Puppy Training Tips for the First Week

Bringing home a puppy and introducing her to your home is very

exciting for everyone. The only one who may be anxious about the situation will be the puppy. If you handle your puppy properly when she arrives, she will quickly relax and want to settle into her new home.

Prior to bringing your new puppy into your home, you should puppy proof it. Take a look at your home from the puppy's viewpoint. Does that potted plant sitting in front of the glass door look tempting? You may want to consider moving it to a higher place. What about your favorite collection of teddy bears, or magazines you have in a basket by the sofa? They will most certainly raise the curiosity of your new puppy. As you move these things out of your puppy's reach, remember it is only for a short time. Once your new puppy has learned her place in the family, you can put your things back where they go. Your life should never be dictated by your puppy. However, by removing these curiosity objects from the start, it will allow you to work with your puppy on the basic training she will need to learn.

It is important to understand that as much as you want your new

puppy to be a part of your family, your puppy is still an animal. She will take her cues from her environment. If she is allowed to have free run of the home and access to everything, you are teaching her that she is in charge. Dogs have instincts. The main instinct of dogs is to live in a pack. Your new puppy will assume her new family is her pack. If she picks up the clues that she is her own boss and she can do what she wants, whenever she wants, she is being taught she is the leader of her pack. It is much easier on everyone, including the dog, if she learns from the moment she enters the home that she is not the leader and dictator of the family.

One mistake people make is letting their puppy sleep in a utility room, or kitchen. Dogs are from the wolf family, and really prefer to have a den all their own. Some people assume placing a dog in a crate is cruel. On the contrary, if crates are introduced properly, they will be much loved by the puppy. When planning for a new puppy, do not go out and buy the biggest crate you can find for your puppy thinking she will grow into it. This is the worst mistake owner's make. A crate should be large enough for your pet to stand up and turn around in. Puppies usually learn from their mothers to not soil in their bed area. If the crate is too large, your puppy may designate a portion of her crate for sleeping, and the other half for soiling. You should also never place your puppy's food and water in her crate.

When your puppy is first introduced to the crate, do not simply

put her inside and lock the door. This will greatly disturb her. (You should place the crate in a room in your home where the family gathers. You should not expect the puppy to walk through the entire house to the back guest bedroom to nap. By having the crate in close proximity to the family, the puppy will feel as if she is still hanging out with her pack, even if she is inside her crate sleeping.) Place the crate where it will stay, and simply open the door. You can place a towel in the bottom, and a chew toy inside if you want. Some puppy's are very curious. They will simply walk inside. Others may be a little more shy with the crate. Give your puppy time to warm up to the crate. Once she does enter the crate, praise her. You may want to give her crate a name. When she enters the crate, you can repeat the crates name, and give her a treat.

After your puppy has warmed up to her crate and has entered and

exited it a few times, you can close the door. She may whine and paw at the door. She may even start yelping and barking. This is okay. Do not let her out. After about ten minutes, you can open the door and pick her up. Walk her directly to the area designated for pottying. You should never let your puppy out of her crate and allow her to follow you through the house to go outside. Most puppies will simply squat and go where they please. Once you are outside, set her down. You would then encourage her to potty. Choose a couple of words such as, "Go potty," of "Do your business." She will not have a clue as to what you are saying, at first. But, after repeated attempts and with being given a puppy treat and praise, she will learn what those words mean. Most puppies will need to go out at least every hour during the first few days to familiarize them with their potty area. This is a chance for you to catch them doing their business where they need to. Lavish them with praise.

The first few nights may make you wonder why you even brought the puppy home. The repeated yelping and whining coming from the crate can seriously upset many adults who need their sleep. You should look at your new puppy as the baby in the family. Puppies less than four months of age may need to go out once during the night. When she does, pick up your pup and take her to her designated spot. After she has relieved herself, place her promptly back into the crate. You should never play with your puppy during the night time hours. This will only encourage her to keep the yelping up. After a few days, your puppy will adjust to the night time patterns of her "pack" and everyone will get more rest. Most dogs are able to make it through the entire night without a potty break around 18 weeks.

Some individuals may think it is harsh to scold a puppy. These

individuals may be the same people who have a dog running wild in their home within a year. Dogs which aren't disciplined can wreck havoc on a home. You may return to find a shredded couch, chewed up shoes, and garbage strewn all over the place. If there are other pets in the home, you should also consider their feelings. They will most likely be intimidated by such a tyrant, and fights could commence while you are away.

If you catch your puppy chewing on something she shouldn't, a

firm "no" is usually enough to stop her antics. As with other

forms of training, this may take a few days for her to learn.

This is why you were advised to move precious things away. Some

people have a rolled up newspaper to swat the puppy with if they refuse to heed a "no." The rolled up newspaper does not hurt. It is simply loud, and it teaches the dog you are the alpha in the family, and not her. If she were truly in a dog pack, her alpha would nip her soundly. So, don't feel as if you are mistreating her. In fact, most puppies seem to feel more secure when they know their place.

The most important thing you can do with your puppy besides

introducing a crate immediately, instilling a potty routine, and teaching her what "no" means, is to build the relationship with your new puppy. Get on the floor and play with her. The bond will grow between you and she will love you. This will make your puppy want to please you and be obedient as well. This goes a long way when you start teaching her other basic commands such as "stay" and "come."

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Your First Day Home With Your New Puppy

Your puppy's first day home with your family is a special day. Everyone is trying to find their new position in the household. There are new responsibilities, new adventures, and new toys everywhere!

Bringing a new puppy home is exciting but it can also be quite expensive, exhausting, and scary. A puppy's needs are not unlike any new addition to the family. He needs lots of love, patience, and kindness, but he also needs clear rules and expectations from day one. He will need a place of his own and a safe environment all around him.

Whether you are adding a Mastiff puppy to a household already teaming with children and pets, or a Chihuahua puppy who will be your sole companion, you will find that very special accommodations need to be made to insure the health, happiness, and well being of your new friend and her new family.

Preparations for a new puppy should begin well before she ever romps across your living room or leaves her footprints in the grass outside. Your family should be made aware of the way having a puppy can change the structure in your home. Children need to understand that puppies are not toys and can not be treated as such. Everyone needs to know that anything left out will get chewed, messes will get made, and puppy will need to sleep as much as she will need to play.

Make sure children are taught to be careful when handling a puppy and small children should NEVER carry a puppy around. An adult should monitor interactions with small children at all times. Some puppies are very fragile and all puppies are wiggly, and rambunctious. Children should be taught to treat a puppy with respect. Children should never be in charge of discipline or correction of behavior.

If you are introducing a puppy to children in your home, make sure you lay down ground rules first. The children should be clear on what the rules and expectations are before you start to teach them to the puppy. If a small child would like to hold the puppy she should first sit down so when the puppy wriggles away, she won't fall and get hurt.

Some basic rules should include:

1. Pick up your toys...or they may get ruined.

2. Don't wake a sleeping puppy. She needs her rest.

3. Don't interrupt a puppy who is eating. You might get bit.

4. Don't carry a puppy around. Puppies break when dropped.

5. Don't hit a puppy. It's an adult's job to discipline.

6. Treat a puppy like a friend, not a toy.

If you expect other four-legged friends to welcome this new interloper you will have to allow them to make friends on their terms. Any pets already part of your home may feel threatened or at least infringed upon. Allow them to come and investigate at their own pace and to withdraw when the want to. Remember, this is their turf and the new addition will have to learn her place.

Keep the puppy safe. She could become a target if your pets are not happy with her. The same could be said of children who were not receptive to having a puppy. Just make sure puppy has a place to be if you can not be right with her.

The house belongs first to those who were already there. Puppy may need to be excluded for a little while to allow other pets to investigate freely for the first little while, taking in all the new scents around. Make sure to reassure and lavish affection on any old friends who are feeling a bit misplaced.

When puppy comes home you should have done these things to prepare:

1. Clean up the clutter. Pick up anything that could pose a choking or intestinal blockage hazard. Remember, just about anything can get chewed and could get swallowed. Puppies mouths are well adapted for chewing on just about anything. Get down on your hands and knees to get a puppy's eye view of the lay of the land.

2. Look for household hazards. Electrical cords seem to have some kind of magnetic energy that puppies can't ignore. Make them inaccessible. These can be deadly. Put away rocking chairs and block off stairs. Many bones have been broken and crushed when curious puppies explore things at the wrong time.

3. Make sure you have a crate. Puppy should have a crate that is her bed. It should be a safe quiet place that she can go when everyone needs a break, or when you can't watch her closely.

A crate should be plenty big enough, without being too big. If you only want to buy one crate and she will be a large breed dog someday, block off part of it while she is a puppy. Crates serve many purposes including housebreaking. She will not want to soil her own bed but if she can relieve herself far enough away from where she is sleeping she will not try to hold it as long.

A crate is the perfect place to put a puppy to bed at night. She will not agree at first, and your first few nights may be very noisy as she objects, but if you ignore her she will settle down and go to sleep. Make sure she goes outside to potty last thing at night and first thing in the morning before her little feet hit the ground. You may need to get up a bit earlier than usual to help her 'make it through the night' as she learns how to control her bladder and bowels.

A crate serves as a safe place she can be when you can't be right with her. No one can hurt her, and she can't get into trouble here. If she was not crate trained by the breeder then she will have to get used to it. It may take a few days but not more than three or four if you are consistent with it. He crate will quickly become her safe place and you will find her there on her own accord once she understands it is her special place.

A crate should never be used as a place she goes to be punished. No matter what, it should always be a 'happy place'. Never scold her or swat her as you put her in her crate. Her toys and blanket or bedding will make it feel more homey for her.

4. Check your yard. Make sure there are no places she can escape. Look under or behind bushes, check wooden slats, and loose boards. If she is particularly small, you might need to make additional reinforcements to fences and gates. Follow her around closely. While she explores, let her show you areas that may pose a threat.

Make sure you don't have any toxic plants in the yard. Puppies chew everything, including plants. Make sure you don't have any snail, rat, or weed poison around, either on the ground or in bags and boxes. Make sure there is no anti-freeze or coolant from cars, or air conditioners around.

If you have a pool that she can get to, make sure she knows where the steps are. Puppies can swim but get exhausted very quickly and can drown if they don't know how to get out. The best way is to get in with her and have her swim to the steps, if she does it a time or two, she will have a better chance at remembering where they are if she falls in by accident.

5. Make sure you have plenty of toys. There will be thousands of things that your puppy should not get into, make sure there are lots of things that are just for her. If you need to redirect her attention, make sure you have a variety of soft squeaky toys, nylon chews, and tug toys. Puppies get bored and you don't provide plenty of variety, they will find their own entertainment.

6. Make sure you have an appropriate food. There are many different brands of food available and often there is better than what she has been eating since feeding a litter can be expensive. If you and your vet have chosen a proper food be sure to change her slowly. Mix about 2/3 what she has been getting with about 1/3 of what you want her to have for a day or two and then slowly change the ratio over the course of a week or more until she is just getting what is recommended by your vet. This will reduce upset tummy problems. Whatever food you use should be high quality and made just for puppies. Many are made for specific breed types to help meet their growth requirements. It is often a very good idea to mix canned and dry food to encourage good appetites and good nutrition.

Puppies need to eat often. A very young puppy should eat at least four times a day, and a very small breed may need to eat more often than that. Small breeds don't have much fat or reserve and can experience attacks of hypoglycemia which can be life threatening. It is a good idea, in fact, to keep Karo syrup around just in case. If your puppy hasn't eaten for a while and seems weak or dizzy, rub some Karo syrup on her gums and see if she improves, it should happen right away, within minutes. If she does, feed her. If she does not, get her to a vet immediately.

A general rule of thumb on feeding a puppy is that she should have as much as she wants to eat in about 15 minutes time. If she eats what you gave her right away and is looking for more, give her more inside that 15 minutes. If she leaves a lot behind, pick it up and throw it away and offer her less next time. Never leave her food down to get rancid, spoil, or attract bugs. Another reason to feed on a regular basis instead of 'free-feeding' is that her appetite or lack there of is often your first clue if she isn't feeling well. A full bowl might mean she isn't hungry because she just ate, or it could mean she is getting sick.

If your puppy will be home alone for long periods of time you may want to have someone come in and visit from time to time to make sure she gets a chance to go outside to relieve herself and eat regularly. Puppies get very lonely and should have plenty of company and opportunity to play and grow.

Make sure you find a good vet and follow the Doctors recommendations closely. Once she has completed her series of vaccines you can start taking her out in public. She should be properly socialized to allow her the experiences needed to help her discern what to nervous about and what not to. An obedience class is a must to help her learn that she needs to listen to you even when there are many distractions around. That tidbit could save a lot of grief, it could save her life. If she gets out and knows to listen, she may not decide to dart into the street in front of that Chevy. She should be socialized to make her safer to be around. A fearful dog can be dangerous to friends who may visit, or even to your even to your own family. She doesn't have to be big to be dangerous so socialization should be a focus. Some breeds are more naturally social than others of course.

Having a puppy should be a great deal of fun but if you understand what you are getting into before you bring her home, your transition will be much more smooth and enjoyable for all.

Congratulations on your new friend. May it be the beginning of many new memories for everyone.

Laura Anderson
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