TRAINING YOUR NEW PUPPY

 

Your puppy is already well on its way to becoming house trained!  Some pointers to consider are:

• As soon as your pup wakes up, carry it outside to the grass to go potty.  I also us the phrase “Go potty” to train them.  As soon as they do, verbally praise them.  Give them plenty of time to eliminate.

• Shortly after eating, (15-20 min) they will need to go potty.

• Watch for searching/sniffing/circling behavior.  This will precede them needing to go potty.  Scoop them up and carry outside and then praise them for going potty outside.  Before 12 weeks, take them out once every hour, but don't wake them to go out.

• Try to establish a routine for them and try to use the same door to go outside.  As they grow and learn, they will usually go to that door when they need to go potty.  Sophie even “woofs” if I don’t notice that she is at the door.  Many puppy owners have trained their pup to ring a bell at the door.

• When they have an accident indoors, show it to them (NEVER shove their sensitive nose into their mess), tell them “NO” and then take them outside.  (I’ve changed my mind…..it can cause them to be secretive and hide to go potty in the house.  Just praise them when they potty outside.) Punishment will slow down the process.

• They do understand the word “NO” and apply that when necessary.  If they are biting say “No bite”.  If they persist, say “No bite” again and hold their muzzle. You can even squeeze their muzzle until they Yipe.  This makes an impression on them and gives them a taste of their own sharp teeth. Offer them a toy to chew on, not your hand.  If it bites you when you are walking, stop walking.  Have children interact calmly with the puppy and train pup to be calm around them.  If you don’t have time to train, put pup away.

• Puppies have a need to chew and they already like Dream Bones (link attached)  Please no more than 2 small ones per day.  Rubber and fabric chew toys are also enjoyed by them.

• Your pup has been trained to come when calling “Pup, Pup!” and clapping your hands and squatting down so that they can see you.  Start substituting their name when you call them.  Give lots of praise when your pup comes to you.  If they do not, walk to them to make the distance shorter and call again.  Use their name and lavish them with praise when they come to you.

• The pups are litter trained.  It works best if you can have a crate with a blanket or bed for them.  While they are still young, please put them in a closed room, or pen with their bed/crate and litter pan on the floor.  Make a corral with the pen attached to the front of the crate.  Put a kitty litter pan down in one area and food and water in a separate area.  This gives them zones for eating, sleeping, and messing. They are still somewhat young to hold their urine for an extended period of time, such as overnight.  They may stand in the pan with their back end hanging over.  Oh well, they are trying!

• Playing a radio for them when they are left alone also helps!

• At night, your pup will be most happy (and the most quiet) to be in your bedroom in a crate next to your bed so that they realize that you are present and that they have not been abandoned.  Remember, your pup wants to be with you!  You can reassure them this way.

• Please don’t leave them outside in the heat or cold without checking on them.  They are still young and can’t regulate their body temperature as easily as an adult dog.  They also over heat with their longer hair coat. 

• We have done all that we can to breed genetically superior pups and want to make you aware of the methods that you can do to provide the correct environment to prevent hip dysplasia.  Please don’t let your pup jump down off of beds or couches or climb flights of stairs before one year of age.  These can damage joints and hips.  A few steps at a time are OK.  Please no long walks or runs.  Please make walks no more than a minute per week of age, with a maximum of 3 x/day (10 weeks old = 10 minute walk).  No excessive running on slippery floors before a year of age, such as fetching a ball.  Also, please keep your pup from becoming overweight.  We know that you want the best for your pup, as do we.

• Please keep fresh water accessible to your pup at all times.  We keep feed available to our dogs at all times.  We believe that it keeps them from gorging themselves and becoming overweight. Also, a hungry dog may look for food by “counter surfing”.  Our dogs don’t do this because we provide free choice food and scold them if they even sniff in the direction of the counter or table.  This is what we recommend for our families…..FREE CHOICE food and water.

• Their vaccination and worming schedule is included the Health Record when you pick them up. Your vet will continue with their puppy vaccination series and will give them their rabies vaccine at 4 months of age.

• Please do not take them into public places where they may be exposed to unvaccinated dogs until they are about 4 months of age and received their full set of vaccinations,including rabies.  This would include, public parks, dog parks, pet stores, dog groomers….

• Your puppy will need regular grooming and brushing.  Please keep their back end clipped to keep feces from accumulating and clean the “goobers” from their eyes daily and trim the hair around their eyes so that they can see.

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TAKING YOUR PUPPY HOME

• Please hold your puppy in a passenger's lap or on the floor if they get hot.  They will NOT be happy in a crate and will serenade you with crying if you crate them on the way home;-)

• Please bring a towel and some baby wipes in case your puppy gets carsick.  Having them in the front passenger's seat will help with this, but is no guarantee.

• If you have a lengthy car ride home and you need to stop for a potty break, please do so in a less dog-frequented area, such as a Wendy's restaurant.  You don't need to wake them to potty, only when they awaken.

• Once you are home, please show your pup where it's food and water will be.  Sprinkle half of a packet of the Purina Fortiflora over their food.  They LOVE the beef flavor and it will stimulate them to eat.  

• If your puppy has not eaten for about 5 hours after you first get home, please give it a teaspoon of Karo syrup.  Their blood sugar drops and it needs to be replenished.  Anytime your puppy seems weak or lethargic, low blood sugar can be the reason.  Please ALWAYS, during the day, have food available for them free-choice.

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• Please don’t hesitate to text or call me if you have any concerns or questions.  Kellie (970) 290-8551

 

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