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Tips for New Puppy Owners
Bringing a new puppy into your home is a joyous experience!
Caring for your new puppy though, can sometimes seem like a daunting
task! Setting up your home environment in a way to avoid problems
early on will greatly aid in the training and bonding of your
new puppy! Using management to prevent problems from occurring
will help to alleviate the need for correcting or scolding your
puppy thus helping to build safe and fun relationship.
Socializing your new puppy to people,
different environments, other animals and strange objects is
a must to give your puppy a full, stress free life and prevent
incidents of fear aggression or fear submission. Done improperly
though, it can do more harm than good. Exposure to new people
and situations should always have a positive association in the
mind of the puppy. Using treats, toys and play can help your
pup enjoy new environments, people and animals.
If your puppy is showing signs of stress during
exposure or socialization, it is best to gain a little distance
to where the pup is comfortable and then allow the pup to gain
the confidence to move forward. You'll want to reward your pup
for positive interactions but be careful not to fall into the
"oh poor baby" routine. Instead, try to alleviate any
stress by encouraging your dog to play or become animated in
new situations. Never force your puppy into a situation that
he is fearful of. This will only increase his fear.
When socializing to other dogs, it is important
to choose these interactions carefully. Pups of the same age
or maturity is a good place to start. Adult dogs with solid temperaments
and good dog language skills, that have shown a tolerance for
puppies is ideal. Never allow your pup to interact with an "unknown"
dog. What he experiences now will affect him the rest of his
life. Unsupervised play parks are not advised. A puppy class
with emphasis on socialization and play-training is recommended.
Housing for your puppy should
include a crate. The crate is a safe place for your puppy to
be when you can not actively supervise your puppy. It should
be viewed as his bedroom rather than a cage! The door should
be left open much of the time so that the puppy can go in and
out at will. Crate training your puppy should be done in a non-combative
manner. When you do have to place your pup in the crate be sure
to give your pup something pleasurable to do, such as a stuffed
kong or favorite chewie. Start with shorter periods when possible.
If your puppy is crying or barking in the crate, try to ignore
him and only allow him to come out when he has settled down for
a minute or two.
The crate
should be used for short term confinement. For a young puppy,
no longer than an hour or two except at night.
OUCH! Sharp puppy teeth hurt! When playing with
your puppy, try to avoid using your hands as "playthings".
Have something in you hand that is okay for your puppy to bite
on. Your puppy is teething and needs to have an outlet for his
chewing. Keep in mind as well that puppies use their mouths not
only to eat, but to play and explore, much like we use our hands!
When housetraining your puppy
it is your responsibility to make sure that he gets outside regularly
and frequently to eliminate. Puppies have very small bladders
and bowels and will need to relieve themselves often. It is up
to you to make sure they do it outside! If your puppy ALWAYS
eliminates outside, he will seek to get outside when he has the
need to eliminate. Don't carry your puppy outside. Let him walk
so that he learns the route to the door.
Tips for Owners of Adolescent Dogs
Dogs hit adolescence between 6 months and a year old. Many
owners don't feel the need for training until their dogs become
"teenagers"! This can be the most difficult time for
many owners. It's important that clear leadership (the cub scout
kind, not the dictator kind!) is in place and that management
is used to prevent your dog from bad behavior such as running
off, jumping on people or becoming destructive. "Impulse
Control" exercises are an important part of everyday life
for an adolescent dog.
For
the adolescent dog a "nothing in life is free" program
help your dog earn his keep through good behavior. Teach your
dog that before he can eat his meal, he needs to sit patiently.
Require a sit or down before you pet him or throw the ball for
him. Use meal times as training times.
Adequate exercise is a must for the adolescent
dog. Find ways to wear your dog out at least twice a day! This
will go along way in heading off problem behaviors caused by
an abundance of energy! A tired dog is good dog!
Tips for new Owners of Adult Shelter
Dogs
Bringing home a dog from the shelter can be very rewarding.
Often times though, you may not see the true personality or temperament
until your new pet has been in your home several weeks. It's
important that during these first few weeks (sometimes called
the "honeymoon period") trust is built and an appropriate
relationship established. "Impulse control and Leadership"
exercises will help a shelter dog feel more secure and confident
in his new environment. Positive methods should be used to teach
your dog house manners and to look to you for guidance and permission.
Lots of play and exercise will help your new dog relieve the
stress involved with his relocation.
Some dogs coming out of shelters will have to deal
with stressors or fears that can result in inappropriate behaviors.
These can be anything from lunging on walks, resource guarding,
fear of strangers or other dogs resulting in aggression, to shyness
or timidity which prevents the dog from having a full, active
life.
A specific behavior
modification program should be put in place for these dogs. Behavior
modification programs often include desensitization and counter-conditioning.
They should not include punishment or physical corrections of
any kind. It is important that you consult with a trainer or
behaviorist with experience in behavior modification programs
and is willing to work with you long term. With the right treatment
plan, these dogs can become great family companions.
Tips for Owners of Senior Dogs
The saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"
is absolutely not true! As your dog ages its important to keep
both his body and his mind active and healthy. Teaching tricks
is a great way to maintain your dogs cognitive and learning skills.
Besides that it's just plain fun!
As
dogs mature and age they can become less active than their adolescent
counter parts! You may find the need to change the amount you
feed your senior dog so that unhealthy weight gain doesn't occur,
especially if you are using food treats for training.
Regular vet checks and a "baseline
exam" can help your veterinarian determine the health needs
of your senior pet as he ages. Often these exams can mean the
difference in having a few extra years with your companion.
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