppy. If you maintain control, take your dog outdoors frequently, and consistently praise the desirable behavior, soon you should have a house trained canine companion.
Crate Training-
Training a puppy to be comfortable in a crate is a popular way to provide safe confinement during housetraining. The majority of puppies will rapidly accept crate confinement when you make the introduction fun. Since it is important to associate favorable things with the area where your puppy is confined, it is a good idea to play with him there, or simply spend some time reading or watching television nearby as he relaxes with a favorite chew toy. If he is only in the area when you leave, it becomes a social isolation area that he eventually may resist entering.
A good time to start crate training is at dinner time. Feed your puppy his dinner, one piece at a time, by tossing pieces of kibble into the crate for him to chase and eat. This way, you can make a game out of training.
When you pick up his toys, store them in the crate so he will enter on his own to play. You may even want to occasionally hide a biscuit in the crate as a nice surprise. You should not use the crate for periods that exceed the length of time the pet can actually control the urge to urinate or defecate. If you are gone for long periods each day, you will need to provide a larger confinement area. You may want to consider using an exercise pen or small room.
Provide an area large enough so that if your puppy has to eliminate when you are gone, he can do it in a space that is separate from his sleeping area. A 15 to 30 square foot area is adequate for most puppies. If he chooses a specific place to eliminate, put a Fresh Patch in that area.
Crate Duration Guidelines:
Puppy's Age - Provide A break For Your Puppy After-
- 8-10 Weeks - Approx. 30-60 minutes
- 11-14 Weeks - Approx. 1-3 hours
- 15-16 Weeks - Approx. 3-4 hours
- 17 + Weeks - Approx. 4+ (6 hours maximum)
More Training Information:
Podcasts you can listen to: Puppy biting is the #1 complaint puppy owners have, so here's a few websites to help stop the biting: This website has all kinds of different training info: Dr. P's Dog Training Library