My New Puppy

Bringing a new puppy into the home is a common occurrence at this time of the year. Many dog trainers also take advantage of the abundance of puppies around the Holidays and plan (or "un-plan") for a new bundle of joy of the canine variety.

The question is: What should you do for the best possible experience for yourself and your new canine companion? Is there a "right" way or a "wrong" way?

How you plan will depend heavily on the exact circumstances which brought your new puppy to you. If you have been planning and expecting your puppy well in advance, then you probably have all the toys, blankets and food you will need. If your puppy is a last minute decision, perhaps to "rescue" the little fella from a bad situation, you may need some advice on how to proceed.

First thing to consider is the puppy's age. If he/she is 16 weeks of age or older, a trip to the Vet's office is necessary to get up to date on Vaccinations and a general exam for overall health. If your pup is under 16 weeks but, older than 7 weeks, I would call the vet's office and ask for their recommendations. Younger than 7 weeks shouldn't be separated from their mother and I would only under dire circumstances.
Puppies like to chew because they are usually teething and need to massage their gums to gain relief from that. Get some sturdy Nylabone chews or Puppy Kongs which are made with a soft rubber perfect for puppy's soft mouth and needle sharp teeth. They shouldn't need encouragement but, it's ok to use peanut butter or liver paste to entice them to concentrate on "their" chew toy and not shoes or slippers.
Since a tug toy is often used as a reward for flyball training, it's a good idea to choose one now and play a short game of tug with your pup. Don't overdue it! ALWAYS let the puppy win at playing tug and always end the game while your pup wants to play. If you play tug until your pup stops from exhaustion, the tug will never be looked at as a reward by your adult dog.

People ask all the time about teaching a young puppy to "jump". My recommendation is to teach your pup to go over a stick or board that is lying flat on the ground. He may give a little "hop" while going over it until he figures out that it will not reach up and get him. But, never ask a really young puppy to jump over a reulation flyball jump. You are risking a bad training experience at best and worst case scenario is a serious injury to soft, growing bones and joints. DON'T DO IT!

Finally, your puppy should be given a sense of his own identity. He should have his own dish for food, his own bed/blanket for sleeping and his own leash, collar and toys. He will be at the bottom of the pack for a while in a multi-dog household but, he shouldn't be given a reason to want to take objects away from other canines. You are laying a foundation for complex training behaviors later on. Your pup should always feel secure about his place in your home.

See you at practice!

dog training books, puppy training classes, puppy training tips, dog training tips, how to train a puppy