For the Love of Puppy

A gorgeous, delectable, cute new puppy given out of sheer love to someone can bring much joy and happiness to child or adult alike. The first five minutes are absolutely wonderful; up to the point when the new puppy fouls the living room carpet.

Firstly, many people in their blissful exuberance fail to realise that to own a puppy, comes with nearly as much responsibility as raising your own child. Secondly, one needs get out of one’s comfort zone to clean up after the puppy messes on the carpet. Thirdly, your new puppy needs the staples of life as would your own baby child.

A puppy cannot survive on love alone. The need to water and feed your new puppy will be one of the first considerations. You need to know how old your puppy is and at what stage of development he/she is, in order to feed your puppy the correct food. You cannot assume as some people do; that your diet is good. Therefore, it is a good diet to feed your puppy.

The right food is vitally important or you could find yourself up all through the night with a very sick and whimpering puppy. In addition the subsequent Veterinary bill can set you back $200.00 or more.

The puppy then needs somewhere to sleep and some sort of bedding. A basket or cardboard box lined with an old blanket works fine. Make sure the area is warm and there are no drafts. Puppies can catch colds, coughs and respiratory ailments just like humans.

You then need to be aware that your puppy needs a special environment in which to live. This living space must address his/her eating, sleeping and toileting needs. A puppy will not foul his/her living space; and this needs to be separate from the toileting area. A litter box placed in the opposite corner away from your puppy’s living and eating area should suffice. Some owners use a crate to keep their puppies in and the rules of toileting still apply.

When you observe your puppy needs to do its toilet; put him/her in their litter box and toileting area. Later you can move the litter box outside and show your puppy the new toileting area.

Like your child; your puppy needs to be bathed regularly. Again do not assume products such as family shampoos, soaps and dishwashing detergents are good for bathing your puppy. A small puppy can have allergic reactions and suffer severe skin irritations caused by strong chemicals and toxins. Suitable products developed especially for your puppy can be found at your local Veterinary Clinic, Pet Store and pet area at your local supermarket.

Above all; you need to be loving, sensitive, caring, and observant to your puppy’s every need. This is a trait central to socialization; to assist your puppy in obedience; learning commands; collar and leash training, as well as early potty training. Yelling at your puppy is not recommended or helpful in training your puppy. A Puppy can wander off and sometimes get into trouble e.g. stuck under the house and caught in a wire fence, or wander on the road into traffic. Your puppy can also swallow small articles whole and can choke.

Be ever vigilante that your puppy is toileting regular stools, if he/she does not it could mean puppy has swallowed a large solid object that has caused a blockage and the puppy cannot pass it normally. The short answer in this case is the Veterinary Clinic and resultant cost. Again I use the analogy as to be responsible and watchful of your own child.

Your puppy will also need regular exercise and play. This interaction teaches your puppy boundaries of both good and unacceptable behavior. Interaction with other dogs is also essential to help your puppy become socialised and friendly.

Be also aware that you need to find out when your puppy will need compulsory shots and vaccinations to prevent canine disease. Without vaccinations disease could prove fatal. You will also need to be aware of common infections such as Parvovirus and how best to recognise this. You can get all the relevant information and essential services from your local Veterinary Clinic.

Education is a lifelong learning experience. Having said that; there are many more things your puppy needs to learn. As like every responsible parent, you must also learn to adapt and teach correctly. Therefore, a good book on puppy training and/or puppy obedience training; is an essential aid to achieve success. This reference material is an excellent guide to revisit at any time and whenever the need arises.

Perfectly Potty Train A New Puppy

If you have ever been the proud owner of a new puppy, chances are that you know what it feels like to step in a warm puddle in the middle of the night…on your new carpet…in your best socks. It can be a very frustrating thing when your new puppy just refuses to use the bathroom outside, and it is easy to feel like there is no end in sight. Luckily, there are some ways to perfectly potty train your new puppy, and although it won’t happen overnight persistence and some good carpet cleaner should get you through the rough spots in your potty training experience.

To help in your endeavors to get your floor back and put the carpet cleaner away for good, here are a few tips on training your puppy to use the bathroom in the right spot, all the time.

Remember: Puppies are Like People Too
First off, it is important to remember that your puppy is like a miniature four-legged person, and a young one at that. The younger your puppy is, the more trouble they are bound to have with this potty training experience and for this reason it is important to practice as much patience as you can. Getting frustrated does not help matters at all, but remembering that your pet has a personality, a will, and a learning curve all their own may help you along the way.

Punish the Deed, Not the Dog
One of the mistakes that many frustrated pet owners make when potty training their pet is to discipline their pet’s accidents by way of physical punishment. Spanking your pet is not going to be the solution to your dog’s bathroom problems and antagonizing them may only make matters worse. Remember that dogs have a tendency to be very willful actions, and while some type of negative reinforcement is in order when accidents do occur, rolling up a newspaper and swatting them with it may not always be the best idea. Also, keep in mind that someday your dog may be as big as you are; what will you do at that point?

Be Sure to Fulfill Your End of the Bargain
You cannot expect your pet to grab a newspaper and a match and head to the bathroom every time Mother Nature calls; potty training is a 50/50 responsibility between a pet who should be picking up on a bit of training, and a puppy parent whose responsibility it is to facilitate and enforce the potty training ideas and principles. No matter how well trained your dog is bound to be, refusing to let them out as often as necessary is a surefire way to get your potty training methods to backfire on you big time.

Be as Consistent as Possible
Being consistent is one of the most necessary aspects of potty training for your puppy. If you want them to learn that outside is where they need to get when the urge strikes them, you must be available to let them out or have some alternative worked out. Never allow them to get away with using the bathroom in an undesignated area; while spanking them may not always be the best idea it is important for them to know that they must always use the bathroom in the designated spot and that the floor in your home and other unauthorized areas is never okay.

Consider Crate Training
Crate training is one of the most commonly used tools between pet owners when it comes to potty training new puppies. Dogs are a bit cleaner than you think, and chances are that if they only area they have to defecate in is their living space, they will do their best to hold it. Looking into a crate is a great way to enhance your potty training methods, not to mention the fact that your furniture and houseplants will survive much longer as well.

Potty training your new puppy doesn’t have to be the nightmare that so many people make it out to be. Make sure that you are aware of what you are doing, and seek help from your veterinarian if you think there may be other problems involved. Also, it might be helpful to get to know your dog a little better so you can anticipate the best way for them to learn. Potty training can come easy, and with a little help and a lot of patience you will have your home back in no time!

Dog Training With Hand Signals

Hand signals can ensure that your dog will obey you even if you can’t make yourself heard. Some experts even say that a dog trained on hand signals will more attentive to his owner than one raised without. Here are a few tips below for teaching your dog hand signals.

Train with an assistant.
Because it can be difficult to corral an excited puppy, a friend can help you keep your puppy under control while you are making the hand gesture. For instance, when you make the hand gesture for “sit,” your friend can press down on your dog’s hindquarters.

Work in an area that is free of distractions.
If you own a puppy, you already know that the least little thing can distract him, but you can mitigate this by working in a quiet, secluded area. If you have more than one dog, it can be a good idea to train them separately.

Develop distinctly different hand signals for each command.
There are many different types of hand signals that you can use. Some of them are quite standard, like the use of a hand, palm down, held parallel to the ground and then lowered for the voice command “Sit.” There is no reason, however, not to develop your own signals. As long as they are clearly different from each other and easy to do, your dog should have no trouble recognizing them.

Keep your hand signals consistent.
As with any command that you give your dog, make sure that each hand gesture corresponds to the same requested action each and every time. If you suddenly change gears, there is a good chance your dog will be confused, something that can set their training back quite a bit.

Train with treats.
Dogs are very reward oriented, and while most of them will perform a trick for praise, almost all dogs will work for a treat! When you incorporate treats into the training, you are making sure that your dog receives unquestionably positive reinforcement when he does well. Overtime this can serve to remove any ambiguity from the dog’s mind about what the desired behavior is for each command.

Teach simple commands first.
One piece of advice that is often given by expert dog trainers is that your dog needs to learn to heel before anything else should be taught. When your dog can automatically fall into step beside you, you know that he or she is paying attention and is mature enough to handle more complex commands. Because a dog can be taught to come to heel automatically, no hand gesture is usually needed. To start with, put your dog on a choke chain and leash and start walking. By using small, gentle jerks to slow her down if she gets too far ahead, you can teach her to heel in relatively short order.

Teaching your dog hand signals can be a great way to train because it reduces confusion by reinforcing the voice commands. Remember to take it slow and steady and your dog will be following your hand gestures before you know it!