FIRST WEEK HOME
When you bring home a new dog or puppy, there will need to be some time for
adjustment. By following these tips, you can lay the foundation for a long and happy life
together and make the transition as easy as possible for everyone involved.
Plan Ahead:
Make all your purchases ahead of time so you have supplies, food, toys and everything
you need ready to go, and have your house ready for your newcomer.
See the Veterinarian:
Within the three days per the health guarantee, take your new pet to your veterinarian.
Bring any immunization information you may have received when you acquired your pet
to your veterinarian to begin a case history for future reference.
Get Everyone On Board:
Once in his new home, remember that your dog is adjusting to strange new
surroundings and people. Children can become especially excited. Explain to them that
their new friend needs time out for naps. Show children how to play nicely.
Be a Leader:
Simple things like always walking through doors ahead of your dog and eating in your
dog's presence before you feed him make you look like a 'pack leader.' This will make it
easier for your dog to accept that you (and your family) are in charge.
Feed Your Dog:
It is best to bring home the pet food that your new dog has been eating to make the
transition to a new home as easy as possible. I use and suggest dry PUPPY food.
Please ask the brand that I'm currently using with your puppy, because some puppies
like certain brands better than others, and a change in your puppies diet can upset his
or her digestive system. A few.of the quality puppy /dog foods are Eukanumba, Royal
Canine, Iames, & Bill Jac New sights, new environment and all the attention can be very
stressful. The only familiar thing may be the food he has been eating. If you plan to
switch foods, you can minimize digestive upsets by having enough of the old food
available to make the change a gradual one, usally this should take aprox 2 weks to
change over. Add a small amount of the new in with what he/she has been eating,
continue this amount for 2-3 days while gradually increasing the amount of the new.
Place food in the spot where the food dish will be kept to set a routine. If your dog
doesn't seem to be eating, try moistening the food with water to make it easier to eat.
Be Fair:
Never hit your dog. Never scold for something your puppy did a while ago. Your puppy
will have no idea what the problem is and will think that you are mad for no reason.
Immediate reinforcement is what dogs understand. Instead, encourage the behavior
you want and prevent the ones you do not. It's a much more productive approach. Be
prepared have treats ready, or a 'good boy!" and a pat. Reward him/her for the good
behaviors.
Take a Walk:
Exercise makes for a happy and healthy pet. As soon as he/she gets the ok from the
vet take him out and gradually introduce him to new people and other dogs in controlled,
safe settings. It is one of the most important things you can do for him. It teaches him to
be a good citizen and gives him confidence and social skills.
Make Introductions:
Introduce your new pet to resident pets in controlled situations - if the resident pet is a
dog, perhaps on neutral ground where neither will feel the need to defend territory. Give
each pet its own food dish, and give all pets attention to avoid competition.
Do's and Don'ts
Avoid bringing home a new pet during busy times such as birthdays and holidays. The
noise and confusion may frighten the pet. Family members are generally too busy with
the festivities to devote adequate time to help the dog become comfortable in his new
home. Do make sure your entire family knows how to act, and agree on commands and
rules. Complete cooperation of all family members is ideal. When a pet receives mixed
signals, it can become confused and not know what to do. Do have fun. Dogs of all ages
love a good time.
FIRST VISIT TO THE VET
When should you first take your new dog to the veterinarian? 48 hours of receive it. And
it must not end at one visit. Your puppy will need more veterinary care in the first year of
life than at any other time. The most important thing you can do for your new pet is to
make sure he or she GETS ALL his/her vacinations.
First Visit
Ideally, select a veterinarian even before bringing your puppy home. Once your puppy is
home, the first meeting of veterinarian and puppy should happen as soon as possible -
Within 48 hours). Even though your playful paws puppy has been given a health exam
by our veterinarian he or she still needs to visit your vet to set up a vaccination schedule,
and provide you with a second opinion verification on general health, and set up a heart
worm schedule. Again, the most important show of love is to make sure your puppy
gets his /her vaccinations. Parvo virus kills and is easily transmitted.
First Three Months
In the first three months of your puppy's life, your veterinarian will probably want to meet
every two to three weeks for vaccinations. How long this schedule continues varies by
location, but going until 16 weeks of age is not unusual.
Three to Six Months
Rabies vaccinations are regulated by local laws and often begin between at four months
(or 16 weeks of age. Also watch for your puppy's permanent teeth to come in.
Spaying or neutering is recommended between four and six months. The procedure is
simple, and males usually feel pretty good in a day. Females may take two or three days.
Six Months to a Year
After six months, the veterinarian visits usually taper off. There are boosters at about one
year, and these will be repeated on a regular basis, following your veterinarian's
recommendation. In general, it is a good idea for adult dogs to make at least one visit a
year to maintain the healthy start they got as puppies.
Perhaps the most loving, responsible thing you can do for your pet is to see that he
receives timely health care from a qualified veterinarian. His life depends on it.
HOUSE TRAINING
When you bring a new dog or puppy home, you should move to establish a routine as
soon as possible. The faster you get things on track, the fewer mistakes you'll have to
clean up. Although there are different strategies and ways of house training a puppy or
dog, the following instructions are a good way to teach your pet to eliminate outdoors.
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.
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 and give him a treat IMMEDIATLEY. 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. (Nature's Miracle) found at pet
stores works well.
Watch for territorial marking - spraying urine on objects. That's not a housetraining
mistake. Your dog is tying 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.
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.
MORE AND DETAIL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PUPPY:
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CARE & STEP BY STEP HOUSE TRAINING