|
Your
Puppy's Senses
When
you notice the way your puppy reacts in situations,
remember
that dogs live in a world that looks,
smells
and sounds quite a bit different than ours.
You
might think a situation seems quiet and safe,
but
your dog may sense something you do not that causes agitation -
a
sound too high-pitched for you to hear or the scent of another animal you can't detect.
Dogs
can see with less light, detect motion, and see flickering light better than humans, but the clarity of their distance vision
is typically poorer.
The
popular theory that dogs only see shades of gray may not be true.
Some
theories suggest they see blues and yellows but can't see reds and greens as humans do.
A
dog's hearing is more sensitive than yours.
They
hear higher pitches and lower volumes.
Dogs
are able to register sounds of 35,000 vibrations per second
compared
with 20,000 per second in humans.
This
sensitive hearing can alert you to visitors or danger,
but
it also means you should take care with loud noises,
and
be patient when your dog howls at a train whistle or siren.
A
puppy's sense of smell is much more acute than a human's -
tens
of thousands of times more acute by some estimations.
We'll
never fully understand what their world looks like, smells like or sounds like,
just
as dogs will never even be able to understand how different our world is.
But
we both understand one thing: affection.
Kindness
crosses all barriers and lessens all differences.
BECOMING PACK LEADER
There
is no equality in dogdom.
You’re either ahead or behind your dog in line and that is decided by how you interact with your dog.
Being
a good leader means being calm, kind and consistent.
Here
are a few suggestions:
Teach your
dog to control his mouth. If he mouths or nips you, react with
a startling “No biting!”
This will teach him that you are not another puppy and he needs to treat you differently. Have him ‘sit’ or ‘down’ before you give him anything he wants, from petting to tossing
a toy.
When he responds to you before you respond to him, he will start to look to you to set the rules, while at the same
time getting in daily training practice. Practice submission exercises
daily. These include holding him in your arms or on his side and speaking to him gently until he stops squirming.
When he stops, release him, praise and give him a kibble of food. Gently handle his ears, mouth and paws so he learns to accept this.
These exercises
are easy with most dogs but if your dog really struggles or
gets upset, seek assistance from a qualified dog professional.
Use tone of
voice to communicate. A higher than normal pitch is exciting
and playful and perfect for praise.
A
normal tone - direct and confident – is your command tone.
A
lowered voice your dog hears as a warning, like a growl.
With practice, your puppy can learn to understand your mood through your tone of voice. When you get home, you and your family should eat in your dog's presence before setting out the dog food.
Among
dogs, the most important dogs always eat first.
Walk
through doors first.
Remember:
Pack leaders NEVER share their food with other dogs.
If you
follow all of the steps above and then give your dog table scraps and
bites of your sandwich you are sending mixed signals to your dog.
If you do these
things consistently, you can elevate yourself in your dog’s eyes, which
can make all the difference in training.
Housetraining
Step By Step
Housetraining
can take different amounts of time for different dogs.
But
by applying schedules, setting boundaries for where elimination is acceptable,
a
verbal command,
praise
and crate training, you should see progress over time.
If
you do not see progress, consult your veterinarian or a behaviorist.
Establish
an elimination spot outside. That takes the guesswork out of the trip.
Ideally,
housetraining should be done in conjunction with crate training.
Read
about Crate Training.
When
you think your dog is due to go to the bathroom,
or
if your dog exhibits signs like sniffing an area or
(once
better trained) whining or going to the door, clip a leash to his collar and take him to the spot.
Pick
a phrase like "Go potty" or "Hurry up," then say it calmly whenever your pup is going.
Praise
your puppy after he is finished. Over time, he will come to link those words with those actions and you’ll have a dog
who goes on command.
Go
inside for food and water. About 15 to 30 minutes later, go back out again.
During
the housetraining period, keep your dog in sight.
If
he should start to do something in front of you, interrupt him and take him outdoors quickly.
Praise
him for completing the job outside.
Through
repetition, your dog will learn that there is one place where elimination is appropriate,
and
when he needs to go he will alert you.
Maintain
a regular feeding, drinking and elimination schedule.
When
Your Dog Makes a Mistake
Every
dog and puppy will make mistakes when first being housetrained.
Watch
these mistakes and see if you can spot a cause.
Mistakes
are a sign that your puppy or dog does not know what is acceptable and so you,
as
teacher, must find the source of confusion and fix it.
Too
much freedom too quickly is the most common error.
If
your dog has an accident or two, back up and slow down the training.
Providing
a crate that is too big for your dog encourages him to eliminate in one end
and
sleep in the other.
Also,
if you place food and water in the crate,
he'll
fill up on both and be forced to relieve himself.
It
does no good to drag him off to the site of a mishap and punish him.
A
dog is unable to connect punishment with a past mistake
and
will believe you are angry for no reason,
possibly
leading to fear and confusion on your dog’s part.
Changing
your dog’s diet can cause digestive problems that might result in an accident.
Late
night snacks and not enough exercise can also lead to accidents.
Even
well-trained dogs may have accidents.
Clean
the area with a pet odor neutralizer so your pet won't be tempted to repeat the mistake.
Watch
for territorial marking – spraying urine on objects. That's not a housetraining mistake.
Your
dog is vying to be leader of the pack - which is your family.
When
you see this behavior, step up obedience training.
Don't
rule out a bladder infection.
Spaying
and neutering can help reduce the risk. Talk to your veterinarian.
LEASH
TRAINING A PUPPY
Dogs
need to be comfortable walking on a leash.
From
a practical standpoint, a leash means control and safety.
But
it also means quality time together for you and your dog.
Why
To Leash Train
There
are many reasons why you want your dog to be
comfortable
being on a leash with you on the other end.
It
keeps your dog from taking off during a walk.
It
allows you to control your dog when excited or agitated.
It’s
a tool you can use in other training,
be
it potty training, learning to ‘come’ or other lessons.
In
many urban areas, leashes are required in public areas.
It
allows you to bring your dog with you, whenever you can.
How
To Leash Train
The
first step is a collar. All dogs need to be comfortable wearing a collar,
so
put a nontightening one on as soon as your puppy or dog comes home.
Don’t
let your dog’s displeasure dissuade you unless it’s too tight or causing skin issues.
If
you leave it on, he’ll get used to it. Be sure to remove all collars if you crate your puppy.
Then:Attach
the leash and let your dog drag it around the house under your supervision.
Guide
your dog to your designated potty area with the leash during potty training.
If
your puppy resists, use a toy or a piece of kibble or two to lure him along.
Make
sure to give him slack and praise him warmly when he heads in the right direction.
That
more than anything will signal that he made a good choice.
Get
your dog used to walking on your left side by simply guiding him there each and every time you go outside together.
Praise
and reward him any time he shows up in that position.
Encourage
your dog to focus on you when you go for walks by using plenty of encouragement. Give commands and communicate.
Make
it fun! Dogs generally love fun.
You’ll
also want to start teaching the ‘heel’ command when you start taking walks.
In
short, start with your dog on your left, then start walking.
When
your dog drifts away or tries to pull away, say, ‘heel’ and turn to the right.
Your
dog is now behind you and will run to catch up.
You
may need to reel your dog in while giving the command to reinforce its meaning.
Read
about Obedience Commands for more on heeling.
This
is a behavior many people struggle with. Finding a good local training class can help you learn how to handle your dog and
teach him this basic but useful behavior.
Principles
Of Preventative Training
The
idea is simple. If you never leave your dog unsupervised where he can cause trouble,
he
will learn which activities are allowed and which are forbidden much more quickly than if he’s allowed to make mistakes.
If
your dog is left unsupervised often and does unwanted things, he believes these things are OK because he enjoys doing them
and no one is there to say anything different.
You
cannot correct a dog after the fact – dogs can’t connect a punishment with something they did hours, minutes or
even seconds ago.
Until
you catch your dog in the act, the unwanted behavior is reinforced every time he repeats it.
Practicing
Preventative Training
First
off, plan to spend a lot of time with your dog for the first several weeks
or
even months after you bring your dog home.
Make
sure you have a crate for your dog.
Confine
your dog to the room you're in and litter it generously with chew toys.
If
your dog starts heading toward trouble,
distract
him with an appropriate toy and praise him when he takes it.
If
your dog is already into trouble, interrupt him with a firm ‘No!’ then when the dog stops,
offer
a toy and praise him for interest in it.
Or
give an obedience command and praise your dog for obeying.
When
you can’t be around, keep your dog confined in his crate, a pen or in a small,
dog-proof
area.
(Read
about Crate Training for more information)
It’s
that simple. And it’s extremely effective because:
It
sets you up immediately as pack leader.
It
doesn’t allow bad habits to start, so you don’t need to untrain them later.
It
quickly builds a strong bond between you and your dog.
Do’s
and Don’ts
Do
use the right tone of voice to communicate: higher pitched for praise;
matter-of-fact
for commands; lower, growling tones to show displeasure.
Don’t
hit your dog. Dogs and puppies do not understand being hit or grabbed.
They
will only learn they cannot trust you and learn to fear you,
making
them even harder to train.
Do
praise your dog warmly and often for doing the right thing.
This
will help your dog to make the right choices in the future and besides, it’s fun!
CRATE
TRAINING
Where
does your dog prefer to nap? Under a table, desk or coat?
Dogs
feel secure in a small, enclosed space.
It
is like a den to them.
You
can recreate that feel – and develop a healthy training environment – with a crate.
The
Principle Behind Crate Training
Dogs
like small, enclosed spaces because of the security it offers them.
Crating
is not jailing your dog, and the crate should never be used for punishment.
Instead,
it draws on your dog’s preference for small spaces and allows you an extra measure of control over your dog.
If
you practice preventative training, your dog will spend time in the crate
when
you aren’t around to set boundaries.
One
benefit of a crate is in potty training.
Dogs
try not to go to the bathroom where they sleep.
If
you keep your dog in a crate when you’re not together during potty training,
your
dog will try to hold it until you let him out and take him outside.
Your
job is to keep a reasonable schedule with plenty of chances to play and eliminate.
Choosing
a Crate
Choose
the right size crate for your dog.
Your
dog should have enough room to stand up, turn around and lie down.
Anything
bigger and he may eliminate in one end and sleep in the other.
If
you have a puppy that will grow into a big dog, you will either need two crates of different sizes
or
a crate with a divider that you can move as your puppy grows.
If
your dog is past the chewing stage, make the crate comfortable with a blanket and favorite toys.
You
want the crate to be a place your dog wants to spend time but you won’t want him to spend his time ripping up bedding.
Some
pups never chew bedding, others do.
Never
use carpeting or anything in the crate that could be dangerous if swallowed.
Practicing
Crate Training
Introduce
your dog to the crate in a low-pressure situation,
not
when you’re about to leave.
Leave
the door open and let your dog explore.
Remove
all collars before you crate your puppy.
If
your pup is frightened by the noise of a metal crate on a hard floor,
put
a towel or mat underneath the crate to muffle noise and prevent slipping.
Toss
a treat – ideally a kibble of food – into the crate, then use a simple word like ‘kennel’ to get your
dog to enter.
Praise
your dog and close the door. Open it after a few moments.
Slowly
increase the time your puppy spends in the crate with the door closed.
Don’t
open the door because your dog whines. It will only teach him to whine more.
A
general rule for determining how long your puppy can be confined is one hour for every month that your puppy is old, plus
one hour.
Most
three-month old puppies can stay in for four hours.
Do
NOT crate your dog for more than eight hours.
It
is unfair to leave the dog without a chance to eliminate or exercise any longer than that.
The
more confinement your dog has to cope with, the more exercise he needs daily.
Crating
is a tool that should never be used to avoid training
exercise
and spending time with your best buddy.
Maintain
a regular schedule of trips outdoors so he can relieve himself.
And
so the reason for the trip is clear, always take your puppy on a leash to the same place.
|
