Start on the right path to a well trained and
Happy Dog.
PUPPY
Start on the right path to a well trained and happy dog
Learn the fundamental behaviour you can expect from your puppy, from house training to basic obedience training, and most important of all – keeping it all fun!
Our Puppy Training Course is held on Sunday mornings.
Please check our Course Dates for upcoming courses.
(Please note on your first visit we will need to see the vaccination record for your puppy.)
Puppy Classes
All vaccinated puppies are welcome. Please check with your vet how long after the second vaccination you should wait, this could be 10-14 days. Lessons cover socialisation, environmentalisation, low level basic training, legal & health advice and lots of fun, an ideal starting point. We cover house training, introducing a crate/space, how to reduce and eliminate the biting/chewing, socialising (environmentally also), health, grooming, accepting a lead, basic training and most important of all – keeping it all fun.
The most essential rule to owning a puppy is to remain CALM, have plenty of TIME, PATIENCE and be CONSISTENT. You will need to dedicate the time to teach your new puppy (in short regular spells), along with having a huge amount of patience. If you try to rush things you will only get frustrated and confuse your puppy.
“Consistency is the key to avoid confusing your puppy.”
If you start teaching your puppy how to respond and act when they are young you will make it a lot easier as they grow into adolescents and then on to adulthood. Puppies will be very energetic and will want to play, it is important not to overexcite your puppy but to remain calm and encourage gentle play. Rest periods are important – introducing a crate/pen will work great with encouraging rest, puppies are curious they will follow you everywhere and likely to become overtired and fractious. Avoid over exercising your puppy, their bones are still soft, too much localised muscle build up can lead to bone/joint deformity (likewise with jumping off obstacles, etc.), the damage will not become evident until later in life.
Any veterinary questions you have should be directed to your registered practice, they will have the best and most up to date information. Take your dog to the vets at regular intervals, sit in the waiting room, weigh them, talk to the receptionist, doing this will confirm that the place is OK and no need to be worried.
Puppy Research
- Research/gain knowledge of your choice of breed. Every breed has different characteristics and traits, try not to choose a dog on looks alone, their character and traits may not be suitable for your particular lifestyle. Some dogs demand and require constant attention, lots of exercise and mental stimulation. Others are more laid back.
- Age to take home – Puppies are normally ready to leave their mothers somewhere between 8 and 10 weeks of age. It is vital that pups are not separated from their mothers and litter-mates too early as they learn vital skills from them. A puppy that is separated early may have problems later in life.
- Get to see the puppy’s mother and if possible the father, you can gage the temperament and physical attributes to that of the puppy’s.
- What you can expect from your puppy, whining, howling, barking.
A whining, howling or barking puppy causes distress to everyone. Just as in the case of a human baby the puppy will only make these noises for a reason. Your job is to find out exactly what is causing the problem:
hungry, thirsty, frightened, sick, wants his/her toy, too hot/cold, needs to relieve itself, soiled its crate or bed.
A puppy can whine, howl or bark just to get its own way. If you have ensured you have met all the puppy’s needs then do not submit to this form of unacceptable behaviour. - Avoid puppy farms; the puppies from these farms generally have major problems throughout their lives. These are mainly caused through poor breeding, bad sanitation, cheap food etc., and the puppies are generally taken from their mother and siblings far too early causing socialisation problems with people and other dogs.
- Prepare your home and garden; make sure your garden is safe and secure. Purchase a collar, lead, bowls, and identification tags (with name, address and telephone), bed, toys, treats, grooming equipment and food – a good breeder will supply you with some food and give you a feeding chart.
There are many hazards in the home and garden:
Wires (chewing)- electrical cords,
Plants (poisonous) – poinsettias, azaleas, rhododendrons, dumb cane, Japanese yew, oleander, English Ivy and many more
Chemicals – household products, engine lubricants, antifreeze, etc.
Food – chocolate, grapes & raisins, avocado, onions, macadamia nuts, cooked chicken bones.
Children & Puppies
Show your children how to interact with the puppy, throwing a toy/ball for the dog and not at the dog. Excitement levels need to remain calm, puppies can be easily upset and startled by loud noises/shouting. Rough play should be avoided and avoid teasing. Keeping a toy just out of reach will reinforce bad habits such as jumping up and excessive barking.
How/where to stroke gently, (no tugging and pulling of hair), hugging is best avoided with small children. We have two hands to hold a dog and (instead of hands) the dog will use his mouth to hold. Do not pull the tail or ears. If your puppy becomes frightened they will try to get away and accidentally scratch or nip in the process.
Always supervise dog/child interaction – so that both child and pet are protected.
Children are more vulnerable to illness than adults, it is essential before and after playing with your new pet that hands are washed thoroughly. Remove and dispose of excrement from lawns and play areas immediately, this is where the toilet training comes in handy by teaching your puppy to go in a specific area away from the children’s play areas.
House Training & Chewing
Your puppy will have poor bowel control, but if you follow some simple rules it will make house training a lot easier.
It is essential you give a certain amount of your time to make the process easier; you will need to catch your dog in the act to be able to stop this unwanted behaviour and train your dog to do otherwise. If you didn’t catch them in the act at the time you cannot punish them, they will get confused and not know what they’ve done wrong.
Establish a regular routine around your puppy’s needs. Immediately after waking up, your puppy will want to urinate, be there at these times to immediately take them outside to where you wish them to go (make it the same area each time), remain there with them to give praise afterwards. Whilst urinating/defecating, introduce a specific word or sound to give your puppy an association to toileting. This will become useful later to prompt them.
After eating a meal they will want to defecate, which usually happens approximate 30mins later, again be there to take them outside. Get to recognise the signs; your puppy may behave in a certain way just before they need to go. Every hour or two get into the habit of taking them out for a wee break, as they get older you can extend the time. Puppies will urinate spontaneously if they get over excited. If you see your puppy starting to urinate, immediately take them outside, (don’t wait until they have finished) most of the time they will stop and continue when you have taken them to the correct area.
Create a diary of when your puppy eats, sleeps, urinates and defecates. This will make it easier for you to establish a routine on the house training.
Chewing
Chewing is a natural pastime for puppies therefore it takes time for your new puppy to grasp the idea of what they can and can’t chew, chewing and biting is quite normal for a puppy as it helps with the teething whilst their jaw is changing for the initial six months or so. The chewing can reoccur again at adolescence stage. Adolescent dogs often have an uncontrollable urge to chew, which could be because of discomfort in the gums as their adult teeth are settling into the jawbone.
Introduce natural chews, nylon bones, large hard biscuits, and Kongs.
Introducing a Crate/Space
How to get your puppy using a crate/space.
Choose the right one…
First, get the right size crate, the dog (remember to think about how big your dog will become) should be able to stand up, turn around, lay down and sit without touching the sides, in addition to this there needs to be space for the bed or bedding, also enough space for the dog to lay down away from the bed (this will help your dog regulate its temperature), then an area is required for two bowls: the water bowl is to remain within the crate.
Introduction…
With all the items in place open the door wide so that it stays open, and then simply allow your dog to investigate the area. Do not have another bed or set of bowls anywhere else, in a short time your dog will go into the area, just let them come and go… do not praise them, it would be a mistake for the crate to become an excitable place, and resist the ‘photo opportunity’ (there will be plenty of time for that), in a short while your dog should be coming and going to and from his/her area at ease.
Time to close the door…
Once your dog has accepted the crate and is freely coming and going it’s time to teach the next lesson. Take your dog out for a walk on the lead around the garden or out and about (if vaccinated) for 5 minutes, allow them to toilet, a few minutes after they have emptied return to the home, take off the lead and let them see you place a ‘boredom buster’ type toy i.e. a Kong stuffed with yummy puppy food. Your dog will want to investigate/eat, when they are in and settled just close the door, secure it correctly and walk away.
Stay within sight and hearing range but do not stand and stare, just get on with something mundane. In approximately 20-30 minutes return in a calm manner and take your dog back out for another toilet break. Repeat this process.
Time to go out / to bed…
Approximately 30 minutes before these times take your dog out on a lead for one of its daily walks (remember 5 minutes for each month of their age), when you come back in take your dog ‘to bed’ (if you need to say “goodnight” or “bye” do it now but resist the urge to reward or get excited), then walk away and carry out your normal going out or to bed routine for at least 20 minutes, then just go! Do not say goodbye or goodnight again.
Introducing the Collar & Lead
A collar with a buckle is the most suitable for a growing puppy. Place the collar on the puppy making quite sure that it fits correctly and securely, this can be done by inserting two fingers under the collar and fastening with your fingers left in; you should be able to pull your fingers out with slight resistance.
The puppy may initially react to the collar by jumping, rolling and pawing at it. Completely ignore the reactions of the puppy to the collar – resist the temptation to soothe or even laugh at the puppy and do not discipline. Simply leave the puppy to get used to the collar.
As soon as the puppy is comfortable with the collar attach the lead. Allow the puppy to get used to the lead indoors in the surroundings in which he feels safe and secure, only attach the lead for a few minutes at a time. When the puppy is used to the lead pick up the other end and let the puppy lead you. Do not pull the lead or drag the puppy.
Puppy Socialising
The more different experiences, people and places your puppy sees, the better! Puppy socialisation means getting your puppy used to the great wide world, and teaching them their place in it so that they know how to behave and won’t get frightened or even worse, aggressive, in certain situations.
Take your puppy on short frequent rides in the car, busy/noisy places, school playgrounds, shopping. Join your vet puppy parties, puppy classes etc. When out walking, rest regularly, do not do too much at any one time, young puppies tire quickly and need a lot of sleep.
Introduce your puppy to hats, umbrellas, bags, boxes, the vacuum cleaner, ironing boards (opening and closing) etc.
Encourage your puppy to explore and investigate his environment, let him do this at his own pace. Remember not to react in a negative way when you hear a loud bang etc., they will pick up on this.
Do not reward fearful behaviour by attempting to sooth, encourage or calm the puppy when it appears frightened, this often (unintentionally) rewards the behaviour. It’s normal for the puppy to show some signs of apprehension when confronting anything new and different.
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