Puppy training

 

Puppy training is vitally important so you get off to the correct start with your new dog. Mistakes here at this point can be difficult to change in the future.Reward-based training is the best way to teach puppies how to behave and to respond to commands.We never use harsh methods .Training using rewards is fun, easy and it works. Phone us for dates of our next course. 

 

Puppy checklist 

Puppies are at their most impressionable during early puppy hood. It is at this time that the many good and bad habits are formed. Preventing bad habits (e.g. chewing, barking, marking, biting, jumping up, lead pulling) at an early stage is much easier than rehabilitation after a bad behaviour is formed.

It is therefore essential to get off on the right foot, right from the beginning. So what does this mean ?. Well, it means building your education and understanding in the many aspects of dog ownership, before you get your puppy or dog.

As well as building knowledge, the vast number of products available for dogs generally bewilders newcomers. Many of these lack the appropriate advice dog owners need to determine how, when and where they should be used. Unfortunately, The New Puppy Checklist below does not resolve that dilemma, but it does list those items that, in our opinion, are must have's and need to in place before your new puppy arrives at your house.

1. Dog Crate:
The benefits of crate training are such that a dog crate comes at the top of the new puppy shopping list.
2. Dog Chew Toys
(lots of them): The destructive capability of dog chewing can leave unwitting owners completely dismayed. It is essential to focus chewing in the right direction right from the very start. Dog chew toys that can be stuffed with food are always a good choice . The Kong Toy is without doubt the market leader here and our article How to Use The Kong Toy gives useful advice on using Kongs and stuffing recipes. Additionally, there are also specialist puppy chews such as the Nylabones. These are flavoured and have different levels of hardness to suite puppies of different ages. Steer clear of rawhide and pigs ears at this stage.
3. Dog Toilet
Housetraining can certainly take the shine off the early days of puppy ownership, so it is essential to have a strategy for this from day one. The article House Training - The Modern Way gives an up to date insight into this and is well worth a read. However, key things to have at hand are:

Home made or purchased house training pads
Non-ammonia disinfectant such as Formula H Disinfectant.
 
4. Water Bowl
Lets face it, this can be an anything from an old dish to designer or automatic dog bowls
5. Dog Food
During the first few weeks, feed all of your puppies meals using the stuffed Kongs. Also feed a small amount by hand as rewards for training and socialisation.
6. Dog Treats
Have plenty of treats on hand to be given by men, children, postman or any strangers to help build confidence. Also use as rewards.
7. Head Collar & Lead

These will become essential when you start taking your puppy outside, so don't wait too long before acclimatising them to wearing a head collar or a collar.

Crate Training

What is a dog crate?
 

    A dog crate is a cage made of wire or molded plastic. Its purpose is to provide confinement for reasons of security, safety, housebreaking, protection of household goods, travel or illness. You may think that putting your pet in a crate is mean or inhumane and might cause your pet to resent you or to be psychologically damaged. However, dogs view the world differently than people.

    As your dog sees it, the crate is a room of his very own - a "security blanket". The crate helps to satisfy the "den instinct" inherited from his den-dwelling ancestors and relatives. Your pet will feel secure, not frustrated once accustomed to his crate. Your pet wants to please you and you want to enjoy him. The crate can help you achieve a better relationship with your pet by preventing unwanted behavior when you aren't available to supervise him.

The advantages of using a crate
 
With the help of a crate:
 

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    • You can enjoy peace of mind when leaving your dog alone, knowing that nothing can be soiled or destroyed and that he is comfortable, safe,  and not developing bad habits.
    • You can housebreak your pet more quickly by using the close confinement to motivate your pet to wait until taken outside, since canines naturally avoid soiling their den.
    • You can travel with your pet without risk of the the dog getting loose and becoming lost or interfering with safe driving.
    • Your dog can enjoy the security and privacy of den of his own to which he can retreat when tired or stressed.
    • Your dog can avoid much of the fear and confusion caused by your reaction to problem behavior.
    • Since he can more easily adapt to staying in unfamiliar places as long as he has his familiar "security blanket" along, your pet can be included in family outings, instead of being left behind alone.